Squad Fatal Error Fix, DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_HUNG, Crashes, Resolution Not Changing, Unhandled Exception: EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION, Black Screen, Mic Fix

Squad is a tactical FPS that emphasizes teamwork. It’s a PC-exclusive title that has been going strong since its launch in 2020. Errors and issues are common occurrences for PC video games for multiple reasons and Sqaud is no exception as PC users report experiencing Fatal Error, Unhandled Exception: EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION error, DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_HUNG error, in-game crashes, black screen issue, and more. In this Squad guide, I will list fixes that’ll help PC users fix errors and issues like Fatal Error, Unhandled Exception error, and more.

Sqaud Fatal Error, Unhandled Exception Fixes You Can Try

Squad is a tactical FPS that runs on the Unreal Engine 4. At this point, we all know that Unreal Engine is a really good game engine if the devs know what they are doing. However, Unreal Engine 4 has seen some bad press for its shader compilation stutters in recent years on PC.

Aside from that, there are some errors that are common across all games running on Unreal Engine 4 and Squad is no exception. PC users report that they are experiencing Fatal Error, in-game crashes, DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_HUNG error, Unhandled Exception: EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION error, black screen, and more when they play Squad. The following are the fixes that will help PC users fix these aforementioned errors.

Fatal Error, DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_HUNG Fix

PC users report experiencing the Fatal Error or DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_HUNG error when they play Squad. This is a GPU-related error and a common one for games running on the Unreal Engine. There are multiple reasons why you are experiencing the Fatal Error like corrupt DirectX shader cache, DirectX API, overclocked GPU, compatibility issues, and more. The following is the full error message that PC users are experiencing and the fixes that will help them fix the Squad’s Fatal error crash.

Fatal error: [File:C:/buildWork/d9b2387fd600ba3c/UnrealEngine/Engine/Source/Runtime/D3D12RHI/Private/D3D12Util.cpp] [Line: 684] hr failed at C:/buildWork/d9b2387fd600ba3c/UnrealEngine/Engine/Source/Runtime/D3D12RHI/Private/D3D12Resources.cpp:477 with error DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_REMOVED with Reason: DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_HUNG

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1- Switch DirectX

Squad supports both Direct 11 and 12 APIs. Obviously, there are certain performance benefits for using DX12 to play Squad like slightly better performance. However, the implementation of DX12 in Squad is an early one and can be unstable for a lot of PC users. Switch to DirectX 11 and the Fatal Error will be fixed when you play Squad.

In case you are unable to switch the DirectX if Squad crashes at startup with the Fatal Error, then use Steam’s launch options.

• Right-click Squad in your Steam library
• Select Properties
• type -d3d11 under Launch Options and press Ok
• Launch GSquad, and it’ll run using DX11

2- Enable Debug Mode, Disable Overclock

If you have overclocked your GPU, it’s the reason why Squad is crashing to the desktop with the Fatal Error or the DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_HUNG error. Revert the GPU back to its default GPU and Memory clocks to fix the Fatal error.

However, most GPUs are factory overclocked or use higher GPU and Memory clocks compared to Nvidia’s reference models, which is the reason why Squad players are experiencing Fatal Error. Enable the Debug Mdoe through the Nvidia Control Panel to force the GPU to use Nvidia’s recommended clocks and it’ll fix the Fatal Error and the DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_HUNG error. Open the Nvidia Control Panel > Help > Debug Mode.

3- Troubleshoot Compatibility

Squad might be having compatibility issues with your Windows operating system which is the reason the game is crashing with the Fatal Error. Run the Compatibility Troubleshooter to fix the error.

• Right-click Squad in the Steam library
• Go to Manage > Browse local files
• A new window will open with the game files
• Right-click the executable
• Select properties and go to the Compatibility tab
• Click “Run compatibility troubleshooter”
• Let Windows do its thing
• Click Try recommended settings and apply them
• Play Squad and it won’t crash

4- Limit Max FPS

Playing Squad at an unclocked FPS makes sense as it’s a multiplier FPS and lower input latency is necessary. However, playing at an unclocked FPS puts GPU and CPU under a lot of load which results in Squad crashing with the Fatal Error and the DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_HUNG error. Limit the game’s max FPS to fix the error.

• Open the Nvidia Control Panel
• Go to Manage 3D Settings > Program Settings
• Select Squad from the drop-down menu
• Scroll down and enable Max Frame Rate and set a value for it
• Play Squad and the Fatal Error is fixed

Note: Unless you are using a Freesync or G.sync display, your Max Frame Limit should be 1/2, 1/3rd, or 1/4th of your monitor’s refresh rate. Otherwise, the game will feel jittery.

5- Delete DirectX Shader Cache

The DirectX shader cache stored on your PC might be corrupt or incompatible with the game. Delete the shader cache so a new one can be created which will fix the Squad’s Fatal Error and the DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_HUNG error.

