Game Random Freeze forcing hard reset

Conan Exiles PC Discussion
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Game mode: Online-Multiplayer (rented server) Solo Player
Type of issue: Possible database corruption issue
Server type: PVP enabled
Region: North America

I get a totally random game freeze that is so severe it locks up the PC and the only way to escape is to force a hard reset of the PC by powering off and rebooting.
I had a white tiger pet following me all the way from the Bridge of the Betrayer to my base at the Weeping Ruins when the game seized as I approached the furnace to deposit star metal which my Tiger was carrying.
The severity of this lockup also caused reboot issues, forcing a manual shutdown two additional times before the PC would finally fully initialize.
When I finally get rebooted and finally back into the game, I discover my pet white tiger is gone along with any resources it was carrying.

This isn’t the first time this issue has happened.
THIS IS A SEVERE ISSUE.
It happened before when I was running Windows 7 Pro on this pc.
I upgraded to Windows 10.
I upgraded the CPU to an AMD 9590-8 core and installed a liquid cooler to keep its normally hot operating temperature well within normal parameters of around 40C.
My system runs with 32GB RipJaws RAM
It uses an AMD RX580 8GB dedicated graphics card.
1 TB Samsung SSD.
It’s a Gigabyte Motherboard and I’ve updated the BIOS.

I ran the iolo System Mechanic which supposedly fixed several issues.
But when the issue persisted, I uninstalled that and Subscribed to the latest, most recommended system repair tool called “reimage” which apparently found other issues and supposedly ran a complete repair of several more software issues which included registry and OS repairs.

After today’s lockup, I ran the ReImage program and it showed no apparent errors on the machine, except that it pointed at possible third party errors with downloaded apps … and that POINTS TO YOU FUN COM and ALSO possibly STEAM.

I’m at the end of my patience and I’m fed up with an issue that keeps pointing a finger at YOU.

Now, here’s the real ■■■-kicker.
I retrace my steps back to the camp I had established near the Bridge of the Betrayer and I find my white tiger still there where I had logged out the previous night.
This is no B.S. I had my white tiger follow me all the way to my base at Weeping Ruins when the game locked up.

You care trying to explain what the hell happened?
To me, that points a finger at your database manager AGAIN.
It’s also pointing a finger at what’s causing other serious issues in the Windows system. (System Lockup).

You can clearly understand why I’m really, very angry.
When it happened again in the middle of a fight, upon logging back in I found myself out in the starting desert instead of my bed. I return to my base to find a corpse, but there is no corpse.
You know the story of Hanzel and Gretel, I’m sure. Follow the bread crumbs.
You have all the clues you need.
The engine is losing track of my location. There is your clue.

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Hey @Vahlok

Apologies for the frustration. Since you mention you’re playing on AMD hardware, could you take a look at some of the troubleshooting tips we have in our common technical issues thread and see if they help with your problem?
In particular, the workarounds in this thread: AMD Workarounds Thread

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Here is another clue and it seems to be consistent.
The player audio (relative to actions inc. combat) drops out before the game (and PC) locks up.

5

Might be completely irrelevant, but just in case, did you update Windows 10 recently? As in the last couple of days. I no longer remember the details, but one of the fixes had something to do with audio and game performance. Anyhoo, maybe double check to see if there is a Windows update qued up.

But also, try Ignasis’s suggestion since you are running an AMD. It has to do with audio as well.

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I went into the files to check the settings referenced for audio regarding the issue tied in with Alt+tabbing in WindowsNoEditor at the location specified and found only this entry.

Manifest.ini
With this text:
[Manifest]
Version=2

There were recent updates to Windows 10, however the issue has been occurring since before the most recent update and even back when I was still running Windows 7 Professional.
I upgraded to Windows 10 Home about a month ago from Windows 7 Professional after finding out the game had been developed using Windows 10 and I did this to make sure I was on the same page as the dev team.

