Fix: The Elder Scrolls Online Keep Crashing on Startup on PC
When it comes to the action-adventure exploration-type MMORPG, The Elder Scrolls Online is one of the most popular titles among players in the market since...
Subodh Gupta
Last updated on August 28, 2023
Subodh Gupta
Author
Subodh loves to write content whether it may be tech-related or other. After writing on tech blog for a year, he becomes passionate about it. He loves playing games and listening to music. Apart from blogging, he is addictive to the gaming PC builds and smartphone leaks.
When it comes to the action-adventure exploration-type MMORPG, The Elder Scrolls Online is one of the most popular titles among players in the market since 2014. This award-winning online multiplayer RPG has a limitless adventure to experience by creating a world, battle, craft, explore, and more. ZeniMax Online Studios and Bethesda Softworks have done a great job but some players are facing The Elder Scrolls Online Keep Crashing issue on Startup on PC.
Well, if you’re also one of the victims to encounter such an issue then make sure to follow this troubleshooting guide completely to fix it. These days the startup crashing issue or the game not launching issue becomes one of the most common problems among PC gamers. Because no matter which game you’re playing or whatever PC configuration you’re using, crashing issues may tend to appear a lot quite often without any single reason. Yes! Irritating.
It seems that the startup crashing issue while opening the PC game may occur due to some unfortunate reasons that we’ve mentioned here. The reason may be different for each game or player depending on which title they’re playing and what kind of system specifications they’re using. But most of the crashing issues related to the game may get covered in this guide. Mostly the PC configuration compatibility issue triggers startup crashes a lot.
While an outdated game version, an outdated software or hardware build, a low-end PC specification, an outdated game launcher, corrupted or missing game files, outdated or missing graphics driver, background processes, issues with startup apps, etc can become one of the primary reasons. On the other side, DirectX-related issues, the antivirus software issue, Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables, overlay apps, overclocked CPU/GPUs, etc can cause crashes.
The Elder Scrolls Online Keep Crashing on Startup on PC
We should always mention that follow all the troubleshooting methods one by one until the problem gets fixed completely. Sometimes a minor workaround can also resolve the crashing issue with your specific game that might not work with others. So, don’t skip any step. Now, without further ado, let’s jump into it.
1. Check System Requirements
It’s highly recommended to follow the system requirements properly because the incompatibility with the game’s system requirements and the PC configuration may also trigger the launching issues or crashes a lot. If in case, your PC is outdated or has low specs then make sure to upgrade it accordingly.
Minimum System Requirements:
Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS: Windows 7 64-bit
Processor: Intel Core i3 540 or AMD A6-3620 or higher
Memory: 3 GB RAM
Graphics: Direct X 11.0 compliant video card with 1GB RAM (NVidia GeForce 460 or AMD Radeon 6850)
DirectX: Version 11
Network: Broadband Internet connection
Storage: 85 GB of available space
Sound Card: DirectX compatible sound card
Recommended System Requirements:
Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
OS: Windows 7 64-bit
Processor: Intel Core i5 2300 or AMD FX4350
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics: Direct X 11.0 compliant video card with 2GB RAM (NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 or AMD Radeon HD 7850) or higher
DirectX: Version 11
Network: Broadband Internet connection
Storage: 85 GB of available space
Sound Card: DirectX compatible sound card
2. Update Graphics Drivers
It’s always required to update graphics drivers on your Windows system to run all the programs smoothly. To do this:
Right-click on the Start Menu to open up the Quick Access Menu.
Click on Device Manager from the list.
Now, double-click on the Display adapters category to expand the list.
Then right-click on the dedicated graphics card name.
Select Update driver > Choose Search automatically for drivers.
If there is an update available, it’ll automatically download and install the latest version.
Once done, make sure to reboot your computer to change the effects.
Alternatively, you can manually download the latest version of the graphics driver and install it directly from the official website respective to your graphics card manufacturer. Nvidia graphics card users can update the GeForce Experience app via the Nvidia official site. Meanwhile, AMD graphics card users can visit the AMD website for the same.
3. Update Windows
Updating Windows OS build is always essential for PC users as well as PC gamers to reduce system glitches, compatibility issues, and crashes. Meanwhile, the latest version mostly includes additional features, improvements, security patches, and more. To do that:
Press Windows + I keys to open up the Windows Settings menu.
