#Freeze/Crash in during the loading screen.

1 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)

snow jasper
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Hi,
I have a problem since yesterday (21st of May) every time I start COTW it freezes during the loadingscreen after approximately 7 sec. it cuts of the music and the loading animation (in the lower right corner). I never had any problems with game crashes or similar things in my 8 years of playing COTW. I tried everything I can think of to fix it. The first thing I did was to let Steam run diagnostics for corrupted files, which found nothing. I then restarted the game and still had the same issue. After that I completely restarted Steam and my PC, but that didn´t fix the problem either.

After that I tried different things to fix it:
-I updated my GPU driver
-I updated my java scripts
-I reinstalled COTW four times on different HDDs and SSDs
-I completely reinstalled Steam
-I ran COTW as admin
-I changed some starting parameters (compatibility: Windows7 and Windows 8 | deactivated fullscreenoptimation)
-I ran diagnostics with directX
-Restarted my Pc bunch of times
-I even updated my motherboard and RAM driver

After that I thought my save files where just corrupted, because of that I deleted my whole Avalanche Studio folder from my documents (Before that I did do a backup). I restarted the game on my PC and it worked like usual. But to be 100% sure that my save files were the problem, I downloaded COTW and save files onto my Laptop and started COTW there. I thought it wouldn´t work because those were the same files that didn´t work on my PC, but it did for some reason.

I don´t know what else I can do anymore. Is there anyone that could help me solve this problem?

Btw. sorry for my bad English and grammar. 😄

TLDR: Game freezes during loadingscreen. I tried to fix it. Save files from PC (don´t work on there) do work on my Laptop (for some reason). Don´t know what to do.

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frank trellis
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@snow jasper
Any chance you have micro 360?

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U seem to know your way around the computer. What did your scannow command say?

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Also did run any other commands to clear catches,temp and old files?

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If u didn't.
Turn off all clouds u have on your pc. Steam, and any other.
I would start here.
Start button. CMD Prompt
Right click mouse
Run as administrator.
sfc / scannow
Please report the results.
Next, let try to clean up your inventory.
Window and R
Type
Cleanmgr
Follow instructions
Window and R
Type
%temp%
Alt and A will select everything
Shift and delete will clean everything at once.

snow jasper
frank trellis
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Yes Microsoft 360. What will happen, it will save corrupt files in the cloud and keep using them.

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Please turn it off, and then try start up. The only save we want on is the cotw save. We can go back after fixing it.

snow jasper
frank trellis
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If u are doing the window command. Clean it. It will free up a lot and hopefully clean the corrupt files out.

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Try cleanmgr first
Then prefetch
Then %temp%

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U must have a lot on it. LOL
Do them commands monthly to keep pc running good

snow jasper
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Yeah I did had a lot :lul:

frank trellis
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After all that. Hit me back on your start.

snow jasper
frank trellis
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Yes, it might take a little longer next time to start a app but we are trying to get u a fresh start without having to go in Microsoft 360 and deleting cotw folder. Because that will cause you to have to start the game completely at the beginning.

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Prefetch is built in for the start point for apps. The problem is, if you don't never clean it. You might have stored up start up for apps u have not used in years.

snow jasper
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I just started the game and it froze again.

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But I do have the Avalanche Studio save files stored as a backup on my Laptop and my PC (in a separated folder of course)

frank trellis
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We need to go in file explorer. Open up your 360 and find cotw folder. Delete it. Now, let hope steam saves will get back to were you were. If not you will be starting completely over.
I'm not a fan of 360 for this problem. I don't use it because you still still have 2 saves going. Steam has it own cloud and cotw has a save. Neither of them will save corrupt files and by some chance tyey do. Very easy fix.

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If u can live without 360. I would recommend doing it. It's nothing but a pain in the ass for gamers.

snow jasper
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To be completely honest I don´t know what you mean with microsoft 360, because I don´t have it on my PC. I had Microsoft 365 on it for word and excel but I did deinstall it a few months ago.

frank trellis
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Go in file explorer. This pc. Program 86. See if there's not a folder there

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I'm sorry. C drive after this pc

snow jasper
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There isn´t one

image.png
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I found those in This PC<Program

image.png
frank trellis
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Last thing I know will fix it.
File explorer. Document and delete avalanche file.
Then go to c or d drive were you have cotw download and do program86, steam, steamapp, common, then delete the cotw file there.
Then go steam and manage uninstal. That's a complete delete from your pc. Then you will need to reinstall and after starting, just put your folder in that game.

