Metro Exodus DirectX 11/12 Crashing Issue

Metro Exodus DirectX 11/12 Crashing Issue: How to FIX

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Metro Exodus DirectX 11/12 Crashing Issue: In 2019, 4A Games and Deep Silver launched Metro Exodus, an open-world first-person shooter set in a post-apocalyptic environment. This title marks the third installment in the acclaimed Metro series, offering players an engaging single-player experience filled with an epic narrative.

Despite receiving numerous positive reviews on Steam, many players have reported encountering DirectX 11 and 12 crash issues while playing on PCs.

In addition to startup crashes, players may experience performance problems such as lags, stutters, and various graphical glitches. A significant number of users have reported DirectX-related errors that hinder their ability to launch the game smoothly.

These issues can lead to critical errors during startup, creating a frustrating experience for many gamers. If you are among those facing these challenges, this troubleshooting guide is designed to help you resolve the problems. Let’s dive in and explore potential solutions.

Fix: Metro Exodus DirectX 11/12 Crash Issue

Numerous online discussions indicate that many players of Metro Exodus on PC are encountering the “DX11 startup error” or “DX12 startup error” during the game’s launch.

This issue can be quite aggravating for those affected, and it’s worth noting that similar errors have been prevalent across various PC games for some time. Common culprits include problems with the DirectX version, outdated graphics drivers, outdated game versions, and interference from antivirus software.

Additionally, players may experience DirectX-related crashes due to corrupted or missing game files, background processes, overclocked CPUs or GPUs, or conflicts with third-party overlay applications.

Fortunately, there are several potential solutions that can help mitigate these issues. Let’s explore these options to resolve the errors effectively.

1. Run the Game as an Administrator

To enhance your gaming experience, it’s advisable to run the game executable as an administrator on your PC.

This grants the necessary permissions via User Account Control (UAC), which can prevent issues related to insufficient system privileges that may hinder the game’s functionality. To execute the game with administrative rights, follow these steps:

  • 1. Navigate to the directory where Metro Exodus is installed on your computer.
  • 2. Right-click on the game executable file and select Properties from the context menu.
  • 3. In the Properties window, switch to the Compatibility tab.
  • 4. Check the box labeled “Run this program as an administrator” to enable the option.
  • 5. Click Apply, then OK to confirm and save your changes.
  • 6. You can now launch the game by double-clicking the application file.

If you are using the Steam client to access the game, remember to apply the same administrative settings within the Steam application for optimal performance.

2. Update GPU Drivers

To address potential issues with your graphics performance, it’s advisable to verify the status of your graphics driver on your PC. An outdated graphics driver can lead to various conflicts when trying to launch applications. Here’s how to check for updates:

  • 1. Press the Win+X keys together to bring up the Quick Access Menu.
  • 2. Select Device Manager from the options provided.
  • 3. Locate and double-click on Display adapters to reveal your graphics hardware.
  • 4. Right-click on your dedicated graphics card.
  • 5. Choose Update driver, then select Search automatically for drivers.

Your system will now search for any available updates, download, and install the latest version if necessary. Please be patient during this process, and remember to restart your computer to ensure the changes take effect.

If no updates are found for your graphics card, you can visit the official website of the graphics card manufacturer.

There, you can manually search for your specific model and download the most recent driver compatible with your graphics card. Always ensure that you choose the correct driver based on your model number to achieve optimal performance.

3. Update Metro Exodus

To ensure a smooth gaming experience and avoid any issues related to outdated versions, it is advisable to manually check for updates for the game. Here’s how you can do this on your system:

  • 1. Launch the Steam client and navigate to your Library.
  • 2. Select Metro Exodus from the list on the left side.
  • 3. Steam will automatically look for any available updates.
  • 4. If an update is found, click on the “Update” button to initiate the process.
  • 5. Allow some time for the update to finish downloading and installing.
  • 6. Once the update is complete, it is recommended to restart your computer to apply the changes effectively.

Keeping your game up to date is crucial for optimal performance, as an outdated version may lead to launching issues and disrupt your overall gameplay experience.

4. Verify and Repair the Game Files

Sometimes, problems with launching a game or experiencing smooth gameplay can stem from missing or corrupted game files on your PC. Fortunately, you can easily check and repair these files using your game launcher. Here’s how you can do it on Steam:

  • 1. Open Steam and navigate to your Library.
  • 2. Find Metro Exodus in your list of installed games, then right-click on it.
  • 3. Select Properties, then click on the Local Files tab.
  • 4. Choose the option to Verify Integrity of Game Files.
  • 5. Allow the verification process to complete, which may take some time.
  • 6. After it finishes, restart your computer to apply any changes.

Following these steps can help resolve issues related to your game files and enhance your gaming experience.

5. Check for Windows Updates

Using an obsolete version or build of the Windows operating system can lead to difficulties when launching programs. Fortunately, this issue can be resolved by manually checking for updates on your computer. Here’s how you can do it:

  • 1. Press the Windows key and the “I” key simultaneously to access the Settings menu.
  • 2. Navigate to the Windows Update section and select “Check for updates.”
  • 3. If updates are available, click on “Download and Install.”
  • 4. Allow the update process to finish.
  • 5. After the updates are installed, restart your computer to ensure the changes take effect.

