How to Fix Device Removed Error in Alan Wake 2

The “Device Removed” error message in Alan Wake 2 typically occurs if the system’s graphics card is overclocked or undervolted. These modifications can affect the card’s stability and, consequently, the performance of new games.

The error message “Fence value is UINT64_MAX” offers no clear solution, leading to confusion. However, this article will present a straightforward set of methods to permanently resolve the issue.

1. Disable the Second Monitor (if applicable)

When encountering the “Device Removed” error message, begin by disabling your secondary monitor, as this issue is caused by a game bug that requires a patch from the developers.

Until the issue is resolved, users with a dual monitor setup must disable their secondary screen. Unfortunately, Windows does not provide an option to do this automatically, so you will need to manually disconnect the secondary display before playing the game.

Alternatively, you could try turning off the monitor using the power button to see if it resolves the issue.

2. Disable Ray Tracing (if applicable)

Ray tracing enhances a game’s graphics by realistically simulating shadows, refractions, and reflections of objects. However, inconsistent implementation may lead to various game crashes.

To disable Ray Tracing in Alan Wake 2, please follow these instructions in the settings menu:

1. First, open Alan Wake 2 on your PC.
2. Then, navigate to the Options menu.

   

3. Switch to the Graphics tab at the top.
4. Finally, scroll down to the bottom and select Off from the Ray Tracing Preset to disable it.

   

5. Once you do that, see if the problem persists. 

3. Update Graphics Drivers

Another cause of the device removed crashes with Alan Wake 2 can be the graphics drivers on your system. This can occur quite commonly when the video drivers are obsolete or corrupted. Corruption in the video drivers can be caused by several things, such as recent Windows updates, and more. 

Using an outdated driver for Alan Wake 2 may lead to compatibility issues, potentially causing the game to crash and display a “device removed” error message. To resolve this, you should update your graphics drivers to the latest version.

Follow the instructions below to do this:

1. Start by downloading the third-party Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) utility from the official website here. 
2. Then, open the downloaded file and extract it.
3. Navigate to the folder and run the Display Driver Uninstaller.exe file. 
4. This will start DDU. Click on Continue when the Options screen comes up.

   

5. After that, start by selecting GPU from the Select device type menu.

   

6. Then, choose the brand of your graphics card from the subsequent menu.

   

7. Click the Clean and restart button to remove your current video drivers.

   

8. When your PC boots up, go to your manufacturer’s website.
9. Download and install the new drivers and see if the error message appears again.

4. Remove Overclock/Undervolt

Overclocking or undervolting your components, when done properly, can significantly enhance system performance or reduce overheating.

Overclocking can enhance performance but may compromise system stability, particularly in games that are not optimized for overclocked components. This can lead to crashes and errors like the one described.

To fix this issue, remove any overclocking or undervolting from your components, particularly your graphics card. Then run the game to check if the crashes persist.

5. Perform a Clean Boot

The background apps and services on your system can also affect the performance of Alan Wake 2 on your PC, a situation that is becoming more frequent with the rising number of programs running in the background.

In this scenario, you can initiate a clean boot that starts your system with only the essential Windows services, thereby blocking all third-party applications on startup.

To determine if the error message is caused by a background program, perform a clean boot and observe if the problem persists. If the error does not occur in a clean boot state, identify and remove the conflicting program. Follow the instructions below for a clean boot procedure:

1. Press the Windows key + R on your keyboard.
2. This will bring up the Run dialog box.
3. Then, type in msconfig and press Enter.

   

4. Use the System Configuration window to switch to the Services tab.
5. Now, tick the Hide all Microsoft services checkbox.

   

6. With the system services hidden, click Disable all to block additional services on startup.
7. Click Apply to save the changes.
8. After that, switch to the Startup tab and use the Open Task Manager link.

   

9. Use the Task Manager to disable third-party startup programs by selecting them one by one and clicking the Disable option.

   

10. Once you do that, restart the computer. 
11. After your PC boots, see if the problem is still there. 

You can resolve the error message using the above methods. If the issue persists, we suggest contacting Alan Wake 2‘s support team for additional assistance. They will be better equipped to guide you through the problem.