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I might have steamapp and steam backwards. I'm not at my pc.

snow jasper
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I did what you said and deleted and uninstalled COTW. Right now I´m reinstalling it. It might take 90 min to install. I will updated you as soon as it is installed. 😄

frank trellis
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Yes, I know that will do it. Earlier, I just wanted to not go that route in hopes of saving your position in the game.

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Just hit me back.

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After I thought about it. It's a corrupt save in the steam cloud. Next time you could just delete your last 3 save and should fix it. I got side tracked thinking 360. My fault. I know the above will fix it.

snow jasper
frank trellis
snow jasper
frank trellis
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Go in your saves and delete the last 10 saves and restart.

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U will lose some but not all.

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Just keep repeating. Delete a save and restart. U will find it. Without access to ew files there's no other way to tell which save is bad.

snow jasper
frank trellis
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File explorer
Document
Avalanche
COTW
Long number and they're located there

snow jasper
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Do you know what they look like?

image.png image.png
frank trellis
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I told u wrong.
Give me five minutes and let boot my pc and I will get u to right place.
Sorry

snow jasper
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It´s alright. Take your time 😄

frank trellis
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Same as before and when u open the slot folder. There's 3 save. 2 1 0
There with 2 delete and try start.

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Number 2 folder. Not 2 at Sam time

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Don't forget to turn off steam cloud. It will keep bringing back.

snow jasper
frank trellis
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Try
Delete 1. Now

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Did u have steam cloud on when adding the folder from labtop?

snow jasper
frank trellis
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Yes. If anything. It will just be starting u at beginning again.

snow jasper
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It still freezes

frank trellis
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I just found it.

snow jasper
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I think that is for way of the hunter not COTW

frank trellis
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The only thing I know then. Make a support ticket so they can go in your game files and find problem. At least u have a good save folder. They might be able to save steps.

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Or just start over.
Sorry we couldn't locate the issue.

snow jasper
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Yeah I will do that. Nevertheless thank you very much for trying to help me. I hope I didn´t waste your time too much. 😄

frank trellis
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No worries. I'm disappointed I couldn't help.

snow jasper
frank trellis
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Nah, maybe update this post so if anyone else is having same problem can maybe fix it without going to support.

snow jasper
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Here’s what fixed the freezing issue on the loading screen for me (COTW – May 2025):

  1. Disable Steam Cloud temporarily:
    Go to Steam > Settings > Cloud and uncheck “Enable Steam Cloud synchronization”.

  2. Edit the settings file manually:
    Go to:
    Documents\Avalanche Studios\theHunter Call of the Wild\Saves\settings\7656119XXXXXXXXX (the number changes for diffrent people)\

  3. Open settings.json with Notepad and update the following values (to find those values press CRTL+F and type in what your looking for):

    • "DisplayMode" → 21

  • "DisplayFullscreen" → 0

  • "DisplayVSync" → 1

  • "DisplayWidth" → 1920

  • "DisplayHeight" → 1080

  1. Save and close the file.

  2. Go to: Documents\Avalanche Studios\COTW\Saves\7656119XXXXXXXXX\

  • Delete the file settings_adf in the same folder.
  1. Launch the game to test.

If it works, you can switch to your preferred resolution/settings in-game and optionally re-enable Steam Cloud (select “Keep Local Files” if prompted). ==> It didn´t work for me but it might be working for you!

Optional but important if the above doesn't solve it:

Temporarily disable the Revontuli Coast DLC via Steam:

  1. Right-click the game in Steam > Properties > DLC

  2. Uncheck the box next to Revontuli Coast

  3. Launch the game again

3.1. If successful, you can re-enable the DLC afterward

Avalanche Studio Support:
"We have received similar reports in the past about the game freezing for players who quit the game while being in the Revontuli Coast reserve, and we are still investigating this issue to find its root cause. In the meantime, disabling the DLC and launching the game causes the hunter to be moved to a different reserve, which allows the game to bypass this problem and any other possible issues that may be related to Revontuli Coast."

HUGE Thanks again to Adam from Avalanche Studios Support for the guidance! His help made this fix possible. Hope this helps someone else too.

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If you still experience any issues please contact the official Support from Avalanche Studio! They are super fast and know what they are doing. 😄

frank trellis
snow jasper
frank trellis
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U above that u disable steam cloud??

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I asked you to disable any cloud 360 steam in the second comment.