🆘Troubleshooting
If your mods are causing trouble, here's what you can do
Last updated
If your mods are causing trouble, here's what you can do
Last updated
This page information for people who are using mods rather than making mods. You will find step-by-step guides, grouped by different problems.
Did you know? You can use your browser's search function (Ctrl+F) to quickly find your problem on the page – simply type a word from your error message.
Before you start debugging, make sure that
your graphics driver is up-to-date
your Windows is up-to-date (no, really) and that you are at least on Windows 10
you have the most recent version of .NET Desktop Runtime installed
you have Visual C++ Redistributable 2022 installed (direct download, Microsoft)
your game is running from an SSD (Solid State Disk) rather than a HDD
Before you start debugging, update your mods and make sure that all dependencies have the latest version, in particular the core mods (Redscript, Red4ext, Cyber Engine Tweaks, ArchiveXL and TweakXL).
If you are on RED4Ext >= 1.13, make sure to uninstall cybercmd!
Find a download-ready collection for Vortex here.
This section aims to give you a quick overview. If your exact problem isn't listed here, please look through the different sections below and try anything that looks promising.
Check this forum post. If that doesn't help, read on.
If your game is crashing during certain car chase missions, try removing Eye Exposure Adaption.
If you can't play because the game is crashing, this section will help you find the right troubleshooting steps in the rest of the guide.
If you're done with this shit and would rather reinstall, see The nuclear option: a clean install
If you're trying to start your game, but it never even launches, this is the right section for you. Otherwise:
If the game crashes before you make it to the menu, see Crash before menu
If the game crashes when you're trying to load a save, see Crash on loading a save
Check the section Cyberpunk has flatlined below.
Empty your cache, check the info box underredscript / RED4ext.
You need to update the game and RED4ext
You need to install the VisualC Redistributables. Check the red box under Navigation for a download link.
If you think that your error is file-related, you can check the section "Something something files" or use your browser's search function (Ctrl+F
) to search this page for your error.
Your problem lies with either red4ext or redscript. You can find what to do under redscript / RED4ext
If you're starting the game, but never make it to the in-game menu, this is the right section for you. Otherwise:
If the game never even starts, see Crash on startup
If the game crashes when you're trying to load a save, see Crash on loading a save
If you run into the error above, or if the game complains about attempting to read inaccessible memory, do this:
Go to your Cyberpunk game directory and find the folderr6\cache
.
Find the filetweakDB.bin
and copy it (Ctrl+C
)
In r6\cache
, browse to the folder modded
(create it if it doesn't exist)
paste tweakDB.bin
here (Ctrl+V
)
If asked to overwrite, select Yes
If you have Phantom Liberty, repeat the process with tweakdb_ep1.bin
Your problem most likely related to Cyber Engine Tweaks. To find out how to troubleshoot it, check the "disable CET" section.
If you can make it to the menu but crash out when you're loading a save or starting a new game, this is the right section for you. Otherwise:
If the game never even starts, see Commands
If the game crashes before you make it to the menu, see Crash before menu
If you can start a new game without crashing, see Corrupt(ish) saves
Most likely, you have an issue with an .archive mod. Here's what you can do:
To rule out that it's a save game problem (those are extremely rare), start a new game.
Go to the bisect section and start with the first two entries on the list
If that doesn't solve your problem, or if the issue is save-game related, feel free to browse around some more.
You only need to read this if you can start a new game without mods, but crash on loading a previous save game. For any other problem, please see the corresponding section(s).
Some mods store data in save files. Removing those mods may (but doesn't have to) lead to your save game crashing until you install them again.
At the current time (09/2023, before PL), that has been confirmed to affect those mods:
Immersive Rippers - see the expandable list below for uninstall instructions, or check the mod's pinned post on Nexus
If you are experiencing this issue with a mod that is not on this list, please check Broken mods: How to help
This section tells you how to deal with crashes during gameplay.
Kiroshi Crowd Scanner and Tooltip Fixer do not play together (source, discord). Uninstall one of them.
Somewhere in Japantown is a mesh with a broken material. Material and Texture Override removes the cache, and thus forces the game to re-create this material, and causes the game to crash.
Many mods list MTO as a dependency, but it's usually optional and you only need it to force-apply changes to original game materials.
If you can make it crash reliably
You're lucky, because it means that you can systematically troubleshoot. Go to the bisect section; start with .archive mods, but if that doesn't fix it, do the other folders as well.
If you can't
… that puts you in the same boat as the rest of us: most veteran players live with occasional crashes, especially while tabbing out and back in under certain circumstances.
That being said, if the crashes exceed what you're willing to live with, you'll have to find out a way to improve it, but your options are thin on the ground. Depending on how long it takes for the crash to occur, you might try
resetting your game to a clean state (if the error persists, it's not mods)
temporarily disabling certain types of mod to home in on the cause (see the bisect section for an overviev)
Best of luck!
Cyberpunk 2077 encountered an error caused by a corrupt or missing script file and will now be forced to close. Please verify...
You have an error with redscript / RED4ext. Please see the next section.
When your game doesn't even start up, either of these frameworks isn't working properly.
