Sorry for the title but need to catch attention: This is LONG BUT READ IT. (Please)

I would recommend reading this whole thing. If people have "did you try that, did you try this." I will edit Original post, to answer YES. More then likely I have tried everything that will be suggested. There is a pattern here. I am not the only one getting issues now.

Bethesda,

Since your last patch, and DLC there is something terribly wrong with this game. The compatibility is way off way, and there is constant freezing, CTD, and infinite load screens, which I haven’t seen in a long time.

Something is wrong.

Let me explain to everyone that I came back to Skyrim after 6 months just to play again. My game updated, then all of a sudden started crashing, freezing and infinite screens. The game has become unplayable for me, I can’t last more then 5 minutes before a freeze, instant CTD, or infinite load screens.

People are going to say “Check your load order, check your mods.” I have heard this a thousand times. I did around 7 days worth of troubleshooting from:

1. Disabling each mod one by one.

2. Tried save cleaning

3. Taking off all texture mods

4. Trying a PLETHORA of INI tweaks

5. The Papyrus log doesn’t have ANY errors it’s just “VM IS FREEZING, VM IS FROZEN.” No errors, no warnings nothing

6. Tried ENB boost

7. I never touched UGRIDS, EVER

And much more. I even for the hell of it 4GB patched Skyrim. I did everything I could do Application controlled in my NVIDIA settings, and then off on the rest. So NOTHING interferes with the setting of the game. I tried going back to DEFAULT. Nothing is working.

So I said screw it: Let me delete my ENTIRE GAME. I deleted EVERY trace of, NMM, the mods, MY 600 HOUR SAVE. I was PISSED. But whatever, FOR TROUBLESHOOTING.

So I started a new COMPLETELY VANILLA GAME. NO mods, NOTHING. Not even the unofficial patch. I get off that annoying long hay ride at the beginning, start “fighting” Alduin. After 10 minutes, FREEZE.

I WANTED TO PUNCH A HOLE through my screen.

So I tried Another life, and Unofficial patch. After awhile it freezes. CTD, Can’t zone right. I mean I can deal with stuttering, I can deal with slow downs, I am used to that. But This game is UNPLAYABLE.

There had to be something wrong with the latest patch and a compatibility issue with either NVIDIA people, or somewhere. There HAS TO BE A PATTERN with people.

IN my logic deduction, I go on a +1 system in my mind. For every actor that loaded in Skyrim, I give them a +1.

See a guard +1

See a troll +1

Any actor +1

It seems when the game reaches +30, eventually you will get a CTD, or freeze or Infinite load screen.

*And I don’t mean 30 at a time, I just mean OVER time of you playing. It also seems the longer you play, (the father you get in the game), the faster and faster the crashes and freezes get. I am up to the point I can’t last 1 minute before a freeze/CTD/Infinite load screen. Once again, NO papyrus errors. For God Sakes, the PRE ALPHA hangar module of Star Citizen is more stable then this game.

Oh let me tell you my computer, before you blame it on that:

I7 3770K Stock Speed

16GB of DDR3 Ram

NVIDIA Gtx 670 (Specifically Gigabyte)

Raid 0 of 3 500GB Hard drives, for Performance

And then my storage drives which have no impact on this game

By the way, so far SKYRIM is the only game that gets this issue. Farcry 3, Dishonored, Crysis, all these work great, some stuttering like always. But no crashing. And like I said, the PRE ALPHA of Star Citizen, works better then this. Skyrim’s engine is completely unstable. Very moddable, but completely unstable now. Something is wrong.

Guys, something is wrong with the game, I have been seeing more and more crashing complaints, infinite load screen complaints on REDDIT, Skyrim Nexus, and these forums. There is SOMETHING wrong. Something in the actual programming code of Skyrim.

No INI tweak is going to fix this. It’s not hitting a “VRAM” plateu. People don’t understand when you run out of Video memory, it goes to your normal memory right?? It’s almost impossible to “run out of memory.” Especially with newer age computers, or even computers in the last 2 years.

