GTA IV freezes sometimes, but there's a fix

by Jem Alexander { Apr 29th 2008 at 10:30AM }

Disaster! Panic! One of the biggest releases of the year and people are having problems? That almost never happens. Sometimes. Reports are coming in of Grand Theft Auto IV freezing during, and just after, the opening cutscene. Weirdly, anecdotal evidence is revealing that the issue seems to be exclusive to the 60GB version of the PS3. How frustrating!

Don't worry, there's a fix. Rockstar has stated that simply deleting your game data and then reinstalling will fix the issue. So if you're being plagued this particular bug then give that a go and see what happens. If it works, let us know. If it doesn't, then let us know that too. If you can keep the tears back long enough to type out a comment, that is.

Tags: bug, grand-theft-auto, grand-theft-auto-4, grand-theft-auto-iv, gta4, gtaiv, ps3

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)

thinkofmeasmra @ Apr 29th 2008 10:38AM

Crazy...luckily i havent experienced any problems so far. Also the online play is insaaaane. Add me if you'd like to play...The name's KillaRizzay

Lee Cascio @ Apr 30th 2008 3:49PM

I spoke to Rockstar support and they did NOT issue a fix to delete your game data and re-install. The tech support person claimed that in fact would NOT resolve the issue. The problem exists with other PS3 models, including 20 and 80Gb model, further it is a problem with the 360 as well. I have the problem with my 60Gb PS3 but have a friend who had the same exact problem on his brand new 360. In both cases the music would keep playing, the controller would become non-functional (requiring a hard boot of the system). On the PS3 the graphics freeze, on the 360, the graphics may go blank.

habsfan @ May 3rd 2008 3:23AM

i didnt even played online.... i was about 30% complete 80g US PS3

richie l @ May 3rd 2008 7:37PM

I had the same problem and found that playing the game when signed out of the ps network fixed it, no freezing at all. Problem is , dont u have to be signed in to play online. come on rockstar sort it out .You have made a school boy error with this one.

Brian @ Apr 29th 2008 10:38AM

I have the 6GB version. . . I am on my third time installing the game data. First it would freeze during the opening movie, after the first delete and reinstall of the game data i go to play for a split second after i skipped the movie, then after the third try on the game data it froze just down the street from the starting point. . . very frustrating but if it is a problem with just the 60gb i guess i wont exchange the game for a new one and just wait patiently for a patch?

Brian @ Apr 29th 2008 10:40AM

60gb version*

Robert @ Apr 29th 2008 11:02AM

Not sure if this will fix it, but when I started for the first time Uncharted, the machine froze, and I was unable to start it ever. The only solution that worked was to backup everything to an external hard disk using the PS3 backup tools, reset the console to factory defaults and restore from backup. I think sometimes the internal state of the disk is wrong and cause game problems

I have the 60GB model

Eric E @ Apr 29th 2008 11:22AM

I swapped my 60 for a 160gb hard drive, so i should be good right?
RIIIIGHT?

Lars @ Apr 29th 2008 3:21PM

Same here, except I put in a 250Gig. Hopefully I don't have problems when I get around to picking up the game.

dakkon08 @ Apr 29th 2008 7:09PM

I've tried reinstalling 3 times...nothing works. I own the 60GB version. I guess I should wait for a patch...sweet deal. If anything this is a limited fix and Rockstar needs to make an official statement consoling people that they're working on a patch, not just recommending a crude, lazy fix.

Brian @ Apr 29th 2008 9:06PM

Update: I went to my Gamestop and got a new game. I reinstalled all my game data with the new game and it still freezes in while i watch the opening video or if I skip the video to the game play it freezes on the first turn in the road. Quite upset and I am going to try to back up and restore my ps3 next. Wish me luck.... :(

Brian @ Apr 30th 2008 1:29AM

Ok yea restore did nothing same freeze same place just a waste of a nice evening. thanks Rockstar for testing your game on the 60gbs. I shouldn't say that because my friend has a 60gb and it is playing just fine but my PS3 isn't broken it plays all my other games so who knows what the problem is?

habsfan @ May 3rd 2008 3:21AM

I confirm for the PS3 80g US version, i bought the game the 29th and it played fine for 2 days (over 10 hours) now today the game would freeze after 5 min or even sometimes during the first loading.... trying the fix ill be back at you for more

True_Darknight @ Apr 29th 2008 10:44AM

soooo wait this is the one time where having BC is messing with ya?? sheesh

Anyways add me too!!!

PSN ID : True_Darknight

heck between this and CoD4.. i think my GF will dump me!!!

P.S.- Walmart got at least 50 copies per store ... and the guys are just runnign around with a cart full of games... go get some!!!

Rafael @ Apr 29th 2008 10:47AM

I have a 60gb that i got when it first came out.
I was playing last night until 3am and didn't have a single problem.

danielgird @ Apr 29th 2008 10:49AM

I have a 60gb PS3 and I haven't experienced any freeze!!! Only 1 installation of 8 minutes! yeah!! Only some 60gb??? Weird!

RedRedSuit @ Apr 29th 2008 10:49AM

Unfortunately, this didn't work for me, at all. It was the first thing I tried. I deleted the game data, the game save data, and then reinstalled... same thing. Freeze (with sound still playing) at most 30 seconds into the intro (or, if I skip the intro, 5 seconds into the game -- even if I just enter the menu).

oomp @ Apr 29th 2008 10:57AM

Did not work for me. 60 gig. 2 different discs. 3 times each.

