MSFS 2020 Crashes suddenly during loading

User Support Hub Crashes (CTDs)
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1

Hi, today I’m very sad about a problem I had with Microsoft Flightsim 2020.

I am experiencing persistent crashes with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 (Steam version).

The simulator was working perfectly the day before (including a full online flight on VATSIM). The issue started suddenly the next day, without any changes to add-ons or simulator settings.

Problem description:

  • MSFS crashes during the loading screen, before reaching the main menu.

  • The crash occurs even when starting the simulator in Safe Mode.

  • Sometimes the simulator freezes at the loading bar with background music still playing.

  • Other times it crashes completely with an access violation error.

Crash details:

  • Exception code: 0xC0000005 (Access Violation)

  • Crash type: SEH

  • State at crash: Loading phase before the main menu

  • Platform: Steam

  • Add-ons: Disabled (Safe Mode)

  • Community folder: Not in use during tests

Troubleshooting already performed:

  • Started MSFS in Safe Mode

  • Cleared world cache manually (Steam cache folder)

  • Verified game files via Steam (all files validated successfully)

  • Reinstalled all Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables (x86 and x64, latest versions)

  • Restarted the system multiple times

  • Avoided GPU driver changes to prevent further instability

  • Confirmed the issue is not related to add-ons or Community content

Despite all these steps, the simulator continues to crash before reaching the main menu.

At this point, the issue appears to be related to either corrupted internal simulator data, user profile data, or a core system/library conflict.

I would appreciate guidance on further advanced troubleshooting steps, or confirmation if this is a known issue.

Thank you for your support :’(

msfs-2020 Bug Reporting Hub > Crashes (CTDs) User Support Hub > Crashes (CTDs)

2

You said “Community folder: Not in use during tests.” How did you do that?
Does MSFS also run in Safe Mode? If so, it’s probably an extension.
Safe Mode temporarily disables third-party content from the Marketplace and mods from the community folder.
Are you signed in with your Xbox account?

3

Try

Edit usercfg.opt file and change DX11 to DX12.

To do this, you need to edit usercfg.opt file and modify the line
PreferD3D12 0

image
image370×592 14 KB

Change the number 0 to 1

image
image366×593 14.1 KB

and save the changes.

4

Hi! Thanks for the answer :slight_smile: I’m from Steam anyway. And I’m signed in for XBox

5

I’ll try and will report the results ;D Thank you.

6

It worked! Thank you so much :DDD

7

You’re very welcome :slight_smile:
Fly safe.

8

Newbie here how do you find this file to alter it?

9

Welcome aboard :slight_smile:

Type %localappdata% in the Windows search bar and press the Enter key.

Then navigate to Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache

While in the LocalCache folder, right-click the UserCFG file and choose Open with > Notepad

Edit the line
PreferD3D12 0

image
image370×592 14 KB

Change the number 0 to 1

image
image366×593 14.1 KB

After making changes in the file, at the top of the window click File > Save

10

:+1: Thanks.

11

Your’re very welcome. Fly safe.

12

Unfortunately when I run a search for Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache in the pachages folder it says no such folder exists. Looks like I’m back to XPlane. Lol. Maybe a windows 11 issue?

13

Which version of MSFS do you have - Steam or Microsoft Store? Also, read again carefully what I wrote above, I never told you to search for that.

14

Looks to be a conflict between the nvidia app and msfs2020. Deleted the app entirely and now all seems fine. For the moment. Thanks again. :+1:

15

The ctd will occur even without the app installed if you switch to DX 11.

16

That’s not actually true - it depends on the driver version and the NVIDIA app version.

17

Partly true, but one would have to go back quite a ways driver/app wise to know that. Not worth the effort (use old driver with/out app) given how many bug issue/s a newer driver corrects in other game/s and/or system related issue/s (or heck even 2020/24 itself).

18

Hi TenPatrol,

MSFS 2020 Newbie here. I have had every simulator since FS4.0. I have the same issue as JRyanDOD. The path Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache"" does not exist after downloading from Steam.

I have tried everything from Verifying installation files. uninstalling to reinstalling, deleting the NIVIDIA App. All is met with the same opening screen crashing after a couple of seconds.

The only thing I can find MSFS related is “C:\Users\CraigDW\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft Flight Simulator”

