Emily Bennett
How To Fix PC Shuts Down or Restarts While Playing PEAK on Your Computer
If PEAK keeps throwing a tantrum and cause your PC to shut down or restart unexpectedly, you’re probably not dreaming. This seems to be a common headache. The game or app might be clashing with your hardware, drivers, or obscure Windows settings. Sometimes it’s just a matter of tweaking a few things—other times, more serious reboots are needed. This guide covers a bunch of steps that have actually worked for struggling users trying to keep PEAK stable. Expect to get a better idea of what’s going on and hopefully some solutions that actually stick.
How to Fix PEAK Crashing or Restarting in Windows
Modify Launch Options to Force DirectX 12 Mode
This one’s kinda weird, but forcing the game to run with DirectX 12 can sometimes fix weird crash-restart loops. Windows or GPU driver conflicts often mess with the default rendering mode, causing instability. Setting this helps the game use a more compatible graphics API if your hardware supports it and if other settings aren’t working. You’ll want to go to your game in Library, right-click, then choose Properties. Under the General tab, you’ll find Launch Options. Enter: -force-d3d12. If you’re on Steam, that’s how to do it. Launch the game and see if it’s more stable. On some setups, this helps immediately; on others, it’s a *bit* hit or miss. Keep in mind, if your system isn’t fully compatible, this might not save the day, but worth a shot.
Try Proton with Wined3D Emulation for Compatibility
If you’re running on Linux or via Steam Play, and DirectX 12 gives you trouble, you can try enabling Proton with Wined3D. It tricks the game into using OpenGL instead of DirectX, which might be more stable. To do this, add PROTON_USE_WINED3D=1 to your launch options in Steam, along with forcing DirectX if possible. It essentially bypasses some DirectX issues, but results vary depending on your GPU and driver. On one setup it worked, on another, still crashed. But hey, worth a try if traditional methods fail.
Workaround Campfire Crash in the Tropics Area
This one’s kinda weird and specific, but some users swear it prevents crashes in that certain zone. When entering the Tropics, look down, and keep looking down until you’re about to climb or interact. Then, light the campfire, look away from the loading zone, and once “The Forest Day 2” appears, start turning around slowly. This is more about avoiding specific load triggers that crash the game. Remember, avoid hitting Alt + Tab during gameplay, as it tends to cause issues. Also, lowering your FPS (say, to match your monitor’s refresh rate) by editing the launch options or in-game settings can help keep things smoother. Sometimes, turning down graphics helps too – because the game just can’t handle high settings at certain loads.
Set Your Monitor to the Correct Resolution
Because of course, Windows has to make it harder than necessary, make sure your display is set to a supported resolution like 1920×1080 or 2K in Display Settings. Sometimes, the game stutters, crashes, or restarts because it can’t handle weird resolutions or aspect ratios. Dropping the resolution to standard size usually stabilizes things, especially if you’ve got a high refresh rate monitor or multi-monitor setup causing conflicts.
Run in Windowed Mode to Avoid Fullscreen Glitches
If full-screen is causing crashes, try forcing windowed mode. Add to the Launch Options: -screen-fullscreen 0 -screen-width 1920 -screen-height 1080. That’ll make the game run in a window instead of full-screen, which on some setups can sidestep certain graphics driver bugs or overlay conflicts. Expect less styling but more stability. Not everyone is into this, but it’s a pretty straightforward fix.
Clean Up Registry Settings That Might Be Hurting
Sometimes, leftover registry entries from previous installs cause trouble. Open Run (Windows + R), type regedit, and hit Enter. Then, navigate to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Landcrab\Peak. Delete all entries starting with “Screenmanager” or similar. This forces the game to regenerate fresh settings next launch. Of course, messing with the registry isn’t a joke—back this up first, or risk making things worse.
Backup Game Files and Reset Settings
If your config files are corrupted, the game might keep crashing. Head over to C:\Users\\AppData\LocalLow\LandCrab\PEAK—you’ll need to show hidden folders. Copy that folder somewhere safe, then delete or rename it. This resets settings without uninstalling. On some machines, this clears up known issues with game data conflicts. Just remember, you’ll have to redo graphics or control tweaks afterward.
