Crashing within a minute of gameplay

[Boffyrox]

Crashing within a minute of gameplay

After recently reinstalling Witcher 3 on steam, that within a minute of gameplay there is screen tearing followed by freezing/black screen with the audio continuing as if the game did not crash. Giving it another minutes just leads it to crash to desktop. I never had this problem during my first play through, which was following the release of Witcher 3 in 2015.
I have searched countless forums and found no true solution to this what so ever.

My Specs:
Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-4790K CPU @ 4.00GHz
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti 3GB
RAM 16 GB
Samsung SSD 850 EVO 500GB

I'll also link the crashlog:

Red Engine Crash Log
--------------------------------------
Build: Not Set [ Compiled Sep 5 2016 ]

User: Nick

Crash reason: EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION (3221225477), Error reading location 0x00000000

Crashed Thread:

Thread ID: 9436

callstack:
Scaleform::Render::Matrix2x4<float>:repend() + 0xa828b - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix2x4<float>:repend() + 0xa76ff - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix2x4<float>:repend() + 0xa3b74 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::System::~System() + 0x99c6a - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::System::~System() + 0x32e86 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::System::~System() + 0x32b73 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::System::~System() + 0x349f1 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::System::~System() + 0xb890e - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::System::~System() + 0x97787 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix4x4<float>::SetIdentity() + 0xc3c095 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix4x4<float>::SetIdentity() + 0xc21427 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix4x4<float>::SetIdentity() + 0xc21a1d - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix4x4<float>::SetIdentity() + 0xc1bfe9 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix4x4<float>::SetIdentity() + 0xbc4bc5 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix2x4<float>:repend() + 0x27972 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix2x4<float>:repend() + 0x276d2 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix4x4<float>::SetIdentity() + 0xba4a80 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix2x4<float>:repend() + 0x245ee7 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix2x4<float>:repend() + 0x24608e - <Unknown File>(0)
BaseThreadInitThunk() + 0x14 - <Unknown File>(0)
RtlUserThreadStart() + 0x21 - <Unknown File>(0)

Debug Information
================================================================

Commandline: "C:\Users\Nick\Desktop\Steam\steamapps\common\The Witcher 3\bin\x64\witcher3.exe"

Thread ID: 14244

callstack:
Scaleform::Render::Matrix4x4<float>::SetIdentity() + 0x1103b8 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix4x4<float>::SetIdentity() + 0x6e72e4 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix2x4<float>:repend() + 0xc85c6 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix4x4<float>::SetIdentity() + 0xeeff4 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix2x4<float>:repend() + 0xc387a - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix4x4<float>::SetIdentity() + 0xef2f7 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix4x4<float>::SetIdentity() + 0x11d6 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix4x4<float>::SetIdentity() + 0x424dd - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix4x4<float>::SetIdentity() + 0x162f - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix4x4<float>::SetIdentity() + 0x18fc - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix2x4<float>:repend() + 0x23d838 - <Unknown File>(0)
BaseThreadInitThunk() + 0x14 - <Unknown File>(0)
RtlUserThreadStart() + 0x21 - <Unknown File>(0)

================================================================

Thread ID: 5224

callstack:
RtlUserThreadStart() + 0x21 - <Unknown File>(0)

================================================================

Thread ID: 10996

callstack:
CoreUICreateEx() + 0x45ef - <Unknown File>(0)
CoreUICreateEx() + 0xb54f - <Unknown File>(0)
CoreUICreateEx() + 0xb1b7 - <Unknown File>(0)
CoreUICreateEx() + 0x7f86 - <Unknown File>(0)
CoreUICreateEx() + 0x8639 - <Unknown File>(0)
CoreUICreateEx() + 0x18bb5 - <Unknown File>(0)
CoreUICreateSystemWindowIDManager() + 0x120b - <Unknown File>(0)
CreateCursorClient() + 0xf700 - <Unknown File>(0)
CreateCursorClient() + 0xf559 - <Unknown File>(0)
BaseThreadInitThunk() + 0x14 - <Unknown File>(0)
RtlUserThreadStart() + 0x21 - <Unknown File>(0)

================================================================

Thread ID: 13464

callstack:
Scaleform::Render::Matrix4x4<float>::SetIdentity() + 0xb95437 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix4x4<float>::SetIdentity() + 0xba4a80 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix2x4<float>:repend() + 0x245ee7 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix2x4<float>:repend() + 0x24608e - <Unknown File>(0)
BaseThreadInitThunk() + 0x14 - <Unknown File>(0)
RtlUserThreadStart() + 0x21 - <Unknown File>(0)

================================================================

Thread ID: 14356

callstack:
Scaleform::Render::Matrix4x4<float>::SetIdentity() + 0xba4a80 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix2x4<float>:repend() + 0x245ee7 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix2x4<float>:repend() + 0x24608e - <Unknown File>(0)
BaseThreadInitThunk() + 0x14 - <Unknown File>(0)
RtlUserThreadStart() + 0x21 - <Unknown File>(0)

================================================================

Thread ID: 15748

callstack:
BaseThreadInitThunk() + 0x14 - <Unknown File>(0)
RtlUserThreadStart() + 0x21 - <Unknown File>(0)

================================================================

Thread ID: 4992

callstack:
DllUnregisterServer() + 0x45ad - <Unknown File>(0)
DllUnregisterServer() + 0x48a6 - <Unknown File>(0)
BaseThreadInitThunk() + 0x14 - <Unknown File>(0)
RtlUserThreadStart() + 0x21 - <Unknown File>(0)

================================================================

Thread ID: 9008

callstack:
RtlUserThreadStart() + 0x21 - <Unknown File>(0)

================================================================

Thread ID: 6896

callstack:
BaseThreadInitThunk() + 0x14 - <Unknown File>(0)
RtlUserThreadStart() + 0x21 - <Unknown File>(0)

================================================================

Thread ID: 10308

callstack:
BaseThreadInitThunk() + 0x14 - <Unknown File>(0)
RtlUserThreadStart() + 0x21 - <Unknown File>(0)

================================================================

Thread ID: 4696

callstack:
Scaleform::Render::Matrix4x4<float>::SetIdentity() + 0xba4a80 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix2x4<float>:repend() + 0x245ee7 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix2x4<float>:repend() + 0x24608e - <Unknown File>(0)
BaseThreadInitThunk() + 0x14 - <Unknown File>(0)
RtlUserThreadStart() + 0x21 - <Unknown File>(0)

================================================================

Thread ID: 9936

callstack:
Scaleform::Render::Matrix4x4<float>::SetIdentity() + 0xba4a80 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix2x4<float>:repend() + 0x245ee7 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix2x4<float>:repend() + 0x24608e - <Unknown File>(0)
BaseThreadInitThunk() + 0x14 - <Unknown File>(0)
RtlUserThreadStart() + 0x21 - <Unknown File>(0)

================================================================

Thread ID: 11928

callstack:
Scaleform::Render::Matrix4x4<float>::SetIdentity() + 0xba4a80 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix2x4<float>:repend() + 0x245ee7 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix2x4<float>:repend() + 0x24608e - <Unknown File>(0)
BaseThreadInitThunk() + 0x14 - <Unknown File>(0)
RtlUserThreadStart() + 0x21 - <Unknown File>(0)

================================================================

Thread ID: 13556

callstack:
Scaleform::Render::Matrix4x4<float>::SetIdentity() + 0xba4a80 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix2x4<float>:repend() + 0x245ee7 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix2x4<float>:repend() + 0x24608e - <Unknown File>(0)
BaseThreadInitThunk() + 0x14 - <Unknown File>(0)
RtlUserThreadStart() + 0x21 - <Unknown File>(0)

================================================================

Thread ID: 1848

callstack:
Scaleform::Render::Matrix4x4<float>::SetIdentity() + 0xba4a80 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix2x4<float>:repend() + 0x245ee7 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix2x4<float>:repend() + 0x24608e - <Unknown File>(0)
BaseThreadInitThunk() + 0x14 - <Unknown File>(0)
RtlUserThreadStart() + 0x21 - <Unknown File>(0)

