Jump to content

Monitor Crash


UR84N_54MUR41

Recommended Posts

I'd been playing Oblivion ever since it came out, I evenm got the expansions and everything has run perfectly for me. I started modding other games and then began to wonder about Oblivion mods. I picked up the following mods:

 

Streamline 2.0

Bandages

Better faces

Better guards

Cheydinhal Petshop

Deadly combat

Drop touches

rikku blade

saurons armor

blood

spectators

special attacks

warg riders

wings

 

these aren't the exact names, but they are the main subject to what the mod changes. I kind of went on a fritz and downloaded a lot at once. However, I DID look up the mods and see what other people said about them. I'm a veteran modder, and Oblivion is a very complex game. Mods need to be made with care. All the mods I picked up had great reviews, and little to no errors with other people. I put them all on, and tried to play.

 

Then my monitor crashed. It blacked out and read No Signal. I cannot do ANYTHING to get it back, so a hard-shutdown is required. I even ran a system defrag before I put the mods on. I tried again, and about 1-20 minutes into play it happened again. I took all the mods off, uninstalled the game, and reinstalled it without the mods.

 

Lo and Behold, it still ain't workin'. Oblivion tech support can't help for 3rd party mods, so this forum has become my last hope. Have any of the mods left a negative imprint on my monitor or something? I even tried making a new character, thinking maybe just the old saves were corrupt, and it didn't work. My computer can handle Oblivion just fine, by the way. I put all the settings to the lowest possible, and that didn't change a thing.

 

Please help me. I just made my first caster and I love it! I can't use him now...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What kind of video card do you have and what driver version are you running? This sounds video-card/driver related. In other words, I'm not sure it's your monitor that dislikes something about the game and/or the mods you've installed, I think it might be your video drivers that are having issues with them. Your monitor is a passive device and should have no bearing on your computer running into errors within the game that are causing this. I'd wager that if you hooked up a different monitor, it'd probably do the same thing, which would eliminate the monitor as the source, though I still believe it is not the monitor causing this in the first place.

 

One other thing of note: Your computer may well be more than capable of running Oblivion, but when you add mods, it makes the game larger/more complex, which increases system requirements for the game because the game must now do/show/keep track of more things. Individually, most mods add very little extra stress to your card/system, though some add a rather substantial amount (regardless of what the authors of those mods may tell you). I have about 80 or 90 mods (maybe more) of various types running in my game. I know that because of this, the system requirement to run the game the way I currently have it is much steeper than the vanilla version calls for.

 

Other questions:

 

1. What OS are you running?

 

2. Have you attempted to use a different monitor?

 

3. Have you attempted to re-install your video card's drivers? Sometimes that can solve a myriad of problems by itself.

 

4. Have you increased the amount of RAM Oblivion is allowed to use in the configuration file?

 

One other suggestion concerning the ini (config) file: Sometimes certain mods may (and some *will* because they have to in order to run properly) inadvertently cause the game to write changes to the ini file. One conflict or wrong change to the ini file can cause severe problems with the game and even cause your whole system to hang when the game is run, depending on what is changed. This is rare and probably not the problem, but to cover all your bases, I recommend moving your current ini file out of the My Documents/My Games/Oblivion directory and then starting the game without any mods running. The game will write a new default ini file once it is started. If it still causes you problems, you know it's not your configuration file, though it probably isn't that either if you re-installed the game, since it will have already written a new ini.

 

Sorry if I seem like I'm blabbering, but this is the sort of problem that can really only be solved by process of elimination. I'd still be willing to bet about anything that it's a video driver issue though. Try those things and see if they work.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have the same problem, but I do not have any mods for oblivion so i doubt that is wats causing the monitor crashes. I'm running vista and I did try reinstalling my nvidia drivers and I definately know I have enough ram to run this game.

 

Processor: Intel Core 2 6600 2.4GHx

Memory: 2046 OCZ pc 8500 dual core

Graphics: GeForce 8800gtx PNY OC

OS: Vista Ultimate 64-bit

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"I'm running vista..."

