Bluescreen crashing

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igmo
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Post by igmo »

so, i've refrained from posting on this, since my computer had other issues that seemed unrealated.

its back from technical service now, and reports normal behavior on all tests with pcdoctor and sandra. HOWEVER, it blue-screen crashes while playing myth 1.5 (all itterations.) the bluescreen reports have not always been the same, but do always relate to video. reports include infinite loop or driver_irql_not_less_or_equal or nv4_disp.dll errors.

the nav4 error has a microsoft knowledgebase entry ( http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;325730 )that indicates some games do crash with that error when using nVidia video in combination with a mainboard using via chipsets (which is my configuration.) updating the via drivers is the suggested fix, but had no affect for me. the article only lists microsoft games that have the error.

my computer crashes in no other applications, and can run much more graphic intensive games without error. the tech guy ran a demo of x2 (some 3d space game) for 48hrs with no crash. i now feel confident that the problem is software, and is exclusively related to myth and video driver.

anyway, i'm up sh*t creek here. my next step is to do another reformat/reinstall of OS and applications.

the log and film for the last crash is available at: http://www.traininghall.net/myth2/tourney/igmosWoe.zip

p4 2.53g, 1g ram, 128 nVfx5200 (current driver), xpHome, myth 1.5, usb KB and mouse
Myrd
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Post by Myrd »

Does the bluescreen still occur when watching back the film it occured originally on? If so, does turning software mode on when watching that same film fix the problem? Also, if it does crash when watching back the film, does it only crash when your camera is viewing a specific area on the mesh, or anywhere?

If you provide these answer, it would help us narrow the problem down a bit.




Edited By Myrd on 1086811337
igmo
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Post by igmo »

b4 doing a format/os install, i reinstalled myth (again)

i just crashed on 1.5 while testing whether it would happen in software mode. just before the crash i froze briefly, then got movement back, then bluescreen crash.

watching the film (again in software mode) player input stops right about where i had the freeze. i do not crash watching the film (viewing the same area.) watching the film posted above also fails to crash in either sw or hw mode.

i have been unable to recreate a bluescreen crash on 1.3 (playing solo) in either hardware or software. i did have a crash to desktop on 1.3 during play on hardware mode.

i also had a bluescreen crash on 1.5 solo in hardware. (which may mean it is unrelated to network issues) that crash occured while loading a level.

the last two crashes (since the myth reinstall) both reported page fault errors.




Edited By igmo on 1086815486
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Doobie
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Post by Doobie »

thanks for the details igmo
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igmo
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Post by igmo »

np doobie, in fact here's some more!

i have an emergency backup computer that also has an (older) nvidia card. it runs 1.5 fine.

putting that card in the newer computer creates a bluescreen crash. whacky fun stuff! gotta love it. :(

i've re-reinstalled the drivers for the via mainboard chipsets (one of which is for the agp bus.) i'll post when i get a chance to test it.
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iron
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Post by iron »

igmo ... really sounds like hardware issues to me I'm afraid. I'm not saying that there's nothing in Myth itself that isn't contributing but ... heh, it really sounds bad. Looks like you've got a good handle on it though, let us know how it works out.
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igmo
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Post by igmo »

iron wrote:really sounds like hardware issues to me I'm afraid.
well, i agree that it sounds like hardware. thats why i gave in and had it in a shop - once for 3 days and again for a week.

hardware passed every test they had - in dos and windows.

i wish it were hardware, actually. aside from the expense, thats easy to fix once known.
igmo
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Post by igmo »

since replacing the via drivers, i've been unable to crash in solo (3 levels) or online (1 gimb lm game.)

here's hoping.
igmo
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Post by igmo »

still fooked. last crash listed win32 as culprit.
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Post by Doobie »

i know i've heard that the via drivers suck and should be avoided
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Post by CIK »

Igmo under XP there is nothing Myth can do to blue screen the OS directly. The protected memory model of XP prevents this. Now it can exercise certain APIs in Direct X which in turn hit certain functions in the video drivers which have the ability to crash the OS since they run at the kernel level.

On thing I'm interested in hearing is do you have the problem with software renderering vs Direct3D?
igmo
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Post by igmo »

CIK wrote:Igmo under XP there is nothing Myth can do to blue screen the OS directly. The protected memory model of XP prevents this. Now it can exercise certain APIs in Direct X which in turn hit certain functions in the video drivers which have the ability to crash the OS since they run at the kernel level.

On thing I'm interested in hearing is do you have the problem with software renderering vs Direct3D?
yup, i understand that kernel stuff. none of the crashes have been from myth itself - until the last one upset the win32sys, all had been video memory issues or an infinite loop in video... which occurred only when playing myth. indirect tho it may be, i have the problem only in m2 1.5.

as i posted above, it happens in sw render too, under 1.5.

did not happen in 1.3 under either mode (though i did crash to desktop once)

since my last post, i re-installed xp (full install with format) i then immediately installed myth and played 2 games online (in software, since i'm under generic vga video.) no crash.... cant live my life with no audio and generic vid drivers tho.

::clicks windows update::
igmo
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Post by igmo »

Doobie wrote:i know i've heard that the via drivers suck and should be avoided
yeah, i think you may have something there.

since the full format/re-install (which keeled the via driver update), i have not had a bluescreen crash.

i *have* had some unrequested restarts - some of them NOT in myth... which is a change. i worked on this a month and got it down to only crashing in myth b4 i bothered posting on it here, but the problem must actually be hardware (as it looked all along.)

despite the fact that everything has been tested (and passed) in multiple diagnostics, i think its mb a bad ram module. i took one (of 2) out and still crashed. took that (bad) one out, and have yet to crash. poor igmo having to limp along on 512mb of ram. :)
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Post by GHOST® »

[color=DFC99B]
poor igmo having to limp along on 512mb of ram.
Limp along !? ;o)[/color]
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