Random Unreal Engine 5.3 Project Crashes with EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION

General Issues and Bug Reporting
1

Hello,

My Unreal Engine 5.3 project is experiencing random crashes and throws the error “Unhandled Exception: EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION reading address 0xffffffffffffffff”.

The project utilizes Nanite, VSM (Virtual Shadow Maps), and Lumen in a complex environment. I have tried multiple methods to resolve this issue, including recompiling the project, disabling plugins, and turning off ray tracing, but the problem persists.

The project was stable in version 5.2, but since upgrading to 5.3, the stability has significantly deteriorated.

Unhandled Exception: EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION reading address 0xffffffffffffffff

UnrealEditor_Core
UnrealEditor_Core
UnrealEditor_Core
UnrealEditor_Core
UnrealEditor_Core
UnrealEditor_Core
UnrealEditor_Core
UnrealEditor_Engine
UnrealEditor_Engine
UnrealEditor_Engine
UnrealEditor_Engine
UnrealEditor_Engine
UnrealEditor_Core
UnrealEditor_Core
UnrealEditor_Core
UnrealEditor_Core
UnrealEditor_Core
UnrealEditor_Core
UnrealEditor_Core
UnrealEditor_Core
UnrealEditor_Core
UnrealEditor_Core
kernel32
ntdll

[2023.10.18-13.56.02:188][745]LogThreadingWindows: Error: Runnable thread Background Worker #12 crashed.
[2023.10.18-13.56.02:188][745]LogWindows: Error: === Critical error: ===
[2023.10.18-13.56.02:188][745]LogWindows: Error:
[2023.10.18-13.56.02:188][745]LogWindows: Error: Fatal error!
[2023.10.18-13.56.02:188][745]LogWindows: Error:
[2023.10.18-13.56.02:188][745]LogWindows: Error: Unhandled Exception: EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION reading address 0xffffffffffffffff
[2023.10.18-13.56.02:188][745]LogWindows: Error:
[2023.10.18-13.56.02:188][745]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007ff800abc00a UnrealEditor-Core.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-13.56.02:188][745]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007ff800abba0d UnrealEditor-Core.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-13.56.02:188][745]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007ff800ac2e71 UnrealEditor-Core.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-13.56.02:188][745]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007ff800ac69c0 UnrealEditor-Core.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-13.56.02:188][745]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007ff800472fc7 UnrealEditor-Core.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-13.56.02:188][745]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007ff800473493 UnrealEditor-Core.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-13.56.02:188][745]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007ff8003469a8 UnrealEditor-Core.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-13.56.02:188][745]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007fffc0f68798 UnrealEditor-Engine.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-13.56.02:188][745]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007fffc2719271 UnrealEditor-Engine.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-13.56.02:188][745]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007fffc276273b UnrealEditor-Engine.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-13.56.02:188][745]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007fffc271ba32 UnrealEditor-Engine.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-13.56.02:188][745]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007fffc274556b UnrealEditor-Engine.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-13.56.02:188][745]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007ff80029227d UnrealEditor-Core.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-13.56.02:188][745]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007ff80029afd3 UnrealEditor-Core.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-13.56.02:188][745]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007ff8002a8cd5 UnrealEditor-Core.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-13.56.02:188][745]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007ff8002a8a7c UnrealEditor-Core.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-13.56.02:188][745]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007ff8002880e2 UnrealEditor-Core.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-13.56.02:188][745]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007ff8002d08c2 UnrealEditor-Core.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-13.56.02:188][745]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007ff800298b60 UnrealEditor-Core.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-13.56.02:188][745]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007ff80047f773 UnrealEditor-Core.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-13.56.02:188][745]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007ff8008b4e22 UnrealEditor-Core.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-13.56.02:188][745]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007ff8008a8657 UnrealEditor-Core.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-13.56.02:188][745]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007ff8adba257d KERNEL32.DLL!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-13.56.02:188][745]LogWindows: Error:
[2023.10.18-13.56.02:188][745]LogWindows: Error: Crash in runnable thread Background Worker #12
[2023.10.18-13.56.02:204][745]LogExit: Executing StaticShutdownAfterError
[2023.10.18-13.56.02:208][745]LogWindows: FPlatformMisc::RequestExit(1, FRunnableThreadWin::GuardedRun.ExceptionHandler)
[2023.10.18-13.56.02:208][745]LogWindows: FPlatformMisc::RequestExitWithStatus(1, 3, FRunnableThreadWin::GuardedRun.ExceptionHandler)
[2023.10.18-13.56.02:208][745]LogCore: Engine exit requested (reason: Win RequestExit)

