Counter-Strike 2 Crashing on PC [Certified Fix]

Some major fixes to solve CS2 Crashing includes disabling third-party overlays, disabling XMP profile and overclocking and repairing game files.

Counter-Strike 2 players on forums (including Steam Forums) are facing game crashes; Valve is working on a permanent fix, but I’ll be offering quick solutions to this. I’ve also encountered the same issue on my PC and did a lot of research and testing to develop these select few fixes. I’m confident they’ll work for you as well in resolving the Counter-Strike 2 crashing issue.

Key Takeaways

Here are some fixes For Counter-Strike 2 crashing issue:

  • Check your computer’s ability to meet game requirements.
  • Optimize graphics card settings for improved performance.
  • Disable overclocking of CPU or GPU.
  • Reinstall Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime.
  • Verify and repair game files.
  • Turn off overlays from third-party applications.
  • Disable XMP profiles for RAM to run at standard speed.

Check If Your Computer Can Run the Game

Cs 2 system requirements
Counter-Strike 2 System requirements – [Image captured by eXputer]
First, see if your computer can handle the game. Compare the game’s needs with your computer’s capabilities. If your computer doesn’t have what the game needs, consider upgrading it. We’ve listed the least and best computer requirements below to help you. If your computer has everything the game needs, you can move on to the next step.

CS2 Minimum Requirements

  • OS: Windows 10
  • CPU: Intel Core i5-750
  • Memory (RAM): 8 GB
  • Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce 610M
  • Storage Space: 85 GB

Ensure Your Graphics Card Prioritizes Heavy Games

cs 2 nvidia high performance
Counter-Strike 2 High Performance – [Image captured by eXputer]
It’s a good practice to make sure your desktop computer always uses the more powerful external graphics card when you’re playing demanding games. This way, you’ll get the best graphics performance. Here’s how you can do it:

For Nvidia Graphics Cards

  • Right-click on your desktop screen.
  • Open the Nvidia Control Panel.
  • Inside the Control Panel, find “3D Settings” and select “Manage 3D Settings.
  • In the “Program Settings” section, pick “Counter-Strike 2” from the list.
  • Choose the better graphics processor for this game.
  • Make sure it’s set to use the “High-Performance Nvidia Processor.”
  • Remember to save your changes and then restart your computer.

For AMD Graphics Cards

  • Right-click on your desktop screen.
  • Open Radeon Settings.
  • In Radeon Settings, go to “Additional Settings” and click on “Preferences.”
  • Under “Power,” choose “Switchable Graphics Application Settings.”
  • Find “Counter-Strike 2” in the list. If it’s not there, you can add it.
  • Once you’ve selected the game, choose “High Performance” in the Graphics Settings.
  • Finally, restart your computer to make these changes work.

Return Overclocked CPU or GPU to Normal Settings

Overclocked counter strike 2
Counter-Strike 2 Overclocking – [Image captured by eXputer]
Occasionally, if you’ve made your computer’s CPU or GPU work extra hard by overclocking it (making it run faster than usual), it can lead to problems and make your computer crash. To check if this is causing the crashes, it’s a good idea to temporarily turn off or reset the overclocking and put your CPU or GPU back to its regular settings. You can use various tools available online, like MSI Afterburner, Riva Tuner, AMD Ryzen Master, EVGA Precision X, and others, to do this.

Reinstall Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime

Microsft c++ runtime
Counter-Strike 2 Microsoft C++ – [Image captured by eXputer]
In some cases, your Windows computer requires a specific software package known as Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables to run certain programs properly. If these packages are missing or causing problems, you can fix this by reinstalling them manually. Here’s how:

  • Open your computer’s Start Menu and search for “apps & features.” This will take you to a list of installed programs.
  • In this list, find programs starting with “Microsoft Visual C++.” Click on each of them one by one and choose “Uninstall.” Follow the instructions that pop up on your screen to remove them.
  • Once you’ve uninstalled all the Visual C++ programs, restart your computer. This ensures that the changes take effect.
  • Next, visit the official Microsoft website. Look for and download the latest version of Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime.

Install this software on your computer. After the installation is complete, restart your system. This step ensures that your computer can use the newly installed Visual C++ Runtime to run Counter-Strike 2 smoothly.

Repair Game Files

repairing files/integrity of files for cs2
Repairing Files For Counter-Strike 2 – [Image captured by eXputer]
When your game files become damaged or go missing on your computer, it can cause the game to crash without giving you a clear error message. If your game begins to load but then closes suddenly or doesn’t start at all, it’s a good idea to check and repair the installed game files by following these steps:

If you’re unsure of how you can do this, check out the verify game files guide by our error fix expert.

Turn Off Overlays from Third-Party Apps

cs 2 overlay
Counter-Strike 2 Discord Overlay – [Image captured by eXputer]
Sometimes, third-party applications can mess with your game, making it unresponsive or causing issues. If you’re encountering problems, consider disabling overlays from apps like Discord and Windows Game Bar.

If you want to disable overlays properly, read this guide by our expert.

These changes can help reduce issues with your game, particularly if you’re experiencing FPS-related problems or if you have a multi-monitor setup where Discord’s overlay isn’t necessary. Disabling these features can enhance your gaming performance.

Turn off XMP

disable xmp for cs2
Disabling XMP for Counter-Strike 2 – [Image captured by eXputer]
By turning off XMP, you can also fix the CS2 crashing problem. This is because high-performance RAM, the memory in your computer, usually comes with something called XMP profiles. These profiles allow the RAM to work faster than the standard speed set by the industry.

If you don’t enable XMP, your RAM will just run at the regular speed that your CPU is set for. So, you won’t be making the most out of the faster speeds your RAM can provide.

We thoroughly tested this method based on recommendations from online forums, and it proved effective.

Did We Solve Your Problem?

We’ve offered several solutions to tackle the Counter-Strike 2 crashing problem, including optimizing your computer’s performance and graphics settings, addressing overclocking issues, reinstalling essential software, and disabling certain overlays and XMP profiles. We hope one of these methods has helped you resolve the issue. If not, stay tuned for updates from the game developers, as a permanent fix may be on the horizon.

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Ayyoun is a Freelance Writer for Error Fixes, and Game Settings on eXputer. He’s been passionate about games and technology since he got his hands on the PlayStation 1. He has a software engineering background and loves to play games from a technical perspective. He has a knack for uncovering solutions for the latest games and presenting them in easy-to-follow guides for his audience. You can keep up with his gaming activity on his Steam profile.

Experience: 7+ years || Worked For VeryAli Gaming and IGN || Education: B.S Software Engineering, Google IT Professional Certificate, Editing Mastery from Udemy, and Digital Journalism.

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