 

There's most likely your problem. Video drivers for Vista in general are very immature and as a result very unreliable and very buggy. Experiencing crashes/glitches in certain games is a very common problem over a various array of cards/drivers both from what I've seen (I sell computers at work) and from what I've read in various reviews.. If you have no mods running and your drivers are installed correctly, then that leads me to four possible answers based on what has been given about your system:

 

A. Your power supply isn't big enough for that 8800, which would cause crashes, though if you invested the kind of money required in those components that you listed, I'd hope you would've made sure your power supply is big enough. I'm assuming you did.

 

B. You changed your ini in some way, which you did not state that you had, so I'm assuming you didn't.

 

C. You've overclocked your card quite a bit more than PNY already has. You didn't state that you had, so I'm assuming you didn't.

 

D. Mega-complex DX9 game designed/optimized for XP + immature Vista OS and drivers.

 

I'd put my money on D. Has it always done this or did it just start doing this outta nowhere? Even if it did just crop up suddenly, I'd still be inclined to believe it's that OS and/or the card drivers for it. Video drivers are notoriously bad and unpredictable for Vista right now.

 

Could be something else entirely, but if you haven't done anything drastic to some other part of your system and you know everything is installed properly, then those are the only four things I can think of, with a strong emphasis on D. I suppose another possibility is that your case is overheating. The 8800GTX produces a fair amount of heat. Perhaps that is the problem, but not likely.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm don't have Vista, and I don't plan to get it until all the bugs are worked out. Anyway, this is my DxDiag. Hope it helps

I have yet to upgrade my drivers, which sounds logical. Or I'll delete the ini file and try that. Honestly, I don't mind deleting all my saves if necessary. I've beat the game through and through, I just want to try it a different way this time. My comp has been running fine with Obvlivion all up until now.

So, if it really is a video card problem, I'll have to take all the mods off you think? Maybe just Streamline 2.0 screwed it up.

Maybe once I get the driver it'll be OK.

I'll get back to you. It's early in the morning.

I'll report back with all the results soon!

 

Thanks so much, I was beginning to think I'd never play Oblivion again!

 

------------------

System Information

------------------

Time of this report: 7/22/2007, 05:53:42

Machine name:

Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_qfe.070227-2300)

Language: English (Regional Setting: English)

System Manufacturer: Hewlett-Packard

System Model: HP Compaq dx2200 MT

BIOS: Phoenix - Award BIOS v6.00PG

Processor: Intel® Pentium® 4 CPU 3.00GHz (2 CPUs)

Memory: 1022MB RAM

Page File: 571MB used, 1887MB available

Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS

DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)

DX Setup Parameters: Not found

DxDiag Version: 5.03.2600.2180 32bit Unicode

 

------------

DxDiag Notes

------------

DirectX Files Tab: No problems found.

Display Tab 1: No problems found.

Sound Tab 1: No problems found.

Music Tab: No problems found.

Input Tab: No problems found.

Network Tab: No problems found.

 

--------------------

DirectX Debug Levels

--------------------

Direct3D: 0/4 (n/a)

DirectDraw: 0/4 (retail)

DirectInput: 0/5 (n/a)

DirectMusic: 0/5 (n/a)

DirectPlay: 0/9 (retail)

DirectSound: 0/5 (retail)

DirectShow: 0/6 (retail)

 

---------------

Display Devices

---------------

Card name: NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GT

Manufacturer: NVIDIA

Chip type: GeForce 7600 GT

DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC

Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0391&SUBSYS_C5543842&REV_A1

Display Memory: 256.0 MB

Current Mode: 1280 x 1024 (32 bit) (75Hz)

Monitor: Plug and Play Monitor

Monitor Max Res: 1600,1200

Driver Name: nv4_disp.dll

Driver Version: 6.14.0010.9371 (English)

DDI Version: 9 (or higher)

Driver Attributes: Final Retail

Driver Date/Size: 10/22/2006 13:22:00, 4527488 bytes

WHQL Logo'd: n/a

WHQL Date Stamp: n/a

VDD: n/a

Mini VDD: nv4_mini.sys

Mini VDD Date: 10/22/2006 13:22:00, 3994624 bytes

Device Identifier: {D7B71E3E-40D1-11CF-697F-5EE500C2CB35}

Vendor ID: 0x10DE

Device ID: 0x0391

SubSys ID: 0xC5543842

Revision ID: 0x00A1

Revision ID: 0x00A1

Video Accel: ModeMPEG2_A ModeMPEG2_B ModeMPEG2_C ModeMPEG2_D ModeWMV9_B ModeWMV9_A

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I forgot to mention, in my mad crazy rush I went through all of the Oblivion game files. I went to the ini one (before I posted this) and read everything, and found this:

 

[GeneralWarnings]

SGeneralMasterMismatchWarning=One or more plugins could not find the correct versions of the master files they depend on. Errors may occur during load or game play. Check the "Warnings.txt" file for more information.