Another crash :

[2023.10.18-16.56.34:175][706]LogThreadingWindows: Error: Runnable thread Background Worker #27 crashed.
[2023.10.18-16.56.34:175][706]LogWindows: Error: === Critical error: ===
[2023.10.18-16.56.34:175][706]LogWindows: Error:
[2023.10.18-16.56.34:175][706]LogWindows: Error: Fatal error!
[2023.10.18-16.56.34:175][706]LogWindows: Error:
[2023.10.18-16.56.34:175][706]LogWindows: Error: Unhandled Exception: EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION reading address 0xffffffffffffffff
[2023.10.18-16.56.34:175][706]LogWindows: Error:
[2023.10.18-16.56.34:175][706]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007ff800abc00a UnrealEditor-Core.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-16.56.34:175][706]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007ff800abba0d UnrealEditor-Core.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-16.56.34:175][706]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007ff800ac2e71 UnrealEditor-Core.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-16.56.34:175][706]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007ff800ac69c0 UnrealEditor-Core.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-16.56.34:175][706]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007ff800472fc7 UnrealEditor-Core.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-16.56.34:175][706]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007ff800473493 UnrealEditor-Core.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-16.56.34:175][706]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007ff8003469a8 UnrealEditor-Core.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-16.56.34:175][706]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007fffc0f68798 UnrealEditor-Engine.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-16.56.34:175][706]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007fffc2719271 UnrealEditor-Engine.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-16.56.34:175][706]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007fffc276273b UnrealEditor-Engine.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-16.56.34:175][706]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007fffc271ba32 UnrealEditor-Engine.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-16.56.34:175][706]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007fffc274556b UnrealEditor-Engine.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-16.56.34:175][706]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007ff80029227d UnrealEditor-Core.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-16.56.34:175][706]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007ff80029afd3 UnrealEditor-Core.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-16.56.34:175][706]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007ff8002a8cd5 UnrealEditor-Core.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-16.56.34:175][706]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007ff8002a8a7c UnrealEditor-Core.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-16.56.34:175][706]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007ff8002880e2 UnrealEditor-Core.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-16.56.34:175][706]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007ff8002d08c2 UnrealEditor-Core.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-16.56.34:175][706]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007ff800298b60 UnrealEditor-Core.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-16.56.34:175][706]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007ff80047f773 UnrealEditor-Core.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-16.56.34:175][706]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007ff8008b4e22 UnrealEditor-Core.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-16.56.34:175][706]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007ff8008a8657 UnrealEditor-Core.dll!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-16.56.34:175][706]LogWindows: Error: [Callstack] 0x00007ff8adba257d KERNEL32.DLL!UnknownFunction
[2023.10.18-16.56.34:175][706]LogWindows: Error:
[2023.10.18-16.56.34:175][706]LogWindows: Error: Crash in runnable thread Background Worker #27
[2023.10.18-16.56.34:179][706]LogExit: Executing StaticShutdownAfterError
[2023.10.18-16.56.34:183][706]LogWindows: FPlatformMisc::RequestExit(1, FRunnableThreadWin::GuardedRun.ExceptionHandler)
[2023.10.18-16.56.34:183][706]LogWindows: FPlatformMisc::RequestExitWithStatus(1, 3, FRunnableThreadWin::GuardedRun.ExceptionHandler)
[2023.10.18-16.56.34:184][706]LogCore: Engine exit requested (reason: Win RequestExit)

My pc specs :

RTX 4080,
Ryzen 5950x,
64gb ddr4.

2

I had the exact same error message. What caused the crashes in my case were fog components. Specifically the local fog volumes. I’ve read somewhere that there are some issues with lumen reflections and fog.

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