Daniel @ Apr 29th 2008 10:58AM

Wow...I'm going to get it at 10AM I have a 60gb I hope this doesn't happen to me...

Saeed @ Apr 29th 2008 10:58AM

hmm strange, i got my game this morning and have been playing it for around 4 hours now, everything works fine and not even one crash at all, i have the launch console (60gb) which i bought for £425 on the 1st day it came out

is this happening all over the world or is it a specific region?

Rowdehaj @ Apr 29th 2008 11:35AM

I think it's only the 60GB ones with the Emotion Chip? USA models?

Saeed @ Apr 29th 2008 1:05PM

Oh right, feel sorry for them, hopefully there will be a patch soon

RPMd70 @ Apr 29th 2008 5:39PM

california's copies seem to work fine...
a few buddies of mine own the launch 60gb and no problems yet...
i myself own a 60gb and i've been playing for at least 5 hours.

koehler83 @ Apr 29th 2008 11:01AM

Its the Dualshock 3 on 60GB units thats doing it!

LAREDO @ Apr 29th 2008 11:41AM

I have the 60gb and a white Dualshock 3. No problems here

thinkofmeasmra @ Apr 29th 2008 11:51AM

I have a 60gb and a black DS3 I imported months ago from Hong Kong (I live in Canada). Not a single problem....

nawoj @ May 7th 2008 9:17PM

i have a 60gb with no dualshock... and it still freezes...

so im fairly certin its not the dualshock.

adolson @ Apr 29th 2008 11:03AM

See, y'all shoulda just got the 360 version like Yoon. It is the superior version, after all. Right, Andrew? Right?!!

Gaucho @ Apr 29th 2008 11:06AM

oooooh . . . snap!

deaftly @ Apr 29th 2008 5:29PM

Thats what im doing!

MarcMarcMarc @ Apr 29th 2008 11:05AM

Yeah, according to the people I know that are experiencing the problem, the whole delete and reinstall thing DOES NOT work. I've seen 5 people with the problem online and a personal friend of mine has it, too. They've all tried the delete and reinstall method to no avail. They're now stuck with a completely unplayable game.

jrlkrudco @ Apr 29th 2008 11:08AM

did not work. and

koehler83 said...

Its the Dualshock 3 on 60GB units thats doing it!

I doubt that! that should not make a game freeze

foleyjo @ Apr 29th 2008 11:11AM

I think rockstar are just trying to buy some time before the reports of the GTA 4 launch disaster is highlighted in the media.
I have had 2 copies of the game. Deleted all the game and save data and reinstalled many times and even restored system settings which means I now have to redownload the games Ive purchased from the PSN Store.(Warhawk and its updates)
The game still freezes.
Maybe its something to do with the PS2 compatability of the 60gb PS3's

Almyn @ Apr 29th 2008 11:13AM

I've had 1 freeze so far on my 60gb European machine.It was after about 20 mins of play, Just as i hopped on a bike. The video froze but the sound continued to play.

As i won't be able to play anymore until later i deleted the install, Hopefully i'll have no more problems.

oomp @ Apr 29th 2008 11:13AM

Just talked to R* and they said - "No Solutions as of yet - we'll email you."

Tye Roberts @ Apr 29th 2008 11:17AM

I have an entirely different problem. I bought my copy from a Blockbuster Video in Alberta last night at 12:05 AM. I brought it home, played it for hours and went to bed. This morning - I awake to find that MY PSN ID HAS BEEN SUSPENDED!!

Something like ; Access to the PLAYSTATION NETWORK has been suspended. Try to sign in later.

Anyone else get this? What the heck is going on? I'm in the Mountain time zone (obviously) so I'm not sure I understand - people out east could have been playing it even earlier!

RedRedSuit @ Apr 29th 2008 11:17AM

Tried it with Sixaxis instead of DualShock 3. Didn't work. Still froze right as I was about to start driving.

Trym @ Apr 29th 2008 11:21AM

I have the 60GB launch version, but I switched my HDD with my old 120GB notebookHDD... Works fine here:/

james @ Apr 29th 2008 11:37AM

got mine a little early, played for a couple hours last night and everything worked great.. about to go home for lunch and play it for a bit, i'll post if there is anything f-ed up.

i have an original 60g but i dont have the dualshock

RedRedSuit @ Apr 29th 2008 11:40AM

Called R* support (866-405-5464). They said it seems to be the 60GB that exhibits the problem, but they don't know why and are going to look at it ASAP. Soothing British accent, too. Gave me a reference number and took my email.

shagee @ Apr 29th 2008 11:45AM

I have a US second shipment 60GB with a 250GB HDD and was playing with a
DualShock 3.

Played about 2 hours without any issue.

RickyVeiga @ Apr 29th 2008 11:49AM

I have de 60g european version and i didnt have any major problems. It is strange, it seems only a especific group of ps3's have that problem. The only thing i experience is that it slows a little if the psn connection drops and try to reconnect, otherwise, didnt seen nothing else wrong, and i'm played 6h already without disconnect.

One thing could be the hardware, so, everybody that have that problem should say what is your serial number of the console, like: my is Ps3 73-****bla bla bla...to see if it is a especific hardware problem of that group of ps3's.

Other thing you guys should try is to put you ps3 horizontal, like this --- and not like this | , because it chills more that way.