Quick Answer
Verify Steam files, enable automatic paging, and match EAC fixes to your error. If Gray Zone Warfare keeps crashing to desktop without a message, delete %localappdata%/GZW/Saved/Config/WindowsClient, then clear Steam's download cache; this resets graphics settings and keybindings. For GPU crash dumps, try Hardware-accelerated GPU Scheduling off with FSR/TSR/XeSS or on with DLSS.
Why is Gray Zone Warfare crashing, and what should you check first?
Start by checking minimum hardware requirements, updating Windows and graphics drivers, and verifying the game files in Steam. Then follow the section that matches your crash or launch error.
Check your PC and updates
Check that your PC meets the game's minimum hardware requirements. Update Windows and your AMD, NVIDIA, or Intel graphics driver.
Verify the game files
Open Steam's Library, right-click Gray Zone Warfare, and select Properties → Installed Files → Verify integrity of game files.
Check startup blocking
If the game stays on the loading screen without an error, antivirus software can be blocking Easy Anti-Cheat from starting. This startup problem particularly affects Avast and Norton. Follow the executable exceptions in the Easy Anti-Cheat section below.
Reinstall if basic checks do not help
Reinstalling the game is another basic troubleshooting option. If an exact error appears, keep its wording so you can follow the matching steps below or include it in a support report.
If your problem is a server or connection error, follow the Gray Zone Warfare server and connection error steps.
How do you fix a Gray Zone Warfare crash to desktop, GPU crash dump, or access violation?
For a silent desktop crash, reset the WindowsClient configuration and Steam download cache; for GPU Crash Dump or EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION, work through GPU scheduling, driver settings, shader caches, and background applications.
Crashing to desktop without an error
Deleting WindowsClient resets your graphics settings and keybindings. You will need to configure them again, including your Gray Zone Warfare keybinds in Settings → Control.
Reset the configuration
Press Windows + R, enter %localappdata%, and open GZW/Saved/Config. Delete the WindowsClient folder.
Clear Steam's download cache
In Steam, open Settings → Downloads. Find Clear Download Cache and select Clear Cache.
Start with low graphics settings
Set graphics to the lowest available preset, then increase settings as your hardware permits. Verify the game files again if the crash continues.
Reinstall the graphics driver if needed
Download your GPU manufacturer's driver first. Remove the existing GPU drivers and software with Display Driver Uninstaller, following its applicable instructions, then install the downloaded driver.
GPU Crash Dump and EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION
These errors appear in the UE-GZW Crash Reporter. The following changes can reduce their frequency or resolve them, depending on the cause.
Start with Windows Settings → System → Display → Graphics → Change default graphics settings. Try the Hardware-accelerated GPU Scheduling setting that matches your anti-aliasing method:
| Anti-aliasing method | HAGS setting to try |
|---|---|
| FSR / TSR / XeSS | Off |
| DLSS | On |
Match HAGS to your upscaler: off with FSR, TSR or XeSS, on with DLSS. If the crashes continue after switching, move on to the next step.
Next, reset the settings for your GPU:
- NVIDIA: Open NVIDIA App → Graphics → Global Settings. In Driver Settings, select Restore and confirm. Then open Program Settings, select Gray Zone Warfare, open the three-dot menu in Driver Settings, and select Restore again.
- AMD: Open AMD Adrenalin → Settings, find Factory Reset, select Perform Reset, and confirm with Proceed.
If crashes continue, clear the matching shader cache:
Remove the game's shader-loader text file
Open %localappdata%/GZW/Saved/ and delete the ShaderLoader .txt file.
Clear your GPU shader cache
For NVIDIA, open Graphics → Global Settings → Shader Cache in the NVIDIA App. Select the edit icon, open the three-dot menu, choose Clear Cache, and confirm. Keep Cache Size at Driver Default, or use 100GB only if your C: drive has enough spare space.
For AMD, open Gaming → Graphics in Adrenalin. Find Reset Shader Cache, expanding Advanced if needed, then select Perform Reset → Yes.
Clear the DirectX shader cache
Press Windows + R, enter cleanmgr, and select your system drive. Select only DirectX Shader Cache, then choose OK → Delete Files.
Before launching again, close unnecessary background applications. Razer Synapse, Logitech G Hub, Corsair iCUE, MSI Dragon Center, and ASUS Armory Crate can cause memory conflicts. Also try turning off Discord screen sharing and Instant Replay or recording features in Steam and GPU software.
If these steps fail and the newest NVIDIA driver is causing problems, roll back to driver 610.62, removing the current driver with DDU first.
For repeated GPU crashes, enable the GPU crash-debugging tool in the game's graphics settings and send the crash information when prompted.
The GPU crash-debugging tool can affect performance. Enable it for frequent GPU crashes rather than leaving it on as a general performance setting.
How do you handle a Gray Zone Warfare memory leak or memory-related crash?
Enable Windows-managed virtual memory and close unnecessary background programs to address memory pressure; these changes do not repair a memory leak in the game itself.
Virtual memory uses disk space when physical RAM runs low. Without it, the system cannot keep running once RAM fills up.
Open Windows performance settings
Open Start → Settings, search for performance, and select Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows.
Enable automatic paging
In Performance Options, select Advanced. Under Virtual memory, select Change and check Automatically manage paging file size for all drives.
Check disk space and restart
Make sure your disk has enough room for the currently allocated value shown in that window. Restart your PC to apply the change.
Close RAM-heavy background applications before another session. If you test lower graphics settings, start at the lowest preset and raise settings gradually rather than changing everything at once.