================================================================

Thread ID: 4332

callstack:
Scaleform::Render::Matrix4x4<float>::SetIdentity() + 0xbdbfc - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix4x4<float>::SetIdentity() + 0xba4a80 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix2x4<float>:repend() + 0x245ee7 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix2x4<float>:repend() + 0x24608e - <Unknown File>(0)
BaseThreadInitThunk() + 0x14 - <Unknown File>(0)
RtlUserThreadStart() + 0x21 - <Unknown File>(0)

================================================================

Thread ID: 4972

callstack:
Scaleform::System::~System() + 0x7f12f7 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::System::~System() + 0x7f13b0 - <Unknown File>(0)
BaseThreadInitThunk() + 0x14 - <Unknown File>(0)
RtlUserThreadStart() + 0x21 - <Unknown File>(0)

================================================================

Thread ID: 4136

callstack:
Scaleform::System::~System() + 0x7f12f7 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::System::~System() + 0x7f13b0 - <Unknown File>(0)
BaseThreadInitThunk() + 0x14 - <Unknown File>(0)
RtlUserThreadStart() + 0x21 - <Unknown File>(0)

================================================================

Thread ID: 1696

callstack:
OpenAdapter12() + 0x1cf25d - <Unknown File>(0)
OpenAdapter12() + 0x1c75bd - <Unknown File>(0)
NVAPI_Thunk() + 0xd3d2a - <Unknown File>(0)
NVAPI_Thunk() + 0x818380 - <Unknown File>(0)
BaseThreadInitThunk() + 0x14 - <Unknown File>(0)
RtlUserThreadStart() + 0x21 - <Unknown File>(0)

================================================================

Thread ID: 13760

callstack:
OpenAdapter12() + 0x2bdfef - <Unknown File>(0)
NVAPI_Thunk() + 0x818380 - <Unknown File>(0)
BaseThreadInitThunk() + 0x14 - <Unknown File>(0)
RtlUserThreadStart() + 0x21 - <Unknown File>(0)

================================================================

Thread ID: 5276

callstack:
OpenAdapter12() + 0x2bdfef - <Unknown File>(0)
NVAPI_Thunk() + 0x818380 - <Unknown File>(0)
BaseThreadInitThunk() + 0x14 - <Unknown File>(0)
RtlUserThreadStart() + 0x21 - <Unknown File>(0)

================================================================

Thread ID: 2572

callstack:
OpenAdapter12() + 0x2bdfef - <Unknown File>(0)
NVAPI_Thunk() + 0x818380 - <Unknown File>(0)
BaseThreadInitThunk() + 0x14 - <Unknown File>(0)
RtlUserThreadStart() + 0x21 - <Unknown File>(0)

================================================================

Thread ID: 9820

callstack:
OpenAdapter12() + 0x2bdfef - <Unknown File>(0)
NVAPI_Thunk() + 0x818380 - <Unknown File>(0)
BaseThreadInitThunk() + 0x14 - <Unknown File>(0)
RtlUserThreadStart() + 0x21 - <Unknown File>(0)

================================================================

Thread ID: 9264

callstack:
OpenAdapter12() + 0x1cf25d - <Unknown File>(0)
OpenAdapter12() + 0x1c75bd - <Unknown File>(0)
NVAPI_Thunk() + 0xd3d2a - <Unknown File>(0)
NVAPI_Thunk() + 0x818380 - <Unknown File>(0)
BaseThreadInitThunk() + 0x14 - <Unknown File>(0)
RtlUserThreadStart() + 0x21 - <Unknown File>(0)

================================================================

Thread ID: 15244

callstack:
OpenAdapter12() + 0x2bdfef - <Unknown File>(0)
NVAPI_Thunk() + 0x818380 - <Unknown File>(0)
BaseThreadInitThunk() + 0x14 - <Unknown File>(0)
RtlUserThreadStart() + 0x21 - <Unknown File>(0)

================================================================

Thread ID: 2928

callstack:
OpenAdapter12() + 0x2bdfef - <Unknown File>(0)
NVAPI_Thunk() + 0x818380 - <Unknown File>(0)
BaseThreadInitThunk() + 0x14 - <Unknown File>(0)
RtlUserThreadStart() + 0x21 - <Unknown File>(0)

