Video bug?

[maus92]

I have been having vid problems begining with AH 2.18x and NVidia release 197.x.   After 20-30 minutes of play, my screen get white pixels all over the screen -  looks like snow from an old TV tuned to a dead station, but not nearly as dense.  Sometimes, the screen will turn black, then CTD's with a white screen with a windows message asking to leave the program (which doesn't work) - and requires Task Manager to kill AH.exe.   Once back to the desktop, I still have the snow, so I have to reboot.  The game will run fine for another 20-30 minutes, then does the same CTD routine.  Yesterday, it crashed to BSOD, and I saw a nvxxxxx.sys driver mentioned, but I was too slow to write it down before the machine rebooted on its own.  Heat does not seem to be the problem.   Here are my machine's specs.

------------------
System Information
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Time of this report: 5/19/2010, 00:32:32
      Machine name: GAMING
   Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (6.1, Build 7600) (7600.win7_gdr.100226-1909)
           Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
       System Model: EG45M-UD2H
               BIOS: Award Modular BIOS v6.00PG
          Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU     E8400  @ 3.00GHz (2 CPUs), ~3.6GHz
             Memory: 4096MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 4094MB RAM
          Page File: 1497MB used, 6689MB available
        Windows Dir: C:\Windows
    DirectX Version: DirectX 11
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
   User DPI Setting: Using System DPI
 System DPI Setting: 96 DPI (100 percent)
    DWM DPI Scaling: Disabled
     DxDiag Version: 6.01.7600.16385 32bit Unicode

---------------
Display Devices
---------------
          Card name: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260
       Manufacturer: NVIDIA
          Chip type: GeForce GTX 260
           DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
         Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_05E2&SUBSYS_23931682&REV_A1
     Display Memory: 2668 MB
   Dedicated Memory: 877 MB
      Shared Memory: 1791 MB
       Current Mode: 1920 x 1200 (32 bit) (59Hz)
       Monitor Name: Generic PnP Monitor
      Monitor Model: Hanns.G HG281
         Monitor Id: HSD1CF3
        Native Mode: 1920 x 1200(p) (59.950Hz)
        Output Type: DVI
        Driver Name: nvd3dumx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvwgf2umx.dll,nvd3dum,nvwgf2um,nvwgf2um
Driver File Version: 8.17.0011.9745 (English)
     Driver Version: 8.17.11.9745
        DDI Version: 10
       Driver Model: WDDM 1.1
  Driver Attributes: Final Retail
   Driver Date/Size: 4/3/2010 18:55:31, 11906664 bytes
        WHQL Logo'd: n/a
    WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
  Device Identifier: {D7B71E3E-46A2-11CF-2353-98031FC2C535}
          Vendor ID: 0x10DE
          Device ID: 0x05E2
          SubSys ID: 0x23931682
        Revision ID: 0x00A1
 Driver Strong Name: oem21.inf:NVIDIA_SetA_Devices.NTamd64.6 .1:Section003:8.17.11.9745:pci\ven_10de&dev_05e2
     Rank Of Driver: 00E62001
        Video Accel: ModeMPEG2_A ModeMPEG2_C ModeVC1_C ModeWMV9_C
   Deinterlace Caps: {6CB69578-7617-4637-91E5-1C02DB810285}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive

Rez in game is set to 1920x1200
FOV = 130
MaxTex Size = 1024
anti-aliasing = most

[gyrene81]

That description sounds suspiciously like a heat problem so I have to ask, what makes you believe it isn't? Next question is have you tried an older video driver, or lowered the resolution? You could try looking in your AH game directory and getting rid of the video.cfg file to see if that has any effect.

[fbWldcat]

I had this problem on my last computer. I believe Skuzzy told me I had to replace a corrupted file ro something. Im not sure what it was...

AH game directory and getting rid of the video.cfg file to see if that has any effect.

Perhaps this 

[maus92]

The reason why I don't think that it is a heat problem is because when I reboot and log back into the game, it runs fine for 30 minutes or so.  Not enough time has elapsed to cool the components, at least to my thinking.

If anyone can suggest a good GPU heat sensor utility it would be interesting to see what it records.

Thanks for everyone's suggestions.

[maus92]

Yea so I don't have a file named video.cfg, but I did have a file named video8.cfg.  I renamed that and I'll see what happens.

Thanks

[Kermit de frog]

Hardware temperature monitor software:
http://www.cpuid.com/hwmonitor.php

I'd take note of the temperature inside your case and make sure it doesn't go over 110F.

