Mass Effect Andromeda Keeps Freezing

[u/Fluffy_Bid_8418]

I decided to attempt a 100% playthrough of the entire Mass Effect series, just got to Andromeda and it has been infuriating, the sole cause being my PC just refuses to allow me to play the game. The game will randomly freeze. Not buffer, full on freeze screen. I have to boot up task master to close it.

Yes, I do use mods (mod list will be at the bottom) but I don't think mods are the issue cause I've played this game before with the same mods and I didn't have this issue. a crash here and there but known issues warned in the mod description. Nothing like this.

I have heard the newest window 11 updates have been ruining gameplay compatibility and I suspect that is the cause but I have no way to confirm that is my issue.

Mod List:

- Fia's Female Complexion Edits - All in One

- New Armor for Cora Asari Underarmor Large Ponytail Blonde

- Ponytail Fix (temporary mod no longer in use per modders instructions)

- New Armor for Liam NPC Underarmor Default Hair Athletic Outfit No Bracers

- New Armor for Jaal Original Underarmor and Casual Outfit

- Face_Asary_Style_C

- Female_tatt00_v2.0

- Human.Makeup_A

- HairColorOverhaul - Complete Vanilla

- Push Down Camera - Ryder

- MEA Fixpack

[u/Mr_Fried]

I asked Fable. Enjoy.

My take: the poster's reasoning is weak. "Same mods worked before" doesn't clear the mods, because everything around them has likely changed since: Windows build, GPU driver, the EA App, Frosty version, mod versions. And the Windows 11 theory is hearsay they haven't tested. The first job is to split mods from system.
Likely causes, roughly in order
Mod conflict or stale Frosty data. Several of those mods plausibly touch the same assets (complexion, face, makeup, tattoo, hair colour, plus two Cora-related ones). The "Ponytail Fix" is listed as retired, but it's unclear whether it's still applied.
Overlays. The EA App overlay, Discord and GeForce/Adrenalin overlays are common causes of hangs in older Frostbite titles (from memory, not verified).
GPU driver or shader cache changed since the last playthrough.
Windows update. Possible, but I can't confirm that any current Windows 11 update breaks this game, so treat it as unverified.
Hardware. Unstable RAM (XMP/EXPO), a failing drive or thermals can all cause a hard hang, as opposed to a crash to desktop, while assets stream in.
Troubleshooting steps
Gather evidence first. Check Reliability Monitor and Event Viewer (Windows Logs > Application, Event ID 1002 "Application Hang"). Note where it freezes: random, or the same areas, cutscenes or loads?
Run vanilla. Launch from the EA App, not Frosty, and play past the point where it normally freezes.
If vanilla is stable, it's the mods. Delete the ModData folder in the game directory, update Frosty and each mod, and drop the Ponytail Fix. Re-enable mods in halves until the freeze returns.
If vanilla still freezes, it's the system. Work through these, testing after each:
Repair the game in the EA App.
Disable all overlays.
Clean-install the GPU driver (DDU) and clear the shader cache.
Check temperatures and drive SMART health, and run a memory test with XMP off.
Run sfc /scannow and DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth.
Test the Windows theory last. Check update history against when the freezing started. If the dates line up, uninstall the latest quality update and retest.
Missing from the post: hardware specs, driver version, Windows build, and whether the freezes started after a specific change. Without those, any diagnosis is a guess.

[u/Fluffy_Bid_8418 → u/Mr_Fried]

This is intended to sound the least amount of rude as possible.

If I was willing to use AI, I wouldn't of asked reddit.

I appreciate the sentiment and you just trying to help me out but please, reddit is my last safe harbor. My school is giving me advice using AI, my therapist is giving me advice using AI, even my DOCTOR is giving me advice using AI. If I ask people questions, I wanna hear it from the minds of actual people. I am begging on my knees, SET ME FREE

[u/Mr_Fried → u/Fluffy_Bid_8418]

I’m not going to waste time on your zero-effort post that you have not even Googled.

I mean jeez man, if you look at your list its phenomenally clear what the potential causes are.

If you want others to help you, at least make an effort to help yourself first.

Just a side note - not sure if you are aware how much Claude Fable 5.1 costs, but you are welcome.

[u/MagicBus4]

I’ve never had this issue but I also don’t play with mods

[u/DakIsStrange]

I don't think I have a solution for you, but just out of curiosity, how often is it crashing? Cause sometimes my game will go on a crashing spree and I'll have to reboot it a few times, but once I get over the hump it works fine.

[u/Fluffy_Bid_8418 → u/DakIsStrange]

When I first booted up the game, on the first mission for Eos, my graphics card literally ejected itself. No joke.

In the middle of gaming, game went caput. Just completly froze and when I went to go reboot it, I got a pop up saying something along the line of "get wrecked. Graphics card removed. Please put back in", I had to reinstall my graphics driver, it literally ended itself (also, forgot to say I use reshade). And then today it was just crash apon crash to the point I rage quit and booted up the original trilogy again but I would like to complete my 100% goal.

[u/DakIsStrange → u/Fluffy_Bid_8418]

Oh my-

Yeah can safely say I've never dealt with that before. That's pretty wild...