EA games = BSOD

[Sweboy99]

Hi all,

I like games, a lot. Both EA games, and Blizzard games. In fact, I'm waiting for Blizzcon to start (about 40 more minutes while I'm writing this)

But my problem is that whenever playing EA games, I always end up with either a blue screen or a crash to the desktop. This comp is build from scratch in 2012. (You can see all the specs in my profile).

I've had ONE blue screen from WoW once. But some crashes to the desktop has happened, although it is very, very rare.

However, once I start playing any EA game (SimCity, The Sims, Dead Space), the most likely event is a crash to the desktop, or a blue screen. I've tried compatibility settings, adding the exe to DEP, updated every driver etc. I even cleared the whole comp and reinstalled Windows 7 from scratch, not downloading anything, but I still get these errors. I did a complete virus scan, nothing.

I've run memcheck countless of times, but it gives nothing, the memory banks are working as intented.

The latest blue screen gave me 0x0000003D (and for the first time a driver name) nvlddmkm.sys.
This is the first time it gave a name to a driver. Before this, Windows have given me random 0x000000xx stop errors without any driver name.

My comp works perfect when not running any EA games. So before I turn it into a Linux server (with excess graphics cards) and buy a new one (Alienware.. here I come), could someone shed a light to what is happening?

Thanks in advance.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Hello and welcome Sweboy mate I cannot see any glaring faults in the dump files but that stop code is probably due to hardware and / or drivers see this How To Fix STOP 0x0000003D (INTERRUPT_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED)

 

[toppergraph]

I agree with the last post it looks like a hardware problem.

I noticed your machine was built 2 years ago (custom) i am a big gamer also mainly FPS. on many ocasions BSOD has been due to over heating during play. 90% of the time a good dusting internly resolves the problem. especialy remove the dust build up underneath the cpu`s fan on the heat sink viens.

usually its only 4 screws to remove the fan be careful not jarr the heatsink too much, use a small brush and vac.
I assume you built the pc yourself so only do this if your confident around electronic equipment and of course make sure the pc`s AC is unplugged). don`t forget the internal fans and graphics card(you may not be able to tempery remove this one) but remove as much dust as you can.

best regards Topper.

 

[Sweboy99]

Thank you both for the replies. All the things you mention have been done though. But it really doesn't matter since I was thinking about buying a new pc anyway. Just got curious as to what is causing all these errors when playing games, and since doing some googling, I think maybe heat is one of the problems. So I'm going to remove one of the graphics cards to see if that helps reducing heat and make the remaining card get more air. They are after all quite close to each other too since they aren't really slim cards

 

[Sweboy99]

Well, that didn't help at all. While playing SimCity, the computer suddenly froze. The good old reset button came to use once again.

Anyway, thanks for your time, but I'm not gonna spend more time on this. My computer obviously doesn't like games, and I can think of better things to do with it. Yay, new gaming computer (not built by myself this time) incoming

Marking this as solved although it isn't...

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Sweboy now just purely out of curiosity run Speccy Speccy - Download and let us know the temps and also run this

Using HW Info

You can test the volts on the PSU with HWInfo HWiNFO, HWiNFO32/64 -Download < download the right bit version andclose the right hand window select Sensors and scroll down to the power sectionwhere you will see what the volts are doing see my pic.

The original right hand window shows themachine running and is handy for that but for looking at the components in some detail close it and use themain left hand side panel.

FOR OTHER COMPONENTS

Open each + down into the componentitself and then click on it - in theright hand side will appear all sorts of details including brands speeds andother essential info that device. See pic for example.

An alternative is this http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/301799-psu-test-dc-output-voltage.html but please use a digital meter and NOT an analogue one becauseit will inject typically 9v into a circuit for testing and that would bedisastrous in a 5v or 3.3v rail (socket / lead/plug)
For a reference to rail voltages see this http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/power-supply-specifications-atx-reference,3061-2.html and you will see the tolerances on the volts is really very small and therefore so easily out of whack. The Power_Good reference is also very interesting.

NB in my pic you will see the section titled Nuvoton and that is what we would like to see a pic of because it is a snip of my Asus board in the Ivy Bridge and other brands of boards are titled differently.
It could simply be the PSU as it is very underrated when searching for problems.

 

[Sweboy99]

Ok, screenshot of HWiNFO and snapshot of Speccy

 

[Sweboy99]

Found this, never thought about it http://help.ea.com/en/article/can-i-play-simcity-with-my-nvidia-cards-running-in-sli-mode/
Did as it says, and the first card is no longer going up towards 70°C, and the other card is no longer at 28°C. More like 60°/32°. A silly, noob question; but does it matter which card the monitor is attached to?

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Ok from my limited knowledge of gaming if two cards are usedtogether are they not strapped together with a small cable?? If so maybe one isworking harder then the other or one is going bad.??



The PSU rails arefine except the 5v rail is running very close the lower 5% limit.

 

[Sweboy99]

Yep, they are connected with a sli bridge connector.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Again mate to the best of my knowledge joining the cards together is supposed to give you a better res and lessen the strain on say a single card. So why the temps are different is something I think we had better ask one of the graphics people if that is ok with you?

That is not to say I don't know how they work but not being a gamer am not familiar with the machinations of a two card set up.

Myself I would say run each card separately and see what a test on each comes up and I think form memory they usually suggest the Furmark test.

Sorry this is dragging out and I must say you have been very patient unlike some - but it is fixable I am sure.
John