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Crash codes, logs & fixes

Practical fixes distilled directly from elripalda/RecompLauncher docs/TROUBLESHOOTING.md and real GitHub issue reports (#151-#190): exit codes, dump region mismatches, Linux runtimes, and log locations.

Decode crash exit codes Find game-output logs
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281,568 GitHub release downloads
Win · Linux · Mac v0.90.0-beta.47 GPL-3.0
Exit codes 70, 2 & 0xC0000005Set Up & dump folder errorsRepair Runtime & FUSE2Log file paths
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Common crash exit codes from GitHub issues

When a recomp exits unexpectedly, RecompLauncher catches its process return code and displays a crash window. Here is what the recurring codes reported on GitHub Issues actually mean.

Exit code Reported examples Root cause Verified fix
-10737418190xC0000005 #170, #172, #173 Windows memory access violation inside the game binary or injected overlay (ReShade / GPU HUD). Update Vulkan / D3D12 GPU driver, disable ReShade Looks temporarily, and verify your ROM/ISO matches the exact region/revision listed under Before You Play.
-10737409400xC0000374 #156, #160 Windows heap corruption inside an upstream game port or mod plugin. Disable third-party mods, run Reinstall on the game page (saves remain), or pin one version earlier in the game's Versions list.
code 70 #151, #153, #178 EX_SOFTWARE fatal initialization failure (missing extracted assets, incomplete base + update merge, or missing switch.prod-keys). Re-run Set Up with an uncorrupted base dump and matching key file; check game-output/<game>.log for the exact missing file path.
code 1 / code 2 / code 3 #164, #181, #188 Startup argument, missing Python interpreter on script-launched ports, or moved custom executable. Update to v0.90.0-beta.47 (Beta 46–47 fixed custom Program it starts paths #168 and Python detection).
code 138 / code 139 #152 POSIX signal crash (SIGBUS / SIGSEGV) on Linux or macOS. Check disk free space in ~/Games/Recomp Library, verify Vulkan/Mesa or Metal support, and test switching between native Linux build and GE-Proton if both exist.

Fixing Set Up & dump recognition errors

Step-by-step checks when a game shows Setup Required or rejects your local game file (`#190`, `#177`).

Selected dump or folder rejected

  • Read Before You Play on the game's detail view: many static recomps (for example US 1.0 N64 ROMs or specific Title Updates) hash the exact byte layout of one retail revision and reject PAL, Rev 1, or trimmed dumps.
  • If your disc image is compressed in .chd, .cso, .zso, or .rvz, update to v0.90.0-beta.47 so Easy Setup automatically generates an uncompressed working image.
  • On Flatpak Linux, if you select a dump outside ~/Games, the file chooser portal passes a /run/user/<uid>/doc/... path; moving the dump into ~/Games avoids portal permission edge cases.

Downloads or launcher updates failing

  • Every download is checked against GitHub's SHA-256 digest; a corrupted transfer is discarded automatically. Pause and resume from Downloads after checking free space on your Recomp Library drive.
  • On native Linux packages (.deb and Arch .pkg.tar.zst), package files live under root-owned /usr/bin/recomplauncher, so clicking Update Now opens the release download rather than overwriting system files in place.
  • On macOS and AppImage Linux, Beta 47 (`#167`) preserves error reporting if an automatic self-update rolls back.

OS security blocks & Linux runtime repairs

Linux Proton 'Repair Runtime'

If Windows-only recomps fail to launch on Linux or Steam Deck because the Steam Runtime or GE-Proton archive was interrupted, open Settings > Repair Runtime and launch the game again.

macOS Gatekeeper & Windows SmartScreen

On macOS, never disable Gatekeeper system-wide; use System Settings > Privacy & Security > Open Anyway. On Windows, verify SHA-256 first, then choose More info > Run anyway.

Controller not responding

Close external XInput remappers (DS4Windows, Steam Desktop lizard-mode overrides if running outside Steam) so RecompLauncher's built-in SDL3 layer sees raw gamepad events without double-input.

Where to inspect logs before opening an issue

When the crash screen appears, its built-in send button routes logs to the launcher maintainer and upstream game author. To inspect them manually, check these paths:

Platform Launcher data folder Key log files inside
Windows %APPDATA%\com.recomplauncher.app game-output\<game>.log, looks\<game>\ReShade.log
Linux / SteamOS ~/.local/share/com.recomplauncher.app game-output/<game>.log, proton/pfx/ Wine/Proton logs
macOS ~/Library/Application Support/com.recomplauncher.app game-output/<game>.log + game folder via Open Its Folder

Still blocked? Search existing reports on GitHub Issues or share your crash log in the RecompLauncher Discord.

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Troubleshooting FAQ

Where are RecompLauncher crash logs stored on disk?

Open %APPDATA%\com.recomplauncher.app (Windows), ~/.local/share/com.recomplauncher.app (Linux), or ~/Library/Application Support/com.recomplauncher.app (macOS). Inside game-output/, each recomp has its own stdout/stderr log file, and you can also submit logs directly from the crash screen.

What do exit code 70 and -1073741819 mean on crash?

Exit code -1073741819 (0xC0000005 STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION on Windows) and exit code 70 (EX_SOFTWARE internal runtime error, seen in issues #151, #153, #178) come from the game recomp process itself, typically caused by an unsupported game dump revision, missing console keys, an outdated GPU Vulkan/DX12 driver, or incompatible ReShade hooks.

How do I fix Windows-only recomps failing to launch on Linux?

Open Settings and run Repair Runtime so RecompLauncher re-verifies the Steam Runtime, umu-run, and GE-Proton inside ~/.local/share/com.recomplauncher.app/proton/pfx.

Does reinstalling a game in RecompLauncher delete my save files?

No. Clicking Reinstall from a game's page replaces the program binaries while keeping your save data intact.