Consistent Game Crashing [Exception code: 0xc0000005]

[PaladinTasq]

Since I have installed this game a few months ago I keep getting seemingly random game crashes that take me back to desktop. Upon inspecting my Windows Event logs I noticed the application is faulting because of Exception code 0xc0000005.

I have tried several things to correct this issue on my end, but nothing has worked so far. Sometimes I can play all day and never get the error, sometimes for days, but then other times I will crash several times in a single day.

Windows Error Log (Last Few):

Faulting application name: ffxiv.exe, version: 1.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x5355528a
Faulting module name: ffxiv.exe, version: 1.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x5355528a
Exception code: 0xc0000005
Fault offset: 0x00461af9
Faulting process id: 0xf74
Faulting application start time: 0x01cf6657b906f81b
Faulting application path: C:\Program Files (x86)\SquareEnix\FINAL FANTASY XIV - A Realm Reborn\game\ffxiv.exe
Faulting module path: C:\Program Files (x86)\SquareEnix\FINAL FANTASY XIV - A Realm Reborn\game\ffxiv.exe


Faulting application name: ffxiv.exe, version: 1.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x5355528a
Faulting module name: unknown, version: 0.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x00000000
Exception code: 0xc0000005
Fault offset: 0x676e452e
Faulting process id: 0xf0c
Faulting application start time: 0x01cf640cdc6066e2
Faulting application path: C:\Program Files (x86)\SquareEnix\FINAL FANTASY XIV - A Realm Reborn\game\ffxiv.exe
Faulting module path: unknown

Faulting application name: ffxiv.exe, version: 1.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x5355528a
Faulting module name: ffxiv.exe, version: 1.0.0.0, time stamp: 0x5355528a
Exception code: 0xc0000005
Fault offset: 0x00ae2e66
Faulting process id: 0x1328
Faulting application start time: 0x01cf63efb4f35be6
Faulting application path: C:\Program Files (x86)\SquareEnix\FINAL FANTASY XIV - A Realm Reborn\game\ffxiv.exe
Faulting module path: C:\Program Files (x86)\SquareEnix\FINAL FANTASY XIV - A Realm Reborn\game\ffxiv.exe


My Specs:

- Windows 7 Ultimate (x64), fully updated.
- AMD FX 8350 (stock) and cooled with an h80i. Never goes above 40c
- GTX 760 (stock) and because my case is cooled so well, it never goes above 50c
- Installed on my SSD (tested with software from the vendor, no errors)
- 16GB DDR3 (stock) and fully tested with memtest86 with no errors after 24 hours.
- Corsair AX850w PSU

Security Software:
- Kaspersky Internet Security 2014 (Added the FFXIV folder to my exceptions list)
- DEP is at the default settings that come with Windows 7

I do have other on-demand scanners, but none of them are running at all when playing FFXIV or unless I am scanning with them. Kaspersky is my only real-time protection.

Resolution Attempts:

- Tried reverting back to the last "most stable" driver for my GPU (Clean Install)
- Updated video drivers to the latest version (Clean install)
- Checked my SSD for errors using software from the vendor
- Checked my RAM with memtest86 for 24 hours
- Watched my thermals over the span of 8 days. Were way below thresholds
- Scanned for malware with: KIS, MBAM, and Emsisoft. No threats found
- Used CCleaner to clean crap off of my computer
- Checked system file integrity using SFC from the Installation CD's recovery console
- Ensured Windows was fully up-to-date with the latest critical and optional patches
- Closed every other possible application, except for my anti-virus, while playing

Other Thoughts:

- This is the *ONLY* game that causes me any issues. I can play a crap load of other games and none of them give me a single error, at all. I also do not have any other single issue with my computer or Windows installation. This problem is completely isolated to this one particular game, period.

- I will try uninstalling Kaspersky Internet Security and try using AVAST to see if the issue might be with my security software, which I doubt since no other games have any issues and the FFXIV folder is added to my exceptions list. In addition to this, it is set as a "trusted" program with full permissions over the computer.

I have tried just about everything I can think of and this game still causes me grief. Any suggestions or anyone having similar issues?

[PaladinTasq]

Updated Information:

I completely uninstalled Kaspersky Internet Security and replaced it with AVAST to make sure my security software was not causing the issue. I played for a few hours then went AFK to handle some real-life business and when I came back I was greeted with another "program has stopped responding..." error. The event log shows identical errors as shown in the original post.

I can't contact customer support officially because their service is broken and this problem is becoming very annoying.

From what I can tell this problem is most certainly caused by the game client itself and poor programming, especially since no other application on my computer has any errors what-so-ever.

Still looking for possible solutions if anyone has any ideas.

[PaladinTasq]

A possible resolution has been found to address this particular issue. I recently found a way to reproduce the error and it was related to how the game client renders some textures. Upon rendering some high-quality textures the game is doing something silly with the GPU memory, causing a memory segmentation fault which triggers an exception error identical to mine.