Make Sure Antivirus Isn’t Blocking Things
Sometimes, Windows Security or your third-party antivirus might block the game files or suspiciously interrupt execution. Add the PEAK executable to your exceptions list. For Windows Defender, go to Settings > Virus & Threat Protection > Manage Settings > Add or Remove Exclusions. Select the PEAK folder or main EXE. In other antivirus programs, look for similar options. Especially if the game launches but then crashes after a few seconds, this could be the culprit.
Run as Administrator – Because Windows Likes to Block Stuff
Right-click the game’s executable and choose Run as Administrator. Sometimes, Windows needs extra permissions to access certain files or folders. If launching normally causes weird crashes or errors, this might resolve it. On some (not all) setups, it can make a surprising difference.
Verify Game Files for Corruption
Corrupted game files are another common cause. In Steam, right-click PEAK, go to Properties, then Local Files. Click Verify Integrity of Game Files. Wait for the process to complete—this replaces any missing or corrupted files. Not glamorous, but it can fix a surprising amount of instability.
Update Graphics Drivers
Outdated drivers cause all sorts of headaches. Visit [NVIDIA Download](https://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us) or [AMD Support](https://www.amd.com/en/support) to grab the latest drivers. On Nvidia, use GeForce Experience for auto-updates if you prefer. On AMD, their software does the scanning. Clean, current drivers often fix graphics glitches, crashes, or black screens.
Use Dedicated Graphics Card & Set Preferred GPU
Make sure the game runs on your beefier GPU. In Graphics Settings (Windows 10/11), add PEAK, then set to High Performance. This can eliminate performance dips or crashes caused by using integrated graphics, especially on laptops or multi-GPU setups. Not all systems automatically pick the right GPU, so this step helps ensure better stability.
Disconnect Unnecessary Peripherals
It’s more common than you’d think: extra controllers, USB devices, or external screens can confuse the game or overload the system. Unplug everything you don’t need—preferably restart, then launch PEAK again. Sometimes, system interrupts caused by peripherals are enough to cause crashes.
Disable Overclocking & Check Hardware Temperatures
If your CPU, GPU, or RAM are overclocked, they might be unstable. Reset all overclocks to default. Also, monitor system temperatures during gaming (tools like HWMonitor work well). Overheating can trigger shutdowns or restarts. Keeping hardware cool is crucial for stability.
Keep Windows up to Date & Install Redistributables
Make sure Windows is fully patched: Settings > Update & Security > Check for updates. Also, install the latest Visual C++ Redistributable packages from Microsoft’s official site. Missing runtime libraries can cause crashes or resets.
Adjust Virtual Memory
Sometimes Windows needs a little extra breathing room. Head to Advanced System Settings > Performance > Settings > Advanced > Virtual Memory. Choose Custom size and set a value around 1.5× your RAM for initial size and 3× for max. This helps avoid crashes caused by RAM shortages during intensive loads.
Reinstall as Last Resort
If nothing else works, uninstall PEAK, delete leftover files in the installation folder, then reinstall fresh. A cleaner install can fix deeper corruption or broken configs. Installing on an SSD helps speed up loading, which could indirectly reduce crashes.
Extra Tips & Common Troubleshooting Notes
While troubleshooting, keep an eye on your connections, make sure your power supply isn’t giving you grief, and monitor system temps. Background apps like browsers or other resource-heavy programs can interfere. Disconnect unnecessary devices if the game still acts up. Overclocking is a no-go unless you enjoy frequent instability.
Wrap-up
Fixing random shutdowns or restarts in PEAK requires patience — and a bit of trial and error. Starting with graphics mode tweaks, driver updates, and system cleanup usually gets the job done. Sometimes, it’s just about eliminating all possible conflicts and making sure everything’s up to snuff. Hopefully, this shaves off a few hours of frustration for someone trying to keep the game stable.
Summary
- Force DirectX 12 mode with
-force-d3d12 - Try Proton with Wined3D if on Linux
- Adjust resolution and fullscreen settings
- Clean registry entries and reset game settings
- Add the game to antivirus exceptions
- Run the game as admin
- Verify game files and update your GPU drivers
- Use dedicated GPU & disable overclocking
- Keep Windows and redistributables up to date
- Adjust virtual memory if needed
Final Words
While PEAK can be temperamental, going through these steps should help stabilize things at least most of the time. If issues persist, it might be worth reaching out on forums or checking for game updates, because sometimes developers roll out fixes for these kinds of bugs. Good luck, and hopefully, PEAK stops crashing just when things are getting interesting.