The first step whenever you run into this error is deleting the folder r6/cache
and verifying your game files. If that doesn't help, keep reading.
Below, you can find a list of the most common error messages with steps to resolve them.
If you are using RED4ext, uninstall cybercmd.
If you're sure that you don't have cybercmd, it's time for more detailed troubleshooting:
If you are on Linux, make sure to double-check the launch options, as Steam sometimes resets these between updates
If your game stops crashing when you disable red4ext, that points to an error with a . Make sure that your error is related to red4ext before you proceed!
Find the folder Cyberpunk 2077/red4ext/log
and check for a file named red4ext.log
.
Does it exist?
No: RED4Ext is not installed correctly. Make sure that you fix this before troubleshooting further.
Yes: look inside, it will tell you which mods aren't compatible with the current game patch and may be the cause of this issue
if that doesn't help, go to #3.-reset-redscript in the corresponding section (you will need to verify your game files).
If that doesn't solve your problem, you can
troubleshoot or reset redscript
the faster variant: temporarily disable all mods and reinstall the core frameworks
Cyberpunk 2077 encountered an error caused by corrupted or missing archives and and will now be forced to close. Please verify...
One of the .archive files in your folder is broken. To find out which one, try the bisect approach, starting with the first two folders.
There are various non-mod-related reasons why the game couldn't be starting. If you have followed these steps and they haven't gotten you anywhere, check the errors in this section:
Other than that, there are general troubleshooting steps, because missing Windows stuff can make Cyberpunk go brr. Make sure that
your graphics driver is up-to-date
you have the most recent version of .NET Desktop Runtime installed
you have Visual C++ Redistributable 2022 installed (direct download, Microsoft)
Also, try starting the game without Reshade to rule it out as a source of crashes (this happened after the DLSS patch) and temporarily disable your antivirus.
If none of that helps, find us on Discord in #mod-troubleshooting.
There is such a thing as too many mods which are making the game crash. This number seems pretty random, but generally doesn't start below ~460.
To fix this, you need to disable analysis in the settings:
This is not a Cyberpunk error!
Check your NVidia Control Panel panel. If power saving options are enabled, turn them off:
If you don't, check for other power config options in your operating system.
The error below is partial to Steam:
There are three potential fixes:
Workaround suggested by CDPR:
Set Power Limit (TJ max) for CPU to 150W
Reduce Long and Short Duration Package Power Limit to 150 W (Intel default is 253)
Set the maximum CPU Core Temperature to 98°
Reduce the P-Core ratio of the processor
Deactivate Turbo Boost of the CPU
Disable CPU Hyper-Threading
Or check Reddit:
Downclock your processor (via reddit, do so at own risk)
Before trying to implement any of the other solutions, configure the REDprelauncher.exe
in the to always run as administrator.
Right-click on the file and select Properties
Switch to the Compatibility
tab
Check the box Run this program as an administrator
The second reason might be that your antivirus fucks with your game files in a way that the game can't cope with.
Try the following steps:
Turn off your antivirus and your firewall - anything that counts as "System Protection".
Yes, that includes Windows Defender
Yes, all of it. That includes your computer's bodyguard if it has one.
Now, start the game.
If the error persists, verify game files through your client (you won't catch any viruses doing that)
Start the game again
If it works now, you need to find out how to keep your antivirus away from your game directory. If it doesn't, then you can turn the stuff back on now.
There's a chance of >95% that we have already found the source of your problems — pirated copies just don't mod well. That's the first reason why things won't work.
The second reason is that CDPR needs to earn money to pay people to make games for us. If you can at all afford it, please buy the game. It's a good deal: how much are you willing to spend for a movie ticket? How long does a movie keep you entertained?
You are, of course, welcome to peruse the troubleshooting guide. It might even help you. But know that pirated copies will never be explicitly supported.
It doesn't have to be either of these. But if it is, you'll never find it with the rest of the list. Rule it out by deactivating them while you're debugging.
Antivirus
ReShade
If you can start a new game without mods, but can't load an existing save, seeCorrupt(ish) saves.
These mods are not problem children – quite the opposite. But if they are outdated, either your game or your mods won't work. Make sure that you have them all up-to-date with the most recent game version.
Some mods go far beyond the ordinary, adding whole new features to the game (why no flying cars, CDPR?). Unfortunately, that means they're more prone to breaking than others. Here's a non-comprehensive list.
Being on this list does not mean that a mod is "bad" or that you shouldn't use it – they break much for the same reason as the frameworks do, and are fixed in the same way (the modder has to update). Until that happens, you will have to disable them.
Displays in-world holographic arrows that direct you towards your quest objectives. Is very likely to break upon patches.
Adds car chases and a bunch of related features. While CP2077 needs more car chases and explosions, this usually breaks and will require an update.
Adds mod settings to the in-game menu – Redscript version. This needs to be updated after every game patch.
Adds mod settings to the in-game menu – CET version. The mod itself will be fine, but it's dependent on Cyber Engine Tweaks being up-to-date.
The below mods will no longer work on versions beyond 2.0/2.1 and in some cases can completely break your save. If you have any of these, remove them.
