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So, I decided to take a break from Lara Croft and play DAO instead. But DAO seems to crash to desktop every five minutes. (I'm using the EA app, which I have to because the Origin app doesn't exist any more).

I looked up how to solve this, and found that I had to run an exe file to free more RAM for this game (which I did), and to delete the cache (which I did). But the game still crashes, although not as often as it did before.

Any ideas what's going on here? Why does DAO keep crashing? Thanks ...

Rath Darkblade wrote: ↑Sat Feb 28, 2026 1:40 am So, I decided to take a break from Lara Croft and play DAO instead. But DAO seems to crash to desktop every five minutes. (I'm using the EA app, which I have to because the Origin app doesn't exist any more).

I looked up how to solve this, and found that I had to run an exe file to free more RAM for this game (which I did), and to delete the cache (which I did). But the game still crashes, although not as often as it did before.

Any ideas what's going on here? Why does DAO keep crashing? Thanks ...

I've not used the EA App in... I dunno how long. I have it on the EA App (just opened up the EA App). But I always played it locally because I also got it free (awhile ago) on GoG. I will always play it locally than through an app of some kind. If I had a choice between GoG for example (not using Galaxy) and some other App (EA, Epic, etc) - I'd always go local. Just because playing through the App (including Galaxy) just introduces other elements that could be the problem.

When it crashes, does it just close with no error? Or is it giving some kind of error code? Does EA App register crash logs?

I believe it's because your PC wants to see Laura Croft...

You might have better luck on EA's forums. The game came out in 2009, so there are bound to be issues when running on a newer system with an OS that didn't exist at the time.

Tawmis wrote: ↑Sat Feb 28, 2026 6:53 pm

Rath Darkblade wrote: ↑Sat Feb 28, 2026 1:40 am So, I decided to take a break from Lara Croft and play DAO instead. But DAO seems to crash to desktop every five minutes. (I'm using the EA app, which I have to because the Origin app doesn't exist any more).

I looked up how to solve this, and found that I had to run an exe file to free more RAM for this game (which I did), and to delete the cache (which I did). But the game still crashes, although not as often as it did before.

Any ideas what's going on here? Why does DAO keep crashing? Thanks ...

I've not used the EA App in... I dunno how long. I have it on the EA App (just opened up the EA App). But I always played it locally because I also got it free (awhile ago) on GoG. I will always play it locally than through an app of some kind. If I had a choice between GoG for example (not using Galaxy) and some other App (EA, Epic, etc) - I'd always go local. Just because playing through the App (including Galaxy) just introduces other elements that could be the problem.

When it crashes, does it just close with no error? Or is it giving some kind of error code? Does EA App register crash logs?

Well -- first of all, I installed a few mods from Nexus Mods, for more quests, more weapons, that kind of thing. I know that complicates matters, but these mods are apparently reputable and supposed to be stable and not interfere with each other, so. *shrug* I'm aware that makes things more complicated (and just might be the reason for the game breaking), but so far, I haven't seen any issues, other than the CTD (Crash to Desktop). But then, I experienced lots of CTDs with this game before installing mods, too.

Anyway ... when it crashes, it often doesn't give any error at all. (It often happens when I try to load a game; the game would not load, but simply crash-to-desktop, and when I try again, I get the same result, plus an error saying "We cannot start this game at this time. Try again later"). The only past this, I found, was to load an earlier game, which is annoying.

Either that, or the game crashes in the middle of a fight with no error, which is very irritating. (I read up on it and found that it needed more RAM, as above).

But I tried playing again now, and the game works fine. How strange. *shrug* I only tried to complete two or three side-quests, though, before I quit. Hopefully it will keep working.

By the way ... is it a bad idea to Alt+Tab between DAO and the desktop? I sometimes did that, because I had a page or two open in a browser to show a solution to a side-quest. (Yes, I was cheating).

By the way #2: is it possible to beat the game without recruiting any party members at all (even the dog)? Or recruit them, but then cheese them off so much that they leave? (I know that's not how the game is supposed to be played, but I'm just wondering).

Tawmis wrote: ↑Sat Feb 28, 2026 6:53 pm I believe it's because your PC wants to see Laura Croft...

Um, Lara, not Laura, unless you mean Laura Bow: Tomb Raider.

Rath Darkblade wrote: ↑Sun Mar 01, 2026 6:09 am Well -- first of all, I installed a few mods from Nexus Mods, for more quests, more weapons, that kind of thing. I know that complicates matters, but these mods are apparently reputable and supposed to be stable and not interfere with each other, so. *shrug* I'm aware that makes things more complicated (and just might be the reason for the game breaking), but so far, I haven't seen any issues, other than the CTD (Crash to Desktop). But then, I experienced lots of CTDs with this game before installing mods, too.

So.

First thing.

Remove the mods.

Try Dragon Age: Origins WITHOUT the mods.

Then ONE by ONE, add the mods, and see if one is causing the crash.

They may be "reputable" - but MODS could clash with one another, and to NBS's point, they may not be compatible with the current OS.

Tawmis wrote: ↑Mon Mar 02, 2026 11:11 am

Rath Darkblade wrote: ↑Sun Mar 01, 2026 6:09 am Well -- first of all, I installed a few mods from Nexus Mods, for more quests, more weapons, that kind of thing. I know that complicates matters, but these mods are apparently reputable and supposed to be stable and not interfere with each other, so. *shrug* I'm aware that makes things more complicated (and just might be the reason for the game breaking), but so far, I haven't seen any issues, other than the CTD (Crash to Desktop). But then, I experienced lots of CTDs with this game before installing mods, too.

So.

First thing.

Remove the mods.

Try Dragon Age: Origins WITHOUT the mods.

Then ONE by ONE, add the mods, and see if one is causing the crash.

They may be "reputable" - but MODS could clash with one another, and to NBS's point, they may not be compatible with the current OS.

I think I found the answer. Based on this question:

Rath Darkblade wrote: ↑Sun Mar 01, 2026 6:09 am By the way ... is it a bad idea to Alt+Tab between DAO and the desktop? I sometimes did that, because I had a page or two open in a browser to show a solution to a side-quest.

The short answer is yes, but there are ways around it. (From DAO Reddit)

There's also an answer to my second question:

Rath Darkblade wrote: ↑Sun Mar 01, 2026 6:09 am By the way #2: is it possible to beat the game without recruiting any party members at all (even the dog)? Or recruit them, but then cheese them off so much that they leave? (I know that's not how the game is supposed to be played, but I'm just wondering).

From DAO Reddit again: Yes, but it's very hard. Since the game forces you to take Alistair with you (but everyone else can either be dismissed or even killed), it is possible to solo through the game.

One person even sided with Loghain (so Alistair leaves), refused Morrigan's ritual (so she leaves), and sacrificed himself to the dragon at the end ... so the only person left is Loghain. I wonder what happens in the aftermath, then. Imagine everyone hailing Loghain as their hero ...