GTA 5 - Better Than Rockstar Support

## **Better Than Rockstar Support - The Introduction**

Last revision: 3rd January 2016 (v2.3)

So, in my blood-boiling, bone-crunching, skin-tearing quest to fix my
 issues with Grand Theft Auto V (which I finally did), I compiled a
gargantuan list of potential fixes for various issues with the game.
Although these fixes are directed towards general crashing, stuttering,
freezing, launching issues and other similar problems, these fixes could
 potentially resolve other issues. If you see anyone with these issues,
be sure to direct them to this post by sending them this link: https://redd.it/3qbtm2.

Be aware that these fixes are only for users on administrator accounts on recent versions of Windows.

Without further ado, I present *Better Than Rockstar Support*!

## **Better Than Rockstar Support - The Fixes**

### • **Fix #1:**

Ensure you have the latest versions of all
 the relevant programs, runtimes and drivers. These include graphics
drivers, Windows updates, DirectX, Steam, Social Club and other similar
things.

### • **Fix #2a:**

This step is for Steam users only. For
Rockstar Warehouse users, see fix #2b. In the Steam library, right-click
 on Grand Theft Auto V and click 'Properties'. Open the 'Local files'
tab and click the 'Verify integrity of game cache...' button. Once this
process has completed, restart Steam.

### • **Fix #2b:**

This step is for Rockstar Warehouse users
 only. For Steam users, see fix #2a. I've written a Batch file to
automatically perform this step. You can download it here.

### • **Fix #3:**

Reinstall Social Club. The latest installer can be found here. Download *both*
 of the installers - the L.A Noire/Max Payne installer and the Grand
Theft Auto V installer. Installing the L.A Noire/Max Payne does sound
like it wouldn't work, but it has actually helped me fix another issue I
 had just today.

### • **Fix #4:**

Uninstall any audio-enhancing software you might have, such as Razer Surround. As of the 1.31 update (for the *Executives & Other Criminals* DLC), many users have reported fixing stuttering issues by doing so. I recommend using CCleaner
 for doing this, as it can help with entirely removing the program(s).
You should also disable unused sound devices through both the Windows'
sound manager in the control panel and the device manager. Razer Synapse
 is also known to cause issues with the game.

### • **Fix #5:**

Launch the game with only essential USB
devices plugged in. Ideally, the only things you need plugged in are
your keyboard, mouse, game controller and headset. Plugging in or
removing USB devices during launch often causes crashes.

### • **Fix #6:**

Open the Control Panel. Navigate to `Hardware and Sound`, then `Sound`. Under the `Playback` tab of the sound menu, right-click the default playback device and click `Properties`. Go into the `Advanced` tab, where you will see a drop-down box, `Default format`. Change this to `16 bit, 44100 Hz (CD Quality)` and apply the changes. I know this is a very strange fix, but it can definitely help with launch issues.

### • **Fix #7:**

Navigate to your game folder. If you don't
 know where this is, Google can help you, but be aware that Steam
versions and Rockstar Warehouse versions both have separate game
folders. Right-click `GTAVLauncher.exe` and click `Properties`. Open the compatibility tab and tick the box tagged `Run this program as an administrator` and apply the changes.

### • **Fix #8:**

This fix is only applicable if you have an NVIDIA graphics card. Open the NVIDIA Control Panel (this is **not** NVIDIA GeForce Experience - they are two different things). In the `Manage 3D settings` menu, ensure the `Preferred graphics processor` drop-down box is set to `High-performance NVIDIA processor`. Then open the `Program Settings` tab (still under `Manage 3D settings`) and find one of the two Grand Theft Auto V-related `.exe`
 files. The names of these two files vary, depending on if you have a
Steam or a Rockstar Warehouse installation, but there should still be
two files. If there are no files there, click `Add`, next to the drop-down menu and navigate to your game directory, then simply add one of the two `.exe` files there. Once you have a `.exe`
 selected, ensure nothing in the program-specific settings below is set
to override or enhance the game. With this, I'm mainly talking about
things like MSAA and anti-aliasing. When you've finished doing this, do
the same thing with the second .exe in the game directory.

### • **Fix #9:**

Disable any anti-virus software.
Alternatively, you can add Steam, Social Club and Grand Theft Auto V as
exceptions in it. I can't tell you how to do this, since it greatly
varies depending on which anti-virus software you use. If you chose to
disable the software entirely, be sure to remember to enable it once
you've verified whether or not this fixed the problem. You should also
try adding the aforementioned programs as exceptions in your firewall.

### • **Fix #10:**

Ensure all of the following ports are
open in any firewall software you might have: UDP 27000-27015
(inclusive), UDP 27015 to 27030 (inclusive), TCP 27014 to 27050
(inclusive), UDP 4380, TCP 80, TCP 443, UDP 6672, UDP 61455-61458. If
you're unsure on how to open ports, a Google search will help.

### • **Fix #11:**

Navigate to your documents folder and follow through into the `Rockstar Games\GTA V\` folder. In this directory, there should be a file: `settings.xml`. Delete it. Then, from the same folder, navigate to `Profiles\[UNIQUE STRING]`. In that directory, you should see a number of files, two of which are `cfg.dat` and `pc_settings.bin`. Delete those two files. After doing so, backtrack to the `Rockstar Games\GTA V` folder and delete `settings.xml`.

### • **Fix #12:**

Open an *elevated* command prompt.
 If you're unsure of how to do this, a quick Google search will tell you
 how. Once you're in the command prompt, type `NETSH WINSOCK RESET ALL` and hit enter.

### • **Fix #13:**

This step is for Steam users only. In the Steam library, right-click on Grand Theft Auto V and click `Properties`. Under the 'General' tab, un-tick the `Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game` box.

### • **Fix #14:**

Scan your computer for malware. An example of a good anti-virus scanner is Malwarebytes Anti-Malware.

### • **Fix #15:**

Navigate to `C:\Windows\System32` (or wherever else your System32 folder is) and find a file called `D3DX9_43.dll` and rename it to `D3DX9_43.dll.backup`. Download this ZIP folder. Extract the `.dll` contained in the ZIP folder into your `System32` folder, effectively replacing the original one. If this step causes adverse effects, simply delete the new `.dll` and remove the `.backup` extension from the original one.

### • **Fix #16:**

As a last resort, you might want to
reinstall the game. Backup your save files and uninstall the game.
Optionally, you can use CCleaner to help remove any remnants of the game
 after uninstalling it. Then install the game again.

## Source:

https://www.reddit.com/r/HalfOfAKebab/comments/3qbtm2/better\_than\_rockstar\_support/