Why does UE 5.0 work but UE 5.4 crash on startup?

For some reason I cannot open 5.4. I’ve tried everything on Youtube and in the forums. I was finally able to get in a few time a couple of days ago but now I’m baclk to getting (Exception_Access_Violation Errors)

I will post the exact report here:

Asus ProArt Machine
Nvidia RTX 4090 Founders Edition
Intel 13900k
64 GB of Ram

Unhandled Exception: EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION reading address 0x0000008ca6000070

UnrealEditor_Core!mi_free() [D:\build++UE5\Sync\Engine\Source\ThirdParty\mimalloc\2.0.0\src\alloc.c:486]
UnrealEditor_Core!FMemory::Free() [D:\build++UE5\Sync\Engine\Source\Runtime\Core\Public\HAL\FMemory.inl:150]
UnrealEditor_ShaderPreprocessor!maybe_expand_macro() [D:\build++UE5\Sync\Engine\Source\Developer\ShaderPreprocessor\Private\stb_preprocess\preprocessor.c:3627]
UnrealEditor_ShaderPreprocessor!preprocess_string() [D:\build++UE5\Sync\Engine\Source\Developer\ShaderPreprocessor\Private\stb_preprocess\preprocessor.c:2339]
UnrealEditor_ShaderPreprocessor!process_include() [D:\build++UE5\Sync\Engine\Source\Developer\ShaderPreprocessor\Private\stb_preprocess\preprocessor.c:3823]
UnrealEditor_ShaderPreprocessor!process_directive() [D:\build++UE5\Sync\Engine\Source\Developer\ShaderPreprocessor\Private\stb_preprocess\preprocessor.c:4196]
UnrealEditor_ShaderPreprocessor!preprocess_string() [D:\build++UE5\Sync\Engine\Source\Developer\ShaderPreprocessor\Private\stb_preprocess\preprocessor.c:2327]
UnrealEditor_ShaderPreprocessor!process_include() [D:\build++UE5\Sync\Engine\Source\Developer\ShaderPreprocessor\Private\stb_preprocess\preprocessor.c:3823]
UnrealEditor_ShaderPreprocessor!process_directive() [D:\build++UE5\Sync\Engine\Source\Developer\ShaderPreprocessor\Private\stb_preprocess\preprocessor.c:4196]
UnrealEditor_ShaderPreprocessor!preprocess_string() [D:\build++UE5\Sync\Engine\Source\Developer\ShaderPreprocessor\Private\stb_preprocess\preprocessor.c:2327]
UnrealEditor_ShaderPreprocessor!process_include() [D:\build++UE5\Sync\Engine\Source\Developer\ShaderPreprocessor\Private\stb_preprocess\preprocessor.c:3823]
UnrealEditor_ShaderPreprocessor!process_directive() [D:\build++UE5\Sync\Engine\Source\Developer\ShaderPreprocessor\Private\stb_preprocess\preprocessor.c:4196]
UnrealEditor_ShaderPreprocessor!preprocess_string() [D:\build++UE5\Sync\Engine\Source\Developer\ShaderPreprocessor\Private\stb_preprocess\preprocessor.c:2327]
UnrealEditor_ShaderPreprocessor!preprocess_file() [D:\build++UE5\Sync\Engine\Source\Developer\ShaderPreprocessor\Private\stb_preprocess\preprocessor.c:4997]
UnrealEditor_ShaderPreprocessor!PreprocessShader() [D:\build++UE5\Sync\Engine\Source\Developer\ShaderPreprocessor\Private\ShaderPreprocessor.cpp:802]
UnrealEditor_ShaderCompilerCommon!UE::ShaderCompilerCommon::ExecuteShaderPreprocessingSteps() [D:\build++UE5\Sync\Engine\Source\Developer\ShaderCompilerCommon\Private\ShaderCompilerCommon.cpp:1753]
UnrealEditor_ShaderCompilerCommon!UE::ShaderCompilerCommon::FBaseShaderFormat::PreprocessShader() [D:\build++UE5\Sync\Engine\Source\Developer\ShaderCompilerCommon\Private\ShaderCompilerCommon.cpp:1778]
UnrealEditor_RenderCore!FInternalShaderCompilerFunctions::PreprocessShaderInternal() [D:\build++UE5\Sync\Engine\Source\Runtime\RenderCore\Private\ShaderCore.cpp:1243]
UnrealEditor_RenderCore!FInternalShaderCompilerFunctions::PreprocessShaderInternal() [D:\build++UE5\Sync\Engine\Source\Runtime\RenderCore\Private\ShaderCore.cpp:1272]
UnrealEditor_RenderCore!ConditionalPreprocessShader() [D:\build++UE5\Sync\Engine\Source\Runtime\RenderCore\Private\ShaderCore.cpp:1409]
UnrealEditor_Engine!FString::operator*'::2’::<lambda_1>::operator()() [D:\build++UE5\Sync\Engine\Source\Runtime\Engine\Private\ShaderCompiler\ShaderCompiler.cpp:1769]
UnrealEditor_Engine!FShaderCompileUtilities::ExecuteShaderCompileJob() [D:\build++UE5\Sync\Engine\Source\Runtime\Core\Public\Tasks\TaskPrivate.h:855]
UnrealEditor_Engine!UE::Tasks::Private::FTaskBase::TryExecuteTask() [D:\build++UE5\Sync\Engine\Source\Runtime\Core\Public\Tasks\TaskPrivate.h:504]
UnrealEditor_Engine!LowLevelTasks::TTaskDelegate<LowLevelTasks::FTask * __ptr64 __cdecl(bool),48>::TTaskDelegateImpl<LowLevelTasks::FTask::Init<UE::Tasks::Private::FTaskBase::Init’::2'::<lambda_1> >'::13’::<lambda_1>,0>::CallAndMove() [D:\build++UE5\Sync\Engine\Source\Runtime\Core\Public\Async\Fundamental\TaskDelegate.h:171]
UnrealEditor_Core!LowLevelTasks::FTask::ExecuteTask() [D:\build++UE5\Sync\Engine\Source\Runtime\Core\Public\Async\Fundamental\Task.h:627]
UnrealEditor_Core!LowLevelTasks::FScheduler::ExecuteTask() [D:\build++UE5\Sync\Engine\Source\Runtime\Core\Private\Async\Fundamental\Scheduler.cpp:177]
UnrealEditor_Core!LowLevelTasks::FScheduler::WorkerMain() [D:\build++UE5\Sync\Engine\Source\Runtime\Core\Private\Async\Fundamental\Scheduler.cpp:397]
UnrealEditor_Core!UE::Core::Private::Function::TFunctionRefCaller<LowLevelTasks::FScheduler::CreateWorker'::2’::<lambda_1>,void __cdecl(void)>::Call() [D:\build++UE5\Sync\Engine\Source\Runtime\Core\Public\Templates\Function.h:406]
UnrealEditor_Core!FThreadImpl::Run() [D:\build++UE5\Sync\Engine\Source\Runtime\Core\Private\HAL\Thread.cpp:69]
UnrealEditor_Core!FRunnableThreadWin::Run() [D:\build++UE5\Sync\Engine\Source\Runtime\Core\Private\Windows\WindowsRunnableThread.cpp:149]

