Skyrim frequently experiences crashes.
Skyrim frequently experiences crashes.
Issue: After a fresh save from the beginning of the game, using only the official DLC and patches (total 12 files), I reached a point where my hands were free. I made a few saves, used console commands to whiterun, tried adding mods like Skyrim Mod Combiner and SkyUI, increased my carrying capacity to test stability. I loaded the file outside Whiterun and what happened? A crash. I disabled everything more than a dozen times, removed most additions, left just DLC and patches, but still faced crashes when loading Whiterun. Other areas like Angi's Camp and Broken Fang Cave worked, but Embershard Mine or returning to Whiterun caused crashes. My Skyrim is still fresh, but I haven't used the DLC with TES5Edit. My rig specs are fine, yet I still need more than enough to run Skyrim.
I utilize Loot, likely the successor to BOSS, for this task. The load sequence comes from Loot, and I expect BOSS to provide equivalent results.
You haven't tried LOOT yet, but if you're using sorting tools it might be the order causing the crash. Does LOOT indicate which files require cleaning with TES5Edit? If not, BOSS will help. Regarding TES5Edit, you mentioned not using it on the official DLCs—have you used it elsewhere? It could highlight missing .esp files, as many mod setups need separate patches. Verify you followed all installation steps correctly for each mod. Even with Nexus Mod Manager or Wrye Bash, some mods come with their own patch installers that must run separately afterward. If everything else checks out, the safest approach is to test each mod individually until you identify the problem.
It's not related to a load order issue; the game wouldn't launch otherwise. Verify your ugridstoload value in the ini file and ensure it's configured at five. For improved results, ask your question at the nexus—Skyrim remains highly active there.
Not always accurate, I experienced crashes during certain stages when entering specific areas, especially near Whiterun like the OP did. The issues resolved after manually adjusting the load sequence after defeating bosses. A few of these mods are quite sensitive in that way.
Also, Exyia has a valid observation—monitor the task manager while the game runs and observe how much memory Skyrim consumes.
because you mentioned using SMC (skyrim mod combiner), it's quite possible to exceed the texture limit and hit the 3.1gb mark. this is especially true if you chose the highest resolution textures for each mod and included most of them. many new users start with SMC, load everything at the highest settings, and combine them all. although it appears good, it consumes a lot of memory even on a 1080p display where you could realistically use around 3gb of VRAM. on my rig, which was designed for Skyrim, I don’t worry about VRAM usage.
The issue arises because Skyrim copies textures from VRAM into system RAM, and when the system RAM surpasses 3.1GB for the game, performance drops significantly. The community fixed this with a solution called ENBoost, which prevents excessive texture loading. I've reached 3.1GB VRAM several times and usually try to stay under 4GB.
Reviewed all Skyrim Mod Combiner textures in 1k, 2k, and 4k resolutions to check performance impact.