The file Asobo Report_running session has the below text

/!/ CRASH /!/TOML
[LastKnownDump]
Where=“Main_Z ProgramInit”
[Engine]
ReportVersion=10
ExitApp=false
TimeUTC=2026-07-19T18:08:56Z
UnscaledDeltaTimeMs=20.0
TimeSpentRunningMs=0.0
TimeSpentPauseOffMs=0.0
TimeSpentTurnedOnMs=0.0
ContextUID=0xF5293C6AAD17FD4D
MemInfoUID=0x51A668801E04D5BF
DebuggerAllowed=false
AllocatedMem=568397824
FrameCount=0
BuildVersion=“1.39.12.0”
IsMSIXVC=false
FreeOpenOpsCount-Main=1024
FreeOpenOpsCount-Thread=1024
[Hardware]
Platform=“PC”
Cpu=“GenuineIntel”
Brand=“Intel(R) Core™ i7-9750H CPU @ 2.60GHz”
DriverVersion=“”
GPUName=“Intel(R) UHD Graphics 630”
HWS_Enabled=0
[Fibers]
NumCreated_TOTAL=84
NumExternalCreated=84
NumConverted=24
NumExternalConverted=6
NumCreatedFiberMgr=0
[Renderer]
EnableD3D12=false
PreferD3D12=false
Model=“IntelIGP”
VR_State=“Inactive”
VideoMemoryBudget=0
TexturesToDeleteCount=0
TexturesToDeleteTotalSize=0
[RawCallstackWin64]
0=[“KittyHawkx64_Steam_PCSUB.pdb”,“2523CC4A05AA694E91225D3CDEEA0B8B”,1,32511543]
1=[“KittyHawkx64_Steam_PCSUB.pdb”,“2523CC4A05AA694E91225D3CDEEA0B8B”,1,32508279]
2=[“KittyHawkx64_Steam_PCSUB.pdb”,“2523CC4A05AA694E91225D3CDEEA0B8B”,1,32517194]
3=[“KittyHawkx64_Steam_PCSUB.pdb”,“2523CC4A05AA694E91225D3CDEEA0B8B”,1,32516272]
4=[“KittyHawkx64_Steam_PCSUB.pdb”,“2523CC4A05AA694E91225D3CDEEA0B8B”,1,38311076]
5=[“KittyHawkx64_Steam_PCSUB.pdb”,“2523CC4A05AA694E91225D3CDEEA0B8B”,1,30578412]
6=[“KittyHawkx64_Steam_PCSUB.pdb”,“2523CC4A05AA694E91225D3CDEEA0B8B”,1,30550925]
7=[“KittyHawkx64_Steam_PCSUB.pdb”,“2523CC4A05AA694E91225D3CDEEA0B8B”,1,45721394]
8=[“kernel32.pdb”,“D7A45425D5DE1D5C6F033011500EA781”,1,190807]
9=[“ntdll.pdb”,“23220618D413421066A4820B86925E3B”,1,699756]
[MemoryTrace]
HeapSize=34162954240
FreeTotal=21339500544
FreeKernel=0
UsedKernel=0
FreeGfx=0
UsedGfx=0
DataFormat=“”
[CoherentGT_CachesMiB]
RenoirScratchLayer=4095.999999
RenoirScratchTexture=4095.999999
RenoirTexture=4095.999999
[FlightSimulator]
PlayerSessionID=“131ae114-14c0-486f-bc52-de8d1649294b”
DevMode=false
ObjectsLOD=0.25
TerrainLOD=0.25
UserContainerTitle=“”
Sim=“”
GameMode=“”
LastStates=" MainState:BOOT SubState:BOOT_INIT"
NumRegisteredPackages=0
[FlightSimulator_Packages]
[FlightSimulator_PublishingGroups]
[DoneIO]
EncounterDoneIO=false
[SimConnect_connection]
[FlightSimulator_States]
[FlightSimulator_FlightPlan]
Departure=[“NoWaypointName”,0.0,0.0]
Arrival=[“NoWaypointName”,0.0,0.0]
[Frames]
Version=6
LastFrames=0
LastSeconds=0
ExpectedFPS=60

Csv=“”“memoryKiB,texGpuKiB,memGpuKiB,frameCoherentKiB,nbFibers,nbAircraftContainers,nbSceneryObj,objectsLodMilli,terrainLodMilli,
“””

My System is as follows

Device name Craig
Processor Intel(R) Core™ i7-9750H CPU @ 2.60GHz (2.59 GHz)
Installed RAM 32,0 GB (31,8 GB usable)
Graphics card NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (6 GB)
Intel(R) UHD Graphics 630 (128 MB)
Storage 190 GB of 477 GB used
Device ID 13F01113-D854-408E-93AB-427CD39DA8D6
Product ID 00327-30800-46882-AAOEM
System type 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor
Pen and touch No pen or touch input is available for this display

I’m now at a stage where I ask for a refund and look to another sim.

Any help from anyone will be highly appreciated. Thanks

19

To answer my own Question in case someone else has the same proble.

  1. Deleated the whole of the C: User Appdate Roaming flight sim folder
  2. Reinstalled MSFS2020
  3. Verified Files Right cligh MSFS2020 on steam Properties Files
  4. Moved Community Folder and deleted rolling cache
  5. Tried to get Flight sim into vanilla state or as near as I could without all the files.
  6. Ran Game restore app Xbox Support
  7. Reset the store
  8. Updated XBox and Gaming services app
  9. Updated windows
  10. Zendesk recommended updating BIOS - I did NOT do this (Dangerous unless you know how)
  11. Asked administrator to allow update through anti virus _ Still waiting on response Usefull website if needed Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 NTDLL.DLL crash - Microsoft Q&A
  12. Zendesk did tell me it was related to KernalBase.dll error
  13. None of the above helped buy worth trying.
  14. What did help was below
  15. Open the Windows Start menu, type cmd, right-click Command Prompt, and select Run as administrator.
  16. Type sfc /scannow and press Enter. Wait for it to finish.
  17. Next, type DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth and press Enter.
  18. Restart your computer when both commands are done.

GAME NOW RUNS!!

20

Wow! What a hassle, glad you got it sorted.