================================================================

Thread ID: 7736

callstack:
OpenAdapter12() + 0x2bdfef - <Unknown File>(0)
NVAPI_Thunk() + 0x818380 - <Unknown File>(0)
BaseThreadInitThunk() + 0x14 - <Unknown File>(0)
RtlUserThreadStart() + 0x21 - <Unknown File>(0)

================================================================

Thread ID: 2884

callstack:
OpenAdapter12() + 0x2bdfef - <Unknown File>(0)
NVAPI_Thunk() + 0x818380 - <Unknown File>(0)
BaseThreadInitThunk() + 0x14 - <Unknown File>(0)
RtlUserThreadStart() + 0x21 - <Unknown File>(0)

================================================================

Thread ID: 15700

callstack:
NVAPI_Thunk() + 0xa29b6 - <Unknown File>(0)
NVAPI_Thunk() + 0xd3d2a - <Unknown File>(0)
NVAPI_Thunk() + 0x818380 - <Unknown File>(0)
BaseThreadInitThunk() + 0x14 - <Unknown File>(0)
RtlUserThreadStart() + 0x21 - <Unknown File>(0)

================================================================

Thread ID: 12932

callstack:
Scaleform::Render::Matrix2x4<float>:repend() + 0x245ee7 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix2x4<float>:repend() + 0x24608e - <Unknown File>(0)
BaseThreadInitThunk() + 0x14 - <Unknown File>(0)
RtlUserThreadStart() + 0x21 - <Unknown File>(0)

================================================================

Thread ID: 7416

callstack:
Scaleform::Render::Matrix2x4<float>:repend() + 0x245ee7 - <Unknown File>(0)
Scaleform::Render::Matrix2x4<float>:repend() + 0x24608e - <Unknown File>(0)
BaseThreadInitThunk() + 0x14 - <Unknown File>(0)
RtlUserThreadStart() + 0x21 - <Unknown File>(0)

================================================================

Game

Last opened world: prolog_village.w2w

================================================================

Game

Last opened world: prolog_village.w2w

================================================================

 

[Guest 4234641]

I have one question is the card you have stock o/ced ?

 

[Enigmasdf]

I have been struggling with constant crashes myself and what seems to have fixed it for me is to downclock my gpu -25MHz on memory and core, and run the game at very demanding settings so it runs below 60 fps. (simply limiting fps to 60 didn't work)

 

[SigilFey]

Welcome to the Forums, Boffyrox!

After recently reinstalling Witcher 3 on steam, that within a minute of gameplay there is screen tearing followed by freezing/black screen with the audio continuing as if the game did not crash. Giving it another minutes just leads it to crash to desktop. I never had this problem during my first play through, which was following the release of Witcher 3 in 2015. I have searched countless forums and found no true solution to this what so ever.

0.) Using any mods, or have you ever used any?

1.) As jbugaj hints above, overclocking does not like to cooperate with TW3 very much. Definitely return all hardware to default clock speeds if using any OC (for GPU, CPU, or RAM).

2.) Try updating of rolling back your drivers. I'm using Nvidia Reference 381.65 without any issues at all. You can try those if the latest don't work. Just be sure you uninstall your present drivers using Display Driver Uninstaller and install the replacement using the CLEAN installation option.

3.) Ensure that all power settings on your device are set to "Maximum Performance" / "Never power down" / etc. Do this under Nvidia Control Panel and Windows Power Settings.

4.) Are you seeing similar problems with any other software?

I have been struggling with constant crashes myself and what seems to have fixed it for me is to downclock my gpu -25MHz on memory and core, and run the game at very demanding settings so it runs below 60 fps. (simply limiting fps to 60 didn't work)

If you are removing overclocked settings, that's fine. If you are lowering the clock speeds below factory defaults...that's not good. You likely have a hardware / power issue if that's the case. People should never need to lower their GPU below factory defaults to achieve stable performance. (It's worth mentioning that many GPUs / custom PCs come with "factory OC". That's still overclocking, so it's perfectly reasonable to have to turn that off at times. If that's the issue, there should be something already installed on your system that lets you "return to default clock speeds" with a click or two.)