Next, click on Update & Security > Select Check for updates under the Windows Update section.
If there is a feature update available, select Download and install.
It may take a while to complete the update.
Once done, restart your computer to install the update.
Make sure to run the game exe file as an administrator to avoid user account control regarding privilege issues. You should also run the Steam client as an administrator on your PC. To do this:
Right-click on The Elder Scrolls Online exe shortcut file on your PC.
Now, select Properties > Click on the Compatibility tab.
Make sure to click on the Run this program as an administrator checkbox to checkmark it.
Click on Apply and select OK to save changes.
Make sure to do the same steps for the Steam client too. It should help you to fix The Elder Scrolls Online issue on your PC.
5. Close Background Running Tasks
Unnecessary background running tasks or programs can eat up a lot of system resources like CPU or Memory usage literally reducing system performance. Hence, the startup crashing, lagging, and not loading issues appear quite often. Close all the unnecessary background running tasks completely. To do this:
Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc keys to open up the Task Manager.
Now, click on the Processes tab > Click to select tasks that are unnecessarily running in the background and consuming enough system resources.
Click on End Task to close it one by one.
Once done, restart your system.
Now, you can check whether you’ve fixed The Elder Scrolls Online Crashing on your PC or not. If not, follow the next method.
6. Set High Priority in Task Manager
Make your game priority in the higher segment via the Task Manager to tell your Windows system to run the game properly. To do this:
Right-click on the Start Menu > Select Task Manager.
Click on the Processes tab > Right-click on The Elder Scrolls Online game task.
Select Set Priority to High.
Close Task Manager.
Finally, run the game to check if it crashing on the PC or not.
7. Reinstall DirectX (Latest)
You should try reinstalling the latest version of DirectX from the official Microsoft website on your PC/Laptop. You just need to download and install the DirectX installer package and run it. Keep in mind that you’ll require DirectX 11 to run The Elder Scrolls Online game properly.
8. Force Run the Game in DirectX 11
It’s recommended to run the game in the DirectX 11 version forcefully using the command option. If your PC is running on the older DirectX version then make sure to forcefully try running The Elder Scrolls Online game. To do so:
First, launch the Steam client > Go to LIBRARY.
Locate and right-click on The Elder Scrolls Online game.
Click on Properties > Select GENERAL from the left pane menu > Type -dx11 under the Launch Options.
Now, go back and launch the game. If prompted, click on the radio button next to the Play option of The Elder Scrolls Online.
9. Disable Windows Firewall or Antivirus Program
The chances are high enough that maybe your default Windows Defender Firewall protection or any third-party antivirus program is preventing the ongoing connections or game files to run properly. So, make sure to temporarily disable or turn off the real-time protection and firewall protection. Then you should try running the game to check if The Elder Scrolls Online Crashing on the PC issue has been fixed or not. To do this:
Click on the Start Menu > Type firewall.
Select Windows Defender Firewall from the search result.
Now, click on Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off from the left pane.
A new page will open > Select the Turn off Windows Defender Firewall (not recommended) option for both the Private & Public Network Settings.
Once selected, click on OK to save changes.
Finally, restart your computer.
Similarly, you have to turn off the Windows Security protection too. Just follow the steps below:
Press Windows + I keys to open the Windows Settings menu.
Click on Update & Security > Click on Windows Security from the left pane.
Now, click on the Open Windows Security button.
Go to Virus & threat protection > Click on Manage settings.
Next, you’ll need to turn off the Real-time protection toggle.
If prompted, click on Yes to proceed further.
Additionally, you can also turn off cloud-delivered protection, Tamper protection if you want.
10. Set High Performance in Power Options
If in case, your Windows system is running on the Balanced mode in Power Options, just set the High-Performance mode for better results. Although this option will take higher power usage or battery usage. To do this:
Click on the Start Menu > Type Control Panel and click on it from the search result.
Now, go to Hardware and Sound > Select Power Options.
Click on High Performance to select it.
Make sure to close the window and fully shut down your computer. To do this, click on the Start Menu > Go to Power > Shut Down.
Once your computer is fully turned off, you can power it on again.
This should fix The Elder Scrolls Online Crashing issue on your PC in most cases. However, if none of the methods worked for you, follow the next one.
