After installing the update (I was more or less forced too), my GTA V won't even load. Regardless of whether I start the game with the RAGE plugin shortcut (which I subsequently updated to RH 28) or from Steam, it won't load. I checked if the process was running in task-manager and it was indeed so (using up ~ 75,000KB of memory or so). However I'm still at desktop.

I do not use a 'mods' folder to install my mods but I do have several car/ped modifications and skins installed. I also have a few scripts in my folder however I doubt that's the root of the problem as I've started it up in Steam as I stated (which doesn't launch the RAGE script loader).

Anyone able to help?

Try removing your vehicle/ped mods and reloading. This will be a pain for you to do because you overwrote the default archives but I suspect it's those edited archives causing you issues.

i would follow LukdeD's advice. I've had a similar issue. I, however, did use the "mods" folder. With each update, I suspect the "update.rpf" file gets changed. That's why my mods (the ones which were installed in update.rpf at least) would cause the game to crash. What I did was, replace the update.rpf file with the original one and reinstall my mods. That did the trick for me.

 

Wait, if you installed the files to the default archives, they should already be uninstalled.

Post your launcher log file and any others.

Verify game integrity threw steam. That way you scripts and directory are not touched it just goes threw your update.rpf and game folders and re downloads everything. If the crash persist after that then it is something with your scripts, Ragehook, Asi`s  ext.. 

I know its not a definite fix and a pain but it is the only way i have been able to discover the root of game crashes.  (Mods, Scripts, or corrupt game files)

Double Doppler, i have the exact problem as you!!