No One Will Be Able To Answer That

[h90]

I have a nice middle age computer which works without any problems usually.

When I play the game STALKER. Finish and start the computer again, hours later, it gets a blue screen on the start and reboots 2-3 times. (I think Memory fault, but not sure)

If I don't play that game every time I start the computer it works.

First I thought that it is an coincident, but it is EVERY time the same.

Any kind of explanation?

It should be impossible, or?

[Crossy]

My first thought would be overheat.

Games stress things much more then regular usage, check the fans and blow the dust out of your CPU cooler.

[FritsSikkink]

Your game is <deleted>**ed

[FritsSikkink]

My first thought would be overheat.

Games stress things much more then regular usage, check the fans and blow the dust out of your CPU cooler.

Then it should crash during the game; not hours after a restart.

[WhizBang]

Maybe dodgy memory chip.

[h90]

Crossy+Frits:

It is cleaned, but CPU is overclocked and RAM also on the limit.

And sometimes the game freezes (but it is a version with different mods which might freeze anyway).

I would complete understand that it overheats and may crash immediately on a reboot.

And never crash on office applications as it clocks down the system.

But this effect does not happen with other games.

And it happens hours after.

System is on a Agility 3 (OCZ) and since I have that drive I get extreme rarely other problems, but they are when I have the system sleeping over night.

Here I have like today, EVERY TIME. Play the game, no crash, check emails after. Shut down. Restart next morning, blue screen, twice at least.

Normal Office day no game. Shut down, normal start in the morning.

Sample 20 times each.

If I would read that I would say impossible.....

[RKASA]

Reinstalling the game may clear this issue or go to the games forum and see whom else has or had the same issue. If you do reinstall - run it without mods and then add them one at a time. Game mods can be frame killers for sure when running, but one of them might be corrupting (setting a bit) something which they are also famous for. I am talking games in general as I don't run this one.

[h90]

Maybe dodgy memory chip.

Thought about this one. But after shutting the computer down?

I would accept that games crash but not office. because they max out everything.

But after shutdown?

It is just not logic

[manarak]

Is it the original version of the game?

This is a significant catch 22. You might want to use comodo firewall to check whether any unusal network activity takes place and if the system tries to install/download some stuff without you being aware.

[rakman]

This is an interesting problem. If you could supply a few more details, it might help.

When do you initially start the computer, how long do you run the computer, then start playing the game, then do you shutdown (power off or hibernate or sleep or just reboot)?

How long is the computer off (or slept)? What time of day?

When is the restart that causes the fail? Does the failure take about the same time? What time of day?

How long is the computer off, then restarted normally when it works correctly?

Do you change anything before running the game or after (when you get that good reboot)?

Try this, if you have multiple memory DIMMS (and if they are all the same) rotate them : take out memory in slot1, put memory from slot 2 in slot 1, repeat with slot 3 and/or slot 4, put memory from slot 1 into the last open slot. Check your manufacturer's recommendations for memory placement to be sure you end up in the right configuration.

If you don't have memtest, you can download a free copy and run it on your PC. http://www.memtest.org/ or http://www.memtest86.com/

I suspect some memory issue, the game could be loading into regions not normally touched by regular applications, and a soft boot may not reclaim the memory space, so you end up running in a new area that may have issues.

[ianwuk]

It sounds like the game is too intensive for the system (graphics settings too high for the card, not enough RAM, slow CPU) so the system overheats after being pushed too hard and just dies.

What graphical settings are you playing on?

[h90]

Is it the original version of the game?

This is a significant catch 22. You might want to use comodo firewall to check whether any unusal network activity takes place and if the system tries to install/download some stuff without you being aware.

Good idea! I'll simply take out the network plug....but this might not help if that files are already downloaded.

That is the only thing that sounds possible.

[h90]

This is an interesting problem. If you could supply a few more details, it might help.

Will try....

When do you initially start the computer, how long do you run the computer, then start playing the game, then do you shutdown (power off or hibernate or sleep or just reboot)?

usually the computer runs all the day before I start the game, but sometimes I just start it to play it. After shutdown (shutdown, but not disconnect from the electric, some LEDs remain light on the mainboard) usually it is turned off 10 hours. But sometimes shorter. I can't see any difference if it was turned off for a short time or a long time.

How long is the computer off (or slept)? What time of day?

10 hours off (not sleep) normally at night with starting it again at 8 am.

When is the restart that causes the fail? Does the failure take about the same time? What time of day?

Independent of the time. Shut down at say 10 pm. Start it at 8 AM is exactly the same as if I can't sleep and start it again at 11 pm to check emails.

How long is the computer off, then restarted normally when it works correctly?

It always starts correctly if I didn't play this specific game before shutdown.

Do you change anything before running the game or after (when you get that good reboot)?

Before I increased the fan speeds, as I thought that heat might be a problem. Now I don't change anything....no difference.

Try this, if you have multiple memory DIMMS (and if they are all the same) rotate them : take out memory in slot1, put memory from slot 2 in slot 1, repeat with slot 3 and/or slot 4, put memory from slot 1 into the last open slot. Check your manufacturer's recommendations for memory placement to be sure you end up in the right configuration.

