Apex Legends not starting in DX12 mode

[Anerian79]

Hello,

couple of seasons back I was normally playing Apex Legends via Steam in DX12 mode (launch option: -eac_launcher_settings SettingsDX12.json). I took a hiatus for some time and tried to play now in Season 18, only to find out that the game does not start anymore. The hardware is the same, the OS is the same (Win 10), the software environment is the same - no system settings changed, no new system applications installed like anti-virus or firewalls. I have updated to the newest Nvidia driver, but to no avail.

The game starts if I remove the DX12 launch option, meaning that it starts in DX11. If I put the DX12 launch option and start the game, I see that the 'r5apex_dx12.exe' executable has started, but after a few seconds if just ends and nothing happens. I tried looking for some logs in the game installation folder, but could not find any. I did find a folder with a name indicating that it contains crash-dumps (\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\Apex Legends\Crashpad\db\) so here are all the files from there as a '.zip' archive if anyone wants to take a look:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fHBXTH2VKVL9dmEXCgequjkX2Yx3URGP/view?usp=sharing

Looking forward to any help...

[Anerian79]

The issue is still present. Is there any info on this from the dev team?

[Anerian79]

I don't know if this is useful, but here is a new finding - when I manually start the DX12 version of Apex 'r5apex_dx12.exe', it seems that after a few seconds this executable closes and then starts the normal DX11 version 'r5apex.exe'. So starting the DX12 version either via launch parameters or manually simply doesn't work for some unknown reason... Why isn't the game outputting logs somewhere so that one can at least investigate?

[TractorGaming]

hey its been a while but if you're still having the problem then going to the installed files tab and verifying the integrity of the files is worth a try. if that doesn't work I would suggest sparing all the work to find out the problem and just reinstalling apex.

[Hofykz]

The start command has been changed btw, the new one is:

-anticheat_settings=SettingsDX12.json

[kxrxlxstxd]

same here dx12 wont launch, i'm aware of the new -anticheat_settings=SettingsDX12.json launch parameter

from (\SteamLibrary\steamapps\common\Apex Legends\Crashpad\db\) i got this:

KEY_VALUES_STRING: 1

    Key  : AV.Dereference
    Value: NullPtr

    Key  : AV.Fault
    Value: Read

    Key  : Analysis.CPU.mSec
    Value: 2031

    Key  : Analysis.Elapsed.mSec
    Value: 87026

    Key  : Analysis.IO.Other.Mb
    Value: 5

    Key  : Analysis.IO.Read.Mb
    Value: 0

    Key  : Analysis.IO.Write.Mb
    Value: 49

    Key  : Analysis.Init.CPU.mSec
    Value: 952

    Key  : Analysis.Init.Elapsed.mSec
    Value: 132984

    Key  : Analysis.Memory.CommitPeak.Mb
    Value: 365

    Key  : Failure.Bucket
    Value: NULL_POINTER_READ_c0000005_r5apex_dx12.exe!Unknown

    Key  : Failure.Hash
    Value: {b74fd9eb-7c40-b27d-d8ea-5b99273e68eb}

    Key  : Timeline.Process.Start.DeltaSec
    Value: 22

    Key  : WER.OS.Branch
    Value: vb_release

    Key  : WER.OS.Version
    Value: 10.0.19041.1

    Key  : WER.Process.Version
    Value: 1.0.0.0


FILE_IN_CAB:  b4d5d294-5fe4-4bf0-affe-014b86274bca.dmp

CONTEXT:  (.ecxr)rax=0000000000058160 rbx=0000023223aff080 rcx=0000000000000000
rdx=000000519288a8f0 rsi=0000023223aff088 rdi=0000000000000000
rip=00007ff757c8bc4f rsp=000000519288a800 rbp=000000519288a900
 r8=0000000000000000  r9=00000051928e33e0 r10=00000232633cae80
r11=00000051928e2950 r12=0000023223bd83c0 r13=00000051928e33e0
r14=0000023223aff080 r15=0000000000000000
iopl=0         nv up ei pl nz na po nc
cs=0033  ss=002b  ds=002b  es=002b  fs=0053  gs=002b             efl=00010206
r5apex_dx12!ffxGetCommandListDX12+0x135e0f:
00007ff7`57c8bc4f 498b07          mov     rax,qword ptr [r15] ds:00000000`00000000=????????????????
Resetting default scope

EXCEPTION_RECORD:  (.exr -1)ExceptionAddress: 00007ff757c8bc4f (r5apex_dx12!ffxGetCommandListDX12+0x0000000000135e0f)
   ExceptionCode: c0000005 (Access violation)
  ExceptionFlags: 00000000
NumberParameters: 2
   Parameter[0]: 0000000000000000
   Parameter[1]: 0000000000000000
Attempt to read from address 0000000000000000

PROCESS_NAME:  r5apex_dx12.exe

READ_ADDRESS:  0000000000000000 

ERROR_CODE: (NTSTATUS) 0xc0000005 - The instruction at 0x%p referenced memory at 0x%p. The memory could not be %s.