I’ve very rarely, if ever use Alt+Tab except on a couple of occasions to test something that someone had mentioned and I did that just to find out what they were talking about. As I found out they do that often when streaming or switching in between windows apps. That’s something I don’t do.
The only time I did use that Tab feature was when I had the Steam Overlay enabled and accessed that via Shift + Tab. But to eliminate that as a possible contributor to the issue, I disabled that overlay feature to make certain I don’t use it. The issue persists in spite of it.

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Engine.ini is in:

\steamapps\common\Conan Exiles\ConanSandbox\Saved\Config\WindowsNoEditor

And you need to add the line yourself at the end of your file, not edit it.

[/script/engine.audiosettings]
bDisableMasterEQ=True

I only mentioned it because I’ve seen other people who had non freezing issues have their problems resolved with that setting enabled. Doesn’t always work, just suggesting it.

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I appreciate the suggestion. I’ll have another look for it.
In the meanwhile, it just happened again.

I’m dead serious about this and it’s a totally random occurance. But at least for the moment I’ve got a clue when it’s about to happen and that’s when the audio drops out.
If I catch it quick enough, I can exit the game (although it seems to take longer to exit than usual) and avoid getting totally locked up.

Here’s what happened:
I’m passing by the summoning place on the north side against the rocks and see the Sink hole at The Arena off in the near distance. (the one with an obelisk).
I avoid going near the sink hole because it’s getting dark and I’m making my way over to Galoman’s Tomb to hit up the boss crock for a power stone piece.
I get up on the plateau where the world boss spider is and get just close enough to see it show up. So I thought instead of taking it on directly, I’d lure it up to the Dafari Camp to let them deal with it.
As I get close to the camp I’m attacked and the only thing I can do is fight back to survive.
Right in the middle of the fight I notice my character sound drop out. Sure enough as if right on cue before I can exit, the game locks up (freezes) and as a result, this locks up my PC at the same time.
My only recourse is to force a power off reset. I have NO other option.

I get booted back up and get back into the game, but I’m not at the Dafari Camp where the game locks up. Guess where I am?
I’m near that damned Sink Hole with undead hyenas eating my testicles. Before I can even fight back, I’m killed.

I’m dead serious, this is why I quit playing this game before. It’s because of this hard freeze, total system lock up.
Audio seems to be a clue, but also the engine just can’t seem to remember where the hell I am on the map. I have never used mods, the files are as pristine as the day they were installed on my machine and on the server host with the only exceptions being changing basic server settings dealing with the normal aspects of game play. Nothing to do with the game engine or the database manager.
It happens totally random. It is unpredictable.

I came back only to discover this issue still persists and what’s adding insult to injury is I’ve rented a server again a full year in advance to play this game.
I want this issue fixed.

What kind of clues do the devs need on this?
I seriously just cannot believe I’m the only one experiencing this.

In the WindowsNoEditor I see several files. 16 of them to be exact.
What file am I supposed to add that line among that cluster?
I’m taking a chance in guessing you mean the Engine.ini file,
If so, I added those lines. Now whether or not it really has anything to do with what’s happening, I guess we’ll find out.

9

After the last lockup, I got out for a while just to cool myself off.
Now, after logging back in, it happens again within 2 minutes after moving out of my hut to the closest workstation to deposit steelfire into a furnace.
TOTAL LOCKUP.
Not even an audio warning.
THIS IS INSANE.

10

Happened again part way across the map overlooking a dafari camp near Deathwhisper Ruins.
Locked up as soon as the first poison arrow struck the target. Locked up in the middle of the cloud burst mid animation.

11

One thing that seems to help is leaving the AMD User Experience Program.
(Unchecking the box and confirming).
It’s buggy as it is and contributes to the mess.

It seems every time Radeon releases a new update, it automatically enables it.
I was experiencing frequent lockups prior to leaving it, and then the system became more stable with far less frequent lockups. After an update (this morning by the way), the frequency ramped up as previously noted. After the last lockup I got popup notifications on the AMD User Experience Program and recommended settings when I noticed the program was enabled again much to my dismay.
Leaving it again, the system has stabilized somewhat.
I’m sending in a report to AMD on this.

