MSFS 2020 CTD during loading with or without NVIDIA app installed (DX11)

Bug Reporting Hub Crashes (CTDs)
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22

Same scenario here. Brand new PC, NVIDIA GPU and NVIDIA App installed at the shop. Installed MSFS2020 to new PC. Settings not changed in NVIDIA and are as suggested above (latest driver update, TAA, DX11, no overlay, etc.) After first CTD, and restart in Normal mode, another CTD. Loaded in Safe Mode, and installed a further mandatory update today. CTD occurred at the 50% point.

Fault bucket 1971466376624497020, type 5

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I note that the faulting module for me is different to others reported above. Hope the helps the cause.

I’ve since resolved this issue by optimizing NVIDIA settings. Happy flying again.

2 Likes
23

Thank you for sharing your fight with the CTD during loading and how you resolved it by optimizing NVIDIA settings. It’s super helpful that you also included a screenshot and the faultbucket - having these concrete details is pure gold for all of us. The more reports like this we get, the better the chance the developers will actually take notice and fix it. Really appreciate your contribution

If you’ve already shared one of the solutions with us, I’ll also mention some other workarounds - these are just temporary fixes, not proper ones. The real fixes we’re all waiting for have to come from the MSFS 2020 developers or NVIDIA.

Here come the workarounds (click to expand)

Until Nvidia fixes the application and Asobo MSFS 2020 please check what happens if you select DX12 instead of DX11 by manually editing cfg file.

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

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Change the number 0 to 1

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and save the changes.

OR

If you need Nvidia app also select DX12

OR

If you need NVIDIA app and want to play with DX11, delete NGX folder - you’ll find it in **C:\ProgramData\NVIDIA**.

OR
If you don’t need NVIDIA app and want to play with DX11, uninstall NVIDIA app and then restart PC.

EDIT
FYI, MSFS 2020 optimization in NVIDIA app helped you because it automatically sets DX12, which likely stopped the CTDs. Other settings NVIDIA app chooses are pretty pointless - for example, it sets traffic even if you don’t fly with it. So, I don’t recommend using the full optimization. If you really want to keep the NVIDIA app installed, just manually select DX12 and leave the rest alone.

24

I am experiencing the same as you - no Nvidia app and a clean driver installation. Cannot boot up with DX11.

25

Changing to dx12 via nvidia app fixed the ctd issue for me.

26

Got this sorted and not related to this thread which is also an issue on my end.

27

I solved this specific issue by doing both of the following steps:

  • DDU the current driver ad reinstall (this removes all remnants of anything Nvidia on your machine)
  • Delete the usercfg.opt file and let the sim recreate it

I can now load in with DX11, without the Nvidia app installed. Note: DDU removes all Nividia data from your machine including the troubled files referenced elsewhere on the forum that results in the 1B0_E658703.dll CTD, but this step alone does not fix the startup issue for me.

I should note that the startup with the Nvidia app installed as per the OP is confirmed on my side as well and most definitely an issue.

1 Like
28

Yes, switching to DX12 can indeed help avoid CTDs - I’ve mentioned this before - but this is not a real fix, just a workaround.
The actual fix needs to come from Asobo and/or Nvidia.

Thanks for confirming this on your side as well.

To both of you - if you haven’t voted on the thread yet, please do so. The more votes we get, the higher the chance Asobo and/or Nvidia will prioritize a proper fix.

29

Currently, we experience CTDs during the loading of MSFS 2020 with DX11, even if the NVIDIA app is not installed. Below is more information - it’s a copy/paste from another thread.

I spent a bit of time today testing 580.88 with MSFS 2020 and DirectX 11 without the NVIDIA application.

Please note the dates of the folders below – the config, dlisp, dlss and dlssg folders were created during the driver installation.
The folders starting with SL_ were created during or immediately after launching MSFS 2020.

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After launching the game, I experienced a CTD during loading without the NVIDIA app.

For testing purposes, I deleted the folders starting with SL_ and then relaunched MSFS 2020 with TAA and DX11.

The SL_ folders were created again and I experienced another CTD during the loading with DX11 and TAA.

Fault bucket 1612783983015702999, type 5

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For further testing purposes, I deleted the folders starting with SL_ again.
Using the NVIDIA Control Panel, I restored the global profile and the MSFS 2020 profile by clicking “Restore” and confirming the changes.
To be sure, I also deleted the files responsible for the global driver and game profile settings - these files are nvdrsdb1.bin and nvdrsdb0.bin, located in the folder:
c:\ProgramData\NVIDIA Corporation\Drs\

After deleting those files, I also uninstalled the NVIDIA HD Audio driver and restarted PC.
After rebooting and launching MSFS 2020, I didn’t get a CTD during loading.

