CTD to desktop

[kronos8]

I've tried everything I can think of, but Skyrim keeps crashing to the desktop just after the Bethesda logo, and I need help. I started playing a new game the other day, and it was going fine for a few hours, and then suddenly the game became really slow. I tried loading an earlier save, and the game crashed. I tried loading a different save, and the game crashed again. After that, Skyrim started crashing just after the Bethesda logo. I uninstalled all my mods, disabled my ENB, and ran it through the normal launcher rather than SKSE or ATTK, none of which helped. I heard changing the sound settings in the control panel could help, it didn't, and I ran Skyrim as an administrator, which didn't help either. I checked all my drivers were up to date and checked there were no Windows updates. I tried deleting my ini file and re-running Skyrim to create a new ini file. I looked at various forum threads, and couldn't find anything.

 

With no ideas about what to do, I uninstalled Skyrim completely and then reinstalled it. It worked again, so I reinstalled all the mods, and kept playing for a few more hours, when once again, the game slowed down massively. I quit the game and restarted it, only for it again to CTD on launch. I tried the exact same procedure as before, and no luck. I don't understand why this is happening, as both times in between Skyrim working fine and not working at all, I didn't install any mods or patches and changed no settings.

 

I'm playing as an admin on Windows Vista 32 bit, and my copy is legit. My processor is an Intel Core Quad 2 Duo and my graphics card is a Nvidia GeForce GTX 500 Ti.

 

If you have any ideas, I would very much appreciate the help.

[kronos8]

Oh, and also I should have said, my game is fully patched and I have gone through Steam and validated local cache files as well.

[ripple]

Post your BOSS log (with the messages), include the list of plugins not recognized by BOSS if one is generated. Enclose them in spoiler tags so they don't clutter the screen.

[kronos8]

Possibly a silly question but how do you add spoiler tags?

[kronos8]

Okay, worked out how to do it.

Don't see how it could be a mod issue though, because even if I uninstall everything, the problem persists.

SKSE Plugins

• SKSE Version: 0.1.6.6
• CFM_extensions.dll
• SKSE_Elys_Uncapper.dll Version: 1.14.3.0
  
  Recognised Plugins
  

  These plugins are
  recognised by BOSS and have been sorted according to its masterlist.
  Please read any attached messages and act on any that require action.

