FiveM crashing or black screen on launch or when joining a server
A FiveM crash comes from one of two places: your PC or the server. Before you reinstall everything, find out which side the problem is on and read the error name. Most cases have an official fix from Cfx.re.
Rise TeamGuide written by the Rise team. The steps work with or without Rise; the facts about the game come from the sources at the end of the page, with the date we checked them.
Short answer
First, join FiveM’s test server: if it works there, the crash comes from the server you play on, and staff have to fix it. If it crashes everywhere, read the error name, verify GTA V’s files in the launcher, remove mods and plugins and check your antivirus. Freezes on the loading screen are usually the cache, which the main guide shows how to clear.
First, find out what is holding you back
| Error or symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Crash on only one server | That server’s content[1] | Test on FiveM’s test server and tell staff (Server or PC section) |
| _runReaderThreadTick (low-apart-failed, ink-dakota-mountain) | A disk read error or a partially downloaded GTA V[2] | Verify GTA V’s files (Files section) |
| KERNELBASE.dll!RaiseException | Antivirus conflicting with the FiveM anticheat[4] | Add the FiveM folder as an exception in your antivirus[4] |
| Colored background or spinning splash screen on launch | CEF on older AMD laptop GPUs, or stuck Rockstar verification files[1] | See the Black screen section |
| Game integrity check failed | The anticheat saw an anomaly and closed the game; it’s not a ban[5] | Remove mods, trainers and recently installed programs |
| Error 127 on launch | Rockstar Games Launcher or one of its programs running as administrator[6] | Uncheck "Run this program as an administrator" on Launcher.exe, LauncherPatcher.exe, RockstarErrorHandler.exe and SocialClubHelper.exe[6] |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
First: is the crash on the server or on your PC?
Cfx.re says crashes are often a problem with a specific server. The test is quick:
- Open FiveM and press F8 to open the console.
- Type connect cfx.re/join/y4lg95 and press Enter. That’s FiveM’s test server.
- If it doesn’t crash there, the problem is with the server you play on: tell staff the time and the error name.
- If it crashes there too, the problem is on your PC or in your install. Follow the sections below.
Read the error name
When FiveM closes, the error window shows where the crash happened and, often, a three-word nickname like low-apart-failed. Write both down: that’s how Cfx.re and the official forum find the fix. Other common errors:
| Error | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Client/Server game build revision mismatch | FiveM and the server are on different revisions of the game build, common right after an update[9] | Wait for the update to roll out, or switch FiveM’s update channel (gear › Game) to match the server[9] |
| Server artifact version is outdated, End of Support or End of Life | The server is out of date[10] | Only the server owner can fix it: tell staff |
| Error loading component | A broken FiveM cache file[1] | Delete caches.xml from FiveM’s data folder; the main guide shows where it is[1] |
| Stuck on "Starting FiveM, we’re getting there" | Aggressive antivirus holding FiveM back[1] | Open a Cfx.re support request about your antivirus |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
Verify GTA V’s files
Missing or corrupted GTA V files crash FiveM. Cfx.re says verifying the files fixes most disk read errors and reminds you that FiveM needs GTA V fully downloaded. Verifying doesn’t break FiveM, which doesn’t modify the game files.
- Rockstar Games Launcher: sign in, open Settings, pick Grand Theft Auto V under My installed games and click Verify Integrity.
- Steam: right-click GTA V in your Library, open Properties, go to Installed Files and click Verify integrity of game files.
- On Steam, one or more files may fail to verify. That’s normal: they’re local configuration files.
- Epic Games Store or the Xbox app: use the option to verify or repair the files in the store’s library.
- Don’t run the verification while an antivirus scan or a defrag is running, as Steam recommends.
Used a story mode mod, a trainer or an .asi plugin? Remove it before opening FiveM. When "Game integrity check failed" shows up, Cfx.re tells you to remove mods from the FiveM and GTA V folders and says it isn’t a ban.
Black screen or colored background on launch
- Colored background with no menu: happens on older AMD laptop GPUs, because of CEF, the browser built into FiveM. The documentation points to an official forum thread with a workaround.
- Splash screen spinning forever: close FiveM, delete the %appdata%\citizenfx\ros_id.dat file and the %localappdata%\DigitalEntitlements folder, and open it again.
- Black menu or server loading screen: in the console (F8), nui_useInProcessGpu true may improve interface compatibility, at the cost of interface performance. Restart FiveM. If nothing changes, set it back to false.