12

Well I’ll be damned, it just happened AGAIN.
Total game and PC lockup.
This time in the Palace of the Witch Queen …
right in the middle of the fight with the Witch Queen herself.
Got a cue when the audio dropped out just before it locked up and I didn’t have time to exit since I was in the middle of the fight.

I get rebooted and get back in to find myself at the door instead of the middle of the floor where the lockup occurred.
Statues weren’t there and I expected that since I destroyed them. But the Witch Queen herself had vanished. So I exit the area and re-enter and see the stage had reset with everything back in place. Act II. Finished the fight, retrieving the mask and key, then exit without further issues.

However I did notice a significant difference in the time of day when I exited.
It was apparently late afternoon when I entered the palace, when I finally exit I notice it is stone cold dark of night instead of a setting sun. (unexpected time displacement).

Seems the audio fix didn’t work either.
At least with the User Experience Program not running in the background, the system behaved more stable since earlier today I played a couple of hours with no issues.

13

Just happened again in the first minute of the game.
Time of day: twilight (possible catch up time).
No sound.
Lockup.

Game exited by itself after a moment (with sound of bow being loosed).
Notification Lost connection with server.
Back in game, noticeable time of day difference. Time of day is during dawn.

14

Complete lockup occurred.
Sound begins dropping out just before the crash.
Game locks up.
Waited for about a minute and game exits with notification: Lost connection with the server.

15

Game freeze and PC lockup preceded by character audio FX drop (walking sound, combat sounds).
If loss of audio FX can be caught soon enough, game can be exited (with an unusually longer than usual exit resembling a temporary game freeze).

With music turned all the way down, this drop in character audio FX becomes more noticeable when it begins to occur prior to a total lockup.
This time around, no “Lost connection with the Server” notification.

16

Just a moment ago the game locked up along with my machine.
Random location between River’s End and Circle of Swords in route to the Frozen North.
Audio dropped out quicker than I could react and I had no chance to avert the lockup.
Only recourse was to power off and reboot.

17

Just happened again.
Sound dropout and total lockup.
Hard reset required.

18

Just happened again.
Got notification “Lost connection with server” about three minutes LATE.

19

Just a few moments ago, the game siezed and consequently locked up my system.
Then, about 2 or 3minutes later a “Fatal Error” notification pops up. (This was unexpected).
The Fatal Error is this:

The UE4-ConanSandbox Game has crashed and will close.

Fatal Error:
[FileC:\B\branch_exiles-live\code\Engine\Source\Runtime\RenderCore\Private\Re
nderingThread.cpp] [Line:959]
GameThread timed out waiting for RenderThread after 60.00 secs.

The message was seen the entire time I was typing that fatal error message.
Just now, about 8 minutes later,
A Bug Reporting notification just popped up (after the game was closed by the program)

I’m going to add some information to it and send it to YOU.

Fortunately for me, a hard reset was not necessary.

20

A few moments ago, the game seized. (whole system unresponsive).
I waited about 2 or 3 minutes and then the game closes with a popup notification that the connection to the server was lost. (this is MP mode running on a rented server based in Dallas, Texas. I live in Florida).
The lockup occurred as I exited the river (starter side) across from the intersection where the river branches northward toward Skittering Cavern.
When I log back in, I find myself standing at the taming pen (being the only thing that stopped me from continuing on to the south of the river and into the desert).
Now, being the taming pen given it’s location is puzzling because the main house to my base is in between the taming pen and the river where I exited when the game locked up.

21

Hey Friend I don’t know how I missed this thread. Is there any way I can be of assistance? I run a dedicated server right next to my writing desk, so it makes it easy to hear when data is being written and moved around. If I log into my private test server and play like normal, then hard-lock the game by suspending the system, the database appears to be truncated with regard to my player data. I believe that if your toon data is clipped like this, the server must rectify it, likely by going back to a recently-made backup file. By default, your server backs up its DB every few minutes. I could be out of date on my info, but that would seem to explain the breadcrumbs, which are similar in my “hardlocking” tests today.

Are you running the Radeon Adrenalin software suite atop your nice shiny new GPU?

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