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General confusion about how SSE uses RAM.


AsaHerring

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I've spent several weeks now doing research looking for a solution, or explanation, to my problem.

My issue is that I'm hitting what seems like a RAM usage limit which causes CTDs.


I purchased Skyrim on release in 2011, and started modding the game soon after people started making mods for it.

This is my first time modding and doing a playthrough of the SSE version after a 4 year break from Oldrim.

That is my history with the game.

My system specs:

i7 4790k

RTX 2060 Super 6Gb

16Gb DDR3 2133

Intel SSD

2560x1440 Resolution


To explain a little more about what is happening.

Upon entering a new cell, my RAM usage tends to gradually increase and does not go down. Towns and Interiors in towns are more severe. A CTD happens when I have used all 6Gb of VRAM and around 8Gb of system RAM.

From what I have found on several different posts about SSE Ram usage, is that it is very rare to see above 5Gb of system RAM used depending on how little VRAM you have.

For example, in Whiterun, after loading the town and 2-3 Interior Cells, I hit 8Gb of system RAM and crash.

I have also done a test where I loaded up the game inside Breezehome(4Gb of VRAM, 2.5Gb of RAM used), so nothing else loaded, then exited into Whiterun, then turned around and went back into Breezehome. Each time I loaded, more and more RAM was used, and repeated this until my game reached 8Gb and crashed.

Not sure why loading the same 2 areas over and over would cause so much RAM usage to build up.


I am using SKSE64, version 2.0.16.

I have verified it is installed properly. Checked SKSE version in game too.

I have also looked at posts about MEMORY edits to the ini, which has me very confused. Do I name the ini file "skse.ini" or "skse64.ini"? I see conflicting information between posts on Oldrim posts on and SSE.

On the SSE Nexus, there are edited inis you can download, some are "skse.ini" and some are "skse64.ini", both are intended to be used for SSE. Does it even matter? I've had it named both and nothing changed.

My skse ini is currently set to:

[Memory]

defaultHeapInitialAllocMB=6144

scrapHeapSizeMB=1024

I have learned that the SSE version of SKSE no longer uses the ini file like Oldrim did.



I am also using "SSE Engine Fixes (skse64 plugin)"


I am using BethINI with the BethINI preset and the recommended tweaks.


I am using an ENB, which I have learned that ENBs do not have the same effect on RAM usage for SSE as they did for Oldrim. In Oldrim, ENBs/ENBoost allowed for multiple heaps of 4Gb system RAM to be created in order to get past the 4Gb engine limit. But with the SSE 64 bit client that is not needed since Bethesda fixed the engine up a bit.


My main heavy mods and textures are as follows:

Only 2k texture mods, no 4k. 2k texture mods replacing almost all textures in the game.

UNP Female Body

Voluptuous Grass + Skyrim Flora Overhaul.

Immersive Citizens SE

JK's Skyrim, Dawn of Skyrim, and patches.

I have a total of 389 mods installed and 283 plugins loaded, according to Vortex, but the ones listed above are the most heavy RAM users I would think.

I know I can remove mods, I know that. Compared to other's posts about RAM usage, my game in my opinion is not that more heavily modded than theirs, and in some cases people have much less RAM usage with lower specs while using 4k textures. I don't use any 4k textures.


I have two main reasons for this post. To hopefully find a solution to my abnormal RAM usage, and to better understand how SSE works by creating a more recent, relevant topic for RAM usage because there are a lot of outdated posts that no longer are relevant. Because when you try to research this topic, you get forum posts and guides for Oldrim.


One last note...

I can completely prevent my CTDs while playing by using the "pcb" (purge cell buffer) command before entering a new cell and play as long as I want without CTDs. This takes very little time to do, but it does get annoying having to do this before entering every cell.

Thanks for your help!

Edited by AsaHerring
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  • 2 weeks later...

I believe I have found the culprit of my RAM issues, unintentionally...


It seems that the mod "The People of Skyrim" was causing issues with my game. I do not know how, if it was just poorly optimized or it was conflicting with my game version or other mods, but after uninstalling it I am having no more crashing from RAM building up.


Removing the mod did not cause my game to use less RAM, I am still using RAM in the same way, but after uninstalling the mod I can go over 8Gb without crashing. I tested this by installing several Whiterun mods and was able to hit 12Gb of RAM without crashing.


I had originally uninstalled the mod because I found out it added several new areas, and added dozens of unwanted trees to the tundra around Whiterun. I had originally installed the mod because I thought it was an NPC mod. I did not like the forest around Whiterun and uninstalled the mod that added all the trees. I did not know the mod added many new areas all around the map and overhauled the major cities. I already have Jk's Skyrim, Dawn of Skyrim, The Great Cities, and a couple others that do that, and I know exactly what they do and I like what they do. I was unfamiliar with the changes made by "The People of Skyrim" and I uninstalled it.


Immediately after doing this, I went to Whiterun to see exactly what was removed by uninstalling the mod, and I was met with, after several cells loaded, 10Gb of RAM usage without crashing. It seems that either this mod does not play well with other mods, or it loads things into RAM that maybe shouldn't be? I don't know, I am NOT experienced with how the game engine works.


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