Satisfactory: Fixing Unreal Engine Crashes
Since the upgrade to **Unreal Engine 5** in Update 8 (and 1.0), Satisfactory has become significantly more demanding on hardware. Crashes typically occur due to Video Memory (VRAM) issues, DirectX 12 incompatibility, or corrupted mod files. This comprehensive guide covers all common crash types, diagnostic steps, and solutions for both clients and servers.
1. Hardware Requirements
UE5 and Satisfactory 1.0 require more powerful systems. If experiencing crashes, first verify your hardware meets minimum and recommended specifications.
2. Common Crash Causes
Most crashes fall into predictable categories. Identifying the pattern helps narrow down the solution quickly.
3. Client vs. Server
Clients typically crash due to graphics issues. Servers crash due to save corruption, memory, or mods. The fixes are different for each platform.
1. The "Video Driver" Crash
If you get "D3D Device Lost" or "Render Thread" errors, your GPU is timing out. Try forcing DirectX 11 in the launch options.
2. Mod Conflicts
If the crash log mentions SML or a specific plugin name, a mod is outdated. Remove your FactoryGame/Mods folder to test vanilla stability.
3. Server "Timeout"
On dedicated servers, a crash during startup often means the Save File is corrupted or too large for the allocated RAM.
Common Error Codes & Solutions
| Error Code | Proposed Solution |
|---|---|
| EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION | Generic memory access violation. Solutions: 1) Verify Game Files in Steam/Epic library, 2) Disable XMP profiles in BIOS (rare), 3) Check if a mod is trying to access a deleted asset, 4) Increase virtual memory page file size. |
| Out of Video Memory | GPU VRAM is full. Solutions: Lower Texture Quality to Medium, disable Lumen (Global Illumination), reduce View Distance, reduce shadow quality. |
| Plugin 'X' failed to load | Save file requires a mod you no longer have installed. Solutions: Re-install the missing mod or use SCIM to remove modded buildings from your save. |
| Out of Memory (System RAM) | Dedicated server ran out of available memory. Solutions: Upgrade server RAM plan, reduce factory complexity, close unused background applications. |
Client-Side Crash Fixes
Force DirectX 11 (Most Common)
UE5 defaults to DirectX 12, which can be unstable on older graphics cards (GTX 10 series, some RTX cards) and can cause crashes. Forcing DX11 provides stability for many players:
- Right-click Satisfactory in your Steam library.
- Go to Properties -> General.
- In Launch Options, type:
-dx11 - Launch the game and test stability.
Alternative: Vulkan (Linux)
- Linux Users: Try
-vulkanlaunch option for potentially better performance and stability - GPU Support: Requires Vulkan-compatible graphics driver
- When to Use: Try Vulkan if DX11 doesn't solve crashes or improves performance
Note: Some modern RTX cards work better with DX12. If you have a recent NVIDIA RTX card (3000 series or newer), you may not need DX11. Try default settings first.
Graphics Settings Optimization
- Lower Settings: Reduce Texture Quality, Shadows, and View Distance to decrease VRAM usage
- Disable Lumen: Global Illumination is very demanding. Disable if experiencing VRAM crashes.
- Resolution Scale: Use 85-90% render scale if at 1080p or higher
- Effects Quality: Set to Medium or Low to reduce GPU load
- Test One Change at a Time: Modify one setting at a time to identify what helps
Forcing a Server Log Check
If your **Dedicated Server** is crashing, you need to log file:
- Path:
/.config/Epic/FactoryGame/Saved/Logs/FactoryGame.log - Look for the phrase "Error:" or "Critical:".
- If you see
UNetConnection::Tickerrors, it is likely a network bandwidth issue. Increase your Network Quality setting.
Server-Side Crash Analysis
While clients experience graphics crashes, server crashes typically have different causes:
- Save Corruption: Damaged or corrupted save files prevent server startup.
- Memory Issues: Insufficient RAM for save file size or player count causes crashes.
- Mod Conflicts: Server-side mods incompatible with game version or each other.
- Configuration Errors: Invalid server settings or corrupt configuration files.
- Performance Load: Server overwhelmed by player count or factory complexity.
Server Log Analysis
Detailed analysis of server crash logs reveals specific failure points:
- Log Location:
/.config/Epic/FactoryGame/Saved/Logs/FactoryGame.log - Error Patterns: Repeated errors indicate underlying problems.
- Critical Errors: "Fatal" or "Critical" messages indicate severe issues requiring immediate attention.
- Performance Warnings: Warnings about simulation lag or memory pressure.
- Load Failures: Mod loading failures or missing dependencies.
- Network Errors: Connection issues between server and clients.
Save File Integrity
Most server crashes are save-file related. Understanding save file integrity is crucial:
- File Size: Extremely large saves (>1GB) can cause loading crashes.
- Corruption: Incomplete saves or damaged file structures.
- Complexity: Massive factories with thousands of machines stress save system.
- Modded Content: Excessive modded buildings or items can corrupt saves.
Memory Management
Proper memory configuration prevents many crash types:
- System RAM: Ensure adequate system RAM for server and player count.
- Page File Size: Adjust Virtual Memory (VMem) to handle larger saves.
- Process Priority: Set Satisfactory to High priority in task manager.
- Background Apps: Close unnecessary applications to free memory.
- Memory Cleanup: Restart server regularly to clear memory leaks.
Mod Stability
Mods are a common source of server instability:
- Version Matching: Ensure all mods updated to same version.
- Dependencies: Verify all mod dependencies are installed correctly.
- Load Order: Some mods require specific load order.
- Conflicts: Disable mods causing server-side issues.
- Testing: Test mods in single player before server deployment.
Note: Dedicated Servers do not run graphics, so "GPU Crashes" are impossible on the server side. If the server crashes, it is almost always 1. A Bad Save, 2. A Bad Mod, or 3. Out of RAM.
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