Oblivion, the fourth installment in the Elder Scrolls series, is a huge hit with gamers around the world. However, despite the game’s ever-increasing popularity, many users reported experiencing the Oblivion Crash on Startup error.
If this is the case for you as well, and you try to start the game at any time, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion will crash, preventing you from reaching the game’s main screen. There’s no need to panic, as we’ve compiled a list of simple fixes in this blog post for your convenience.
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What Causes Oblivion Crashes on Startup?
Oblivion can crash on startup for a variety of reasons, and the specific causes can vary from one user to the next. In order to help you better understand, we’ve listed a few of the most prominent ones. Oblivion Crash on Startup error is caused by the following factors:
- Application settings that are incorrect or incompatible
- Corrupted Keep records on your computer.
- Too many options in-game or in the.ini configuration files
Codec packs are missing from your device. - Applications that do not work together in the background
In a gaming setup, multiple monitors are used. - Lots of Mods have been added to the system.
Let’s get right down to the business of finding a solution to the problem.
Fixing the Oblivion Crash on Startup:
Solution#1: Run the Game with Admin Privileges
Since incorrect application settings could be the cause of the issue. To fix the Oblivion startup issue, we recommend that you run the app as an administrator. To play the game as an administrator, follow these instructions:
- Tnext, right-click the Steam shortcut and then select “Properties.
- Go to the “Compatibility” section now. “Run this programme as an administrator” can be checked by clicking the “OK” button next to it.
- To grant “Oblivion.exe” administrative privileges, follow the same procedure.
To see if the issue persists, run the game again with the executable name changed from “Oblivion.exe” to “OblivionLauncher.exe” from the game’s directory.
Solution#2: Run the game in Compatibility Mode
Running Oblivion in Compatibility mode is another way to fix the Oblivion crashes on startup issue. To run Oblivion in compatibility mode on Windows XP (Service Pack 3) or Windows XP (Service Pack 2), follow these steps:
- RRight-click the desktop shortcut provided for the game and select “Properties” from the context menu that appears.
- In order to check compatibility, click on the Compatibility tab. “Run this programme in compatibility mode for” can be checked here. Windows XP (Service Pack 2) from the list now (Note: if Windows XP (Service Pack 2) doesn’t work properly, you must switch to Windows XP (Service Pack 3).)
- Next, click on “Apply” option followed by “OK” to save the changes.
Once you are done with this try to launch the game and see if the crashing issue is resolved or not.
Solution#3: Un-install & Reinstall Oblivion
- Search for “appwiz.cpl” in the run box by pressing “Windows key + I.”
- Now, right-click on “Oblivion” and select “Uninstall.” This will completely remove the game from your computer system.
- Once the process is complete, launch the Steam client and navigate to the “Store” to reinstall “Oblivion” on your system.
Now launch Oblivion and see if the problem has been resolved or if it still exists.
Solution#4: Delete the Oblivion Files from Your System
The next method on our list of solutions is to delete all saved game files from your device. To delete the saved Oblivion files, go through the following steps:
- Open the file explorer by pressing “Win + E,” and then follow the steps below:
Users > Your Account’s Name > Documents > My Games > Oblivion
- This will take you to the desired location, here open the “Save” folder, and then delete every file within it
After removing all Oblivion files, launch the game to see if it still crashes on startup.
Solution#5: Modify Oblivion.ini Configuration file
One method for resolving the Oblivion crash on startup is to modify the Oblivion.ini configuration file as follows:
- Open the file explorer with the shortcut key combination “Win + E” and navigate as follows:
Users > Your Account’s Name > Documents > My Games > Oblivion
- Right-click the “Oblivion.ini” file and select “Open with > Notepad” from the pop-up menu that appears.
- Now, press “Ctrl + F” to open the search box and type “MusicEnabled.”
- Change the value of MusicEnabled from “1” to “0,” then press “Ctrl + S” to save the changes.
- Change the value of: in the same way.
“bDSoundHWAcceleration”, “bSoundEnabled” and “bUseWaterShader”.
- In addition to that, you can optionally change the value of
“uInterior Cell Buffer” to “24” and “iPreloadSizeLimit” to “262144000”.
Save these changes and relaunch Oblivion and see if the crashing problem still rests or resolved.
Solution#6: Install a Codec Pack
Missing codec packs on your device could also be the cause of this issue, which you can easily resolve by installing a Codec Pack. Following are the steps to do so:
- Open your preferred browser and navigate to the official website, or click here to download the K-Lite Codec Pack.
- After that, double-click the downloaded file to install it and then follow the on-screen instructions.
- After the installation is finished, restart your computer and look for the problem.
Solution#7: Disable Unnecessary Background Applications
You should be able to solve the problem by disabling the unwanted background applications. To disable such unnecessary background applications, follow these steps:
- Using “Ctrl + Shift + Esc,” launch the “Task Manager,” and then navigate to the “Processes” tab.
- Identify and select all unwanted applications and processes, then disable them one at a time with the “End Task” button.
Solution#8: Disable Multiple Monitors/Screens
One cause of the problem could be the use of multiple monitors/screens. It is recommended that the game be displayed on a single monitor/screen.
To disable multiple screens, press “Windows + P” during startup and then select the PC screen only option from the list to get the game’s interface. Set the video settings to Ultra High and select Native Resolution for the primary screen.
Solution#9: Check & Update Installed Mods
There is an obvious possibility that the installed Mods are not working properly, so you must ensure that all installed Mods are up to date and meet other requirements. If you find any Mods that are out of place, either update them or disable them and see if the Oblivion crash on startup issue is resolved.
Hopefully, by following the steps outlined in this blog post, you will be able to resolve the Oblivion crash on startup issue and continue to enjoy the game.