protonscr

Starfield GPU Hang

vkd3dclosed
HansKristian-Work/vkd3d-proton#3130 · opened 2026-06-27 by Selene0623 · updated 2026-09-23 · 9 comments · github
SSelene0623 2026-06-27 github

Software information

Starfield v1.16.244, heavily modded (~200 ESM mods, 14 SFSE plugins). SFSE v0.2.21. Custom shaders via SFShaderInjector. Launch via sfse_loader.exe through gamescope (Wayland, 2560x1080@200Hz, HDR enabled).

System information

  • GPU: AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT (RDNA4, Navi 44, PCI 0000:0a:00.0)
  • Driver: Mesa 26.1.2-arch3.1 (RADV/ACO)
  • Wine version: Proton CachyOS native 11.0-20260602-native
  • vkd3d-proton version: 3.1.0 (build ee737e324376289)

Issue

VKD3D-proton detects Broken NULL PRT with SMEM and applies per-game Starfield workarounds (2 configs + shader quirks), but the workarounds are incomplete. During terrain/material loading, a GPUVM page fault occurs from the SQC data client (SMEM scalar load) at address 0x0000000000001000, causing a full GPU reset with VRAM loss.

dmesg sequence:

Process Main pid 16080 thread vkd3d_queue pid 16925
Ring gfx_0.0.0 reset failed
GPU reset begin!. Source: 1
MES(1) failed to respond to msg=REMOVE_QUEUE (x5)
failed to halt cp gfx
gfxhub page fault (src_id:0 ring:24 vmid:6 pasid:283)
  in page starting at address 0x0000000000001000 from client 10
GCVM_L2_PROTECTION_FAULT_STATUS:0x00601431
  Faulty UTCL2 client ID: SQC (data) (0xa)
  MORE_FAULTS: 0x1, PERMISSION_FAULTS: 0x3, RW: 0x0
MODE1 reset
VRAM is lost due to GPU reset!

Reproduction: On save load, always during terrain/material loading. Always the same SQC data client fault at 0x1000. Same fault signature reported on RX 9070 XT (https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/mesa/mesa/-/work_items/15689), (https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/mesa/mesa/-/work_items/15708) and RX 7900 XTX (https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/mesa/mesa/-/work_items/15737) GitLab for MESA

Already tested with no effect: disabled raytracing, disabled frame gen/upscaling, multiple Proton versions (Experimental, CachyOS native), LTS kernel, deleted vkd3d-proton cache, removed VKD3D_CONFIG=force_host_cached.

VKD3D-proton log (relevant lines from steam-1716740.log):

3503.886:info:vkd3d-proton:vkd3d_bindless_state_add_binding: Device supports VK_EXT_descriptor_buffer! (x3)
3503.786:info:vkd3d-proton:vkd3d_instance_apply_application_workarounds: Detected game Starfield.exe, adding 2 configs, removing 0 configs.
3503.786:info:vkd3d-proton:vkd3d_instance_apply_application_workarounds: Detected game Starfield.exe, adding shader quirks for specific shaders.

The game runs until terrain/material loading, then VKD3D-proton never receives a device_lost callback — the GPU hangs so hard the kernel resets it before the error propagates. The last game output before the hang: "TERRAIN: Loaded 72 material slots".

Log files

  • Proton log: steam-1716740.log (attached)
HHansKristian-Work maintainer 2026-06-30 github

Starfield v1.16.244, heavily modded (~200 ESM mods, 14 SFSE plugins). SFSE v0.2.21. Custom shaders via SFShaderInjector.

Maybe not use a heavily modded game so that others at least have a chance at reproducing?

Also, that Mesa link is broken.

SSelene0623 2026-07-29 github

Starfield v1.16.244, heavily modded (~200 ESM mods, 14 SFSE plugins). SFSE v0.2.21. Custom shaders via SFShaderInjector.

Maybe not use a heavily modded game so that others at least have a chance at reproducing?

Also, that Mesa link is broken.

I tried on a vanilla Starfield install and got the exact same error. Same log entry, same everything. No need to post again. I also fixed the links. The only difference from before when I had it working was I had a 16:9 1080p 60Hz SDR Samsung SyncMaster TN Panel (a dinosaur) over DVI->HDMI and recently switched to an Acer Nitro 21:9 1080P 200Hz HDR UltraWide VA Panel with FreeSync over DP. after that switch the game drops the display link and freezes, taking KWin with it.