[1701E]

The reason why I don't think that it is a heat problem is because when I reboot and log back into the game, it runs fine for 30 minutes or so.  Not enough time has elapsed to cool the components, at least to my thinking.

If anyone can suggest a good GPU heat sensor utility it would be interesting to see what it records.

Thanks for everyone's suggestions.

Components cool very very quickly.  You can overheat your CPU (let's say 72C) and by the time you hit the post-BIOS screen it will be back to 45C.  There are a few things you can use to monitor temps, I use EVGA Precision (has OSD) and I think Everest can make charts while playing to review later.  I don't know of any others right now but there are plenty and someone will mention something soon.

[bustr]

Have you OC'd your motherboard or CPU?

Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU     E8400  @ 3.00GHz (2 CPUs), ~3.6GHz

I have an NVIDIA GTX275 and occasionly the video would pop on me during game play. I had OC'd my Cor2 Due E8500 up to 3.89Ghz along with my FSB OC'd. I reset everything back to default in the Bios and the video issues went away. If you have OC'd your system, first try setting everything back to bios default before doing anymore trouble shooting.

With the 2.19 release my game BSOD'd my PC with a Bug Check 0x1A: MEMORY_MANAGEMENT. I thought I had a bad memory chip. I ran a windows based memory tester and errored with in 5 minutes. So I researched the memory error at the forums for the testing application. In their FAQ they pointed out that a proper RAM test through windows could not be performed if any part of the motherboard had been OC'd. CPU, RAM, FSB and so forth. So I reset the Bios to default and ran another memory test for 12 hours without a problem. The Over Clocking I had done previously passed the Bios's self test with no errors. But the Bios OC test is not testing while windows and all the systems drivers are loaded.

The FAQ went on the talk about OCing and it not always being the best way to get more performance for games.

 

[maus92]

Yes my mobo/cpu is overclocked- it has been since I built the machine last summer.  Everything has been working fine until recently.

I renamed the video8.cfg file last night and played for a few hours.  The pixelated snowy effect did not surface at all, however the screen went to black (although game sounds were still present,) then CTD with white background and a windows system generated choice box asking if I wanted to end the program.  I was unable to get a cursor or to tab a selection, so I had to use task manager to kill the program.  Once I got to the WSOD, the game sounds disappeared.  This happened once last night.

[Skuzzy]

This very much looks like it is heat and/or power related.  Video card could be dieing as well.

[maus92]

Yesterday I played for several hours and did not experience either issue: perhaps the deletion (renaming) of the video8.cfg file fixed the snowy pixel problem.  I also reviewed my sound configuration in windows (I use the motherboard's sound.)  I switch between a USB headset (actually an adapter that allows the use of an aviation headset,) and a regular headset via the mini plugs.  Somehow one of the checkboxes allowing an application's exclusive use of the device was deselected, and I rechecked it.  So far, the CTD has not reoccured.

[maus92]

Yea so I played again tonight for several hours without issues, so for now I think that I've worked the problem successfully.  Thanks to everyone for their input.

I did run HWMonitor, and here are the relevant temperatures:

Hardware monitor   ITE IT87 (I think that these are the case [motherboard sensors?] temps)
   Temperature 0   46°C (114°F) [0x2E] (TMPIN0)
   Temperature 1   36°C (96°F) [0x24] (TMPIN1)
   Temperature 2   -1°C (28°F) [0xFE] (TMPIN2)

Hardware monitor   Intel Core 2 Duo E8400
   Temperature 0   46°C (114°F) [0x36] (Core #0)
   Temperature 1   46°C (114°F) [0x36] (Core #1)

Hardware monitor   NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260
   Temperature 0   71°C (159°F) (GPU Core)

Are these in the normal range?

[1701E]

The GPU is getting a bit hot; it could handle hotter but long periods of it is, as always, not recommended (max operating is about 85-100C).  I tend to run 50-54C in AH with a GTX 260 (fan set to 100% all the time though).  Otherwise the temps on CPU/case look fine (sure hope the TMPIN2 is broken).

[Chalenge]

Maus is your video card an EVGA? If so you can run the EVGA Precision program (as 1701E was suggesting without sayingit) and boost your GPU fan speed up probably a lot higher and get things cooler (by default the fans are set at 30% if memory serves). Or if you dont have an EVGA perhaps the manufacturer of your card has a progam of their own that does the same thing.

[maus92]

No, it's a XFX.  I checked there website, but they don't seem to publish a utility to control fan speed - in fact, they seem not to publish any utilities at all.

Does any one know about a 3rd party fan control app?

Thanks,

C.