GTA San Andreas on PC

GTA San Andreas will not save, or a save starts a new game

Single player: the game cannot save, or loading an old save starts a new game. Windows Security can block saving in Documents, and saves from version 1.0 do not load in newer copies.

Steps

1. Find your save files

   GTA San Andreas keeps its saves in Documents, in the folder GTA San Andreas User Files. The settings file gta_sa.set is in the same folder.

   Source: PCGamingWiki, PCGamingWiki

2. Let the game through Controlled folder access

   Only if Controlled folder access is on, or Windows Security says it blocked the game.

   Windows Security's Controlled folder access protects Documents by default and blocks apps it does not trust from changing files there. PCGamingWiki gives this as the fix when the game cannot save. Open Windows Security, then Virus & threat protection, then Manage ransomware protection, then Allow an app through Controlled folder access. Choose Add an allowed app and pick gta_sa.exe in the game folder.

   Careful: Microsoft asks you to add only apps you trust: an added app can change the files in every protected folder.

   Source: Microsoft, PCGamingWiki

3. Old save starts a new game: SilentPatch

   Only if an old save starts a new game.

   PCGamingWiki says saves made with version 1.0 do not load in version 2.0 and newer: a new game starts instead. SilentPatch lets the Steam and Rockstar Launcher copies load saves from 1.0 and 1.01. Its page adds that the save still needs a matching main script (SCM).

   Careful: Single player only. Before you play MTA, MTA asks you to delete every .asi file from the GTA and MTA folders. Its own example is SilentPatch's file.

   ASI plugins or a game-folder DLL block MTA →

   Source: PCGamingWiki, SilentPatch page, MTA help

See also: Where MTA keeps screenshots, logs and settings

Playing MTA, not single player? Use the MTA steps above, or search the Fix tool for your message.

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All fix guides · Every MTA:SA error code · Crash codes and offsets