Fix Star Citizen Error 10002 on Windows 10

Star Citizen is the best space trading video game developed by Cloud Imperium Games. You can enjoy this game on Windows and Linux PC. A few unfortunate players are facing Star Citizen error 10002 when launching the game. While several past server error codes related to deleting, renaming, and verifying multiple game files have helped, these hacks won't help you with this error. This error also occurs when trying to connect to the Star Citizen servers. If you are also facing the same error code, this troubleshooting guide will help you fix the same.

How to Fix Star Citizen Error 10002 on Windows 10

After analyzing a series of troubleshooting guides and reports, we have compiled a list of the culprits causing the Star Citizen error 10002. Go through them and check which one of these causes suits you best.

  • Any temporary glitch or RAM issue on your computer will cause issues when launching the game.
  • Internet connection is unstable or insufficient bandwidth.
  • You do not run the game without administrator rights. Consequently, some features and game options are not available.
  • Several other graphics programs, games or applications are interfering with the game. Therefore, you cannot run the game normally.
  • Several essential game files are corrupted in File Explorer.
  • The version of Windows you are using is outdated or incompatible with it.
  • The graphics drivers are not up to date and are not compatible.
  • Overprotective antivirus and firewall blocking the game.
  • You are using an old version of the launcher, so several important game files are not properly configured on your PC.
  • Corrupted files and settings on the SSD.
  • Corrupted installation data.

Here are some common troubleshooting ideas to help you fix Star Citizen error 10002 on your Windows 10 PC.

System requirements to play Star Citizen

1. Minimum requirements

  • CPU SPEED: Quad-core processor
  • RAM: 16 GB
  • OS: Windows 7 (64-bit) SP1, Windows 8 (64-bit), Windows 10
  • VIDEO CARD: DirectX 11 graphics card with 2 GB RAM (4 GB highly recommended)
  • PIXEL SHADER: 5.0
  • VERTEX SHADER: 5.0
  • DEDICATED VIDEO MEMO: 2 GB

2. Recommended requirements

  • CPU SPEED: Quad-core processor
  • RAM: 16 GB
  • OS: Windows 7 (64-bit) SP1, Windows 8 (64-bit), Windows 10
  • VIDEO CARD: DirectX 11 graphics card with 2 GB RAM (4 GB highly recommended)
  • PIXEL SHADER: 5.0
  • VERTEX SHADER: 5.0
  • DEDICATED VIDEO MEMO: 4 GB

Method 1: Basic Troubleshooting Methods

1A. Restart your computer

The general way to fix all Star Citizen related glitches is to restart your computer. You can restart your computer by doing the following.

1. Enter the Windows Power User menu by simultaneously pressing the Windows + X keys.

2. Now click "Turn off or log out".

3. Finally, click "Restart".

1B. Ensure a stable network connection

An unstable and inadequate internet connection leads to Star Citizen error 10002, and if there are any obstacles or interference between your router and PC, they can interfere with the wireless signal and cause stability issues. Try running a speed test to check your computer's network speed.

Find your network's signal strength and if it's very low, remove any obstacles in the way.

  • Avoid having too many devices connected to the same network.
  • Always buy a modem/router that is verified by your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and they do not conflict.
  • Do not use old, broken or damaged cables. Replace cables if necessary.
  • Make sure the wires from the modem to the router and from the modem to the wall are stable and free from interference.

If you suspect that there is an instability issue, check out our Windows 10 network connection troubleshooting guide to fix the same.

1C. Run Star Citizen as Administrator

If Star Citizen does not have the necessary administrator rights, certain important features of the game will be limited, resulting in you getting Star Citizen 10002 whenever you open the game or install any updates. Follow the instructions below to run the game as an administrator.

1. Right-click the Star Citizen shortcut on your desktop, or navigate to the installation directory and right-click it.

2. Then select the "Properties" option.

3. Now go to the Compatibility tab and click on Run this program as an administrator.

4. Finally, click "Apply" and "OK" to save the changes. Check if you have fixed the Star Citizen error 10002.

1D. Close background tasks

Several users have confirmed that Star Citizen error 10002 can be resolved by closing all background programs and applications running on your Windows 10 PC. To do the same, follow the steps in our How to end a task in Windows 10 guide and proceed according to instructions.