Hey @NanoPixel

are you trying to open an old project, a new one or a project you created and made changes to?

Which plugins do you use?

C++ or blueprints?

first try default empty project if it works or not.

if it doesn’t work then update all drivers (first check if others have issues with that driver and revert it to a previous version). verify the installations files. verify if any antivirus you have did not interfere silently with your workflow (if you set it to automatic it may do this because unreal&visual studio compile code and creates executable of various types that may be detected as threat)

if you have the latest windows versions then that could be an issue also but is hard to figure out a solution in that case. windows has now a very aggressive approach against users files. They want to upload them to microsoft servers, AI analyze them, constantly monitoring and recording movies and screenshots of what you do. All this can mess with GPU heavy apps like unreal is.

for windows try to find some guides to disable as much bloat services that windows has on by default. Especially the AI stuff if you can and the telemetry. Careful with malware don’t download programs that promises it can do something like that if you don’t have experience in these “grey” areas

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hi @dorusoftware ,

Looks to me like the virus check has isolated part of your installation
Very common problem for UEFN
urc.exe and urc.dll get flagged as Malware from Microsoft Defender - General / Issues and Bug Reporting - Epic Developer Community Forums (unrealengine.com)

Indicate to your virus checker that UnrealEngine.exe is safe

see urc.exe and urc.dll get flagged as Malware from Microsoft Defender - General / Issues and Bug Reporting - Epic Developer Community Forums (unrealengine.com)

Then If you are using Epic Launcher binary Go back and use option Verify

If you want to build 5.4.3 from a working source repository try
UnrealEngine-5/README.md at lgpu542 · jimshalo10/UnrealEngine-5 (github.com)

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I didn’t know Windows did all of that. I’ll have to figure out how to turn all that stuff off.

I’m not using any plugins. I’m not trying to make a game, I use it for film making.

It seems there is a memory issue but I’m not sure how to fix it. This is the error I am getting now.

Fatal error: [File:D:\build++UE5\Sync\Engine\Source\Runtime\Core\Private\GenericPlatform\GenericPlatformMemory.cpp] [Line: 253] Ran out of memory allocating 18446744073709551615 (17592186044416.0 MiB) bytes with alignment 0. Last error msg: The operation completed successfully…

Ideas?

Hey @NanoPixel

does this happen

  • When you try to start the engine itself (UnrealProjectLauncher where you can select project presets etc.)
  • When you try to open an old project from another UE version?
  • When you try to open a blank project?

Did you read similar threads?

https://www.reddit.com/r/overclocking/comments/1axepvu/optimizing_stability_for_intel_13900k_and_14900k/

Do you have problems in other programs/games?

It happens when I try to open my current project from the editor page. I even tried to create a new project but that doesn’t open either.

I may have found a cause for the crashes tough. Just came back from the PC repair shop (Thanks GadgetMates) and they informed me that there seems there is an issue with 13th and 14th Gen CPU’s failing and causing crashes right now.

Epic has release guidelines for this issue as well.

I may have to downgrade to a 12th Gen for now. My computer died on me writing this so I had to make this quick.

I cleaned everything in the app data directory, and sub-directories containing Unreal Engine information. Then I updated my bios and did a clean install of unreal engine 5.4.4 including creating a clean VaultCash directory and it resolved the problem. Hardware-wise I am using an ASRock b550 Phantom Gaming 4 with a 5900x 12 core CPU and 128Gb of 3600Mhz DDR4. GPU I am still only running an nVidia 1660 GTX, and still have decent performance. I had to use parts of all the solutions in this thread. So I want to thank everyone for leading me in the right direction.

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