FIX for EA SPORTS FC 26 Crashes (Error 0xC0000005 / 0xC0000409)
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[GUIDE] FIX for EA SPORTS FC 26 Crashes (Error 0xC0000005 / 0xC0000409) on Intel 13th/14th Gen CPUs
🧩 Symptoms
- The game randomly crashed during matches (sometimes even at kickoff).
- Event Viewer → Application Log showed errors like:
EAAntiCheatService – The game fc26.exe exited unexpectedly, exit code: 0xC0000005 / 0xC0000409. - Fans suddenly ramped up to 100% when matches started.
⚙️ Root Cause
On Intel 13th/14th gen CPUs (e.g. i9-13900K/KF), the Performance cores (P-cores) can boost up to 5.5GHz (55x) by default.
Combined with unlimited FPS, this causes huge power and temperature spikes — leading to instability and game process termination (often reported as an “EA AntiCheat” crash even though it’s really a CPU/voltage timing issue).
✅ Fix (What Actually Worked)
1️⃣ Clean NVIDIA Driver Installation
- Use DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) in Safe Mode to completely remove old drivers.
- Reboot (with internet disconnected).
- Install the driver manually — I used NVIDIA driver 552.44.
- Choose Custom Installation → Perform a clean install (Graphics Driver + PhysX only).
- Reboot again.
2️⃣ Repair EA AntiCheat and Services
- Go to your game folder and run:...\EA SPORTS FC 26\__Installer\EAAntiCheat\EAAntiCheat.Installer→ Click Repair or Install.
- Open services.msc and check:
- EA Background Service → Automatic (Running)
- EA AntiCheat Service → Automatic (Delayed Start)
3️⃣ Lower CPU Boost Ratio (the key step)
Option A – Using Intel Extreme Tuning Utility (XTU):
- Open Intel XTU (v7.14.x)
- Set:
- Performance Core Ratio = 50x
- Efficient Core Ratio = 43x
- Voltage offset = 0.000V
- Click Apply (ignore the “Watchdog” warning message — just proceed).
⚠️ Note: If “Restore tuning after reboot” is greyed out, you’ll need to reapply settings after each reboot or set them directly in BIOS.
Option B – From BIOS (Recommended for persistence):
- Go to Advanced → AI Tweaker → CPU Core Ratio (exact path may vary).
- Set:
- P-Core Ratio = 50
- E-Core Ratio = 43
- Make sure Undervolt Protection = Enabled.
4️⃣ Limit FPS to 120 (to reduce CPU & GPU spikes)
NVIDIA Control Panel → Manage 3D Settings → Program Settings → Add “EA SPORTS FC 26 (fc26.exe)”
- Max Frame Rate → 120 FPS
- Power Management Mode → Optimal Power
- Vertical Sync → On (if your monitor supports 120/144 Hz)
This smooths performance and reduces both heat and fan noise.
5️⃣ (Optional) Monitor Temps & Usage
- GPU ~75–80 °C and CPU under ~85 °C are totally fine.
- Use NVIDIA Overlay (Alt + R) or MSI Afterburner to confirm stability.
🟢 Results
✅ Over 3 hours of gameplay without a single crash
✅ No more “EAAntiCheatService” errors in Event Viewer
✅ Fans and CPU load now remain stable when matches start
🧭 Quick Summary
Step | Action |
---|---|
1 | Clean install NVIDIA drivers (DDU) |
2 | Repair EA AntiCheat + check background services |
3 | Reduce P-core ratio to 50x (via Intel XTU or BIOS) |
4 | Cap FPS to 120 FPS in NVIDIA Control Panel |
✅ | Game stable — no more random crashes |
💬 Final Notes
If you’re still getting the same crash, try dropping the P-core ratio to 49x or ensure your BIOS has Undervolt Protection enabled.
On 13th/14th gen CPUs, this fix completely eliminates the 0xC0000005 / 0xC0000409 crash.
Would you like me to adapt this into a formatted Markdown version (ready to paste into the EA Answers HQ forum with bold text, code blocks, and emojis preserved)? It’ll look much cleaner there.