  • Skyrim.esm Active
  • Update.esm Active
    • Contains dirty edits: 73 ITM, 1 UDR records with 3.0.28. Needs TES5Edit cleaning. A cleaning guide is available here.
  • Dawnguard.esm Active
    • Contains dirty edits: 607 ITM, 82 UDR records with 3.0.28. Needs TES5Edit cleaning. A cleaning guide is available here.
    • Bash Tag suggestion(s): {{BASH: Delev, Relev}}
  • HearthFires.esm Active
    • Contains dirty edits: 171 ITM, 11 UDR records with 3.0.28. Needs TES5Edit cleaning. A cleaning guide is available here.
  • ApachiiHair.esm Active
  • ApachiiHairFemales.esm Active
  • ClimatesOfTamriel.esm Active
    • Contains dirty edits: 4 ITM, 0 UDR records. Needs TES5Edit cleaning. A cleaning guide is available here.
  • LorecraftESM.esm Active
  • SPIKE.esm Active
  • WARZONES - Civil Unrest.esm Active
    • Contains dirty edits: 66 ITM, 1 UDR records. Needs TES5Edit cleaning. A cleaning guide is available here.
  • WinterholdDestruction.esm Active
  • Unofficial Skyrim Patch.esp Active
    • Bash Tag suggestion(s): {{BASH: Delev, Relev}}
  • USKP_addon.esp Active
  • USKP_addon ENG.esp Active
    • Incompatible with: USKP_addon.esp
  • Unofficial Dawnguard Patch.esp Active
    • Bash Tag suggestion(s): {{BASH: Delev, Relev}}
  • Unofficial Hearthfire Patch.esp Active
  • Chesko_Frostfall.esp Active
  • LIAT - Sounds.esp Active
    • Contains dirty edits: 43 ITM, 0 UDR records. Needs TES5Edit cleaning. A cleaning guide is available here.
  • kuerteeDisableLightsFarFromActors.esp Active
  • Economics of Skyrim.esp Active
    • Bash Tag suggestion(s): {{BASH: Delev, Relev}}
  • Economics of Skyrim - Dawnguard.esp Active
  • Expensive Investments.esp Active
  • JBS_banking_redux.esp Active
    • Contains dirty edits: 0 ITM, 1 UDR records. Needs TES5Edit cleaning. A cleaning guide is available here.
  • kuerteeProfessions.esp Active
  • LIAT - NPCs.esp Active
    • Contains dirty edits: 3 ITM, 0 UDR records. Needs TES5Edit cleaning. A cleaning guide is available here.
  • Lorecraft - Vanilla.esp Active
  • People Have Torches.esp Active
  • Realistic Wildlife Loot - Realistic.esp Active
    • Bash Tag suggestion(s): {{BASH: Delev, Relev}}
    • Note: Use only one Realistic Wildlife Loot - *.esp
  • Character Creation Overhaul.esp Active
  • WetandCold.esp Active
  • SkyUI.esp Active
  • Cloaks.esp Active
    • Contains dirty edits: 4 ITM, 0 UDR records. Needs TES5Edit cleaning. A cleaning guide is available here.
  • Lorecraft - Cloaks010.esp Active
    • Bash Tag suggestion(s): {{BASH: Relev}}
    • Note: Use only one Lorecraft - Cloaks
  • 1nivWICCloaks.esp Active
    • Bash Tag suggestion(s): {{BASH: Relev}}
    • Incompatible with: Cloaks of skyrim, get the compatibility patch in the WIC optional files.
  • 1nivWICCloaksLorecraft.esp Active
  • DeadlyDragons.esp Active
    • Bash Tag suggestion(s): {{BASH: Delev, Relev}}
  • buildablehouse.esp Active
  • DawnstarBetterDocks.esp Active
  • DawnstarMarket.esp Active
  • RIC_Dawnstar.esp Active
    • Contains dirty edits: 27 ITM, 0 UDR records. Needs TES5Edit cleaning. A cleaning guide is available here.
  • ESFCompanions.esp Active
  • Freedom of Speech.esp Active
  • Freedom of Speech -- Dawnguard.esp Active
  • HighlandFarmMilk.esp Active
    • Contains dirty edits: 8 ITM, 0 UDR records. Needs TES5Edit cleaning. A cleaning guide is available here.
    • Warning:
      This file contains 1 deleted NavMesh records that TES5Edit cannot
      repair automatically and it may cause problems with your game. NavMesh
      deletions should be reported to the mod author. A guide to repairing
      NavMesh deletions with TES5Edit is located here.
  • RiftenBetterDocks.esp Active
  • When Vampires Attack.esp Active
  • whiterunMarket.esp Active
  • WhiterunFortified.esp Active
  • WhiterunREVISION.esp Active
  • RRBetterWhiterunInt.esp Active
  • WindhelmBetterDocks.esp Active
  • Weighted Items.esp Active
  • CCO - Permanent Birthsigns.esp Active
    • Contains dirty edits: 0 ITM, 24 UDR records. Needs TES5Edit cleaning. A cleaning guide is available here.
  • Guard Dialogue Overhaul.esp Active
  • Increased Bounty & Guild Rewards.esp Active
  • LegionArmorVarietyOPTIONAL3.esp Active
    • Note: Use only one LegionArmorVariety esp
  • mjhReducedGoldRewards.esp Active
  • More Salt Please.esp Active
  • SkyTEST-RealisticAnimals&Predators.esp Active
  • TheChoiceIsYours.esp Active
  • TheChoiceIsYours_Dawnguard.esp Active
  • Thieves Guild Requirements.esp Active
  • torches for RL (happy medium).esp Active
  • Unique.esp Active
  • ExpandedWinterholdRuins.esp Active
  • Solitude A City Of Trade.esp Active
  • icefloes.esp Active
    • Contains dirty edits: 4 ITM, 0 UDR records. Needs TES5Edit cleaning. A cleaning guide is available here.
  • Realistic Lighting Overhaul - Illuminated Spells.esp Active
  • Realistic Lighting Overhaul - Dungeons.esp Active
  • Realistic Lighting Overhaul - Minor Cities & Town Interiors.esp Active
  • Realistic Lighting Overhaul - Major City Interiors.esp Active
  • ClimatesOfTamriel-Dawnguard-Patch.esp Active
  • kuerteeBattleFatigueAndInjuries.esp Active
  • Diseased.esp Active
  • RealisticNeedsandDiseases.esp Active
  • RND_Dawnguard-Patch.esp Active
  • RND_HearthFires-Patch.esp Active
  • RND_HighlandMilkFarm-Patch.esp Active
  • RND_RWL-Patch.esp Active
  • RND_USKP-Patch.esp Active
  • Higher Bounties Hold Specific.esp Active
  • LockpickingOverhaul.esp Active
  • Dual Wield Parrying_RandomAttacks_Dawnguard.esp Active
    • Note: Use only one Dual Wield Parrying*.esp
  • The Dance of Death - Dawnguard Edition.esp Active
  • DFB - Carry Weight Per Stamina Choice.esp Active
  • kuerteeSkillBasedDamageMultipliers.esp Active
  • SkyRe_Main.esp Active
    • Bash Tag suggestion(s): {{BASH: Relev, Delev}}
    • Warning:
      The SkyRe has many conflicts with other mods. Please read the readme
      before playing with mod. This will prevent many problems. Read it here.
    • Note: If lockpicikng is not work then try to delete 'interface\lockpickingmenu.swf'
    • Note: If you have a problem with aiming try to install this mod.
    • Note: To make aiming easier, recommend to add the following lines to Skyrim.ini:
    • Note: [Actor]
    • Note: fVisibleNavmeshMoveDist=12288.0000
    • Note: [Combat]
    • Note: f1PArrowTiltUpAngle=0.64
    • Note: f3PArrowTiltUpAngle=0.64
    • Note: fMagnetismStrafeHeadingMult=0.0
    • Note: fMagnetismLookingMult=0.0
  • SkyRe_Combat.esp Active
  • Lorecraft - SkyRe.esp Active
  • SkyRe_EncounterZones.esp Active
  • SkyRe_EnemyAI.esp Active
  • SkyRe_EnemyScaling.esp Active
    • Bash Tag suggestion(s): {{BASH: Relev}}
  • SkyRe_Survivalism.esp Active
  • GDO_Plugin_SkyRe.esp Active
  • ApachiiHairStyles.esp Active
  • ApachiiHairStylesELVES.esp Active
  • XCES.esp Active
  • CompilationV1.esp Active
  • Alternate Start - Live Another Life.esp Active
  • CCO - Diverse Races And Genders.esp Active
  • SkyRe_Races.esp Active
  • WATER.esp Active
  • RND_Water-Patch.esp Active
  • Compatibility Patch - PHT, CoS & WIC.esp Active
  • RaceMenu.esp Active
  • RaceMenuPlugin.esp Active
    • Note:
      RaceMenuPlugin is optional and provides support to alter Height,
      Breast, Glute and Biceps. If you experience issues with it, disable
      RaceMenuPlugin.esp and inform the author.
  • Bashed Patch, 0.esp Active
  • ReProccer.esp Active
    
