Stellaris loading freezes my PC

[pumpkinrunner3@]

I've been trying to get back into Stellaris recently, but I've encountered a game-breaking issue that prevents me from loading in or using my computer.

Recently, when I launch the game, I get to either 5%, 30%, 44%, or 70% before the game will freeze my entire computer. I can't exit/end the task; alt-f4, windows key, and ctrl-alt-delete don't work, and my cursor is stuck. This happens under literally every single condition I've tried. Mods/no mods, fullscreen/windowed/borderless, different game versions.

I've done a clean reinstall twice now, the game has loaded all of one time. Both stellaris.exe and the paradox launcher are allowed under windows defender. My graphics driver is up to date. Nothing is wrong with my network.

How do I fix this?

 

[FlorencesDaddy]

Same here. I'm willing to provide more technical info if needed.

CPU AMD Ryzen 9 9950x3D
Mainboard MSI x870E Tomahawk WiFi
GPU Gainward Phoenix GS RTX 4070TI
RAM G.Skill 64GB with EXPO 30-40-40-96

 

[AndrewT]

I've been trying to get back into Stellaris recently, but I've encountered a game-breaking issue that prevents me from loading in or using my computer.

Recently, when I launch the game, I get to either 5%, 30%, 44%, or 70% before the game will freeze my entire computer. I can't exit/end the task; alt-f4, windows key, and ctrl-alt-delete don't work, and my cursor is stuck. This happens under literally every single condition I've tried. Mods/no mods, fullscreen/windowed/borderless, different game versions.

I've done a clean reinstall twice now, the game has loaded all of one time. Both stellaris.exe and the paradox launcher are allowed under windows defender. My graphics driver is up to date. Nothing is wrong with my network.

How do I fix this?

Right click on stellaris.exe , properties, compatibility. Tick "disable fullScreen optimisations" untick every other box in that dialog, Apply and exit.


Then in the launcher Game Settings menu, select fullScreen display mode, Vsync off, cap refresh rate at 60





THEn test with a new unmodded galaxy.





If those don't help:


DXDIAG is a program you run from the Windows search box on the task bar. After running it will open a window and start collecting info with a progress bar in the lower-left corner. When it completes click the 'save all information' button and save it to a file then attach that file here. IF dxdiag.txt fails to attach here, rename it to dxdiag.log , or zip it up.





Please attach here your Documents/Paradox Interactive/Hearts of Iron IV/pdx_settings.txt and settings.txt.


From your Documents/Paradox Interactive/Hearts of Iron IV/logs/ folder, attach here system.log , error.log , exceptions.log

 

[FlorencesDaddy]

Thank you very much! That helped

 

[RukaSensei]

Hi, got exactly the same problem on a MSI laptop. When starting the game, it seems the game is taking a huge amount of CPU Load which lead to a faulty behaviour of my CPU. It freezes my whole pc for about 15-30 minutes then a blue screen appears. I have to restart fully my pc via the power button to use my pc. During the freeze, I can hear the game sound looping and overlaping again and again, until I hear a buzz sound which tells me that the pc is fully freezing. I can't interract with any key, peripherics or shortcuts to try to unblock it. Here is my DxDiag attached, hope it helps to investigate further.

 

[AndrewT]

You do not have the same problem cause as the OP, just similar symptoms. In future make your own new thread, thanks.


I see you have Windows 11 24H2; it is a severely broken Windows update that has caused problems across the whole gaming - indeed computer - industry.
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/threads/game-crashing-after-windows-11-24h2-update.1718749/
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/foru...-freezes-after-installing-win11-24h2.1725554/
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/foru...ws-11-24h2-with-exit-code-3221225620.1712339/

Some users found relief in various ways:
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/foru...r-installing-win11-24h2.1725554/post-30126081
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/foru...-windows-11-24h2-update.1718749/post-30159638
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/foru...-windows-11-24h2-update.1718749/post-30062333

A user has come up with another possible workaround
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/threads/24h2-w11-update-issue-found-no-more-crashes.1728373/
Some affected users have definitely seen that help them with this issue. I'd suggest you look at this step first!

If those don't help, In your Steam Library right-click on this game and choose Properties. In the Launch Options line, paste this in there:
-dx9

Good luck!