11. Close the game from Background Apps
If somehow The Elder Scrolls Online game is still going through issues, make sure to turn it off from the Background Apps feature on your PC. To do so,
Press Windows + I keys to open the Windows Settings menu.
Click on Privacy > Scroll down from the left pane and select Background apps.
Scroll down and look for The Elder Scrolls Online game title.
Just turn off the toggle next to the game title.
Once done, close the window and restart your computer.
This method should help you out. However, if this doesn’t fix the issue, you can follow the next method.
12. Reinstall Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime
Ensure to reinstall the Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime on your computer to completely fix multiple gaming issues or errors. To do that:
Press the Windows key from the keyboard to open up the Start Menu.
Type Apps & Features and click on it from the search result.
Now, locate the Microsoft Visual C++ program(s) in the list.
Once done, install it on your computer, and restart the system to change the effects.
13. Perform a Clean Boot
Some of the apps and their services may start automatically while booting the system right away. In that case, those apps or services will definitely gonna use a lot of internet connection as well as system resources. If you’re also feeling the same, make sure to perform a clean boot on your computer to check for the issue. To do that:
Press Windows + R keys to open the Run dialog box.
Now, type msconfig and hit Enter to open System Configuration.
Go to the Services tab > Enable the Hide all Microsoft services checkbox.
Click on Disable all > Click on Apply and then OK to save changes.
Now, go to the Startup tab > Click on Open Task Manager.
The Task Manager interface will open. Here go to the Startup tab.
Then click on the particular task which has a higher startup impact.
Once selected, click on Disable to turn them off from the startup process.
Do the same steps for each program that has a higher startup impact.
Once done, make sure to restart your computer to apply changes.
14. Try Disabling Overlay Apps
A couple of popular apps do have their overlay program that can eventually run in the background and cause issues with the gaming performance or even launching issues. You should turn them off to fix the issue by following the steps below:
Disable Discord Overlay:
Launch the Discord app > Click on the gear icon at the bottom.
Click on Overlay under App Settings > Turn on the Enable in-game overlay.
Click on the Games tab > Select The Elder Scrolls Online.
Finally, turn off the Enable in-game overlay toggle.
Make sure to reboot your PC to apply changes.
Disable Xbox Game Bar:
Press Windows + I keys to open Windows Settings.
Click on Gaming > Go to Game Bar > Turn off Record game clips, screenshots, and broadcast using the Game bar option.
If in case, you’re unable to find out the Game Bar option, then just search for it from the Windows Settings menu.
Disable Nvidia GeForce Experience Overlay:
Launch the Nvidia GeForce Experience app > Head over to Settings.
Click on the General tab > Disable the In-Game Overlay option.
Finally, restart the PC to apply changes, and launch the game again.
Also, keep in mind that you should disable some other overlay apps like MSI Afterburner, Rivatuner, RGB software, or any other third-party overlay apps that always run in the background.
15. Verify Integrity of Game Files
If in case, there is an issue with the game files and somehow it gets corrupted or missing then make sure to perform this method to easily check for the issue.
Launch Steam > Click on Library.
Right-click on The Elder Scrolls Online from the list of installed games.
Now, click on Properties > Go to Local Files.
Click on Verify Integrity of Game Files.
You’ll have to wait for the process until it gets completed.
Once done, just restart your computer.
16. Disable CPU or GPU Overclocking
It’s also worth mentioning not to enable CPU/GPU overclocking on your PC if your game is crashing or stuttering a lot. We can understand that overclocking CPU/GPU can make a huge impact in improving gameplay but sometimes it may also cause issues with the bottleneck or compatibility. Just set the frequency to default for optimal performance.
17. Update The Elder Scrolls Online
If in case, you haven’t updated your game for a while then make sure to follow the steps below to check for updates and install the latest patch (if available). To do this:
Open the Steam client > Go to Library > Click on The Elder Scrolls Online from the left pane.
It’ll automatically search for the available update. If there is an update available, make sure to click on Update.
It may take some time to install the update > Once done, make sure to close the Steam client.
Finally, reboot your PC to apply changes and launch the game again.
That’s it, guys. We assume this guide was helpful to you. For further queries, you can comment below.
add help for the launcher version idiot