1 hour+ to load saved games [Windows 10, Steam]

@richard_cosgrove 

Did you had ME installed over Origin before?

If yes, did you uninstalled the Origin copy before you installed with Steam? 

If you move the save games out of the "...Documents\BioWare\Mass Effect" folder, is the game starting normally? 

"Did you had ME installed over Origin before? If yes, did you uninstalled the Origin copy before you installed with Steam?" No.

"If you move the save games out of the "...Documents\BioWare\Mass Effect" folder, is the game starting normally?" Yes. So long as there's a "Save" folder present, the game runs normally.

- Richard

@richard_cosgrove 

Try to run Origin and if that doesn't help, the game as Administrator. (Right click the Origin shortcut on the desktop > Run as an Administrator.)

If that don't helps preform a clean boot, disable your virus scanner (Do it in offline mode if you have concerns.) and test the Game in clean boot mode.

@holger1405 Thanks for the advice.

I ended up getting so annoyed at ME, that I uninstalled before I received your reply.

I've reinstalled it via Steam and manually added it to my Origin launcher using its CD key. This also deleted all my save games.

The game now seems to be running properly, if I disable UAC and Windows' anti-virus utility, have Origin running, and start the game by running masseffectlauncher.exe as an administrator – not by starting it via Steam.

UPDATE: I posted too soon. I just tried to play Mass Effect, and it froze while loading my last save game. Same issue as before.

I did try your suggestions, including a clean boot, but the problem remains.

- Richard

@richard_cosgrove;  Don't play through Steam.  Try direct from Origin.

@richard_cosgrove 

Additional to @ThandalNLyman, please create a DxDiag in text file format and post it with your next reply. You can do that  with the "Choose file" button at the bottom right corner of the reply window. 

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richard_cosgrove wrote:

This also deleted all my save games.

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This is strange.

The game still loads normally if you don't have a safe in the folder?

Run "chkdsk" on your the drive the "Documents" folders are on:

• Press the Windows key and "X" at the same time.
• Choose "command prompt (Administrator)" or "Power shell (Administrator)"
• At the prompt, copy and paste "chkdsk x: /f /r" (Without the quotes, change x to the drive letter of the drive the "Documents" folders are on.) > ENTER.
• Choose "Y" at the dialogue > Restart the machine.
• Here is a guide on how to find the Chkdsk log after you are back in Windows.

@ThandalNLyman Tried installing ME via Origin and still had the same problem.

@holger1405 Thanks for the advice again, but I think I hit on the solution.

I got sick of messing about with ME, and installed ME2 to see if that worked.

ME2 wouldn't save games. I did some googling and found that adjusting Windows 10's Data Execution Prevention setting sometimes fixed this.

I set DEP to "Turn on DEP for essential Windows programs" and ME2 began saving games and ME loading saved games without issues.

There is a whitelist option for DEP, but Windows 10 won't allow ME2 to be added to the list.

- Richard

@richard_cosgrove; Weird.  I run ME1/2/3/A on Win10/64-Bit with ZERO "special" config actions.  I don't set any "Core Limit", "a/v exclusions (using "Windows Defender" exclusively), "Run as Admin" (although I do use an Admin account), "Windowed Mode", or any other tweaks.

And I do run with the highest graphics settings and many, many mods in all four games.  Have experienced lots of CtDs in Andromeda, but haven't investigated which mod's doing it.  The auto-saves seem bring me back close enough to where it happens that it's not a big deal. 😇

@ThandalNLyman 

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ThandalNLyman wrote:

 Weird.  I run ME1/2/3/A on Win10/64-Bit with ZERO "special" config actions.  I don't set any "Core Limit", "a/v exclusions (using "Windows Defender" exclusively), "Run as Admin" (although I do use an Admin account), "Windowed Mode", or any other tweaks.

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That is no wonder Thandal, "Turn on DEP for essential Windows programs and services only" is set by default after installation.

The only alternative in the GUI is "Turn on DEP for all programs and services except those I select"
"MassEfecct2.exe" needs DEP be turned on or it will not work correctly.

@richard_cosgrove 
You can disable DEP only with a BCDEDIT command at a elevated command prompt or in PowerShell.
If you had not done this manually, I would suggest a search for malicious software.

@holger1405 I think I changed the DEP setting a while ago when I had problems with another game. But regardless, ME is working now. Thanks for taking the time to help. It's very good of you.

- Richard