[PC] Forza Horizon 4 unable to launch FIXED

[Sebastiantho]

Problem:

I have over the past couple days struggled trying to launch Forza Horizon 4 on PC. The game crashes within 10 seconds of opening it. That is, before reaching the starting menu.
I have tried:

- Reinstalled game four times (one on administrator account)
- Reinstalled Xbox app & microsoft store completely
- Updated Microsoft store
- Updated Windows 10
- Gained ownership of gamefolder
- Restarted PC
- Tried 5 different GPU drivers (Namely: 399.24, 411.63, 411.70, 416.16 & 416.34)
- Tried launching from a different windows user
- Disabled AntiVirus(AVG)
- Disabled Firewall
- Disabled all software running in the background
- Uninstalled all software that could interfere with the game, notably: EVGA Precision X & Wallpaper Engine. 
- Launched from an Administrator user
- Installed and uninstalled random app on Windows Store
- Running WSReset.exe

- Plugged out all but one monitor
Specs:

Windows 10 PRO N 64-bit, version 1709, OS Build 16299.726
i7 4770k @ 3,5 ghz
Geforce EVGA 780 Ti
16gb HyperX memory
DirectX 12

Crashlogs from eventviewer:

https://pastebin.com/20ZEyeHG
https://pastebin.com/Z7LwKQ6b

 

This thing puzzles me. I have been in contact with both xbox and microsoft, neither of which has been very helpful. If anyone of you is able to decode the crashlogs or has any insight I have not already attempted, this is my desperate call for help. 

[Techicolors]

are you running msi afterburner and rivatuner as game launches? 

[Sebastiantho]

2 minutes ago, Techicolors said:

are you running msi afterburner and rivatuner as game launches? 

No. I have never used either of those. As mentioned, I have tried closing every background program running. I did use EVGA Precision X which supposedly has had issues too, however I have completely uninstalled it in attempt of making it work.

[homeap5]

Is game installed on C drive? If not - try it.

[Sebastiantho]

3 hours ago, homeap5 said:

Is game installed on C drive? If not - try it.

Don't have space on C drive. It's got 120 gbs, so it'd be impossible to make space for 64 gb.

[homeap5]

8 minutes ago, Sebastiantho said:

Don't have space on C drive 

Well, previous version of Horizon run only from C. Known annoying bug. So this time is probably the same - C installation (default path) is the only option.

 

If you have no space on C drive and you have another unused HDD, you may clone your SSD system to HDD just for this one game.

[Sebastiantho]

1 minute ago, homeap5 said:

Well, previous version of Horizon run only from C. Known annoying bug. So this time is probably the same - C installation (default path) is the only option.

Previous as in Horizon 3? I played that game with no issue.

[homeap5]

2 minutes ago, Sebastiantho said:

Previous as in Horizon 3? I played that game with no issue.

Well, you was lucky. But many other players are not so lucky. And it starts from some Windows version, I don't remember exactly.

Anyway - you asked, I answered.

[Sebastiantho]

Just now, homeap5 said:

Well, you was lucky. But many other players are not so lucky. And it starts from some Windows version, I don't remember exactly.

Well surely that can't be it. If some can play it on a different drive, it must be a different reason no?

[homeap5]

6 minutes ago, Sebastiantho said:

Well surely that can't be it. If some can play it on a different drive, it must be a different reason no?

First - try, then prove me wrong.

 

[Sebastiantho]

Just now, homeap5 said:

First - try, then prove me wrong.

 

Well I can't try. Windows takes up like 100gb of my available 120.

[homeap5]

1 minute ago, Sebastiantho said:

Well I can't try. Windows takes up like 100gb of my available 120.

You can use second HDD with cloned system as I suggest. Or just change your SSD to bigger one - 100 of 120 is too much and your SSD will become slower.

[Sebastiantho]

10 minutes ago, homeap5 said:

You can use second HDD with cloned system as I suggest. Or just change your SSD to bigger one - 100 of 120 is too much and your SSD will become slower.

Well seems I proved you wrong anyway. I literally just found the "fix" for me at least. By disabling all audio devices I was able to successfully launch the game. But I'm not sure if I even want to play without sound. Do you know of any way I can enable sound mid game? Simply enabling it doesn't give me sound when it's already running.

[homeap5]

10 minutes ago, Sebastiantho said:

Well seems I proved you wrong anyway. I literally just found the "fix" for me at least. By disabling all audio devices I was able to successfully launch the game. But I'm not sure if I even want to play without sound. Do you know of any way I can enable sound mid game? Simply enabling it doesn't give me sound when it's already running.

You'll prove me wrong if you found a way to run full game from second drive with sound. I only reacted to symptoms you described and that are familiar.

[Sebastiantho]

59 minutes ago, homeap5 said:

You'll prove me wrong if you found a way to run full game from second drive with sound. I only reacted to symptoms you described and that are familiar.

Well I just did. It seems the game has issues with Realtek. So by enabling razer surround sound and disabling Realtek I was able to have it launch. However razer sorround doesn't provide audio itself, therefore I was able to re-enable Realtek once the game had opened and since razer surround was already connected it was able to take Realtek as its source and bam, audio. 

[homeap5]

45 minutes ago, Sebastiantho said:

Well I just did. It seems the game has issues with Realtek. So by enabling razer surround sound and disabling Realtek I was able to have it launch. However razer sorround doesn't provide audio itself, therefore I was able to re-enable Realtek once the game had opened and since razer surround was already connected it was able to take Realtek as its source and bam, audio. 

Congratulations. My suggestion is - find some forums that people have similar problem and it may be really good solution for some guys.