So folks if you are getting the same issues or not, you need to post your system specs, and your video card. There HAS to be a pattern for people who have it working, and people are getting constant CTD’s and Freezing. Remember: DON’T run ANY MODS. NOT ONE. Unofficial Patch, MAYBE.

I don’t care if we have to get to the damn Motherboard model, I want to KNOW why I can’t play this awesome game anymore.

Hopefully this isn't the problem but, did you uninstall your dlc?

Cause for me the dlc is still obnoxiously unstable, especially Hearthfire.

Have You tried deleting the configuration settings for Skyrim, and allowing the Game to generate new ones? They are usually found in Documents/My Games/Skyrim.

I thing you have done something wrong with your ini tweaks stuff, and unfortunately something went wrong with your mods and because of that your save file is useless now. !!!!

I have a feeling heavily editing your ini can break your saves.

Don't care so much about your PC configuration if it's in the recommended area section (and yours is far above that, as i see....)

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For the VMs

-VM freezing is you doing anything that pauses the game, such as opening the main menu, and the game is in the process of pausing, as it takes it a second to fully pause.
-VM frozen is the game paused.
-VM thawing is you leaving anything that pauses the game.

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So what you can do know....i am not in your home, and i can't see what programs, which configurations, do you probably have....

You shouldn't have problems with stutter in other games too with that configuration...(So probably your Operating system is messed up...somehow !!!!)

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• I would suggest to make backup saves from your other games, and your precious stuff on a external disk or whatever...
• Format your PC, and install your operating system again.
• install all of your device drivers.
• Then install skyrim - update it to the latest patch (should be done automatically), install all the unofficial patches, and start a new character.
• Don't install anything else...
• NO MODS !!!!!

See how the game runs, and if it is stable (and i thing it will be...), then probably you shouldn't blame the game.

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My configuration: G2020, GTX 660, 4GB Ram Mini ITX MOBO (Asrock) - NO MODS

Playing for three months know. (No freezes, no lag, no CTD's at all).

Playing at 1920x1080 AA=off, AF=4X, Vsync=adaptive. (Get 50-60 fps the most off...)

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WISH YOU LUCK !!!!!!!

Is this the disk version or Steam?

Edit: Hmm. I see you've gone. If it's the disk version do a complete uninstall. Turn off your anti-virus app and reinstall, making sure that it's installed somewhere outside of the Program Files directories,

Like I said before, I did a clean install and no mods. Please read my post. Also, I am not formatting my computer again just for Skyrim. This is simple logic: WIth a clean install of a game and no mods, and no other games having issues, it's obviously Skyrim. Not my configuration of my computer nor, the install.

Already did a re install, my Anti Virus is disabled. It is installed, to (drive0)\Skyrim. I don't like long winded install directories.

Keep em coming. People you need to think outside of the box, none of the normal stuff here is working.

Re-installing windows is a very normal thing, and how can i be sure that your game hasn't left obsolete keys deep in your registry ????

btw - why you don't install the game like every normal people at the default directory !!!!!

Sorry, but because i have followed the normal installation procedure, and because my game is working fine - i don't know how somebody should thing outside of the box,

and make experimental thoughts about a non working skyrim game.

If you have tried all possible solutions you can thing off, and skyrim wont start again...you should considering my advice.

(NO OFFENSE PLEASE !!!!!)

that sounds like your problem

Out of curiosity, did you happen to have downloaded and installed the latest series of "updates" from Microsoft? They were released on October 9, and since then I have experienced quite a few anomalies within other programs that I commonly use, including Skyrim. There were numerous "updates" that "resolve issues in Windows" as well as .NET framework updates that somehow seems to be factor in random hang-ups with other programs on my system. Just a thought...

I don't take any offense. But:

I have over 15 years of Computer Technician/Network Security Administration experience, I also have a degree in it, but that doesn't matter as real world experience is the only way to learn. BUT I am NO programmer. So when it comes to coding, I am lost.

However, be that as it may, installation directories make no difference on the games performance, as long as the registry entries match.

