Dread Lords, Dark Avatar BSOD

from GalCiv2 Forums
I think it might be due to my graphics card overheating, but I'm not really sure how to diagnose that. A few seconds after entering the game, random lines/dots of colour appear across the screen, and the graphics card then apparently stops sending output as my monitor loses the signal. This is followed by a blue screen referring to "nvlddmkm.sys" a few second later. This occurs in both Dread Lords and Dark Avatar (and Sins of a Solar Empire too for that matter), even when running with the graphics settings turned all the way down to poor, which I assume means the GPU throttler is in use, I wasn't sure which option it was. I'm running the latest NVIDIA drivers as of this date on Vista 64-bit, but I've also tested the game on my dual-booted XP installation and get the same result.

Is my graphics card be overheating, or is there some other problem? Here's the debug.err file:

Debug Message:  Version v1.5 Dark Avatar last updated on: Mon Jan 15 15:09:22 2007
Debug Message:  Can't find TGN or GalCiv2 serial number.
Debug Message:  Checking DX Version.
Debug Message:  *********DXDiag info follows.*********
System Info
Time: 6/14/2008, 02:55:41
DirectX Version: DirectX 10
Machine Name: DEAN-PC
Operating System: Windows Vista™ Ultimate (6.0, Build 6001) Service Pack 1 (6001.longhorn_rtm.080118-1840)
Languages: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
System Model: 965P-DS3
BIOS: Award Modular BIOS v6.00PG
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU          6420  @ 2.13GHz (2 CPUs), ~2.1GHz
Physical Memory: 3070MB RAM
Page File: 1710MB used, 4662MB available
Windows Dir: C:\Windows


Display Info
Display device 1:
Device Name: \\.\DISPLAY1
Card Name: NVIDIA GeForce 7950 GT
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip Type: GeForce 7950 GT
DAC Type: Integrated RAMDAC
Key Device: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0295&SUBSYS_34331458&REV_A1
Display Memory: 1784 MB
Current Display Mode: 1280 x 1024 (32 bit) (72Hz)
Monitor Name: BenQ T90X (Digital)
Monitor Max Resolution:
Driver Name: nvd3dumx.dll,nvd3dum,nvwgf2umx.dll, nvwgf2um
Driver Version: 7.15.0011.7516
Driver Date: 5/2/2008 22:46:00
DirectX Acceleration Enabled: Yes
 


Sound info
Sound device 1:
Description: Speakers (Realtek High Definition Audio)
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0888&SUBSYS_1458E601&REV_1000
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Driver Name: RTKVHD64.sys
Provider: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
Driver Version: 6.00.0001.5618
Driver Date: 5/7/2008 19:22:52
Type: WDM
Other Drivers:
Acceleration Level: 1
Cap Flags: 0
Min/Max Sample Rate: 0, 0
 
Sound device 1:
Description: Realtek Digital Output (Realtek High Definition Audio)
Default Sound Playback: No
Default Voice Playback: No
Hardware ID: HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0888&SUBSYS_1458E601&REV_1000
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Driver Name: RTKVHD64.sys
Provider: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
Driver Version: 6.00.0001.5618
Driver Date: 5/7/2008 19:22:52
Type: WDM
Other Drivers:
Acceleration Level: 1
Cap Flags: 0
Min/Max Sample Rate: 0, 0
 