- Either way, update your graphics driver from the NVIDIA, AMD or Intel website or app.
Crash when joining a server or after a while
If FiveM closes while loading the server or after playing for a while, check video memory. According to NVIDIA, going over the limit with Ignore Suggested Limits on causes stuttering, pauses and crashes. Keep that option off and the Video Memory bar below the max.
A crash with KERNELBASE.dll!RaiseException is usually the antivirus fighting the FiveM anticheat. Cfx.re suggests adding the FiveM install folder as an exception, following your antivirus’s documentation.
Nothing worked: what to send to Cfx.re
For technical problems, Cfx.re points you to the official forum and the FiveM Discord. For someone to be able to help, send:
- What you were doing when the game closed.
- The exact error text and the crash nickname.
- FiveM’s logs, if they ask.
- Your Windows version, CPU, graphics card, RAM and FiveM version.
What Rise does in FiveM
Everything here shows what changes before you apply it.
- FiveM cacheDeletes only the cache, server-cache and server-cache-priv folders, with FiveM closed. game-storage, nui-storage, mods, plugins and CitizenFX.ini stay. It helps with loading-screen freezes and wrong textures after a server update; it isn’t a crash cure.Tools › FiveM · Rise Premium
- FiveM video presetWrites the graphics settings to the file FiveM reads, within the options in the GTA V menu and based on your PC’s video memory. Saves your previous settings and goes back to them in one click.Games › FiveM · Rise Premium
What Rise does not do in FiveM
- Doesn’t repair GTA V’s files: verification happens in the store’s launcher.
- Doesn’t touch your antivirus or the FiveM anticheat.
- Doesn’t fix crashes that come from the server or update the server.
- Doesn’t touch CitizenFX.ini or the plugins, mods and citizen folders.
- Doesn’t promise to end the crashes: the error name tells you where to start.
Frequently asked questions
Why does FiveM crash when I join a server?
Often because of that server’s content. Test on FiveM’s test server: type connect cfx.re/join/y4lg95 in the console (F8). If it works there, tell staff. If it crashes everywhere, verify GTA V’s files and check video memory.
How do I fix the FiveM black screen?
It depends on where it shows up. A colored background with no menu on launch is a CEF issue on older AMD laptop GPUs. A spinning splash screen calls for deleting ros_id.dat and the DigitalEntitlements folder. A black server screen may improve with nui_useInProcessGpu true in the console.
What is the _runReaderThreadTick error?
It’s a disk read error, also called low-apart-failed, ink-dakota-mountain or nevada-orange-lemon. Cfx.re says verifying GTA V’s files fixes most cases. It can also come from a recent system freeze, an SSD or HDD disconnecting or a partially downloaded GTA V.
Does verifying GTA V’s files delete FiveM?
No. FiveM doesn’t modify GTA V’s files, so verification only repairs the game. Story mode mods installed in the GTA V folder may be replaced with the original files.
Is "Game integrity check failed" a ban?
No. Cfx.re says the anticheat saw an anomaly and closed the game, without banning you. Remove cheating software, even for other games, mods from the FiveM and GTA V folders and recently installed programs, and run an antivirus scan.
Does reinstalling FiveM fix crashes?
Sometimes, but it’s the last step. First, do the quick things: the test server, verifying GTA V’s files, removing mods and clearing the FiveM cache, which the main guide explains.
Sources
- FiveM: client issues (checked on Nov 3, 2026)
- Cfx.re: _runReaderThreadTick crash (checked on Nov 3, 2026)
- Steam: verify integrity of game files (checked on Nov 3, 2026)
- Cfx.re: KERNELBASE.dll!RaiseException crash (checked on Nov 3, 2026)
- Cfx.re: "Game integrity check failed" error (checked on Nov 3, 2026)
- Cfx.re: error code 127 (checked on Nov 3, 2026)
- FiveM: console commands (connect and nui_useInProcessGpu) (checked on Nov 3, 2026)
- NVIDIA: GTA V graphics and performance guide (checked on Nov 3, 2026)
- Cfx.re: game build revision mismatch error (checked on Nov 3, 2026)
- Cfx.re: outdated server (End of Support and End of Life) (checked on Nov 3, 2026)
- Cfx.re: how to get help with a technical issue (checked on Nov 3, 2026)
- FiveM: official site (FAQ) (checked on Nov 3, 2026)
Spotted something out of date? Let us know on the Rise Discord and we will fix it. Report on Discord
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