A lot of users out there are thinking it is due to their system memory, but it is most likely caused by their GPU's memory. This is not an issue with the memory modules built on the GPU (Which is also why no other games are affected), but due to poor programming on SE's part.

After figuring this issue out and changing three settings, I can no longer reproduce the crash. So, I am sharing my experience here to try and help others that may be having a similar issue, as this was not a "common sense" fix for the most part.

If the issue does come back, I will update this thread so SE can further investigate.

Settings to modify:
- Set Edge Smooth (Anti-Aliasing) to OFF.
- Set Texture Filtering to TRILINEAR
- Set Anisotropic to 4x

This has seemed to correct this issue for me while still allowing to have the rest of my settings on high.

If you are having similar issues try modifying those entries and see if it does not correct the issue for you.

The only issue is I set other games to much higher settings than this with no lag, 60fps and zero issues at 1080p. However, this particular game has issues with high texture details. I hope they look into this issue so I can crank the settings back up, like in every other game I play.

[RedDwarf42]

A possible resolution has been found to address this particular issue. I recently found a way to reproduce the error and it was related to how the game client renders some textures. Upon rendering some high-quality textures the game is doing something silly with the GPU memory, causing a memory segmentation fault which triggers an exception error identical to mine.

A lot of users out there are thinking it is due to their system memory, but it is most likely caused by their GPU's memory. This is not an issue with the memory modules built on the GPU (Which is also why no other games are affected), but due to poor programming on SE's part.

After figuring this issue out and changing three settings, I can no longer reproduce the crash. So, I am sharing my experience here to try and help others that may be having a similar issue, as this was not a "common sense" fix for the most part.

If the issue does come back, I will update this thread so SE can further investigate.

Settings to modify:
- Set Edge Smooth (Anti-Aliasing) to OFF.
- Set Texture Filtering to TRILINEAR
- Set Anisotropic to 4x

This has seemed to correct this issue for me while still allowing to have the rest of my settings on high.

If you are having similar issues try modifying those entries and see if it does not correct the issue for you.

The only issue is I set other games to much higher settings than this with no lag, 60fps and zero issues at 1080p. However, this particular game has issues with high texture details. I hope they look into this issue so I can crank the settings back up, like in every other game I play.

I had crashing too. I have Windows 10 and a Nvidia GTX 980. This worked for me.

[Judge_Xero]

Are the settings you changed within nVidia Control Center or within the game?
We you over riding the game settings to push more textures and it caused those errors?

[PaladinTasq]

Are the settings you changed within nVidia Control Center or within the game?
We you over riding the game settings to push more textures and it caused those errors?

I just changed the settings using the game UI. I was not overriding settings with higher texture quality, there just seems to be a bug with how high-quality textures are rendered that causes a segmentation fault.

Hopefully the developers will get wind of this and at least check it out to see if there are in fact any bugs that may be causing this issue under specific conditions which they can possibly correct.

[Judge_Xero]

So everything in nVidia Contol Panel is set to Default/Use Application Settings?

Was just curious cause I was trying to produce the issue. I have an older 5 series card though so it might not be effected.

[Stoprunning]

I'm getting this, too. I thought it was a directX and nvidia driver issue, but, every game I try works. ffxiv game will crash with the same errors. I leave the Nvidia settings to let the application decide.

I uninstalled video drivers, tried beta drivers, released drivers, nothing works. I just got it to let me change the graphics settings from window to full screen without crashing, then I changed to 30fps and it bombed.

I thought it was my video card and memory, so I played Titanfall, Civ5, BF4, and other games, but, they are fine. It's only FFXIV that crashes.

I am downloading the entire PC version again just to see if it works.

The only thing that changed on my game was I paid for the Collector's edition.

[Callence]

I had this issue several months ago and here is what I had to do to resolve the issue.
1. In your BIOS settings - if you are running 2400 MHZ memory and have the option to dum it down it 2133 MHZ, that will stop your crashing altogether. You can dum it down in the BIOS, if you have that option.
2. If you are overclocking - the most I would overclock is x 1 - I have a I7 4470 chipset and a EVGA FTW motherboard. I have mine set to 3900 MHZ.

System Build
750W power supply
EVGA Z87 FTW motherboard
Intel Core i7-4770K Haswell 3.5GHz LGA 1150 84W Desktop Processor
Corsair Liquid Cooling
CM Storm Stryker Case
1 12mm fan, 3 6mm fans
SSD 256
HDD 1T x 2
Raid 0 config
Memory 2400 16gb
Nvidia 770GTX 4GB DDR5 video card

This game is not overclock friendly

[Loopy]

Just wanted to report that i followed Paladin's suggestions and am finally able for the first time to run the DX11 client without it crashing in login menu. Hopefully it stays this way...

Thanks again!