Update 0.5 fixed several memory leaks and a crash caused by DLSS Frame Generation, so make sure you are on the latest version first. RAM and VRAM use in 0.5 is about the same as in 0.4.
A low video memory crash on an Intel 13900K or 14900K can be CPU-related. Update your motherboard BIOS if a newer version is available. Do not assume the message means your graphics card alone is responsible.
What should you do for a Gray Zone Warfare Easy Anti-Cheat error or action code?
Match the exact code or message before changing anything: runtime-check failures, startup-module failures, security violations, and a missing EAC installation have different steps.
| Error | Troubleshooting route |
|---|---|
0x0002000A | Conflicting programs |
0X00020008 | Firewall and antivirus exceptions |
#00000022 | Antivirus launch blocking |
| Easy Anticheat not Installed | EAC setup command |
Runtime check: 0x0002000A
This error usually means a third-party program is preventing Easy Anti-Cheat from running, or EAC has detected a potentially harmful program or process. Removing Razer Synapse 2.0, reWASD, or another conflicting program may help.
For this error occurring after Patch 0.2.2.0, the patch-specific procedure is:
- Delete the contents of
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Gray Zone Warfare\GZW\Content\SKALLA\PrebuildWorldData\World\cache. - Verify the game's files through Steam.
Keep that cache procedure tied to its patch context rather than applying it to every EAC error.
Startup module: 0X00020008
Windows Defender or another antivirus program can block EAC. Add firewall and antivirus exceptions for the game and anti-cheat executables.
For a default installation, the listed paths are:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Gray Zone Warfare\GZW\Binaries\Win64\GZWClientSteam-Win64-Shipping
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Gray Zone Warfare\GZWClientEAC
C:\Program Files (x86)\EasyAntiCheat_EOS\EasyAntiCheat_EOS.exe
Create a program rule
Open Control Panel → System and Security → Windows Firewall → Advanced Settings → Inbound Rules → New Rule. Choose Program, select Next, and browse to the game executable above.
Allow the connection
Select Allow the connection, check Domain, Private, and Public, name the rule GZW, and finish. Repeat for GZWClientEAC and EasyAntiCheat_EOS.exe.
Add antivirus exceptions
Add exceptions for the same three executables in your antivirus application.
Game Security Violation Detected: #00000022
This launch error occurs when third-party antivirus software blocks EAC startup, particularly with Avast or Norton. The same blocking can leave the game stuck on the loading screen without an error.
For Avast, add exceptions for the three executables listed above.
For Norton 360, open Security → Advanced → Antivirus → Exclusions → Add and add:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Gray Zone Warfare\*
If Norton continues blocking EAC, its additional troubleshooting step is Security → Advanced → Behavioral Protection, then disable that protection.
Executable exceptions and disabling Behavioral Protection change your system's protection coverage. Keep these changes specific to the EAC launch-blocking problem rather than treating them as required crash fixes.
Easy Anticheat not Installed
Install EAC using the setup executable inside the game's EasyAntiCheat directory.
- Open
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Gray Zone Warfare\EasyAntiCheat. - Right-click
EasyAntiCheat_EOS_Setup.exeand select Copy as path. - Press Windows + R and paste the copied path.
- Append a space followed by
install 320d5d3f30f5495ebae73a8c74bc349d. - Press Enter, approve the setup prompt with Yes, and wait up to 30 seconds before launching the game.
Keep the quotation marks around the copied executable path. Do not add quotation marks around the appended installation argument.
What should you do about the Gray Zone Warfare invalid game executable path error?
Verify the game files as a basic launch check, then include the exact Invalid game executable path message and displayed path in a support report if the game still cannot start. Do not substitute the procedure for a different path error.
Invalid game executable path and Game is installed in a path that is too long are different messages. The shorter-path and Windows long-path steps below apply to the latter.
For Game is installed in a path that is too long, a file path exceeding 150 characters can cause reading problems, performance issues, or crashes. Move the game to a location with a shorter path. Alternatively, in Windows 11, open Settings → System → Advanced and turn Enable long paths on.
For a persistent launch error or crash, send the exact message with your PC details. To create a diagnostic file, open Start, enter dxdiag, wait for the diagnostic to finish, and select Save All Information.... Attach that text file to your support report. If the game offers to forward crash information, send it too.
Once you can launch and stay in a session, continue with Gray Zone Warfare death and gear recovery before your next deployment.
FAQ
The troubleshooting route depends on the symptom: silent desktop exits, GPU errors, memory pressure, and EAC launch failures need different checks. Begin with Windows and GPU updates plus Steam file verification, then follow the exact error.
Remove the WindowsClient configuration folder and clear Steam's download cache. This resets graphics settings and keybindings, so configure them again and start with the lowest graphics preset.
Game updates address leaks; automatic paging helps Windows cope when physical RAM fills up. Enable Windows-managed paging, leave enough disk space for the displayed allocation, close unnecessary applications, and restart your PC.
Read the full message and code first. 0x0002000A points toward conflicting programs, 0X00020008 uses firewall and antivirus checks, and #00000022 concerns antivirus blocking EAC startup.
Choose the fix by the exact displayed code rather than the word “action.” If the message says Easy Anticheat is not installed, run its setup executable with install 320d5d3f30f5495ebae73a8c74bc349d, approve the prompt, and wait up to 30 seconds.
Perform Steam file verification as a basic check, then send the exact error and path with a diagnostic report if startup still fails. The 150-character threshold and long-path setting belong to the separate installation-path-too-long error.