This is getting annoying, every time I enter this place, the game always crash during the loading time. I took an alternate route (through the sewers) and does the same thing. Yes, I verify my game cache and reinstall the game. I never had this before and didn't do anything to the game. Could it be a corrupted save?

Specs:

Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit SP1

AMD Phenom II X4 965

4.00 GB DDR2

ASUS M4A785-M

AMD Radeon HD 6950 1 GB

AMD High Definition Audio Device

Running on ultra with HD pack (never held this problem when it was installed) and two mods

(Fall of the Space Core and House Map Markers) which are not causing the crash. I already contacted Steam support and Bethesda.

It just crash in just this one place.

Do you have the water reflects settings on? What is you shadow setting at? Any ini changes even if you think they don't matter indoors?

I don't think it's a graphic problem. Just in case, yes it's on, shadow on ultra, I haven't touch the ini.

Give it a shot with reflects off and see if it still happens. If that doesn't solve it try a reinstall of the game normally solves any issues I have.

This probably wont help, but this happened to me after I created a massive pile of gems and jewellry in the cistern (like hundreds of them). I had to tcl under the cistern and pick everything up, which resolved the crashing.

I am willing to bet it has to do with the Cistern itself...the water effects cause dancing with shadows (at least on Ultra) on the ceiling and walls. I can imagine in this small room that is spherical when it comes to the roof area (plus I think I saw a few cracks with some sun diffusion effects coming in as well) that this could cause massive load as soon as you enter the cistern. I keep water reflects off everything else on Ultra because for me with my crap AMD drivers the water sometimes flickers on movement. If that doesn't help I would say drop all your settings to low and see if it still happens.

Always had the same rig as in sig and on release this area was the worst of the worst for me for CTD's but Riften back then as a whole was a nightmare.

Well, I put everything on low, still crashing. I'm guessing it's a corrupted save.

That would be my next guess if you can't load in on low. I know that early release versions had tons of issues in and around Riften are you by chance using an old version of the game playing with Steam offline?

I'm using the 1.5 beta and 1.4 does crash too.

Hrrrmmm I assume you have tried it and still crash with the texture pack off not that I think that would cause it since you have 1GB of VRAM and no other texture mods. I used to crash a ton leaving the cistern but that was way back near release. The only thing I have turned off or down is 2x SSAA (opposed to 8x) shadows set to high with some ini tweaks(oppossed to vanilla ultra) and all reflects(I get flickering water so testing with it off). Only other thing that comes to mind is that the navmesh for the Cistern seems terrible most often most of the thieves guild is in the water standing around and I know they claimed to have patched issues involving crashing related to AI pathing or something along those lines. Maybe someone is stuck in a wall or something and it is causing the cell to crash on load. Have you tried waiting 30 plus days in game preferably inside an interior cell like an inn somewhere and then going to the place in question? It is possible the game could reset whatever is causing the crash.

I did turn off the hd pack and that didn't work, but I can try doing the 30 days thing which is going to take sometime.

I mean 30 days in game basically waiting for 24 hours 30 times in a row which yes is a pain. I believe there is an addon that allows you to sleep for 30 days all at once but I do not know what the name is. I am sure that it is on the nexus.

I know which is "going to take some time." I'll look for the mod.

Found the mod and sleep for 30 days. Still doesn't work, any other suggesting?

the reset time is 30 days...so wont change till next day....most say 30 days ..but should add 1 or more like Thoth mentioned

are you sleeping in a player home far from Riften?

Helped someone else get in here before...(made her clean her room)..lol...

Things to try...open console { ` }

TAI = Toggle Artificial Intelligence (stops NPC and their scripts)
TGM = Toggle God mode (for the hell of it)
killall = why not (for testing)
Turn all reflection off
Lower all settings
Run in windowed mode
Turn off all Shadows

If none of that gets you in there, try start a new game.

Well I started a new game and actually got in via console command. So it could be a corrupted save or something in there is causing it. Yes, I slept more than 30 days further away from riften and the above doesn't work.

Ya was going to say I ran out of ideas....I had a near release character corrupt. I have pretty much just been goofing around until the patching is done then I will work on my expansion character.