Game Freezes Immediately After Reaching 100% on the Initial Loading Screen

[xSEDx]

Good day, I'm encountering the following issue: the game freezes on the loading screen after reaching 100% immediately after launch.

The problem started with the transition to version 3.99 and persists to this day on version 4.0.6.

The issue disappears when rolling back to version 3.14.

I use the Steam version with a monthly subscription

All DLCs are installed, including Biogenesis.

No mods are used and have never been used.

I have tried the following:

• Clean reinstallation of the game, including deleting files from the Documents folder and the Paradox Interactive folder in the Steam directory. Also, all registry traces were removed.
• Updating the graphics driver
• Launching without the launcher, launching without the launcher with modifications to the shortcut properties as recommended in similar forum threads
• Launching from the launcher in fullscreen/windowed mode, disabling vertical sync
• Reinstalling all Visual C++ services
• Adding the game and all necessary folders to the Windows Defender exclusions
• Removing RivaTuner and similar programs
• Installed the latest Windows 24H2 updates (downgrade to 23H2 is not possible)
• Made changes to the registry at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorPort
  and switched the HMBAllocationPolicy value to 0.
• Updated BIOS to last version

Unfortunately, none of the above solutions resolved the issue. I kindly request your assistance.

 

[AndrewT]

DXDIAG is a program you run from the Windows search box on the task bar. After running it will open a window and start collecting info with a progress bar in the lower-left corner. When it completes click the 'save all information' button and save it to a file then attach that file here. IF dxdiag.txt fails to attach here, rename it to dxdiag.log , or zip it up.

Is there any exceptions.log?

 

[xSEDx]

The exceptions file is missing in the logs folder.

 

[AndrewT]

First make sure the new stellaris.exe is in all the exceptions lists of your antivirus app.


With that gen 13 Intel CPU, you should check with MSI for an updated bios.

Then, I see you have Windows 11 24H2; this is a severely broken Windows update that has caused problems across the whole gaming - indeed computer - industry.
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/threads/game-crashing-after-windows-11-24h2-update.1718749/
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/foru...-freezes-after-installing-win11-24h2.1725554/
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/foru...ws-11-24h2-with-exit-code-3221225620.1712339/

Some users found relief in various ways:
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/foru...r-installing-win11-24h2.1725554/post-30126081
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/foru...-windows-11-24h2-update.1718749/post-30159638
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/foru...-windows-11-24h2-update.1718749/post-30062333

A user has come up with another possible workaround
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/threads/24h2-w11-update-issue-found-no-more-crashes.1728373/
Some affected users have definitely seen that help them with this issue. I'd suggest you look at this step first!

And, In your Steam Library right-click on this game and choose Properties. In the Launch Options line, paste this in there:
-dx9

Does any of that help this propblem?

 

[xSEDx]

Thank you for your response, but unfortunately, almost all of these methods had already been tried by me before contacting support.

1. First, make sure the new stellaris.exe is in all the exceptions lists of your antivirus app. – Checked, doesn’t work.
2. Then, I see you have Windows 11 24H2; this is a severely broken Windows update that has caused problems across the whole gaming—indeed, computer—industry. – All the latest updates are installed. Rollback to 23H2 is blocked. Doesn’t work.
3. Registry manipulations also yielded no results.
4. The BIOS and chipset drivers were updated to the latest versions—no effect.
5. Launching with dx9 via Steam and directly in the shortcut properties—no results.

Honestly, I'm quite lost at this point and have no idea what to do. All the solutions I could find on the forum have been tried and none worked.

Meanwhile, version 3.14 runs without any issues.

 

[AndrewT]

What AV app do you use? That said I'm not aware of any having issues with this game at present.

Make a new Windows user profile on this PC and try the game under that - any better?