After you have closed all background processes, check if you were able to fix error 10002 in Star Citizen.

Method 2: Delete the USER folder

Many users have reported that Star Citizen error 10002 can be fixed by deleting the USER folder in the file manager. This fixes most integrity issues in the game, and if you assume this scenario applies to you, follow the instructions below to do the same.

1. First, close all background processes on your Windows 10 PC.

2. Then press and hold the Windows + E keys at the same time to open File Explorer and navigate to the Star Citizen installation directory.

This will usually be D:RSI LauncherStarCitizen LIVE.

Note. The above path to the installation directory may be different for all users. You can navigate to the specific local drive (eg C or D) where you have saved the files.

3. Then scroll down and double click on the USER folder.

4. Select all files in the USER folder by simultaneously pressing the Ctrl + A keys and clicking the Delete button.

5. Then go to the trash and empty all deleted files there.

6. Finally, launch the game and complete the login process. Check if you are facing Star Citizen error 10002.

Method 3: Use a new launcher

Many affected users have resolved the issue by using the new launcher to fix all incompatibility issues. So, if you suspect that your launcher is incompatible with the current version of the game, follow the steps below to fix the same.

Note. Before installing the game, be sure to close all background processes associated with the game.

1. Download and install the latest RSI game launcher on your computer.

Note. Make sure the game's launch file is installed in the same location where you installed the game.

2. After installing the game on PC, restart the game, install all updates, and check if the Star Citizen 10002 error reoccurs.

Method 4: Remove RSILauncher from AppData

Sometimes the problem occurs due to some temporary corrupted folders on your Windows 10 PC. When you install a game, the installer creates an update file in File Explorer. In some rare cases, these folders can become corrupted and prevent the game from launching. If you don't know how to remove RSILauncher and RSI folders from your PC, please follow the steps below.

1. Press Windows + E keys together to open File Explorer.

2. Now go to the following location paths.

C:UsersUSERNAMEAppDataLocalC:UsersUSERNAMEAppDataRoaming

Note. Make sure you check the Hidden Items checkbox on the View tab to view the AppData folder.

3. Now locate the rsilauncher and RSI folders, right-click them and select the Delete option.

4. Once you have deleted these folders, restart the game to see if you can fix Star Citizen 10002.

Method 5: Rename the hosts file

Any incorrect RSI entries in the hosts file can cause Star Citizen error 10002. You can fix this problem by removing the incorrect RSI entries from the hosts file as mentioned below.

1. Press the Windows + E keys at the same time to open File Explorer.

2. Now go to the View tab and check the Hidden Items box in the Show/Hide section.

3. Now copy and paste the following path into the File Explorer navigation path. Here, click on the "File name extensions" box in the "View" tab as shown in the picture.

C:WindowsSystem32driversetc

4. Now select and right click on the host file and select the Rename option as shown in the image. Rename the file as hosts.old.

Now the hosts file with incorrect entries will be ignored, and the next time you start the game you will not encounter Star Citizen 10002 errors.

Method 6: Update Windows

If your Windows 10 PC has any errors related to Star Citizen 10002 Windows 10, you might be able to fix the issue by updating your Windows 10 operating system. and install the latest Windows 10 update" and follow the instructions.

After updating your Windows operating system, check if you can run the game without Star Citizen 10002 errors.

Method 7: Update your graphics drivers

Star Citizen is a graphics game and for uninterrupted gameplay, all graphics drivers on your PC must be compatible and up to date. If the drivers are outdated or faulty, you need to update all of them. All the latest driver updates are released from their respective official websites, or you can update them manually. Check out our 4 Ways to Update Graphics Drivers in Windows 10 guide to update all drivers and see if you can fix Star Citizen error 10002.

Method 8: Roll back graphics drivers

If the current version of the graphics drivers is incompatible with your game, then there is no point in updating or reinstalling them. All you have to do is roll back your drivers to a previous version by following our guide How to roll back drivers in Windows 10.

Method 9: Reinstall your graphics drivers

If you are still experiencing Star Citizen error 10002 after updating your graphics drivers, reinstall your device drivers to fix any incompatibility issues. There are so many ways to reinstall drivers in Windows. However, if you don't know how to implement this, check out our How to uninstall and reinstall drivers on Windows 10 guide and follow the same.