I regularly format and reinstall my computer to keep the main drives clean, and windows flowing. However this is a more recent WIndows Install, since I added the third 500GB hard drive for the raid.

Now, like I said, there is an incompatibility somewhere that Skyrim doesn't like. There is a pattern somewhere, and the only way I am going to figure this out if people who have unmodded games who have issues post there specs, and people who have super modded games with no issues post there specs.

I can find patterns and deduce, but I can't do that with more info. Also, I have been working with this issue now for 7 days, so I almost have done everything under the sun. Thinking outside the box is what I need right now.

Logic: Nothing else has issues except Skyrim. Skyrim uses a unique engine.

So. I need suggetions that make logical sense, formatting will do nothing besides make me pull my hair out.

Can you tell me the particular updates? Are they optional, give me the "K" codes to them in your winodws update history, and I will see if I have them

Open "Control Panel", click on "Windows Updates" then on "View Update History". They were released on October 9, 2013, so look at updates that were installed since then. There are quite a few to look at. I haven't even started to diagnose the issues one-by-one, but am certain my problems stem from one of the "updates".

**Note: My system and software were functioning perfectly the night before the updates, but haven't since. The recent Microsoft updates are the only updates installed on my system that week. (with Steam as the only exception)

Yes i know how to get into the history lol. But String Theory, it's your fault! YOU Did something wrong! Skyrim is a flawless game. /sarcasm

Okay so finally someone is working with me not against me. Breath of fresh air, Ill check out the updates, tell me if you make any progress.

It usually is my fault, although I am an expert on dodging the blame.

I plan on looking into my own issues later tonight, as it has been a busy weekend. If I find a connection between update and programs, I will post them here upon verification.

Okay cool, at least finally i got something to go on and not the same suggestion I have heard a thousand times.

by the way what is your hardware, motherboard included.

Here's my system basics;

Asus Sabertooth 990FX (BIOS 1604)

AMD FX6200 (OC @ 4.51GHz) (Corsair H90 liquid cooling)

16GB gSkill Ripjaws X DDR3-1600

XFX Radeon HD 6850

Crucial M4 256GB SSD (firmware revision 070H)

Corsair HX750 PSU

Creative SoundBlaster X-Fi Platinum

Viewsonic VA2702w display (27" DVI)

Windows 7 Ultimate x64

@OP Please post a dxdiag report. I could be driver related or something, but I doubt it.

Raid 0 is NOT recommended. This will decrease stability for a negligible performance increase. I know you cannot simply destroy the array, but I'll make the point that it isn't helping stability of any application, especially those that use the hard drive a lot.

Is Steam installed to the Program Files directory?

Edit: Also the game can run out of usable memory. There is a limited amount of memory usable to the application (a maximum of ~4GB) regardless of the amount of System RAM installed. Skyrim's Memory Management System can be prone of memory leaks, where it is not efficient at keeping a memory pool available. Usually this wouldn't be a factor on a Vanilla install though.

Let me first start off by saying, you're not speaking to Bethesda. You're speaking to a community who is much more responsive than Bethesda and MUCH more effective at resolving problems.

Now that that's out of the way, I'll give you my thoughts. You've tried running Skyrim with a fresh install on a brand new game save and the issue persists. We had someone on our forums make a thread very similar to this and at the end of the thread, after wasting everyone's time...the issue was solely related to corrupt Windows. Don't put reimaging your computer off of the table because that could very well be the solution to your issue EVEN if other games work flawlessly.

Install the game on a separate HDD away from UAC and validate the game files.

I don't have many more suggestions because beyond that point it's more related to Windows and/or hardware. Perhaps even graphics drivers or firmware.

Wait nevermind I have a Gigabyte Z77X-UD5H. Sabertooth is my friends' board. Ugh getting stuff mixed up now

Hmm okay, Ill try out off the array.

You, my kind sir, clearly are a man of good taste! Is yours for Intel or AMD? (If it's a 990FX, I have a few suggestions that might help)