GTA III Troubleshooting

This page contains problems that several GTA Forums users have had with Grand Theft Auto III along with various solutions that have fixed their problems. If you have an error with your game and the solution isn't below or didn't work for you, then please feel free to post your problem in the Help and Support forum so that we can help identify and solve your problem.

Note: This list supplies problems and solutions for the unmodded version of Grand Theft Auto III only. If you have an error with any modifications you have, post in the appropriate Modding Forum.

Exception error occurs following the blue Rockstar Games intro

Solution: Download and apply the official GTA III 1.1 Patch.

Error occurs when loading saved games

Solution: Download and apply the official GTA III 1.1 Patch.

Custom Mouse Sensitivity does not save with other settings

Solution: Download and apply the official GTA III 1.1 Patch.

Audio will not play directly from the Hard Disk Drive

Solution: Download and apply the official GTA III 1.1 Patch.

A ddhelp.dll internal error occurs

Solution: Disable any onboard sound cards.

GTA III Crashes after a certain amount of time for no specific reason

Solution: End all non-essential processes running on your computer through Task Manager. Advice: Defragment your hard drive and check for things such as spyware and viruses.

No fire and/or explosions occur when they are supposed to

Solution: Turn on 'Frame Sync' and turn off 'Frame Limiter'.

Rampages are not appearing

Solution: You may have a cut version of Grand Theft Auto III. Download a Blood Patch to fix the error. Also Note: Rampages spawn at an alternative locations if attempted previously. Check the second location for the rampage(s) you are looking for.

The Player continuously spins and spins around without stopping

Solutions: Check for any controllers or devices that may have fallen down a small space or have a button pressed in accidentally. Unplug devices that you are not using for Grand Theft Auto III. Make sure the 'Z Axis' and throttle options on your controller are set to 0%.

Installation Errors. A CRC or data cab error (or similar) occurs when trying to install/run the game

Solutions: This is an indication of a read error. Inspect your disc and try to remove all scratches, smudges, marks etc. It may be a fault of the drive itself, in which case you'll have to replace it with a functioning one. End all non-essential processes, including anti-virus and Window Blinds. Empty the temporary folder on your hard drive (typically C:\Windows\Temp). Close any emulation-type software such as VMWare. If you are using Windows 98 or SE, turn off Active Desktop (if it is on). If you have an alternative disc drive, try installing from that. Some drives have compatibility problems with newer copy protection schemes. You should also update the firmware drivers for your disc drive.

An Unhandled Exception error occurs

Solutions: You will not be able to load old save files with a modded main.scm. If you are using Windows Blinds, you may have to disable it.

When running the executable, the screen just flashes. gta3.exe appears in the task list for a moment

Solution: Delete the gta3.set file found in the Documents folder of your PC.

When using a sniper rifle, it just goes 'bang'. The bullets don't fire. All the other weapons work correctly

Solutions: Uninstall the Blood Patch if you have it installed. End any programs such as trainers for the game.

GTA III will not run after installation

Solutions: End all non-essential processes running on your computer through Task Manager. Go to Device Manager and look for "secdrv". If a big yellow question mark (indicating hardware with no driver) stands next to it, delete it. Set the compatibility mode of the executable file to 'Windows 98'.

Grand Theft Auto III seems to be running extremely fast

Solutions: Set the compatibility mode of the executable file to 'Windows 98'. Turn on 'Frame Limiter' Set the affinity of the running gta3.exe process to one core rather than two.

There are problems changing the resolution of GTA III

Solutions: Delete the gta3.set file found in the Documents folder of your PC. Set the compatibility mode of the executable file to 'Windows 98'. Uninstall any additional media codecs you may have installed previously.

Sounds echo in the game

Solutions: Update your sound drivers. Set the compatibility mode of the executable file to 'Windows 98'. Change your hardware sound acceleration to a different setting. Through Control Panel, disable any volumetric or advanced audio effects that may be enabled in your sound configuration.

The mouse doesn't work during GTA III Gameplay. The pointer may move while browsing the game menus, but cannot click, and scrolling doesn't work

Solution: ALT+TAB out of the game, and then return to it.

GTA III will not work on Windows Vista or XP

Solutions: Update your video and audio drivers. Set the compatibility mode of the executable file to 'Windows 98'.

Saved games are not located in the typical My Documents\GTA3 User Files\ directory (often when running Windows Vista or newer)

Solutions: Look in the C:\Users\Public\ folder. Look in the C:\Program Files\Rockstar Games\ folder for a folder called 'Data'. Set the compatibility mode of the executable file to 'Windows XP SP2' and select "run this program as an administrator". 

Cheats don't work when playing on Xbox 360 despite typing them correctly

Solution: Type in the cheats but replace the black and white buttons with the left and right bumpers.

The Vehicles in the Steam copy of GTA III have dark textures

Solution: In order to fix the problem, just follow these steps: Make a copy of your "particle.txd" file in the following directory: "PATH_TO_STEAM\steamapps\common\grand theft auto 3\models\" Download the "particle.txd.zip" file from the following location. Unpack the "particle.txd" file from the ZIP archive. Replace your original "particle.txd" file with the downloaded one.

A Non-German copy of GTA III is 'censored' on my PC/Console

Solution: Make sure that your PC/Console Regional Settings are not set to a German Location and make sure that your keyboard layout settings aren't on German either.

There is faulty sound in the menu of the game

Solution: Re-install the game.