If you don't have memtest, you can download a free copy and run it on your PC. http://www.memtest.org/ or http://www.memtest86.com/

That mainboard is indeed a bit strange on the RAM. If it autodetecs RAM it doesn't work, they must be set manual. But this is done and I run memtest86 (a longer time ago, will run it again).

But faulty memory would not explain that I can run that game, end it, shut the computer down and the next start is not working.

I suspect some memory issue, the game could be loading into regions not normally touched by regular applications, and a soft boot may not reclaim the memory space, so you end up running in a new area that may have issues.

Yes but I have the computer complete shut down. That is the weird thing.Manarak got the idea that the game might try to install something on the next system start and that is causing the problems.

That sounds logic

[Phil Conners]

[snip]

Try this, if you have multiple memory DIMMS (and if they are all the same) rotate them : take out memory in slot1, put memory from slot 2 in slot 1, repeat with slot 3 and/or slot 4, put memory from slot 1 into the last open slot. Check your manufacturer's recommendations for memory placement to be sure you end up in the right configuration.

If you don't have memtest, you can download a free copy and run it on your PC. http://www.memtest.org/ or http://www.memtest86.com/

I suspect some memory issue, the game could be loading into regions not normally touched by regular applications, and a soft boot may not reclaim the memory space, so you end up running in a new area that may have issues.

Agree. Sounds like a memory problem. Download memtest from the link above, it's a bootable cd image - burn the cd, boot it and leave it running for a couple of hours, that should show any memory problems.

[urandom]

if your machine boots properly *every* single time you didn't play the game then we can exclude hardware issues. just some shot in the dark: we could imagine that running the game could lead to some file system corruption (when you run it or when game's data are being saved or when <insert whatever comes to mind> ). what ou could try: close any running application, create a restore point, play your game, close it, restore previous state (the restore point you just created), reboot, sacrifice a goat and report results.

/edit: i'm lazy and I just read OP, I may have missed something.

Edited April 7, 2012 by urandom

[ianwuk]

As others have said, if the game is not legit and had to be cracked then the crack itself could have installed something nasty and it may lie dormant in your system under you fire up the game using the cracked EXE file and then it causes your system to do what you have described.

[chmod777]

Lots of good advice on your problem above, I can only offer this:

If you have not done so, I highly recommend applying the "STALKER Complete 2009" mod. It fixes some bugs, and greatly improves the graphics. Google for it, I used it on the Steam version of the game with no problems.

My guess is there is only a slim chance it would fix your problem, but it is worth doing to improve the game in any case...

[h90]

Today I had the first time that blue screen without playing the game first......

It seems my computer is slowly dying.....and playing that game is just adding some stress.....

[h90]

Lots of good advice on your problem above, I can only offer this:

If you have not done so, I highly recommend applying the "STALKER Complete 2009" mod. It fixes some bugs, and greatly improves the graphics. Google for it, I used it on the Steam version of the game with no problems.

My guess is there is only a slim chance it would fix your problem, but it is worth doing to improve the game in any case...

Currently I use smrter and atmosfear.

But would say the game is better without it.....Now it anyway gets boring with everything full upgraded and 250.000 RU.

I am hopping for stalker 2 this year.....

[BudRight]

I've fixed 10 different systems with BSODs. It has been a memory problem every time. Follow the advice about burning a memtest ISO and check your memory. If you get any errors at all, that's your problem.

If you don't, then update the firmware on your SSD as those have frequent compatibillity issues and simply need updating. You might have to boot from another drive to do this.

Your system is overclocked - what has probably happened is that your memory is pushed to far. If they throw errors, take the FSB memory ratio down to 1:1. If you want better memory performance, you're better off tightening the timings and stress testing that overclocking the RAM. You actually might be able to skate by with what you have now with a small vDIMM bump, but don't take it higher than 2.2V for DDR2 or 1.65 for DDR3.

Good luck.

Edited April 8, 2012 by BudRight

[h90]

I've fixed 10 different systems with BSODs. It has been a memory problem every time. Follow the advice about burning a memtest ISO and check your memory. If you get any errors at all, that's your problem.

If you don't, then update the firmware on your SSD as those have frequent compatibillity issues and simply need updating. You might have to boot from another drive to do this.

Your system is overclocked - what has probably happened is that your memory is pushed to far. If they throw errors, take the FSB memory ratio down to 1:1. If you want better memory performance, you're better off tightening the timings and stress testing that overclocking the RAM. You actually might be able to skate by with what you have now with a small vDIMM bump, but don't take it higher than 2.2V for DDR2 or 1.65 for DDR3.

Good luck.

Jup I'll do just that....first step pull everything clean the contacts and reinsert.....that helped in 50 % of the cases in the past.

[volk666]

Any luck with googling BSOD error codes? Or is your "blue screen" is not the blue screen of death?

What exactly happens on restart? Have you tried booting into safe mode?

[Satcommlee]

I think the same as quoted above.. "Is the game an original or is it a pirate version?

What if a pirate version is doing something to your computer by means of virus etc..? Or trying to inject a boot virus etc?

I think it could explain a lot.