• Open Windows Settings
• Go to System > Storage > Temporary Files
• Select DirectX Shader Cache and click “Remove Files”
• Launch Squad, a new DirectX cache will be created and the Fatal Error will be fixed

6- Update/Reinstall GPU Driver

Your current GPU driver version is incompatible with the game which is why Squad is crashing with the Fatal Error DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_HUNG error. Install a different driver version or update it if you haven’t in a while. Ensure you do a clean installation so that settings from the previous install won’t interfere with the new GPU driver. This will fix the Squad’s Fatal Error crash.

Unhandled Exception Fix

PC users report that they are unable to play Squad as it crashes at startup with the Unhandled Exception error with the following error message.

Fatal error!
Unhandled Exception: EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION reading address 0x00000098a3a3d500
0x00007ffad882cdca PhysX3Common_x64.dll!UnknownFunction []
0x00007ffad8800b10 PhysX3Common_x64.dll!UnknownFunction []
0x00007ffad87ff34f PhysX3Common_x64.dll!UnknownFunction []
0x00007ffad86b884a PhysX3_x64.dll!UnknownFunction []
0x00007ffad86c05bc PhysX3_x64.dll!UnknownFunction []
0x00007ffad86b56e6 PhysX3_x64.dll!UnknownFunction []
0x00007ffad86b699f PhysX3_x64.dll!UnknownFunction []
0x00007ffad85aea62 PhysX3_x64.dll!UnknownFunction []
0x00007ff73042a795 SquadGame.exe!UnknownFunction []
0x00007ff72e1c4757 SquadGame.exe!UnknownFunction []
0x00007ff72e1c6aa2 SquadGame.exe!UnknownFunction []
0x00007ff72e34b337 SquadGame.exe!UnknownFunction []
0x00007ff72e344e71 SquadGame.exe!UnknownFunction []
0x00007ffb03427344 KERNEL32.DLL!UnknownFunction []
0x00007ffb04be26b1 ntdll.dll!UnknownFunction []

OR

Unhandled Exception: EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION reading address 0x000002a572248bc0
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There are multiple reasons for the Unhandled Exception: EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION error like DirectX, corrupt DirectX shader cache, third-party peripheral, and more. The following are the fixes that’ll help PC users fix the Unhandled Exception error.

Note: Check under the “Fatal Error Fix” above for “Switch DirectX” and “Delete DirectX Shader Cache” fixes as they are potential fixes for the Unhandled Exception: EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION error.

1- Repiar System Files

Your Windows files are corrupt or missing which is why Squad is crashing at startup with the Unhandled Exception: EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION error. Run the SFC Scan to repair or download the missing system files.

• Open CMD (Command Prompt) and run it as an administrator
• type sfc /scannow and press enter
• let the scan complete
• Launch Squad and the Unhandled exception error is now fixed

2- Remove Unnecessary Peripherals

If you have plugged in third-party peripherals like Controllers or HOTAS then it’s the reason why Squad is crashing with the Unhandled Exception: EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION error. Unplug all the unnecessary peripherals and the error will be fixed.

3- Install/Repiar Visual C++

Your Windows install is missing important Visual C++ files or they have been corrupted. Install or repair the Visual C++ Redistributables and the Unhandled Exception error will be fixed.

• Open the Steam library and type ‘Steamworks’ in the search bar
• Right-click “Steamworks Common Redistributables” > Manage > Browse local files
• A new Explorer window will open
• Go to _CommonRedist\vcredist
• There are folders with names in years starting from 2010
• Open each folder and run the VC_redis, both x64 and x86 versions
• Install or repair Visual C++ Redistributables and restart your PC
• Play Squad and the game won’t crash at launch

Mic Fix

Bring a multiplayer game, players in Squad need tight coordination to win. But, some players are reporting that their mic isn’t working in the game. Here is a workaround for the mic issue in Squad.

• Open Windows Settings
• Go to System > Sound > Microphone
• Select 16000 Hz Format
• This will get your microphone working in Squad

Game Not Using Dedicated GPU Fix

Some players are experiencing an issue when they start the game the system doesn’t shift to the dedicated GPU, instead, Squad runs on Intel HD graphics. The fix for this is simple, uninstall the GPU driver and reinstall it. A lot of PC users report that reinstalling the GPU driver fixed the issue and Squad now runs on the Dedicated GPU.

If this doesn’t work then you just need to make sure the game uses the dedicated GPU. Open Nvidia Control Panel > Manage 3D Settings > Program Settings > select the game > select “High-performance Nvidia processor” under the preferred graphics option. Apply the changes.

For AMD GPU users, open Radeon Settings > Preferences > Additional Settings > Power > Switchable Graphics Application Settings. Select the game and select the “High-Performance profile” to the game under Graphics Settings. This will ensure that Squad switches to the dedicated GPU.

