When we encounter a fatal error in Borderlands 3, it can be frustrating, halting our gaming session and possibly causing a system shutdown. These issues often stem from corrupted or missing game files. It’s essential to address these errors promptly to restore the thrilling gameplay Borderlands 3 offers, especially when we’re keen to return to the Planet Pandora and continue our vault hunting escapades. Our shared experiences contribute to pinpointing effective troubleshooting methods, ensuring we can overcome these interruptions swiftly.
We’ve found that one of the first steps in resolving these errors is to verify the integrity of game files. This process checks for corrupted or missing files and automatically replaces them, which typically clears the fatal error that’s blocking our path. Additionally, graphics drivers play a crucial role in the smooth functioning of our games. Keeping these drivers up-to-date is vital as they’re often fine-tuned to rectify known bugs and enhance gaming performance. Let’s tackle these solutions one by one, ensuring that our collective journey through Borderlands 3 is as smooth and error-free as possible.
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Understanding Borderlands 3 Crashes
In our experience, tackling Borderlands 3 crashes effectively requires a clear understanding of the nature of these errors and the system prerequisites for a stable gaming session.
Identifying Fatal Errors
When we encounter a crash in Borderlands 3, it typically presents as a “fatal error,” which abruptly halts gameplay and forces the application to close. Fatal errors often display error codes or messages that can help us diagnose the issue.
- Repeated game freezes or crashes to desktop without warning.
- Error messages that mention ‘LowLevelFatalError’ along with specific file names or line numbers.
- In-game performance drops just before the crash occurs.
System Requirements for Stability
Ensuring our PCs meet the minimum system requirements for Borderlands 3 is crucial to prevent crashes. However, we recommend aiming for the recommended requirements for a more stable experience.
| Minimum Requirements | Recommended Requirements |
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We need to ensure our systems are not only meeting these requirements but are also kept up-to-date with the latest drivers, especially the graphics drivers, which play a significant role in game stability. It’s often the case that updating these drivers resolves many crash-related issues, as they include optimizations and bug fixes specifically for new games like Borderlands 3.
Troubleshooting and Fixes
Encountering a fatal error in Borderlands 3 can be frustrating, but we’ve got several troubleshooting steps that can help resolve these issues quickly and get you back in the game.
Verify and Repair Game Files
We often find that corrupted or missing game files are the culprit. To address this, you can use the Steam or Epic Games launcher to verify the integrity of the game files. Here’s how:
Epic Games: Click on your library > Click on the three dots under Borderlands 3 > Verify.
Update Graphics Driver and Windows
Outdated graphics drivers or Windows can lead to performance issues. Ensure that you have the latest graphics driver from NVIDIA or AMD and install any available Windows updates. This not only improves stability but can also enhance game performance.
Adjust Game Settings
Altering specific game settings might resolve error incidents. Lowering graphics settings can alleviate the strain on your system. Additionally, go to Borderlands 3’s in-game settings and specify the PreferredGraphicsAPI. Switching from DX12 to DX11, or vice versa, can sometimes eliminate errors.
Perform a Clean Boot
Performing a clean boot for Windows can help you identify conflicts between third-party software and the game. By starting Windows with a minimal set of drivers and startup programs, we can determine if background applications are the source of the issue.
| Step | Action | Outcome |
| 1 | Type msconfig in the start search box and select System Configuration | Access System Configuration |
| 2 | Navigate to the Services tab, check ‘Hide all Microsoft services’, and then click ‘Disable all’ | Prevents non-essential services from starting |
| 3 | Open Task Manager and disable all startup applications | Stops background applications from launching at startup |
| 4 | Restart the computer | Perform clean boot and test the game |
Advanced Solutions
When subtle tweaks don’t resolve the Borderlands 3 fatal error, it’s essential to delve into advanced solutions. They involve more thorough changes in your system but can prove to be incredibly effective.
Configure Antivirus and Firewall Settings
Antivirus or Firewall conflicts can erroneously block game files, treating them as threats. To avoid this, add Borderlands 3 as an exception in your Antivirus and Firewall. This process varies depending on the software, but generally, you can find an “Exceptions” or “Exclusions” list in the settings menu.
Run as Administrator
Providing Borderlands 3 with administrator privileges can rectify issues related to restricted access. To do this:
| Running the Game as an Administrator | |
| Step 1: Right-click on Borderlands 3 executable. | Step 2: Select ‘Properties’. |
| Step 3: Navigate to the ‘Compatibility’ tab. | Step 4: Check ‘Run this program as an administrator’. |
| Step 5: Apply the changes and launch the game. | |
Reinstall Borderlands 3
If other methods fail, reinstalling Borderlands 3 could be the key. Though time-consuming, it clears corrupted data and ensures a fresh start.
Reinstallation Steps: Uninstall the game, restart your device, and install the game again. Ensure you download the latest version from the official source and that your PC meets the game’s minimum requirements.
Managing Game Files on Different Platforms
When playing Borderlands 3 across different platforms, managing game files effectively is crucial to prevent or resolve the “Fatal Error” messages. Whether you’re using Steam or the Epic Games Launcher, the integrity of game files is key. Let’s dive into the specifics for Steam and Epic platforms.
Steam Library Procedures
Verifying Game Files:
- In your Steam library, right-click on Borderlands 3 and select “Properties.”
- Navigate to the “Local Files” tab and click on “Verify Integrity of Game Files.”
This process may take some time, but it will check for any missing or corrupted files and replace them accordingly. We often find that this step alone can remedy the “Fatal Error” issue.
Epic Games Launcher Steps
Locating and Managing Save Files:
- Open the Epic Games Launcher, click on “Settings,” and scroll down to “Manage Games.”
- Expand Borderlands 3 and check the box “Enable Cloud Saves” for automatic back-ups.
However, to manually handle game save files, navigate to “C:\Users[YourUsername]\Documents\My Games\Borderlands 3\Saved\SaveGames” for Windows systems. Make sure to copy this folder to a safe location before making any changes. If you encounter a “Fatal Error,” restoring from these saved files can get you back into the game.