What to do if your game launches “Access Violation” on startup: the trick that doesn’t require formatting

When a game closes as soon as it starts and the dreaded error appears Access Violation messageThe frustration is utter. Sometimes, the title won't even open, despite reinstalling, updating drivers, or tweaking system settings. What are the solutions?

The EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION message typically indicates that a part of the program has attempted to read or write to a memory area that does not belong to it. It is an invalid memory access (code 0xC0000005) and can be accompanied by addresses like 0x00000…, typical when something tries to dereference a null pointer. In engines like Unreal, the error message box often mentions “reading address 0x00000…”, which is consistent with sudden shutdowns right after startup.

Access Violation: Probable Causes

Apparently, the latest version of the graphics driver may be the spark that lights the fuse and leads to the Access Violation error. An GPU upgrade What brings fixes for some games can break others, and vice versaSometimes the solution is to upgrade to a newer driver; other times, it's to revert to a previous, stable WHQL driver.

Anti-cheat also has a big impact on startup. When the shutdown occurs just after the anti-cheat system is loaded, there is usually a conflict with services, kernel-mode drivers, or resident software. (hardware monitoring, overlay injectors, RGB optimizers, enhanced audio, etc.).

Support libraries should not be forgotten either. Defects or corruptions in Visual C++ Redistributable, DirectX, .NET or even in the game files itself can trigger this 0xC0000005 when trying to initialize critical modules.

Finally, the hardware and its configuration matter. Aggressive XMP, unstable overclocking, or brand new RAM modules that haven't been thoroughly tested yet They can fail just as the game compiles shaders, goes full screen, or hooks the driver.

Quick checks before getting started

Before dismantling half your PC, it's worth doing a quick round of basics. These checks often avoid hours of turns:

• Complete Windows update and restart twice.
• Temporarily remove overclocking (CPU/GPU/RAM) and XMP/DOCP profiles.
• Disable overlays (Steam, Discord, NVIDIA/AMD, Xbox Game Bar) and close MSI Afterburner/RivaTuner, RGB, “Nahimic/Sonic Studio” audio, etc.
• Run the game as administrator and in borderless window mode with the -dx11 argument if the title allows it.
• Check game files in your launcher or platform.
• Ensure the paging file is not disabled and that there is free disk space.

Step-by-step solutions that are helping

Here is a list of solutions to resolve the Access Violation error when opening a game:

1) Gather diagnosis with DxDiag and review the Graphics section

Press Win+R, type dxdiag and accept. Save the report as text and review the System and Display tabs (and Render if present). to see the driver model and version, driver date, and enabled extensions. If you're going to ask for help, attaching these screenshots will greatly reduce the time.

2) GPU Drivers: Cleanup and Stable Release

If you recently updated, try two paths: Install the latest version available or revert to a previous version known for its stability.To get it right, use DDU in safe mode, reboot, and then install the clean driver (without optional packages like "Experience" at first). On AMD, uncheck "Factory Reset" if you don't want to lose profiles, although it's recommended for starting from scratch.

3) Anti-cheat: repair, reinstall, and isolate conflicts

When the shutdown occurs just after the anti-cheat is loaded, the focus is there. Find the Easy Anti-Cheat or BattlEye installer in the game folder and run “Repair/Install”. Check that associated services start with Windows and that the system date/time is correct (mismatches break validations).

Disable Isolated Core and Virtualization-Based Security (VBS) if the anti-cheat indicates so in its documentation. Avoid having tools active that inject DLLs or hook into the render (overlays, performance, capture, 3D audio). And if you have a third-party antivirus, create an exclusion for the game folder and the anti-cheat.

4) Offline scanning with Microsoft Defender

Someone proposed a simple measure that should be taken: run Microsoft Defender offline scan. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Security > Virus & threat protection > Scan options > Microsoft Defender Offline Scan > Scan now. This will restart your PC and perform a scan outside of Windows, which is useful for ruling out hidden interference.

5) File integrity and clean reinstallation

Verify files from Steam/Origin/EA App/Epic. If it keeps failing, uninstall, delete leftover AppData and Program Files folders for the game and its anti-cheat, and reinstall on another drive.On drives that are close to the space limit or have unstable sectors, binaries can become corrupted.

6) Visual C++ and DirectX Redistributables

Installs or repairs all Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable (x86 and x64) 2010–2022, plus the DirectX End‑User Runtime. These libraries are the glue of many games; if one is missing, the launch will crash.It's also a good idea to keep .NET up to date and restart afterwards.

7) Disable conflicting software

There are programs that trigger the Access Violation error when hooking into rendering or input/output. Temporarily disable Discord overlay, GeForce/Adrenalin overlay, Xbox Game Bar, Fraps, OBS (Game Capture mode), MSI Afterburner and RivaTuner, iCUE, Armory Crate, NZXT CAM, Razer Synapse/Chroma, Citrix, Nahimic/Sonic Studio. Also close third-party apps that touch the keyboard/mouse or modify windows.

8) RAM and system stability

On newly assembled computers, the memory setting is sometimes not stable. Disable XMP/DOCP for testing, lower overclocks and run MemTest86 or Windows Memory DiagnosticNote that error 0xC0000005 is sensitive to minor RAM errors. Also check temperatures and frequency spikes.

9) Game startup and configuration parameters

For titles that support it, add -dx11, -windowed, or -noborder. Force exclusive fullscreen if the API allows it or try borderless window modeIn Unreal, delete the game's Saved/Config folder (it will regenerate) and clear the shader cache. This reduces the initial render crash.

10) Minidumps, Event Viewer and WinDbg

If there are .dmp files, open them with WinDbg and run !analyze -v. Look for references to 0xC0000005, modules like ntdll.dll/KERNEL32.DLL and the game executableThe offset (for example, ds.exe+1976F068) can point you toward a specific subsystem (rendering, audio, network). Compare that time with Windows Event Viewer > Windows Logs > Application to see secondary errors.

Specific notes if you use Unreal Engine

The “read at 0x00000…” error is typical of the engine when something fails when initializing subsystems. In addition to drivers and overlays, check that there are no mods or custom parameters in Engine.ini that change streamers, RHI, or render threads.. Clear the settings and let the game regenerate them. Also, disable Windows fullscreen optimizations in the executable.

If your problem with the Access Violation error started after a new season, as one player reported with “Season 7”, The patch may have affected the render pipeline or anti-cheat.In these cases, a combination of driver rollback + file verification + shader cache clearing usually restores stability while the studio releases a hotfix.

Frequently asked questions and useful clarifications

• Is the hardware broken? Not usually. Most EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION errors at startup come from software: drivers, libraries, or anti-cheat layers. Still, test RAM and temperatures if your PC is new or overclocked.
• Why does ntdll.dll or KERNEL32.DLL appear in the trace? Because they're Windows libraries that ended up receiving the invalid instruction. That doesn't necessarily point to Windows as the culprit; you have to look at the game module and the context. The function offset in the executable helps locate the subsystem.
• Does reinstalling Windows help? Only as a last resort. In the cases shared, some people formatted and the problem persisted, which points to drivers/anti-cheat or the game's own patch. Exhaust all diagnostic and environment cleanup options first.

All of the above is based on real situations: people who have been suffering from the Access Violation error for days, unsuccessful reinstallation tests, A community video that has saved several people, DxDiag requests, and even a dump with detailed logs and call stacks.With this layered approach—drivers, anti-cheat, libraries, resident software, and system stability—it's common to restore stability at startup and get past the EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION without losing any more games.