Is Dune: Awakening Crashing? A Simple Guide to a Possible Fix!

Are you a huge fan of Dune: Awakening but constantly getting frustrated by unexpected crashes that ruin your gameplay? You’re not alone! Many players experience random crashes, and it can be a real pain. Good news – we might have a simple solution for you!

Dune: Awakening Crashing? Fix It with This Simple VRAM Tweak!

This guide will walk you through a possible fix that seems to help with these crashes, especially if they’re related to how your computer handles graphics memory (VRAM). It’s a quick adjustment, and even if you’re not a tech wizard, we’ll make it easy to follow.

Disclaimer: This fix has worked for some players, but it’s not a guarantee for everyone, and we recommend following the steps carefully. If you encounter any issues, you can easily undo the changes.

Why Does Dune: Awakening Keep Crashing? The VRAM Story

It turns out that many of these crashes in Dune: Awakening might be linked to how the game manages your graphics card’s memory, also known as VRAM (Video Random Access Memory). Think of VRAM as your graphics card’s workspace. If the game tries to use too much of this space, or doesn’t manage it efficiently, it can lead to crashes.

This guide provides a setting adjustment that helps limit how much VRAM the game uses for things like streaming textures (the detailed images you see in the game) and temporary memory. By giving your VRAM a bit more breathing room, you might just stop those annoying crashes!

Your Step-by-Step Guide to a Possible Crash Fix

This fix involves adding a couple of lines of text to a specific file on your computer called Engine.ini. Don’t worry, it’s not as complicated as it sounds!

Step 1: Find Your Engine.ini File

The first thing you need to do is locate the Engine.ini file. Its location depends on whether you’re using Windows or Linux.

If you’re on Windows:

1. Open your File Explorer.
2. In the address bar at the top, type or paste the following path and press Enter: %LocalAppData%\DuneSandbox\Saved\Config\WindowsClient\

If you’re on Linux (especially through Steam Play/Proton):

1. Open your file manager.
2. Navigate to this folder: ~/.steam/steam/steamapps/compatdata/1172710/pfx/drive_c/users/steamuser/AppData/Local/DuneSandbox/Saved/Config/WindowsClient/

Once you’re in the correct folder, you should see a file named Engine.ini.

Step 2: Edit the Engine.ini File

1. Open Engine.ini: Double-click on the Engine.ini file to open it. It will likely open in Notepad (on Windows) or a similar text editor.
2. Scroll to the End: Go all the way to the very bottom of the file.
3. Add the New Settings: Copy and paste the following lines exactly as they are, right at the end of the file:[/script/engine.renderersettings] r.Streaming.PoolSize=XXX r.Streaming.MaxTempMemoryAllowed=YYY

Step 3: Calculate Your VRAM Values (XXX and YYY)

Now, this is the crucial part. You need to replace XXX and YYY with numbers based on your graphics card’s total VRAM.

• Find Your Total VRAM: If you’re not sure how much VRAM your graphics card has, you can usually find it in your graphics card settings (e.g., NVIDIA Control Panel, AMD Radeon Software) or by checking your system information (search for “DxDiag” in Windows). Common VRAM amounts are 4GB, 6GB, 8GB, 12GB, etc.
  • Important: Convert your VRAM to Megabytes (MB).
    • 1GB = 1024 MB
    • So, 8GB VRAM = 8times1024=8192 MB.
• Calculate XXX: This should be half of your total VRAM (in MB).
  • Example: If you have 8GB (8192 MB) VRAM, then XXX = 8192/2=4096.
• Calculate YYY: This should be a quarter of the XXX value (the half of your total VRAM).
  • Example: If XXX is 4096, then YYY = 4096/4=1024.

Let’s do another example: If you have 6GB (6144 MB) VRAM:

• XXX = 6144/2=3072
• YYY = 3072/4=768

Once you’ve calculated your specific XXX and YYY values, replace them in the lines you pasted.

So, if you have 8GB VRAM, your added lines would look like this:

[/script/engine.renderersettings]
r.Streaming.PoolSize=4096
r.Streaming.MaxTempMemoryAllowed=1024

Step 4: Make the Engine.ini File Read-Only

This step is important to prevent the game from overwriting your new settings.

1. Save the file: In your text editor (e.g., Notepad), go to “File” > “Save.”
2. Close the file.
3. Right-click on the Engine.ini file in your folder.
4. Select “Properties.”
5. Under the “General” tab, find the “Attributes” section.
6. Check the box next to “Read-only.”
7. Click “Apply” and then “OK.”

And that’s it! You’ve applied the possible fix.

Important Considerations for VRAM and Game Settings

While this fix helps manage VRAM, it’s also crucial to ensure your game settings match your graphics card’s capabilities.

• Don’t Max Out Everything! If you only have, say, 8GB of VRAM, don’t set all your in-game graphics options to “Maximum” or “Ultra.” Doing so would leave very little VRAM for other essential processes, even with this fix.
• Global Illumination: This setting can be a real VRAM hog. If you’re still experiencing crashes or performance issues, try reducing the “Global Illumination” setting in the game’s graphics options. Finding a good balance here can significantly improve stability.

This adjustment helps limit how much VRAM is specifically used for streaming textures and temporary memory resizing, giving your system more breathing room.

What if It Doesn’t Work or Causes Problems?

This is a test, and it has worked for many, but it’s not a universal solution. If you find that Dune: Awakening still crashes, or if you encounter new problems after applying this fix (like graphical glitches), don’t worry! You can easily undo the changes:

1. Go back to the Engine.ini file’s location.
2. Right-click on the Engine.ini file.
3. Select “Properties.”
4. Uncheck the “Read-only” box. Click “Apply” and “OK.”
5. Open the Engine.ini file again.
6. Delete the lines you added:[/script/engine.renderersettings] r.Streaming.PoolSize=XXX r.Streaming.MaxTempMemoryAllowed=YYY
7. Save and close the file.

Your Engine.ini file will be back to its original state.

Give It a Try!

We hope this guide helps you enjoy Dune: Awakening without those frustrating crashes. It’s a community-tested potential fix, and while we can’t promise it’ll work for every single PC out there, it’s definitely worth trying.

Let us know in the comments if this fix worked for you or if you have any other tips to share with the Dune: Awakening community! Happy gaming on Arrakis!

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Last Updated on July 7, 2025