Troubleshooting and Common Solutions

Sanguine -

Please read these over, and complete the steps in their entirety if they apply to your problem up to the point that the issue is resolved. There is no need to go through all the troubleshooting steps if it is resolved along the way.

Minimum System Requirements:

Windows:

  • OS: Windows 7/8.1/10 (64-bit versions)
  • Processor: Intel Core i5-2400/AMD FX-8320 or better
  • Memory: 8 GB RAM
  • Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 670 2GB/AMD Radeon HD 7870 2GB or better
  • DirectX: Version 10
  • Storage: 60 GB available space

Mac OS X:

  • OS: OSX 10.9 or Higher
  • Processor: 2 GHz Equivalent CPU
  • Memory: 4000 MB RAM
  • Graphics: OpenGL 3 Compatible GPU with 1GB Video RAM
  • Storage: 20000 MB available space

Linux

  • OS: Ubuntu Equivalent Distro
  • Processor: 2 GHz 64-bit CPU
  • Memory: 4000 MB RAM
  • Graphics: OpenGL 3 Compatible GPU with 1GB Video RAM
  • Storage: 20000 MB available space


Fatal Errors/Crashes (Windows) and Redistributable issues:

  • Nothing happens during launch of ARK
  • ARK stops responding during launch
  • Any fatal error containing "MSVP110.dll"
  • Any fatal error containing "d3d11.dll"
  • New/Upgraded operating system (i.e. Windows 10)
  • Green water or black sky
  • No sound
  • Ensure you have a 64-bit operating system
  • Run windows update and download all critical updates
  • Download and install Visual C++ 2013
  • Download and install DirectX web installer
  • Restart your computer and try ARK again - otherwise see General Troubleshooting below

(Windows) 0xc000007b Error

  • Go to \SteamApps\common\ARK\_CommonRedist\DirectX\Jun2010
  • Open each x64.cab and extract them to \SteamApps\common\ARK\ShooterGame\Binaries\Win64 (WinRAR or 7-Zip can extract all at once)
  • Try ARK again - otherwise see General Troubleshooting below

(Windows) Fatal Error Containing "Dxtory"

  • Please close Dxtory prior to launching ARK
  • Fatal Error Containing "Oculus"
  • Delete the Oculusrift plugin folder (\steamapps\Common\Ark\Engine\Plugins\Runtime\Oculusrift)
  • Verify ARK through Steam (Instructions)

Try ARK again - otherwise see General Troubleshooting below

(Windows) Fatal Error Containing "PhysX"
Nvidia GPUs:

  • Uninstall your PhysX driver
  • Restart your computer
  • Download and (re)install the latest video driver for your card from Nvidia's website

Restart your computer and try ARK again - otherwise see General Troubleshooting below

AMD GPUs:

  • Install PhysX System Software from Nvidia's website
  • Restart your computer and try ARK again - otherwise see General Troubleshooting below
  • Fatal Error Containing "Bad Name Index" or "Seeked Past End of File ... Colorize_MIC.uasset"
  • Go to \steamapps\common\ARK\ShooterGame\Content\PrimalEarth\Test\Colorization
  • Delete the BasicColorizationMat and keep BasicColorizationMat6
  • Try ARK again - otherwise see General Troubleshooting below
    Collapse



Freezing During Snapshot_16 or WorldEnd (Singleplayer/Unofficial)

  • Reduce the DinoCountMultiplier to be no greater than 1 in your GameUserSettings.ini (\steamapps\common\ARK\ShooterGame\Saved\Config\WindowsNoEditor or the equivalent for your OS)
  • Try connecting to a different server and then the server you are interested in again
  • Consider using the launch options mentioned in the Frame Rate Issues & Launch Options section below and try ARK again
  • Launch ARK in Low Memory 4GB mode and try again
  • Launch ARK in Extremely Low Memory mode - otherwise see General Troubleshooting below
  • Fatal Error Containing "steam_api" or "steamclient" or "steamclient64"
  • Refresh your Steam client files using steam://flushconfig (Instructions)
  • Try ARK again - otherwise see General Troubleshooting below
  • Mod Installation Problems
  • Close ARK
  • Unsubscribe from all your ARK mods at

http://steamcommunity.com/id/YOUR_ID/myworkshopfiles/?appid=346110&browsefilter=mysubscriptions (Feel free to favorite them to keep them in a list)