EXCEPTION_CODE_STR:  c0000005

EXCEPTION_PARAMETER1:  0000000000000000

EXCEPTION_PARAMETER2:  0000000000000000

STACK_TEXT:  
00000051`9288a800 00007ff7`57c82a5a     : 00000232`23bd83c0 00000051`928e33e0 00000051`928e33e0 00000051`928e33e0 : r5apex_dx12!ffxGetCommandListDX12+0x135e0f
00000051`928e29a0 00007ff7`57c8b99f     : 00000051`928e33e0 00000232`23aff088 00000000`00001000 00000000`00000000 : r5apex_dx12!ffxGetCommandListDX12+0x12cc1a
00000051`928e2a00 00007ff7`57e037f7     : 00000232`23c21800 00000051`928e33e0 00000232`00000001 00000000`00000000 : r5apex_dx12!ffxGetCommandListDX12+0x135b5f
00000051`928e2b50 00007ff7`5858e2a8     : 00000232`56662c78 00000232`00000004 00000000`ff000002 00000051`928ff450 : r5apex_dx12!ffxGetCommandListDX12+0x2ad9b7
00000051`928ff430 00007ff7`57e9a252     : 00007ff7`00000000 00000000`00000182 00007ff7`60d01940 00000232`56662c78 : r5apex_dx12!ffxGetCommandListDX12+0xa38468
00000051`928ff4a0 00007ff7`57e9a740     : 00000000`00000000 00000051`928ff6a0 00000000`ffffffff 00000000`00000000 : r5apex_dx12!ffxGetCommandListDX12+0x344412
00000051`928ff4d0 00007ff7`57e985d9     : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 ffffffff`ffffffff ffffffff`ffffffff : r5apex_dx12!ffxGetCommandListDX12+0x344900
00000051`928ff5a0 00007ff7`57e9b0ff     : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 ffffffff`ffffffff ffffffff`ffffffff : r5apex_dx12!ffxGetCommandListDX12+0x342799
00000051`928ff900 00007ff8`2a527374     : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : r5apex_dx12!ffxGetCommandListDX12+0x3452bf
00000051`928ff980 00007ff8`2b1fcc91     : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : kernel32!BaseThreadInitThunk+0x14
00000051`928ff9b0 00000000`00000000     : 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 00000000`00000000 : ntdll!RtlUserThreadStart+0x21


SYMBOL_NAME:  r5apex_dx12+135e0f

MODULE_NAME: r5apex_dx12

IMAGE_NAME:  r5apex_dx12.exe

STACK_COMMAND:  ~17s; .ecxr ; kb

FAILURE_BUCKET_ID:  NULL_POINTER_READ_c0000005_r5apex_dx12.exe!Unknown

OS_VERSION:  10.0.19041.1

BUILDLAB_STR:  vb_release

OSPLATFORM_TYPE:  x64

OSNAME:  Windows 10

IMAGE_VERSION:  1.0.0.0

FAILURE_ID_HASH:  {b74fd9eb-7c40-b27d-d8ea-5b99273e68eb}

Followup:     MachineOwner

dx11 works just fine but in dx12 nothing happens after loading the anticheat

[Umlauut]

I have the same problem with dx11 everything goes fine but when I try to use dx12 it doesn't work and just closes.

[kxrxlxstxd]

I asked ChatGPT and it says this:

Based on the analysis result you provided, here's a detailed breakdown of the crash:

Summary of the Crash

• Exception Code: c0000005 (Access Violation)
• Exception Address: 00007ff757c8bc4f (Address within r5apex_dx12.exe)
• Exception Description: The program attempted to read from a null pointer (address 0x0000000000000000).
• Process Name: r5apex_dx12.exe (Likely related to Apex Legends running in DirectX 12 mode)

Key Values:

• Dereference: NullPtr (Indicates a null pointer dereference)
• Fault: Read (The error occurred during a read operation)
• Failure Bucket: NULL_POINTER_READ_c0000005_r5apex_dx12.exe!Unknown
• Failure Hash: {b74fd9eb-7c40-b27d-d8ea-5b99273e68eb}

Context:

The provided register context shows the state of the CPU registers at the time of the crash. Specifically:

• Instruction Pointer (RIP): 00007ff757c8bc4f
• Attempt to read from address: 0000000000000000

Stack Trace:

The stack trace shows the function calls leading up to the crash:

1. r5apex_dx12!ffxGetCommandListDX12+0x135e0f
2. r5apex_dx12!ffxGetCommandListDX12+0x12cc1a
3. r5apex_dx12!ffxGetCommandListDX12+0x135b5f
4. r5apex_dx12!ffxGetCommandListDX12+0x2ad9b7
5. r5apex_dx12!ffxGetCommandListDX12+0xa38468
6. r5apex_dx12!ffxGetCommandListDX12+0x344412
7. r5apex_dx12!ffxGetCommandListDX12+0x344900
8. r5apex_dx12!ffxGetCommandListDX12+0x342799
9. r5apex_dx12!ffxGetCommandListDX12+0x3452bf
10. kernel32!BaseThreadInitThunk+0x14
11. ntdll!RtlUserThreadStart+0x21

Interpretation:

The crash occurred due to a null pointer dereference in the r5apex_dx12.exe module, specifically in the function ffxGetCommandListDX12. This is a common type of error where the program attempts to access memory that hasn't been initialized or has been set to null.

[kxrxlxstxd]

season 22 still can't launch dx12

[bmthfan656]

Apparently there's an issue with older intel cpus (I think 4th gen and below) and systems that don't have AES-NI enabled in bios, so if your CPU is newer than that, try looking for that option in bios and enabling it.
Seems like the issue with older intel CPUs was reported by many people here and on reddit before last year, and there was no update from EA about this. 

Will DX12 even be supported on older intel cpus? It would be good to know if there is any hope for old CPU users.

NULL_POINTER_READ_c0000005_r5apex_dx12.exe!Unknown seems to be the error people get on old CPUs

Here are my .dmp files https://drive.google.com/drive/u/5/folders/1sU2qhKOqQZ93EdLrrEbccSXIOe2pIyzY