After reinstalling your GPU drivers, check if you have access to Star Citizen 10002 errors.

Method 10: Disable Proxy Server

If you have incorrect network settings on your Windows 10 computer, you will encounter Star Citizen error 10002. If you have installed any VPN service or are using proxy servers on your PC, read our guide How to disable VPN and proxy server in Windows 10" and follow the steps in the article.

After disabling the VPN client and proxy servers, check if you have fixed error code 10002. However, if you encounter the same problem, try connecting to a mobile hotspot.

Method 11: Change Windows Defender Firewall settings

Your PC will be subject to Star Citizen error 10002 Windows 10 due to an overly protective firewall suite on Windows 10 PC. To fix this issue, you can either add a new rule for your game, whitelist the game, or as a final fix temporarily disable firewall.

Option I: Star Citizen Whitelist

To enable Star Citizen in Windows Defender Firewall, follow the instructions in our guide Allow or block apps through Windows Firewall.

Option II: Disable Windows Defender Firewall (Not recommended)

If whitelisting a game doesn't help you, check out our How To Turn Off Windows 10 Firewall guide.

Option III: Create a New Rule in the Firewall

1. Press the Start key and type Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security. Then click Open.

2. In the left pane, select the Inbound Rules option.

3. Go to the right pane and select New Rule… as shown in the figure.

4. Next, make sure you select the "Program" option under "What type of rule do you want to create?". menu and select "Next>" as shown in the figure.

5. Now click the Browse… button next to The path to this program: as shown.

6. Now go to C:Program Files (x86)Star Citizen and double click on the installation file. Here click on the Open button.

7. Here, click Next > in the New Inbound Rule Wizard window, as shown in the figure.

8. Then click Allow connection and select Next > as shown.

9. Make sure the Domain, Private, Public fields are clicked and select the Next > option.

10. Finally, name the new rule and click Finish.

Check if you have fixed Star Citizen installation error 10002 or not.

Method 12: Temporarily disable your antivirus (if applicable)

As with the firewall, disable the antivirus program on your computer to fix Star Citizen 10002. If there are any malware or file threats on your computer. Temporarily disable your ultra-protective antivirus program as instructed in our How To Temporarily Disable Antivirus in Windows 10 guide.

If you can run the game after disabling the antivirus program on your computer, it is recommended that you completely uninstall the program from your PC.

If you want to do this, force uninstall programs that are not uninstalled in Windows 10.

Method 13: Reinstall the game in a different location

If you are unable to resolve the Star Citizen error 10002 after applying all the above methods, you can reinstall the game in another location where you have enough space (more than 60 GB). Many users have confirmed that reinstalling the game helped them resolve the Error Code 10002 issue. While there is no obvious reason why this is a potential fix, follow this regular fix to resolve the issue.

1. Press Windows Key + I at the same time to open Windows Settings.

2. Now click "App Settings".

3. Now find and click on Star Citizen and select the Uninstall option.

4. Now confirm the prompt, if any, and restart your computer after uninstalling Star Citizen.

5. Then visit the official RSI download page and click the GET ALL INFO ABOUT THE LATEST LOAD button. Then follow the on-screen instructions to install the package on your computer.

6. After installing the game, you will no longer encounter the error. However, if you are experiencing the same, you may have installed the game on your dedicated SSD. In this case, you need to format the SSD as mentioned in the following method.

Method 14: Format SDD (if applicable)

In case you are using an SSD to install games on your Windows 10 PC, the listed troubleshooting methods will not help you fix the problem. In this case, you need to completely format the SSD in order to fix the problem. It may seem unnecessary, but it is an effective way to fix Star Citizen Error Code 10002 on your computer. Several users have confirmed that this method is useful and you can format your SSD by following our guide How to format a drive or drive in Windows 10. Also, if you have any important data, saved games, and other personal items on your SSD , you should backup all of them in advance before formatting the drive. This process will delete the data and all other information on the SSD.

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We hope this guide was helpful and you were able to fix Star Citizen error 10002 on your Windows 10 PC. Let us know which method worked best for you. Also, if you have any questions/suggestions regarding this article, feel free to post them in the comments section.

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