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A startup hang, a freeze during play, and a blank server browser have different likely causes, so there is no single fix for every Garry’s Mod problem. Start by identifying when the issue happens and whether it affects single-player, all multiplayer servers, or just one server. Then follow the matching checks below.
First, identify what is failing
Before changing settings, note the symptom and its scope. Does Garry’s Mod (GMod) freeze before the menu, while loading a map, or after play begins? Does it also happen in single-player, or only online? Can you see servers but not join one, or is the server list blank? Facepunch’s crash guidance uses whether a problem happens in single-player or multiplayer as a useful diagnostic detail.
- Before the menu: follow the startup checks.
- During a map or session: test without addons and check for memory errors.
- Blank server list: check filters and compare other server browsers.
- One server only: look for version or required-content messages.
Facepunch: How do I report a crash?
GMod freezes at startup or on the “Finished” screen
Rule out overlays
Facepunch says overlay software can interfere with GMod. As a diagnostic, disable overlays such as Discord Overlay, or exit programs such as RivaTuner Statistics Server and MSI Afterburner, then launch the game again. If the hang stops, re-enable those programs one at a time to identify the conflict.
Reset the game configuration
- In Steam, open your Library, right-click Garry’s Mod, and choose Properties.
- In General, find Launch Options and enter
-autoconfig. - Start GMod and see whether it reaches the menu.
- Remove
-autoconfigfrom Launch Options afterward; it is a diagnostic reset, not an option to leave enabled routinely.
If the game freezes at the “Finished” startup screen, Facepunch also advises checking that subprocesses such as awesomium_process.exe are not configured to run as administrator. Windowed mode or forced-resolution launch options may help with a black screen or display initialization problem, but they do not address every in-game freeze or connection failure.
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Facepunch: Garry’s Mod is freezing on the Finished screen
Freeze or crash while playing: test without addons
Workshop and legacy addons can introduce errors or instability. Test a clean launch before reinstalling the game: disabling addons this way does not delete their files.
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- In Steam, open Library, right-click Garry’s Mod, and select Properties.
- Under General, add
-noworkshop -noaddonsto Launch Options. - Start GMod and try to reproduce the freeze or crash in the same map or situation.
- Remove both options after the test to restore Workshop and legacy addons.
If the problem disappears, re-enable content in groups and then individually until you find the addon that triggers it. Report the error and what you were doing to that addon’s creator. If the issue still occurs in a clean launch, collect the console log or crash dump, the map or server involved, and steps to reproduce it for a crash report.
Facepunch: How do I report a crash? · GMod command-line parameters
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“Lua Panic: Not Enough Memory” or another memory-related crash
Facepunch describes “Lua Panic: Not Enough Memory” as GMod running out of RAM to work with. The cause may be limited system memory or a content-heavy, poorly optimized server. Its support page, updated July 19, 2023, says the game needs 2–3 GB of free RAM and references Steam requirements of 4–8 GB installed. Treat those as figures from that page, not as a current independent benchmark; check the current Steam system requirements for up-to-date requirements.
- Close other memory-intensive programs and reduce graphics settings, especially Texture Detail.
- Disable addons you are not using.
- Restart GMod after playing on a different server or in single-player.
- Try the
x86-64beta branch through Steam’s game properties. - If the PC is below the requirements, consider a compatible RAM upgrade. Compatibility depends on the computer’s motherboard or laptop model.
Facepunch separately identifies vertex or index buffer lock errors as VRAM-related, so those errors should not automatically be treated as the same RAM problem.
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Facepunch: Lua Panic: Not Enough Memory
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Co-op or multiplayer is not working
Steam lists Garry’s Mod as supporting online and LAN co-op. That does not mean every friend-hosted session failure has one universal fix. First distinguish a blank browser from a failure to connect to any server or an error from one particular server.
The server browser is blank
- Reset the browser to its default filters; an overly restrictive filter can hide servers.
- Check whether GMod can connect to any server.
- See whether other Source games can display servers, and whether Steam’s server browser works.
- If those browsers work but GMod does not, inspect firewall rules and allow GMod through the firewall. Facepunch also lists system-level blocking of Valve’s master server as a possible cause.
Do not leave firewall protection disabled after testing. Restore it and create an appropriate allow rule instead.
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Facepunch: I can’t see any servers in the server browser
You can see servers but cannot join one
If only one server fails, read the exact message. A newer- or older-version error means the server needs to update; Facepunch says players cannot downgrade GMod to match it, so wait for the server to update. Checkerboards or ERROR signs point instead to missing mounted game content or Workshop addons. Ask the server administrators which content is required.
Facepunch: Common Garry’s Mod Issues
Workshop content is missing or will not load
Facepunch documents a Steam-wide Workshop loading issue that can make the addon list show “Nothing Found.” Some users report that synchronizing their computer’s date and time fixes it, but that is not guaranteed. If the issue persists, check Steam’s service status or contact Steam Support.
Server owners have a separate content-distribution option: the GMod wiki describes using a Workshop collection and configuring clients to download collection maps and gamemodes. Its documentation says cfg/srcds_workshop_ids.txt is new with server version 2026.09.22 or newer. This is server-side setup, not a client-side fix for freezing.
Quick Recap
GMod wiki: Workshop for Dedicated Servers
Use the symptom pattern to narrow the cause
| What you observe | Most useful first test | What the result suggests |
|---|---|---|
| Hangs before the menu | Disable overlays; test -autoconfig |
A startup software conflict or configuration issue is more plausible. |
| Freezes during play; clean launch works | Run with -noworkshop -noaddons |
Re-enable content in groups to isolate an addon. |
| Memory panic, especially on a content-heavy server | Reduce Texture Detail, disable unused addons, restart, and check available RAM | Memory pressure or server content may be involved. |
| GMod browser blank, other browsers work | Reset filters, then inspect GMod firewall access | GMod-specific filtering or blocking is more plausible. |
| Only one server fails or shows missing assets | Read its version and content errors; ask its administrators | The server may need updating or may require additional content. |
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