 

SMasterMismatchWarning=One of the files that "%s" is dependent on has changed since the last save.

This may result in errors. Saving again will clear this message

but not necessarily fix any errors.

 

I couldn't find the "warnings.txt" file it was talking about. I got the new display drivers installed, and it's still coming up with this error in the folder. I'll run Oblivion with a new ini file after just getting the drivers, and not running Streamline. I have the splash menu up, and I'll report back after about 20 minutes of play.

 

If this doesn't work, I'll uninstall Streamline (i don't really need it anyway), make a whole new profile, another new ini, and go nuts.

 

If that doesn't work...I'll scream like a little sissy girl and run in circles.

 

Wish me luck.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I got the drivers (I believe) and the installation went fine (except for when windows said the driver hadn't passed Window Logo Testing and may cause my vid card to perform wrong later or now). I reset the .ini file and took Streamline off my computer. I played the game for a good, long time. I got out of the first dungeon (y'know, the jail, where emperor dies) and after I got out of the sewers and into the world the game crashed. First time around it said: "Oblivion has encountered an error and needs to close". That was semi-normal. No big deal. I did everything again, and as soon as I got outside the monitor did it's little dance.

 

I did it again, and the same result. This time I did reset the ini file again.

 

Should I just reinstall Oblivion without Streamline ever being in it, and with the latest drivers?

I've spent about a good hour on this, and now I think I'll take a break.

 

Looking forward to what you'll say,

UR84N

Link to comment
Share on other sites

"driver hadn't passed Window Logo Testing and may cause my vid card to perform wrong later or now"

 

Usually you can ignore when Windows tells you that.

 

Well, if you have re-installed your drivers, then yes, you may look at getting the 94.25's instead of the 93.71's. Coincidentally, I have always found that the 93.71's are the best for the 7-series cards. If you have re-installed Oblivion without any mods, have re-installed/updated your drivers, and it's still doing this, then the steps that come after that largely depend on how badly you still want to play the game. It's certainly odd though. Any time I've ever had a crashing problem with Oblivion, it was because of mods, too high of an overclock, or driver issues. Since it would appear you've eliminated these three things and it's still doing it, this is what comes next:

 

You may need to resort to using System Restore to reset your computer back to a date prior to the game acting like this. If that doesn't work, then you may need to look at running the Repair function on your XP disc to replace all of XP's core files. It's almost like a re-format, except it doesn't delete any of your stored data (pics, music, etc.) If that still doesn't work, the next step is re-formatting. It is the end-all be-all for system error removal. Obviously it also sucks to have to do as it is rather time-consuming, depending on how much stuff you have on your hard drive. That is of course the very last resort.

 

The only problem is that I cannot possibly know everything you do or have done on your computer since you've had it, so these are the best suggestions I can give based on what I know about your components and what I know about the game in general.

 

 

Kaminski10: I did not mean to imply you were a newbie at computers. Those things I posted were mentioned only as a means to cover all bases while addressing the problem. In your case, I would largely recommend the same things as I am to SAMUR4I, but since you use Vista and thus the drivers that go along with it, there's only so much I can tell you to help you out. Bad drivers are bad drivers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was a little unsure of the 94.25 and 93.21 thing; those are drivers right? Meh, anyway...

I haven't uninstalled and reinstalled since I got the drivers. I'll get back to you once I do that.

 

Here's the battle plan now:

- reinstall w/o mods (with drivers)

- reset .ini file before play

- playtest (the words "play" and "test" are kinda funny together:P)

- sit. rep.

- System restore

- update drivers

- sit. rep.

- (Ragnarok) Repair function!

- sit. rep.

 

If that doesn't work, I'll take it as divine that I'm not supposed to play this game anymore.

 

Thanks so much Karasuman. I wish I could give more kudos!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...