[Fixed] ARK Survival Ascended Fatal Error EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION

Encountering the dreaded Fatal error: Unhandled Exception: EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION reading address 0x000000120000007 in ARK Survival Ascended can be incredibly frustrating. This fatal error essentially crashes your game and stops you from playing.

The good news is that this error can often be fixed with a few simple troubleshooting steps. Here’s how you can fix the EXCEPTION ACCESS VIOLATION crash in Ascended.

What is ARK Survival Ascended EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION Error?

The EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION reading address 0x000000120000007 is a runtime error that occurs when a program attempts to read or write to a memory location that it does not have access to. This results in a crash.

ARK Survival Ascended Fatal Error EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION
ARK Survival Ascended Fatal Error EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION

In ARK Ascended, this error is often caused by mods, graphics driver issues, hardware problems or memory-related bugs. Identifying the trigger and applying the right fix is key.

The key details in the full error code are:

  • EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION– This signals that the game tried to read or write to a memory address it shouldn’t have.
  • Reading address 0x0000001200000077– This hex code shows the invalid memory address being accessed. It will vary.
  • Unhandled Exception– The game couldn’t handle or recover from the illegal operation, leading to a crash.

Common Causes of ARK Survival Ascended EXCEPTION ACCESS VIOLATION error

Some common triggers for this Unhandled Exception: EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION reading address 0x0000001200000077 error in Ark Survival Ascended include:

  • Corrupt or missing game files resulting in incorrect memory access.
  • Game code bugs trying to dereference invalid pointers.
  • Incompatible mods overwriting parts of memory.
  • Graphics driver issues confusing memory addresses.
  • RAM problems leading to memory corruption.

How to Fix ARK Survival Ascended Fatal Error

Follow these troubleshooting steps to resolve the fatal error EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION in ARK Survival Ascended:

1. Update Your Graphics Drivers

Outdated graphics drivers are a common trigger for this ARK error. Head to your graphics card manufacturer’s website and download the latest drivers. Nvidia and AMD release new drivers frequently.

2. Verify Game File Integrity

Corrupted game files can cause crashes. Use Steam to verify and restore mod files:

  • Launch Steam and go to Library > Right click ARK Survival Evolved > Properties > Local Files tab.
  • ClickVerify Integrity of Game Files. This scans and replaces any damaged or missing game files.
ARK Survival Ascended Verify Game File Integrity
ARK Survival Ascended Verify Game File Integrity

3. Disable Mods and Custom Content

Mod conflicts are a leading cause of ARK crashes. Boot the game in single player with all mods disabled. If this fixes your crash, re-enable mods one by one to identify problematic mods.

4. Adjust Ark Graphics Settings

Lower graphic intensive settings like resolution, textures and view distance. Also, disable motion blur. Reduce settings until you find a stable configuration.

5. Update Windows and Reinstall DirectX

Keep Windows updated and reinstall DirectX. You can find the DirectX web installer on Microsoft’s website. Update your GPU drivers after this.

ARK Survival Ascended windows update
ARK Survival Ascended windows update

6. Run a Memory Test

Use Windows Memory Diagnostic to check your RAM for faults. Unstable memory can cause random crashes including EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATIONS reading address 0x000000120000007.

If nothing works, your last resort may be completely reinstalling ARK Ascended and deleting leftover files. Also check your CPU temperature. Overheating can destabilize games.

Contact Support – October 27, 2023

If you still get fatal crashes after trying all basic fixes, it’s time to seek help from the developer community. By methodically applying common fixes, you should be able to resolve the annoying Fatal error EXCEPTION_ACCESS_VIOLATION in ARK Survival Ascended.

Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson
Jack Johnson mainly writes about game-related news and updates. He is a passionate gamer, music lover, and traveler.
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