6. Force Use DirectX 11 or DirectX 12

To ensure a smooth experience while playing Metro Exodus on Steam, you may need to force the game to run using either DirectX 11 or DirectX 12. Conflicts may arise from certain DirectX versions, which could hinder the game’s launch on Windows. Here’s how to set it up:

  • 1. Launch the Steam client and navigate to your Library.
  • 2. Locate Metro Exodus in your game list, right-click on it, and select Properties.
  • 3. In the Properties window, go to the General tab and find the Launch Options section.
  • 4. Here, enter either -dx11 or -dx12 in the provided field.
  • 5. After making these adjustments, restart the Steam client and launch the game.
  • If issues persist, you can try an alternative method to specify the DirectX version:
  • 1. Open Steam, go to your Library, and select Manage.
  • 2. Choose Browse local files, and create a desktop shortcut for Metro Exodus.
  • 3. Right-click on the newly created shortcut on your desktop and select Properties.
  • 4. In the Target field, append either dx11 or dx12 to the end of the line.
  • 5. Click OK to save your changes, then try launching the game again to see if the problem has been resolved.

7. Disable Windows Firewall

It’s quite likely that your computer is currently safeguarded by the default Windows Firewall settings, which help uphold your system’s security. However, this firewall can sometimes interfere with the connections of certain installed applications. If you need to temporarily disable the firewall, follow these instructions:

  • 1. Open the Start Menu and search for “Windows Defender Firewall” to access it.
  • 2. In the left sidebar, select the option that says “Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off.”
  • 3. For each network profile, choose the “Turn off Windows Defender Firewall (not recommended)” option.
  • 4. After making these selections, click “OK” to confirm your changes.
  • 5. Lastly, restart your computer to ensure the changes take effect.

By following these steps, you can temporarily disable the firewall and allow your programs to connect without interruption.

8. Disable Windows Defender

To prevent any potential interference with your game files, it may be beneficial to temporarily disable the Windows Defender antivirus on your computer. This is particularly useful in cases where the antivirus might mistakenly flag harmless files as threats. Here’s how you can do this:

  • 1. Press the Windows key and the letter ‘I’ together to access the Windows Settings.
  • 2. Navigate to the “Update & Security” section and select “Windows Security.”
  • 3. From there, click on “Virus & threat protection.”
  • 4. Look for “Manage settings” and toggle off the “Real-time protection” option.
  • 5. If a confirmation prompt appears, click “Yes” to proceed.

Important: If you have any other antivirus software installed, make sure to disable it through its own settings to avoid any conflicts.

9. Close Background Running Tasks

Recent reports indicate that certain background tasks and programs may be consuming significant system resources, such as CPU and memory. This excessive usage can lead to decreased performance during critical moments, necessitating manual intervention to resolve the issue. To address this, follow these steps to close unnecessary background tasks:

  • 1. Open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl+Shift+Esc.
  • 2. Navigate to the Processes tab, and individually select any tasks that are not needed.
  • 3. Click on “End Task” for each of the selected processes.

After completing these steps, it’s advisable to restart your computer to ensure that the changes take effect.

10. Reinstall the Latest DirectX

To optimize your gaming experience, it is recommended that you download and install the most recent version of DirectX from the official Microsoft website.

This process involves obtaining the DirectX installer package and executing it on your computer. Note that the game Metro Exodus requires at least DirectX 11 to function properly. However, upgrading to DirectX 12 will enhance your overall gameplay performance.

11. Reinstall Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime

To resolve DirectX-related issues when starting games or other applications, it is advisable to reinstall the Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime on your computer. Follow these instructions for the process:

  • 1. Open the Start Menu by pressing the Windows key.
  • 2. In the search bar, type “Apps & Features” and select it from the results.
  • 3. Look through the list for any Microsoft Visual C++ programs and select them.
  • 4. Click on the Uninstall option to remove the selected program.
  • 5. Head over to the official Microsoft website to download the most recent version of the Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime.
  • 6. After the download is complete, run the installer to complete the installation.
  • 7. Finally, restart your computer to ensure that all changes take effect.

12. Try Disabling Overlay Apps

Conflicts arising from third-party overlay applications can significantly impact your gaming performance or even hinder the launch of various programs. To enhance your experience, you can manually disable any overlay applications currently running on your PC by following these steps:

**Disabling the Discord Overlay:

  • 1. Open the Discord application and click the gear icon located at the bottom of the window.
  • 2. Navigate to the Overlay section under App Settings, then toggle the “Enable in-game overlay” option.
  • 3. Switch to the Games tab, select Metro Exodus from the list, and disable the “Enable in-game overlay” option for that game.
  • 4. To ensure the changes take effect, restart your computer.

**Turning Off the Xbox Game Bar:

  • 1. Use the keyboard shortcut Win + I to access Windows Settings.
  • 2. Click on the Gaming section, then select Game Bar. Disable the option that allows you to record game clips, take screenshots, and broadcast using the Game Bar.
  • 3. If you have trouble locating the Game Bar settings, simply use the search function within Windows Settings.

**Disabling the Nvidia GeForce Experience Overlay:

  • 1. Launch the Nvidia GeForce Experience application and head to the Settings menu.
  • 2. Navigate to the General tab and turn off the In-Game Overlay feature.
  • 3. Restart your computer to apply these changes and then relaunch your game.

Additionally, consider disabling other third-party overlay applications such as MSI Afterburner, Rivatuner, and any RGB or peripheral software that may operate in the background, regardless of whether you are actively using them. This can further improve your system’s performance and stability during gaming sessions.

13. Disable CPU or GPU Overclocking

Finally, it’s important to consider disabling any overclocking on your CPU or GPU. Utilizing trustworthy overclocking software can enhance your gaming performance and potentially resolve any startup problems.

To achieve optimal performance, simply revert the clock frequency settings to their factory defaults. Numerous reputable overclocking tools are available online that are user-friendly. If your CPU or GPU is not currently overclocked, you can disregard this step.

In conclusion, we hope this guide has provided valuable insights. If you have any further questions, feel free to leave a comment below.

Metro Exodus Screen Flickering or Tearing Issue on PC: How to FIX

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