Just Cause 2 BSOD

[cleft]

Hi, first post here, looking for a little advice.

I recently bought Just Cause 2 and have been having problems with it crashing to blue screen.

The message I get after restart is this:

Problem signature:
Problem Event Name: BlueScreen
OS Version: 6.1.7600.2.0.0.768.3
Locale ID: 2057

Additional information about the problem:
BCCode: 124
BCP1: 0000000000000000
BCP2: FFFFFA8004B3A038
BCP3: 00000000B4202000
BCP4: 0000000060000145
OS Version: 6_1_7600
Service Pack: 0_0
Product: 768_1


I've attached a couple of recent minidumps in the hope that someone who understands more than I knows whats causing the bluescreen.

JC2 is the only thing that seems to cause the crash but oddly, apart from bluescreening every hour or so it runs fine, on high settings and I don't think anything is overheating...

Anyway, thanks in advance for any help and let me know what other information I can supply to help if needed

 

[Route44]

Question: Prior to this game did you have any BSODs? Also, how soon after did your start experiencing BSODs once you installed Just Cause 2?

 

[cleft]

No, i've had no problems at all.

My PC is only about a year old, in the last month i have upgraded to win 7.

I downloaded Just Cause 2 on sunday night, played for a few hours then went to bed.

Since then everytime i play the game it runs fine for probably about an hour then bluescreens.

Prior to it happening the game doesn't slow down or apparantly be struggling to run at all.

 

[Route44]

Your errors are both 0x124: WHEA_UNCORRECTABLE_ERROR and is described as "A fatal hardware error has occurred."

This error code and definition has replaced the older XP code 0x9C: MACHINE_CHECK_EXCEPTION and though it is older the definition still is applicable: This is a hardware issue: an unrecoverable hardware error has occurred. The parameters have different meanings depending on what type of CPU you have but, while diagnostic, rarely lead to a clear solution. Most commonly it results from overheating, from failed hardware (RAM, CPU, hardware bus, power supply, etc.), or from pushing hardware beyond its capabilities (e.g., overclocking a CPU).

Honestly, this is a very difficult error to work with because as it says a clear diagnosis rarely comes forth and I have never seen a minidump with either error codes give a definitive answer. I know IT techs that don't like working with it. What makes it so difficult is that it can be any hardware in your system -- and I mean any. Your dumps simply cited hardware as the issue and nothing more definitive.

Here are some of the causes that were determined to be the source o 0x124/0x9C errors from posters here and abroad: NIC, DVD/CD drives, dust build up around the CPU that caused overheating of said CPU, bulging capacitors hidden by heatsink, video card, psu, motherboard, and external harddrive connected by USB.

However, let's zero in on your video card. Is it set properly? Is there dust build-up? Is the fan working properly? You may want to consider the following:

1. Download Driver Cleaner Pro or Driver Sweeper (both have free versions; make sure the version will work with your OS) to your desktop screen and install.

2. Download the latest diver(s) for your video card but don't install them.

3. Uninstall your video card drivers and reboot your PC into Safe Mode. Run Driver Cleaner Pro or Driver Sweeper but ONLY for the video card drivers. I had someone use it on their chipset drivers! If it doesn't find any video card drivers that is quite okay.

4. Reboot and install new video card drivers.

 

[cleft]

Thanks, Yeah i can try that, but i did just use Driver Sweeper when i upgraded to windows 7 (i've got an ATI card so i've had the problem in the past where you upgrade your drivers without removing the old ones and CCC stops working)

Thinking about that reminded me of somthing, i'm sure i read that some people had trouble with Catalyst Control Centre in win 7, i may just be paranoid but i was thinking before that my computer was running with a lot less fan noise since i upgraded... Is there a program to check that the fan is actually speeding up when the card is under a heavy load?

 

[Route44]

It could be that the video card fan needs to be adjusted. Try this: http://www.windows7download.com/win7-speedfan/juqqvmcb.html

 

[cleft]

Actually it looks like i didn't properly clean my old drivers when i upgraded to win 7.

This might have been the issue, and the reason it was only Just Cause 2 having problems, old dx9 win XP drivers still installed, and a game that only works in dx10 or higher.

I ran driver sweeper like you recomended and made sure it wiped all the drivers then reinstalled, i've been playing now and it didn't BSOD, so fingers crossed that was the issue but i haven't played for long enough to know for certain yet.

I'm going to have a look at speedfan as i'm sure something is still amiss with my fans.

Oh, and thank you for the advice so far

 

[Route44]

Good to hear. Please keep us updated.

 

[cleft]

Sadly, as I expected I was too optimistic. Played for just over an hour then BSOD.

Same error as before as far as I can tell, but I've attached the latest dump anyways.

I'd guess the problem is somethign to do with the GPU overheating, but I don't understand why this only happens with JC2....