    Unrecognised Plugins
  • Fantasy Music Overhaul.esm Active
  • MECR_Callaghan.esp Active
  • ETK - Whiterun V1.42.esp Active
  • Exhausted.esp Active
  • FMO - Non-Replacer Version.esp Active
  • Immersive Potions.esp Active
  • LeatherW_fix.esp Active
  • LT_Warpaints_F_Pack01.esp Active
  • No More Standing Too Close to NPCs.esp Active
  • ShiverTwitch's Labeled Mines.esp Active
  • Realcitiessolitude.esp Active
  • Serana1.3.esp Active
  • Ezuka's Wedding Rings.esp Active
  • Baraban-Steel-Plate-Replacer.esp Active
  • Character_Generation.esp Active
    

[ripple]

Okay, worked out how to do it.

 

Don't see how it could be a mod issue though, because even if I uninstall everything, the problem persists.

 

You did mention that after you did a completely fresh reinstall of the game, everything worked fine until you reinstalled mods.....

 

1) You are using too many mods. The crappy game engine is only capable pf so much stress before the game becomes unstable, regardless of how powerful your rig may be. Mods that add more spawns and spawn points to the worldspace will make the worldspace inherently more unstable, depending on how much they add. Mods like 'Warzones' and 'SkyTest' are popular culprits in many large load orders due to the significant increase in the number of AI's and AI packages the game must now simultaneously manage (in fact, SkyTest's author explicitly notes on the mod description page that the mod does not play well with a large load order). The other type of mods that stresses the game engine are those using continually updating scripts, like Frostfall, RnD, Wet n' Cold, SkyRe, CoT. A few is ok but too many will stress the engine beyond its limitations. I recommend trimming and starting a new game (so you don't have to deal with orphan junk left behind in existing save games from uninstalled mods). In the mean time, some general tips for load order maintenance to ensure the long term stability of a modded Skyrim game....

 

2) Cleaning: you should download TES5Edit from that link, follow the instructions on the page, and clean all the plugins that have been flagged by BOSS as containing 'dirty edits.' Make sure you remove identical to master entries as well as undelete/disable deleted references (this one is more important CTD-prevention).

 

3) Maintenance: go through your BOSS log and attend to error messages, for example:

 

• HighlandFarmMilk.esp Active

  Contains dirty edits: 8 ITM, 0 UDR records. Needs TES5Edit cleaning. A cleaning guide is available here.

  • Warning:

    This file contains 1 deleted NavMesh records that TES5Edit cannot repair automatically and it may cause problems with your game. NavMesh deletions should be reported to the mod author. A guide to repairing NavMesh deletions with TES5Edit is located here.

I'd actually remove this mod rather than try to repair it's default game navmesh deletion. The only reason such an issue would still be reported for this mod is if it has been basically abandoned by the author. Such a mod, in my opinion, does not deserve a spot in your load order.

 

4) The plugins not recognized by BOSS: after you run BOSS, they go to the bottom of the load order. These plugins must absolutely not be allowed to simply load there, after your compatibility patches (e.g. Bashed Patch, ReProccer). Their load order position need to be manually arranged based on whether they contain conflicting records with the other plugins in your load order. The only reliable way to do this is to check them out in TES5Edit and look for conflicts. If there are conflicts, you will need to decide which plugin should 'win' (plugins loaded later override conflicting records of plugins loaded earlier). If there are no conflicts, they can load anywhere above your compatibility patches. You should also clean them using TES5Edit, since BOSS would not notify you even if they contain 'dirty edits' since it does not recognize these plugins. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of taking care of these unrecognized plugins. If they are allowed to load wherever they want, they can potentially undo all previous efforts made to stabilized the load order.