  • Delete your \steamapps\common\ARK\ShooterGame\Content\Mods folder
  • Delete your \steamapps\workshop\content\346110 folder
  • Use the launch option "Launch ARK (Reset Total Conversion)"


(Multiplayer) Reconnect to your server (You will be timed out while the mods are re-subscribed and re-downloaded)

  • Return to the main menu
  • Wait until all messages on bottom right of your screen go away
  • Try playing again - otherwise see General Troubleshooting below

 

General Troubleshooting

  • Ensure your system meets the Minimum System Requirements mentioned above
  • Ensure you have an audio output device connected
  • Restart your computer and try ARK again
    (Windows) Complete steps above for Redistributable Issues
  • Delete your LocalProfiles folder (\steamapps\common\ARK\ShooterGame\Saved\LocalProfiles)
  • Verify ARK through Steam (Instructions)
  • Try ARK again
  • (AMD GPU) Install PhysX System Software from Nvidia's website
  • Update your video drivers (for Mac ensure all system updates are installed)
  • Update your chipset drivers from your computer/motherboard's website
  • Restart your computer and try ARK once again
  • Click the green unsubscribe button for the SoTF mod if you are currently subscribed
  • Use the launch option "Launch ARK (Reset Total Conversion)" and try again
  • Complete steps above for Mod Installation Problems
  • Try ARK again
  • (Optional) Backup your single player game (\steamapps\common\ARK\ShooterGame\Saved\SavedArksLocal)
  • Delete local game content through Steam (same location as verify)
  • (Important) Delete the entire ARK folder (\steamapps\common\ARK\)
  • Reinstall ARK through Steam and then try ARK again

Network Related Issues

  • Manually Search, Connect, and Manage the Server List
  • Open the main Steam client
  • Click View > Servers
  • Select your desired tab
  • Use the Internet tab for a list of official and unofficial ARK servers
  • Use the Favorites tab to manually add servers using the server's query port
  • Use the History tab to find and manage the list of servers you have connected to before

Click "Change Filters" and change the Game to "ARK: Survival Evolved" (each tab has its own filter)

(Windows) Difficulty Connecting to Servers with Kaspersky Antivirus Installed

  • Uninstall Kaspersky Antivirus completely
  • Restart your computer
  • Try ARK again - otherwise see General Network Troubleshooting below


Difficulty Connection to Servers using UPnP IGD

  • Open your router's web interface and temporarily disable your port forwarding (at least 25147 and Steam's ports)
  • Apply the settings, restarting your router if needed
  • Restart your computer

Try ARK again - otherwise see General Network Troubleshooting below

(Windows) General Network Troubleshooting

  • Power off both your modem and router for at least 30 seconds
  • Plug in the router first
  • Plug in the modem next (some modems must have a valid connection to initialize while booting)
  • Restart your computer and try ARK again
  • Right click the Ethernet/Wi-Fi icon on the bottom right of your screen (or click the up arrow if you hid it) and go to troubleshoot problems
  • Go through the steps in the wizard (no problems will likely be detected, but several networking troubleshooting tasks will be performed)
  • Try ARK once again
  • Temporarily disable your antivirus and/or third party firewall (also see Kaspersky Antivirus steps above if that applies to you)
  • Try ARK once more - if successful, add an exception to Steam.exe and ShooterGame.exe

Otherwise, see Advanced Network Troubleshooting below


(Windows) Advanced Network Troubleshooting

  • Open an elevated command prompt (Start > Cmd > Right click > Run as administrator)
  • Enter "netsh winsock reset" without quotes
  • Restart your computer and try ARK again
  • Update your network adapter drivers from the manufacturer's website (i.e. Intel, Realtek, Killer)
  • Restart your computer and try ARK once again
  • Open your router's web interface and port forward 25147 (TCP & UDP) in addition to Steam's ports
  • (Optional) You can also temporarily DMZ your computer through your router to rule out a port forwarding problem
  • In order for the port forward to persist, make sure your local IP address is static through the DHCP settings in your router (preferred) or through your adapter settings
  • Restart your computer and try ARK again
  • Open Network Adapter Settings in Control Panel (Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center > Change Adapter Settings)
  • Right click > Properties of your active connection (Ethernet/Wi-Fi)
  • Click on "Internet Protocol Version 4" and click "Properties"
  • Click the radio button "Use the following DNS server addresses" and enter an alternative DNS such as Google DNS


