Crusader Kings 3 Dev Tracker

That's a weird cpatch.log, not sure I've ever seen one like that. There are no significant errors in any of those files. The bootstrapper does not appear to be even trying to update, or even trying to contact our servers.

If you ext Steam then run steam.exe as the Windows Admin user, does that change matters at all?

Are all the launcher components allowed through all your firewalls?  

From those files we can tell the game is running on the slower and weaker Intel video system, not the more powerful nVidia card as it should be. This is governed by the nVidia utilities.

And the nVidia driver is outdated, so lets fix that:

- uninstall it and all other nVidia software
- reboot
- install Feb 2022 https://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us
- reboot again

Now test the game; if it does not seem noticeably faster, look in that pdx_settings.txt and system.log to see which video system is now ... Read more

Can I get Documents/Paradox Interactive/CK3/pdx_settings.txt too please?  

Now we have a crash in NVDisplay.Container.exe ... really not sure what to make of this!

Edit that pdx_settings.txt in Notepad. Find the Renderer line and change it like this:

"renderer"={
version=0
value="OpenGL"
}

The game will be slower like that, but does it crash?  

monkey1998 said: Also how do I access the paradox documents you want?

In File Explorer click on Documents in the left column. In the right pane double click on Paradox Interactive, then the CK3 folder there.  

Even more serious issues showing up in that error log with the nVidia driver or card. Can I get a new dxdiag.txt too please, and Documents/Paradox Interactive/CK3/pdx_settings.txt ?  

No mention of this game in that dxdiag. What happens if you run ck3.exe directly, any error show up then?

Probably best to update both the Intel and nVidia video drivers:

Download the latest official NVIDIA drivers

Download th... Read more

Everything with the word nVidia in it please!  

The game does not need internet connectivity to start. It will run even if the computer is offline.

Can we get all populated files from the log folder please?

Also in Steam please click on Steam-Help-System Info, and paste everything there into a text file and attach that here.  

Can we get new copies of those files in post #3 please?  

Well, that shows that either there is a problem with your original user profile, OR there is indeed something on your machine interfering with write access to the Documents/Paradox Interactive/CK3 folders - but only for that one user. How very odd!  

Andrew is right, your temps are the cause. If you don't trust us, trust the manufacturers own specifications:


(https://ark.intel.com/content/www/u...54690k-processor-6m-cache-up-to-3-90-ghz.html)

Your CPU is cooking hence your PC shuts down to prevent irreparable damage. If you don't want to accept this that's fine but ... Read more

blackbataillon said: Yeah. just drop the problem because you have no clue. Please get me someone who has some knowledge and can maybe help me. Ty.

See my join date ? I've been doing this since before then, I do know what I'm talking about here.

You are getting temps up to 94c. They should never get over 80c regardless of what a game does. You have a problem with cooling, I promise you. You said the CPU as old; if its thermal paste has never been renewed that is very likely the cause.  

I am sorry then, you have a clear problem in your cooling system there.

Clean out all air vents it has (compressed air cans are good for this). Make sure airflow to them is not blocked by anything like walls, books or whatever.
If that doesn't drop the temps enough, you probably have a faulty fan or a heatsink/thermal paste problem. You may need professional help at that point.

Good luck!  

70c is getting up there, but not to the point of causing problems like this - that'd normally be 80c or more. Was this taken when the game was running?

It is quite unusual for the CPU to be hotter than the GPU though.


There was nothing in the Windows Event Viewer?  

I think at this point we need to do a clean reinstall of game and Steam.


- move any valued save games elsewhere
- "uninstall" in Steam-CK3
- exit the Steam app entirely

- manually delete both the Steam/SteamApps/common/CK3 AND Documents/Paradox Interactive/CK3 folders
- delete everything in the Steam folder EXCEPT steam.exe and the SteamApps folder
- run steam.exe to rebuild all that

- re-install game in Steam, run a Steam Verify when done.
- add CK3.exe to the exceptions list of your antivirus app; ESPECIALLY if you have Windows Defender, add it to the Ransomware "Apps Allowed Through" list.
- start the game with no mods active and test with a new campaign - NOT with any existing one


Do you still see these problems?  

Can you please use a different app to see those temperatures? Speccy is one good one.

I see no crash in ck3.exe in there, nor even a LiveKernelEvent what normally happens after a forced reboot. In the Windows Event Viewer, are there any significant errors just before one of these restarts?  

The only issue I see in there is an outdated nVidia driver, so let's get that updated:

- uninstall it and all other nVidia software
- reboot
- install Feb 2022 https://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us
- reboot again

Then delete the Documents CK3 folder again, after moving any valued save files elsewhere first. test with a new campaign - is that any better?  

I think this is the first time I've seen this issue on a pure Intel video system, not a dual one. The Intel Xe video driver you have is from Jan 2021, before Win11 was released, so check with Lenovo support for a new one. Failing that Intel themselves:

Download Intel Drivers and Software

Download new and prev... Read more

That's the Ransomware-Apps Allowed Through list, is that right?

What if you make a new Windows user, log in as that, and try the game there? Any different?