Crashing My Video Card

from Stardock Forums

Since the update to 1.01, I can play a few minutes and then my video card crashes.  It goes to a black screen and the computer needs a hard boot to recover.

I have an NVidea GeForce 9800 GX2, running on Windows XP SP3.

elemental
4,898 views 8 replies
Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top

Please open your debug.err file in notepad, and link the contents into a post here via pastebin. This will give us some technical information that can help troubleshoot your problem.

The file can be found in My Documents\My Games\Elemental

Be sure to copy the debug immediately after the error occurs; if you start the game again, the debug log will be erased and recreated for the new session.

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

The debug.err file doesn't show the fault, I'm sorry to report.  The video card crashes, black screen, no debug.err file is created.

Multiplicity - Control multiple PCs using one keyboard and mouse
Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top

Are you sure? There should always be a debug.err file--the game writes it continuously from the time you start it. Even if it doesn't appear to show anything useful, the technical details may offer some clue.

Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

It sounds like your video card might be overheating. Check that you have the latest drivers from NVIDIA, clean out your PC (physically blow the dust off the card and its fan, make sure all the grilles are clear).

Failing that, try adjusting the graphics card fan settings with something like RivaTuner (after reading how) to increase the fan speed. My 8800 would do the same until I tweaked the fan to go a little higher, especially on load.

Reply #6 from Elemental Forums Top

Kyro,  

My computer was doing the same thing but with the NvidIa 8600..  Fixed it by downloading the new Drivers from Nivida, set the screen resolution to the same size I set in the game.    Went from a hard crash (windows shut down my computer) to playing 200+ turns..   Hope this Helps

 

Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top

Here is a simple tip on overheating some people miss - if you computer case is on carpet you can lose all the air flow from under your case.  put it on a board etc and it keeps the case much more cool.  Other than that - have you checked your case fans to see if they are working?  Also the graphics card fans - but that is much less likely.  I'm running on the same model card with no problem.  Vista though not xp.

Reply #8 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Kilsonx, reply 6
Kyro,  

My computer was doing the same thing but with the Nivida 8600..  Fixed it by downloading the new Drivers from Nivida, set the screen resolution to the same size I set in the game.    Went from a hard crash (windows shut down my computer) to playing 200+ turns..   Hope this Helps

 
End of Kilsonx's quote

Good info, KilsonX!