Frame Rate Issues & Launch Options

  • Right click ARK: Survival Evolved in your Steam Library
  • Open Properties
  • In the General tab, click Set Launch Options...
    Paste in:
    -USEALLAVAILABLECORES -sm4 -d3d10 -nomansky -lowmemory
  • Click OK
  • Close the other window and try ARK again normally (do not launch in a special mode)
  • Reset Resolution
  • Launch the game with the option "Reset Resolution"
  • Otherwise, open GameUserSettings.ini located in steamapps\common\ARK\ShooterGame\Saved\Config\WindowsNoEditor (or the equivalent for your OS)

Adjust the following settings (more details here) to your choosing:
[/script/shootergame.shootergameusersettings]
ResolutionSizeX=1920
ResolutionSizeY=1080
bUseDesktopResolutionForFullscreen=False
FullscreenMode=1
bUseVSync=False


General Windows Troubleshooting


(Windows) S.M.A.R.T. Status & Drive Health

  • There are many tools out there for checking and monitoring your drive's S.M.A.R.T. status and drive health. It is a good idea to periodically check this, especially when your drive starts making abnormal noises.
  • Download and install drive monitoring software of your choice such as the free Acronis Drive Monitor
  • Run the software and check your S.M.A.R.T. status and/or drive health
  • Depending on the software, you will have recommendations whether or not the drive should be replaced


(Windows) Advanced Windows Repair and Drive Error Correction
These steps are recommended if your operating system has crashed previously.

  • Open an elevated command prompt (Start > Cmd > Right click > Run as administrator)
  • Enter "chkdsk c: /f" without quotes and replace "c" with your system drive letter (you can optionally change the flag "f" to "r" for a bad sector scan that is significantly longer)
  • Enter "y" without quotes to schedule a scan on restart
  • Enter "sfc /scannow" without quotes to verify the integrity of the operating system
  • If the above step was unable to repair, enter "dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth" without quotes before repeating the above step
  • Restart your system and wait for the chkdsk operation to complete

(Windows) Memory Diagnostics

  • Memory testing is very time consuming and passed results do not necessarily indicate there are no problems with your memory since most tests use different patterns and methods to try and speed up the process. Other tools are available as well such as MemTest86.
  • Press Start > Run > "MdSched.exe" without quotes
  • Press F1 to use these optional advanced options
  • Choose when to run the tool
  • After the run is complete, open Event Viewer (Start > "Event Viewer") and look inside
  • Applications and Services Logs > Microsoft > Windows > MemoryDiagnostics-Results

 

(Windows) Advanced GPU Driver Cleaning
Please follow these steps if you are having abnormal graphical problems that are not heat related. NOTE: This will clear all application profiles.

  • Uninstall your graphics drivers and do not restart if possible
  • Download, extract, and run the latest Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) from Wagnard Mobile
  • When prompted, reboot into safe mode
  • After logging in to safe mode, DDU should open automatically. Select your graphics manufacturer and then press "Clean and restart"
  • After logging back into Windows, download and install the latest video drivers from AMD's or Nvidia's website (Windows 10 users should see Advanced Driver Installation section below)


(Windows 10) Advanced Driver Installation
These steps will allow you to prevent Windows Update from automatically installing a specific driver update. This should only be necessary should you need to use a specific driver version or need to run a driver installer that requires reboots during installation (i.e. Realtek drivers).

  • Uninstall the driver and disable the update (Instructions)
  • Restart your computer
  • Install your desired driver


(Windows) Advanced Program Compatibility Troubleshooting
Please follow these steps to rule out conflicting programs. Also, note that some software such as an antivirus must be fully uninstalled to rule it out as conflicting application.

Clean boot Windows (Instructions)

  • Try ARK again while in the clean boot state
  • If successful, incrementally restore programs to narrow down the faulting application
  • Follow steps in the article to reset the computer to start normally after clean boot troubleshooting

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