Black Screen, Game Not Responding Fix

Black Screen is a common issue in PC games and Squad is no exception. However, players are reporting that when they try to play the screen goes black and Task Manager shows the game isn’t responding. For some, the game takes some time to boot, wait for a while and it will start. If it doesn’t then try the following fix for the black screen issue.

To fix this problem, open the game’s config file change the resolution to your monitor’s native resolution, and set the graphics to 1. Start the game and the issue will be resolved. You’ll find the config file here:

C:\Users\[USERNAME]\AppData\Local\Squad\Saved\Config

You need to make changes to the following

ResolutionSizeX
ResolutionSizeY
LastUserConfirmedResolutionSizeX
LastUserConfirmedResolutionSizeY

If you are experiencing the black screen issue where the screen goes black and you can hear the music, just press “Alt + Enter”. The game will go into windowed mode.

Resolution Fix

Some players are unable to change the game’s resolution as they can’t find it in the game. However, you can do it manually by making changes to the game’s config file.

Go to “C:\Users\[USERNAME]\AppData\Local\Squad\Saved\Config”. Open the config file in Notepad and change the following to your monitor’s native resolution if your monitor has a resolution of 1920×1080.

ResolutionSizeX=1920
ResolutionSizeY=1080
LastUserConfirmedResolutionSizeX=1920
LastUserConfirmedResolutionSizeY=1080

Save the changes, launch Squad and it should be running at the resolution you set in the config file.

Low FPS, Stuttering Fix

Performance is a common issue in PC games and Squad is no exception. Here are a few things that you can do to eliminate stuttering and possibly boost FPS.

Open Nvidia Control Panel > Manage 3D Setting> Progam Settings > Squad. Make the following changes in the list.

Anti-aliasing Mode – “Application Controlled”
CUDA GPUs – “All”
Set Power Management to “Prefer Maximum Performance”
Shader Cache – “On” only if you are using an HDD. Don’t need to enable it for an SSD.
Set Texture filtering – Quality to “High Performance”
Triple Buffering – “Off”
Set Vertical Syn to “Fast”

Apply these changes and you’ll see a noticeable boost in performance when playing Squad.

Crash Fix

PC users report that Squad is crashing randomly to the desktop. There are multiple reasons for it like overclocked GPU, in-game overlays, outdated GPU driver, and more. The following are the fixes that’ll help PC users fix Squad’s in-game crashes. Also, check under “Fatal Error Fix” above for “Disable Overclock”, “Update GPU driver”, “Limit Max FPS”, and “Switch DuirectX” fixes for the in-game crashes.

1- Delete The Config File

The config file for Squad is one reason why the game is crashing to the desktop while playing. Delete the config file to fix the in-game crashes. Go to “C:\Users\[USERNAME]\AppData\Local\Squad\Saved\config” and delete the config file here. Then open Steam, right-click Sqaud > Properties > Installed Files > click “Verify Integrity of game files”. After that, launch Sqaud and it won’t crash while playing.

2- Disable In-game Overlays

If you have installed GeForce Experience, its overlay is enabled by default. To disable GeForce Experience Overlay, open GeForce Experience> click on the Gear icon next to your username > General > turn off the “IN-GAME Overlay” options.

To disable Steam in-game overlay, open Setting settings > In-Game tab > uncheck “Enable the Steam overlay while in-game” and press OK.

Crash on Startup Fix

PC users report that Squad is crashing at launch without any errors. The following are the fixes that will help PC users fix the crash at startup issue.

1- Disable Anti-virus

If you are using a third-party anti-virus software, it’s the reason why Squad is crashing at startup. Third-party anti-virus often detects game executables as malware and quarantines it. DeepGuard is known for detecting game executables as malware. Either disable real-time protection or exclude the game folder from the anti-virus, I recommend the latter. After that, right-click Sqaud > Properties > Installed Files > click “Verify Integrity of game files”. Play Squad and it won’t crash at launch.

2- Run The Game As An Administrator

Lack of administrative rights is another reason for the g ame to crash at startup. Run Squad as an administrator and the issue will be fixed.

• Right-click Squad in your Steam library > Manage > Browse local files
• A new window will open containing game files
• Right-click the executable > properties > Compatibility tab
• Check “Run this program as an administrator” and apply changes
• Launch Squad and it won’t crash

3- Disable Fullscreen Optimizations

Fullscreen optimizations are enabled by default for every program and video game installed on your Windows PC. It can cause games to crash at startup. Disable Fullscreen optimization and Squad will stop crashing at launch.

• Right-click Squad in your Steam library > Manage > Browse local files
• A new window will open containing game files
• Right-click the executable > properties > Compatibility tab
• Check “Disable fullscreen optimziations” and apply changes
• Launch Squad and it won’t crash

That’s all for Squad fixes and workarounds for errors like Fatal Error, DXGI_ERROR_DEVICE_HUNG, Unhandled Exception, black screen, crashes, and more. If you are facing errors and issues with other PC games or your PC then also see our hub for commonly occurring PC errors and their fixes.