I have been playing this game from release date, loght modded, heavy modded. I was always able to find what caused a CTD or at least live with it. But now I am stumped.

I decided to start a new game with some of my favorite mods that I have been using, and try SKYRE. Did my usual testing of base install (before installing SKYRE) and started to get CTDs. One was in the same spot, on the road to Whiterun from Nightengale Inn, at the spot where you meet the spider (near giant camp). Did a few more tests with same result. Removed AOS and some texture mods. Was able to make it past the spot and game seemed fine. Did a longer run to meet some bandits and got CTD on looting the body of a bandit. Did more tests, was able to loot, and then another CTD looting a vampire body. So I decided to wipe my HD, install Windows, install Skyrim, install Mod Organizer and STEP Core. Hell, thousands use it and they have no problem. Well, same CTD in same spot on road on first test.

It is not memory or vram, have plenty of both and logs do not show high memory usage. I have 4GB vram and 8GB RAM.

ENBOOST works. SKYSE memory patch works.

It can't be a bad mesh as it does not always happen in same spot.

Possibly a spawn? But these are vanilla spawns in STEP Core.

Papyrus shows no errors at time of CTD or before.

So what gives? When I think of all the hours I spend troubleshooting the game instead of playing, I am missing out on some gaming. Lesson learned, if you have a stable game DO NOT UPDATE THE MODS

Anyway, the point of this post is how do you troubleshoot a crazy issue like this? Going back to vanilla is not an option. Are my assumptions correct?

If it is a bad mesh then a CTD will happen EVERY time in that spot.

If papyrus does not show error then it is NOT A SCRIPT issue.

My load order:

Active Mod Files:

00  Skyrim.esm01  Update.esm02  Unofficial Skyrim Patch.esp  [Version 2.0.2a]03  Dawnguard.esm04  Unofficial Dawnguard Patch.esp  [Version 2.0.2]05  HearthFires.esm06  Unofficial Hearthfire Patch.esp  [Version 2.0.2]07  Dragonborn.esm08  Unofficial Dragonborn Patch.esp  [Version 2.0.1]09  Skyrim Project Optimization - Full Version.esm0A  HighResTexturePack01.esp0B  HighResTexturePack02.esp0C  HighResTexturePack03.esp0D  Brawl Bugs CE.esp0E  Unofficial High Resolution Patch.esp  [Version 1.1.6]0F  Weapons & Armor Fixes_Remade.esp10  ADS.esp11  AOS.esp12  BWS.esp13  DragonShoutVoice.esp14  IHSS.esp15  Improved Combat Sounds v2.2.esp16  TradeBarter.esp17  Auto Unequip Ammo.esp18  Dead Body Collision.esp19  fFastTravelSpeedMult_4.esp  [Version 1.0]1A  Moss Rocks.esp1B  Moss Rocks_DB.esp1C  ORM-Arvak.esp1D  PilgrimsDelight.esp1E  Point The Way.esp  [Version 1.0.2]1F  Skyrim Flora Overhaul.esp20  SkyrimImprovedPuddles-DG-HF-DB.esp  [Version 1.1]++  Traps Make Noise.esp21  NoxUE2.00.esp22  SkyUI.esp23  Elemental Staves.esp24  ExplosiveBoltsVisualized.esp25  imp_helm.esp26  Improved Closefaced Helmets_Legendary.esp27  imp_helm_imp.esp28  imp_helm_dawn.esp29  imp_help_dbrn.esp2A  Gildergreen Regrown.esp  [Version 1.2.6]2B  Run For Your Lives.esp  [Version 1.2.4]2C  When Vampires Attack.esp  [Version 1.1.1]2D  The Paarthurnax Dilemma.esp  [Version 1.2.7]2E  Appropriately Attired Jarls Redux.esp2F  Distant DetailHF.esp30  DiversePriests.esp31  Guard Dialogue Overhaul.esp32  SkyFalls + SkyMills + DG + DB.esp33  aMidianborn_Skyforge_Weapons.esp34  dD-No Spinning Death Animation.esp35  Beards.esp36  Brows.esp37  SPTConsistentOlderPeople.esp  [Version 1.8]++  moveitLWT.esp38  NonEssentialChildren.esp39  DawnguardRuneWeaponsFXSReplacer.esp3A  RealisticWaterTwo.esp3B  RealisticWaterTwo - Legendary.esp3C  STEP Core Patch.esp3D  Bashed Patch, 0.esp

Not necessarily to both of these.

A bad mesh related to a spawn could cause some of your problems. Or a mesh that only shows in certain circumstances, like a body mesh. A while back, I was experimenting with male body replacers, and one of them would give me a crash ~50% of the time that I looted bodies, if I removed the armor. Systematic error in installing meshes from a mod, either due to a bug, user error, or poor instructions, could do this and appear random.

Papryus will only show events that occur before a crash. So it's not guaranteed to show you the cause of a crash. Also a script could technically be fine, but possibly cause a crash via accessing an asset , or otherwise trying to perform an action that the game can't handle in it's current state.

These are mods that I'm personally familiar with, and have used together without crashes. I've also cleaned all mods and DLC with TES5Edit.

If I were you, I'd strip down to the above list, and test for crashes. If you're still getting crashes, you probably have a bad mesh or meshes, which you'll have to track down.

If you don't get crashes, add the other mods 1 or 2 at a time, and play for a few hours before adding the next mods. Also keep in mind that you may have more than 1 mod that causes problems, so the thorough approach would be to carefully vet all your mods, even if you identify one that's causing trouble.

Good advice omphaloskepsis and thanks. Will try this tonight.