However, when I launched MSFS 2020 again with TAA and DX11, I experienced a CTD during loading.

Fault bucket 1377554702683308154, type 5

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I decided to uninstall the NVIDIA driver using DDU and then reinstall it, this time without NVIDIA HD Audio.
I didn’t create any game profiles in the NVIDIA Control Panel - after restarting, I launched MSFS 2020 and didn’t get a CTD during loading. The SL_ folders I mentioned earlier were also created.
One launch without a CTD isn’t a proper test, so I closed MSFS using “Quit to Desktop” and started it again.

And again, CTD during loading.

Fault bucket 1195024988552480650, type 5

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Going a step further - I uninstalled driver 580.88 using DDU and installed an older version, 577.00 Game Ready.

After uninstalling with DDU, I installed only the driver without the NVIDIA appl and without NVIDIA HD Audio.
After installation, I restarted PC.

After several launches of MSFS 2020 with DX11 and driver 577.00 without the NVIDIA app, there were no CTDs.

Also, the SL_ folders didn’t get created, which is actually good - those folders should be created by the NVIDIA app, not the driver.

For some reason, driver 580.88 creates those folders even without the NVIDIA app and the files inside those folders cause CTDs during MSFS 2020 loading with DX11 and no NVIDIA app.

So the 580.88 driver is buggy - MSFS 2020 is buggy too, but that’s a different story …

1 Like
30

You’re a lifesaver.

I just did a fresh install of MSFS 2020 and would constantly crash at around 50% load. Did what you described changing the usercfg file to have DX12 set to 1, and the sim loaded!

I don’t have the NVidia app installed either.

1 Like
31

Happy to help :slight_smile:

This bug has been with us since January 30th, 2025 - so well over half a year now - and both Asobo and NVIDIA have remained completely silent, as if nothing happened. Since the latest driver version (580.88), CTDs during MSFS 2020 loading with DX11 selected in the game settings occur even without the NVIDIA app installed, so the situation is now even worse than before.

@Salty9649
P.S. I think you might have forgotten to click Vote at the top of the thread.

1 Like
32

Can someone help me out I’m getting real burned out on this CTD I cant even load in anymore, I did the whole delete the community folder thing also I done fresh install and still the same problem. I’m on Nvidia driver version 577.00. ty

33

Uninstall NVIDIA app if installed and restart PC.

2 Likes
34

As simple as that ty, Is the latest driver playing nice for both sims?

35

DLSS Frame generation not highlighted?

36

YW - this is a known issue. Please click the link below and vote to confirm that you’re also experiencing CTDs during MSFS 2020 loading.
https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/msfs-2020-ctd-during-loading-with-or-without-nvidia-app-installed-dx11/732584

Nope - CTD during loading MSFS 2020, DX11 without NVIDIA app.

38

I’ve had this problem since driver version 576.28. I was able to resolve the issue by uninstalling the NVIDIA app. I’ve installed all subsequent driver versions without the NVIDIA app. MSFS 2020 hasn’t crashed (at about 50%) since then. Since 580.88, the latest version, the problem has recurred when loading. It’s always without the NVIDIA app. Installing the old driver didn’t work either. However, MSFS also had an update at the same time, so I can’t figure out where the problem lies. MSFS 2020 is completely useless for me.

39

Thanks for sharing that you experienced a CTD during loading in MSFS 2020. I really appreciate you letting us know.
I hope you voted for that CTD bug - the more of us who do, the better chance we have to get it fixed.

Download 577.00
Unisnstall 580.88 via DDU in safe mode.
Restart PC
Install 577.00 without NVIDIA app.
Restart PC.

40

The suggestion to set Usercfg.opt PreferD3D12 to 1 worked for me. Many thanks for this tip,

42

Thank you for the bug report.

We have created an internal ticket to see if our team already has this logged, and if not they will attempt to reproduce the issue and create a new bug report. This item is now marked as feedback-logged. If there is an existing bug report or one is created, we will move this thread to bug-logged.

2 Likes
43

Thanks, great to hear it helped.
Changing the value from 0 to 1 in the UserCfg.opt file switched MSFS from DX11 to DX12.
If possible, please provide the exact model of your GPU.

Thank you for looking into this and for forwarding it to the team that handles such issues. Much appreciated.