Adds flying cars to Cyberpunk. While this is awesome, it will absolutely break whenever CDPR changes anything, and requires updating. It has been broken for a long time as of patch 2.02 and later and will not work.
Replaces the default crash logs with actual usable logs instead. This needs to be updated after every game patch. It has been broken for a long time as of patch 2.02 and later and will not work.
Effectively an in-game save editor that can give you a lot of items and even create a new game plus method. This mod has stopped working since 2.0 and while it will be updated in the future, in the mean time mods like Simple Menu (CET) and Pseudo New Game Plus can be used.
Makes multiple NPCs nude. In all versions since 2.0, this causes missing characters, missing body parts, exploding limbs, and other issues. Do not use the mod, there is a Naked NPCs collection by modder marnhorn that does the same thing and will work on current game versions.
These mods change the game journal that controls all quests to add more romance options. This method only works on the patch it's made for and therefore they will not work on version 2.1 and later. Other mods that do the same thing, but in a compatible way, are Panam Romance Enhanced and Judy Romance Enhanced, which use ArchiveXL (the safe method).
This mod adds furry, animal-like NPCs to the game and optionally replaces main characters. While lore accurate to a point, the mod is made in the same way as PMO and therefore breaks quests in 2.1 and later.
Most famous for edits of the female body that defy gravity and wreak havoc on V's spinal disks, this modder has been around since the early days, and the same is true for their mods.
However, modding has come a long way since then, and spawn0 never followed. For that reason, their mods are known to have compatibility issues with pretty much everything in the general vicinity.
On the bright side, their mods won't crash your game and are downwards compatible until the dawn of time. With Phantom Liberty, sp0 mods have been known to cause crashes to desktop near the dam.
Bad news: The game's logs are usually less helpful than the Swiss navy. Good news: Mods are doing a far better job. Bad news again: You have to find the right log file in the game directory. Good news again: There's intel how (see below)
jackhumbert's mod ctdhelper will give you additional information. There is a chance that it shows you something helpful. Make sure the ctdhelper is updated before using it, though.
If you don't want to download and run script files from the internet, you can go and Step 1: Temporarily disable all your mods by hand. Otherwise:
Download this script (right-click -> save as) Link goes to Presto's github repository
Now, do either of the following things:
Move it to your Cyberpunk install folder and double-click it
Drag-and drop your Cyberpunk folder on the file that you downloaded
After running, the script will have created a folder _LOGS
in your Cyberpunk game directory, which contains a file listing all the log files for you.
The list will give you useful information along with a list of files to check. Once you've found the broken mod, you can go here for instructions on how to troubleshoot further – they also tell you when you should ask for help!
You have hundreds of mods, and one of them is broken. How do you find out which one it is without wasting the entire day?
Don't worry! As long as you have less than 2048 mods, bisection lets you find the problem child with only 10 rounds. (Otherwise, it's 11)
Some mods install themselves to multiple directories, but that doesn't matter. Due to the fact how mod loading works, you can find the error like this.
If you are using Vortex, you should enable and disable mods through Vortex rather than directly on disk. The principle below still works, you're just selecting the halves inside Vortex instead of moving them between directories. If you do opt to work directly on disk, do not save changes to files if Vortex prompts for it.
If you already know which folder contains the broken mod, skip to the next section.
You can find a video of the process below.
To find out the type of broken mod, take each Directory
from the following list and complete the steps in the next paragraph after the table.
Rename the game data folder ( for short – e.g. archive/pc/mod
) to a by appending an underscore (e.g. /mod_
).
Only do this with the last subfolder in the path, the result should be \archive\pc\mod_
, not archive_\pc_\mod_\.
The folder is now hidden from the game. Since it doesn't know, it will try to look inside anyway - create a new empty folder with the original name for that (e.g. /archive/pc/mod).
Start the game. You will now run into one of these two scenarios:
Your problem is gone: Jackpot. This is the correct folder for the next section: Go bisect Before you go there, you can restore all the other folders you moved, deleting the empty directories.
Your problem is still there: This folder is innocent. Proceed with the next directory
from the table above.
You can put the innocent folders back if you want: due to the way mods are loading, there won't be side-effects.
Congratulations, you have found which folder causes the problem — you're more than halfway there. All that's left is to find the broken mod. Here's how.
The process is the same every time, no matter if you are moving files or folders.
If you don't vibe with text, there's a Bisect: Video demonstration below.
Switch on half of the mods from your by moving them back to the .
Remember (roughly) which batch you moved (e.g. "everything after E"
or "the first half")
Start the game. You will now run into one of two scenarios:
The error is still there: Progress! Go to Step 5.
The error is gone: Progress too! Go to step 4
The error is gone: You have identified which mods aren't the problem! Good! Do the following:
In your , find the last batch of mods that you touched
Half of these go into the
Go back to step 2 – you should now definitely see the problem again.
The error is still there: You have narrowed it down, let's narrow it down further. Do the following:
In your , find the last batch of mods that you touched
Half of these go back into the
Go back to step 2 for the next round – the problem might be there or not.
Repeat this process until you know which mod is causing the crash. Then, you can either try to update it, or do a full uninstall