Debug Message:  *********END dxdiag info.*********
Debug Message:  Entering WinMain
Debug Message:  ******* Starting Game Shell *******
Debug Message:  Preparing to change display settings.
Debug Message:  Using multilsample setting: D3DMULTISAMPLE_NONE
Debug Message:  Game Resolution: 1024 x 768
Debug Message:  Running in windowed mode.
Debug Message:  HAL (hw vp): NVIDIA GeForce 7950 GT
Debug Message:  D3DPRESENT_INTERVAL_IMMEDIATE
Debug Message:  Refresh rate: 0
Debug Message:  Bit Depth: 32 bit.
Debug Message:  *********Checking D3DDevice Caps***********************
Debug Message:  A full-color cursor is supported in hardware at high resolution modes.
Debug Message:  Border size reported as 6 by 26
Debug Message:  RGB in format 6:6:6, Masks reported as ff0000:ff00:ff
Debug Message:  Now windowed.
Debug Message:  Shell initialization complete
Debug Message:  GalCiv2 is activated.
Debug Message:  ***** Initializing Game *****
Debug Message:  Timer Frequency is 0 da7a64
Debug Message:  Initializing sound card.
Debug Message:  initailizing bink
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask Movies\techs\*.bik
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask Gfx\Tutorials\*.bik
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask C:\Users\Dean\Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\Gfx\Movies\*.bik
Debug Message:  Create setup screens.
Debug Message:  Clear galaxy settings.
Debug Message:  Clear influence.
Debug Message:  Clear up laws.
Debug Message:  Clear first time events.
Debug Message:  Clear wonders and trade goods.
Debug Message:  Clear sector mapper.
Debug Message:  Set mouse.
Debug Message:  Set update timer.
Debug Message:  Popup Manager Update: Updating window with ID=0
Debug Message:  Popup Manager Update: Unhiding FullscreenBink
Debug Message:  Clear data definitions.
Debug Message:  Killing ship styles:
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask C:\Users\Dean\Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\ships\*.xml
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask C:\Users\Dean\Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\shiptemplates\*.xml
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask C:\Users\Dean\Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\ShipStyles\*.xml
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask ./Data/\FleetFormations\*.fleet
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask C:\Program Files (x86)\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2Gfx\Planets\C0*.png
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask Gfx\Planets\C0*.png
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/1SideN*.png
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/1SideE*.png
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/1SideS*.png
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/1SideW*.png
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/2SideN*.png
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/2SideE*.png
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/2SideS*.png
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/2SideW*.png
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/3SideN*.png
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/3SideE*.png
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/3SideS*.png
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/3SideW*.png
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/4SideN*.png
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/4SideE*.png
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/4SideS*.png
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/4SideW*.png
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask C:\Users\Dean\Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\ships\*.shipcfg
Debug Message:  Reading Star Names
Debug Message:  Reading Star Names... Done
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask ./Data/English/Tutorials/*.xml
Debug Message:  Popup Manager Update: Updating window with ID=1
Debug Message:  GalaxyWnd: Cannot find OBJID Scenaro_MoreDetails_FText
Debug Message:  GalaxyWnd: Cannot find OBJID Scenaro_Details_FormattedText
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask ./Data/CustomMaps/*.gc2mapDarkAvatar/Data/CustomMaps/*.gc2map
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask C:\Program Files (x86)\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2\Mods\Default\Data\CustomMaps\*.gc2map
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask ./Data/English/Scenarios/*.GC2Scenario
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask C:\Program Files (x86)\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2\Mods\Default\Data\Scenarios\*.gc2scenario
Debug Message:  CustomPersonalityWnd: Cannot find OBJID Personality_Special_Title
Debug Message:  CustomPersonalityWnd: Cannot find OBJID Personality_Special_Disctiption_Spinner_Back
Debug Message:  CustomPersonalityWnd: Cannot find OBJID Personality_Special_Disctiption_Title
*DEBUG ERROR: ***CustomShipStyleWnd: Unknown edit field ShipList_List_Entry type: CustomListEntry ***
*DEBUG ERROR: ***CustomShipStyleWnd: Unknown edit field ShipList_Avalible_List_Entry type: CustomListEntry ***
Debug Message:  WARNING: GetShipStylePrefix called for civ and civ has no ship style
Debug Message:  LoadHardpointsFromPrefsFile failed to load ship config file: ./Data/ShipCfg/\(null)_ColonyShip.shipcfg
Debug Message:  Creating Galaxy
Debug Message:  Killing threads.
Debug Message:  Kiling civs.
Debug Message:  Killing ships.
Debug Message:  Killing rallypoints.
Debug Message:  Killing misc objects.
Debug Message:  Killing stars.
Debug Message:  Killing anomalies.
Debug Message:  Killing asteroid fields.
Debug Message:  Killing asteroid field mining bases.
Debug Message:  Killing space resources.
Debug Message:  Killing colonies and planets.
Debug Message:  killing scenario.
Debug Message:  Clearing Turn Event Log
Debug Message:  Clear galaxy settings.
Debug Message:  Clear influence.
Debug Message:  Clear up laws.
Debug Message:  Clear first time events.
Debug Message:  Clear wonders and trade goods.
Debug Message:  Clear sector mapper.
Debug Message:  Galaxy Size Set: 3 x 3
Debug Message:  Creating Random Map
Debug Message:  Creating Random Map... Stars
Debug Message:  Number of Unplaced Stars: 6.
Debug Message:  Creating Random Map... Planets
Debug Message:  Creating Random Map... Anomalies
Debug Message:  Num Anomalies: 82
Debug Message:  Creating Random Map... Resources
Debug Message:  Creating Random Map... Done
Debug Message:  Creating Random Map... Asteroid Fields
Debug Message:  Setting Game Options
Debug Message:  Creating Civs
Debug Message:  Terran Alliance: Intellence -> 50
Debug Message:  Drengin Empire: Intellence -> 50
Debug Message:  Altarian Resistance: Intellence -> 50
Debug Message:  Arcean Empire: Intellence -> 50
Debug Message:  Creating Civs... Done
Debug Message:  Updating ZOC.
Debug Message:  Distributing bonuses on planets...
Debug Message:  Creating ships...
Debug Message:  Updating ZOC.
Debug Message:  Galaxy Create... Done
Debug Message:  UIBeginGame called with g_ulLocalPlayerID = 0
Debug Message:  UIBeginGameHelper: New Game Started
Debug Message:  UIBeginGameHelper: Mods are Disabled
Debug Message:  Popup Manager Update: Updating window with ID=18
Debug Message:  Popup Manager Update: Unhiding QuarterlyWnd
Debug Message:  Popup Manager Update: Updating window with ID=14
Debug Message:  Game Screen: Setting mode to 2
Debug Message:  Popup Manager Update: Unhiding ResearchWnd
Debug Message:  Game Screen: Setting mode to 9
Debug Message:  Game Screen: Setting mode to 0
Debug Message:  Game Screen: Setting mode to 0
Debug Message:  Game Screen: Setting mode to 9
Debug Message:  Game Screen: Setting mode to 0
Debug Message:  Game Screen: Setting mode to 3
Debug Message:  EconomicWnd: Cannot find OBJID Template_Button_Back
Debug Message:  Game Screen: Setting mode to 0
Debug Message:  Error flipping back buffer to primary buffer.
Debug Message:  Device lost

802 views 1 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Normally a BSOD indicates a driver or hardware fault, but given the graphical artifacting and that you're seeing it across different OSes, that strongly points in the direction of hardware fault. If your video card isn't caked with dust as heatsinks tend to get, and its' getting sufficient power, it sounds fairly likely that it's simply failing.