AAttemptToCallNil 2026-08-03 github

I experience the same or a similar issue: a GPU hang on save load. (If this needs its own issue report, I'll see what I can do.) I have an RX 6700 XT. The reported values are mostly identical (only the address is different).

The issue I experience occurs on save load only and appears to depend on the area in the save. In my case, I've approximately narrowed it down to "areas where the exterior of a space station is modeled". Actually completing a mission with an affected area is possible in a continuous session as long as no saves made in affected areas are loaded.

Loading saves made in these places caused hangs:

  • On a ship next to the Nova Galactic staryard
  • In the first zone of the Nova Galactic staryard (the small area with an exterior window)
  • On the station where the Shattered Space DLC campaign starts

Loading saves made in the these places did not cause hangs:

  • In the second zone of the Nova Galactic staryard (where all the enemies are; I don't think there are any exterior windows there)
  • In orbit around Kreet after resolving the initial storyline mission there
  • In the Lodge, on planets, or in most other places

If the issue I describe is the same issue OP experiences, this information may help with reproducing it.

I do not believe it to be a save corruption issue (the Nova Galactic mission is one of the first things I did in the game), and I doubt save corruption should cause GPU hangs anyway.

I speculate the issue may be a bug or regression introduced by the Terran Armada DLC / Free Lanes update, because I don't recall this issue happening before. I admit, however, that the conditions for triggering the issue are narrow, and I can't be sure I simply failed to trigger it before the update by chance.

Rrunar-work 2026-08-03 github

It would be helpful if you could provide some save files that trigger this hang. They should be in steamapps/compatdata/1716740/pfx/drive_c/users/steamuser/My Documents/My Games/Starfield/Saves/

BBlisto91 maintainer 2026-09-16 github

@Selene0623 @AttemptToCallNil Friendly ping

SSelene0623 2026-09-16 github

@Selene0623 @AttemptToCallNil Friendly ping

Exitsave0_FBA9F99FM536572656E697479_000513_20260617203600_4_0_4.zip

Although the hang occurs even on a new game.

AAttemptToCallNil 2026-09-16 github

Unfortunately, I was unable to reproduce my issue today despite having been able to do so once since my August report. I'm not sure what caused this change in conditions, maybe just a software update. I doubt the issue I experienced and Selene's are the same.

Rrunar-work 2026-09-18 github

I still can't reproduce anything on a new game with RX 9070. I couldn't get the provided save file to work since it says it needs a bunch of creations, but then it doesn't seem to download any, even after it says it completed all of them, it just asks for the same missing creations again. Trying to load the game without the missing creations just makes the game crash instead. No GPU hang.

@Selene0623 Have you tried without any creations loaded to see if there's something there that causes it?

SSelene0623 2026-09-18 github

I still can't reproduce anything on a new game with RX 9070. I couldn't get the provided save file to work since it says it needs a bunch of creations, but then it doesn't seem to download any, even after it says it completed all of them, it just asks for the same missing creations again. Trying to load the game without the missing creations just makes the game crash instead. No GPU hang.

@Selene0623 Have you tried without any creations loaded to see if there's something there that causes it?

Yes I have. As stated before I tried with a vanilla install on a new save with the same result. I'm not too far into my save so my next move is to nuke everything and try to start from scratch. Again. Like stated before the change was my monitor. This is the only change. Even switching from an RX 9060 XT to an RX 9070 XT didn't fix the issue. (stopgap upgrade before I switch to a new build entirely) I even re-installed my OS (but kept my home drive) and had the same result. As I gave away my old monitor I can no longer test with it. Every other game seems to work okay except this one.

Launch options if you're wondering: DXVK_HDR=1 VKD3D_CONFIG=force_host_cached,split_barrier bash -c 'exec "${@/Starfield.exe/sfse_loader.exe}"' gamemoderun %command%

OKAY... So I wiped the entire prefix/compatdata/everything. Reinstalled and didn't use any of my old config files or saves. GAME WORKS. Something in my config broke Starfield on my system.

Launch options

Launch lines