Solved BSOD (and other crashes !) - (trying to) play Far Cry 4

[scruffy1]

i'm certainly not alone in this problem, but there is no rhyme or reason to the crashes that i can see

i live in hope of a simple fix that won't require a hardware upgrade

help me obi wan !

 

[axe0]

Hi scruffy1,

It looks like we will be dealing with multiple causes.

Diagnostic Test

 RAM TEST

Run MemTest86+ to analyse your RAM. MemTest86+ - Test RAM - Windows 7 Forums

   Note

MemTest86+ needs to be run for at least 8 passes for conclusive results. Set it running before you go to bed and leave it overnight. We're looking for zero errors here. Even a single error will indicate RAM failure.

Update the ASUS Xonar D2 Audio drivers
Driver Reference Table - cmudaxp.sys

*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for cmudaxp.sys
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for cmudaxp.sys

Uninstall Avast and use Microsoft Security Essentials as alternative
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/343783-avast-uninstall-completely.html
Microsoft Security Essentials - Microsoft Windows

*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for aswSP.sys
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for aswSP.sys

Please uninstall everything of AMD using Display Driver Uninstaller and install new drivers from AMD. Be sure to ONLY install the drivers using custom/advanced options.
View attachment 379085

*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for atikmdag.sys
*** ERROR: Module load completed but symbols could not be loaded for atikmdag.sys
0: kd> lmvm atikmdag
start             end                 module name
fffff880`09c52000 fffff880`0b399000   atikmdag T (no symbols)           
    Loaded symbol image file: atikmdag.sys
    Image path: atikmdag.sys
    Image name: atikmdag.sys
    Timestamp:        [COLOR="Red"]Fri Dec 04 18:14:28 2015[/COLOR] (5661C9F4)
    CheckSum:         016E06B6
    ImageSize:        01747000
    Translations:     0000.04b0 0000.04e4 0409.04b0 0409.04e4

 

[scruffy1]

thanks for the input

i shall have lots of homework before the carnage can recommence...

i only recently swept the video drivers, but will redo accordingly, along with all the rest

if i am playing offline, is it sufficient to just turn off avast rather than replace it ?

were any of the crashes a repeat of a single issue ?

 

[axe0]

It is better to remove Avast, even if it is disabled it might cause problems.

What exactly do you mean with ?

were any of the crashes a repeat of a single issue ?

 

[scruffy1]

It is better to remove Avast, even if it is disabled it might cause problems.

What exactly do you mean with ?

were any of the crashes a repeat of a single issue ?

do the logs suggest a different cause each time, or were some issues recurrent ?

 

[axe0]

All of them were recurrent.

 

[scruffy1]

i reinstalled the video driver and omitted the current equivalent of catalyst control centre; the driver testing showed all other drivers were up to date including the sound driver - sjohould i reinstall the xonar drivers anyway ?

i got rid of avast and installed the windows MSE

will memtest overnight, having dropped the cpu clock speeds to stock - is there any indication in the logs that the cpu is problematic ?

i would also note that while the 4 x 4 gb of ram are all G.skill F3-12800CL9-4GBRL, they are not consecutive numbers (although they are two "sets", each pair having consecutive numbers), and cpu-z reveals that the two sets have a different XMP number, although their XMP-1600 timings seem to match

is that further complicating the build stability, as i can go for a single pair if needs be - slot#1 (and #3, matched) seem to be the higher binned chips if jedec #4 is an indication

thanks again for your counsel

 

[axe0]

I believe the difference is due to the SPD Ext. set to XMP 1.2 in Slot #1 what gives the memory extra boost for higher performance.
I would recommend to make sure the settings in the BIOS of the memory are completely the same, this would make sure all your modules are running at the same frequencies and no problem occurs with the frequency of them all.

 

[scruffy1]

passed 8 runs of memtest overnight without error, and checked - the parameters in the bios are the same for all 4 sticks

still crashes to desktop, but no bluescreens

how do i troubleshoot "simple" crash to desktop ?

since this post it did the d.d.d.d.d.d.d.d... noise and rebooted, again without any particular reason in terms of the gameplay

everything in the macjhine is stock now; the only thing not done from previously was reinstalling the xonar drivers - will do so if you insist...

thanks some more

 

[axe0]

Since you couldn't update, it is time to find out if the xonar drivers are corrupted, reinstall or remove them please, I believe those drivers aren't needed normally?

 

[scruffy1]

the xonar drivers are essential to use the sound card ! but i'll reinstall them as suggested

they are "outdated" per the driver analysis, but it is obviously too simple to note that it is the latest win 7 driver, and anything newer is for > win 7

 

[scruffy1]

success ! despite the ram passing memtest at 1600, it seems to error out when all 4 cores are in play simultaneously in the testing

wound it down to 1333 at standard timings as decreed by the mobo @ 9-9-9-24 and it is now faultless at 1920x1200 at very high settings

maybe memtest should be obliged to use all cores as part of the deal ?

thanks you sincerely for your efforts on my behalf; i'm happy to call this solved

yay, time to kill

 

[axe0]

You can choose to let memtest use multiple cores if you enable XMP.

 

[scruffy1]

You can choose to let memtest use multiple cores if you enable XMP.

as i discovered, and it showed error in test 6 on the first run

i presume the unmatched pairs are an issue at xmp settings, especially as they have 0.0 and 1.2 respectively under spd ext as revealed by cpu-z

sandybridge is technically meant to be rated for 1333 rather than 1600 in any case :warn:

all's good now though; thanks again

 

[axe0]

You can choose to let memtest use multiple cores if you enable XMP.

as i discovered, and it showed error in test 6 on the first run

i presume the unmatched pairs are an issue at xmp settings, especially as they have 0.0 and 1.2 respectively under spd ext as revealed by cpu-z

sandybridge is technically meant to be rated for 1333 rather than 1600 in any case :warn:

all's good now though; thanks again

As I said earlier yes.

Good to hear.