Introduction
We understand how frustrating it can be when crashes or other technical issues interrupt your time with the game. However, we're here to help you get back to enjoying your experience as smoothly and quickly as possible.
This guide is designed to walk you through the most common solutions. While some steps may require basic computer skills, we've done our best to keep things clear and approachable. Troubleshooting can be time-consuming, but many players have found success by following these steps.
Before reaching out to Dovetail Support, we kindly ask that you complete the guide first, as it may resolve your issue without further assistance. If you’re having difficulty completing the steps on your own, stay clam and reach out to your local computer specialist for help, and we’ll still be here if you need us afterward.
For refund requests, please refer to the Dovetail Games Refund Policy
Unsupported Mods & Third Party Content
We know that using unofficial third-party content or mods can be a great way to personalize and enhance your experience, and we completely understand why many players choose to explore them. However, it's important to be aware that this kind of content hasn’t been created or tested by our team, which means it can cause unexpected issues or interfere with how the game runs.
Because of this, we kindly ask that all unsupported content be fully removed before we can continue troubleshooting. A clean reinstallation of the game is a necessary step in this process, as it helps us rule out any conflicts and focus on resolving the core issue more effectively.
Once everything is working again, you’re welcome to reintroduce your mods—just be sure to add them back gradually. This way, if a particular piece of content is causing trouble, it’ll be much easier to identify and avoid in the future.
STEP 1
Does Your PC Meet the Minimum System Requirements?
The minimum system requirements have been chosen to provide all players meeting these requirements with a satisfactory experience. Any computer falling below these requirements will have a poor experience which is prone to technical issues.
If your computer fails this step, we will not be able to provide you with any further assistance, but please feel free to contact us regarding upgrade advice.
Instructions: Does My Computer Meet the Minimum System Requirements
STEP 2
Restart Your PC & Remove all External Devices
Turning it off & on again isn't just an IT joke, it genuinely fixes many issues. Turn off your PC, then unplug all externals devices. Then plug in one monitor (no external monitors if on a laptop), a keyboard, and a mouse. Restart your PC and try again. If the issue has been resolved, gradually plug everything back in one-by-one till you find the problematic device.
STEP 3
Disable all Overclocking & Boost Settings
Overclocking is the act of pushing hardware beyond it's recommended limits, which can lead to crashes. Some motherboards may overclock your hardware while appearing to use default settings, so if you are unsure, please talk to your system builder or motherboard manufacturer to understand how to enforce safe limits.
For more information, please see: What is causing my game to crash randomly?
STEP 4
Update Your Device Drivers
Device drivers enable your game to utilize the specific functions of your PC hardware. If these drivers are out of date or corrupted, then you may experience crashes or performance issues.
Instructions: How Do I Update My Computer's Device Drivers?
Step 5
Update Your Windows Operating System
Keeping Windows up to date is not only important for the security of your computer, but will also ensure that your computer remains compatible with new hardware and software.
Instructions: How Do I Update My Windows Operating System?
STEP 6
Configure your Anti-Virus Software Correctly
When you install anti-virus software, it can automatically delete or quarantine files it believes are a threat. Often, it can interfere with games, causing errors or preventing them from running. Check the configuration of your software to ensure that it is not blocking your game.
Instructions: Is My Anti-Virus Software Interfering with My Games?
STEP 7
Verify your Game Files
Verifying your game files is a good way to replace any missing or corrupt files. However, it is not a substitution for re-installing the software and cleaning out the installation folder.
How to verify your game files on Steam
How to verify your game files on the Epic Games Launcher
How to verify your game files on the Microsoft Store/Xbox App
STEP 8
Install any Additional Software Required by the Game
Many games require software known as APIs (DirectX, PhysX, Visual C++) which allow the game to take advantage of the hardware in your computer. However, you may want to reinstall the required software for your game to ensure that you have the correct versions.
Reinstall Dependencies for Train Simulator
Reinstall Dependencies for Train Sim World & other games
STEP 9
Complete a Clean Re-installation of the Game
Reinstalling the game is the easiest way to restore the game to its original state. A "clean" re-installation refers to the removal of any remaining files/folders in the game's installation directory after uninstalling the game. This removes the chance of any problematic files interfering with a new installation.
How to reinstall Train Simulator
How to reinstall Train Sim World
STEP 10
Attempt a Clean Boot of your PC
If you are still experiencing problems, there is a chance that you have applications running in the background which are interfering with your game. A “clean boot” will start Windows with a minimal set of drivers and applications, so that you can determine whether a background application is interfering with your game.
Instructions: How to Perform a Clean Boot of Windows
STEP 11
Repair Windows using Windows Update Recovery Tool
Using the Windows update recovery tool is the easiest way to reinstall Windows whilst keeping all your apps, files and settings.
Instructions: How to fix issues by reinstalling the current version of Windows
Step 12
What to Provide With Your Support Ticket
If you have been unable to resolve the problem, it is essential that you give us more information to work with. When you submit a support ticket, we’ll need you to attach the following information:
- A DxDiag Report
- An Appmanifest (Steam Only)
- Crash Dump Files (zipped)
- A LogMate Report (Train Simulator Only)
- Screenshots of your in-game graphical settings.
- Screenshots/videos that will help us understand the nature of the issue you're experiencing.
- Step-by-step instructions that describe how the issue can be reproduced.
Additional Troubleshooting
While you wait for a reply from an agent, please consider the following troubleshooting guides.
- How to Identify and Prevent Random Crashes
- How Do I Optimise My PC for the Best Performance?
- Troubleshooting Audio Issues
- Common Issues - Train Simulator
- How to Reinstall Steam
Hardware Specific Issues: