Random CTDs under v5.10-479084 - all DLCs, no mods - Resolved in BIOS.

[blacky75]

Hi guys,

Title self explaining The CTDs are completely random, I can't trace any special activity followed by a CTD. Can happen in menus, after undocking, whilst cruising in space, ... couldn't identify any specific rule, logic or action prior CTDs.

Well, I've packed a few DMP files together with Vulcan info and DxDiag file too: DMPs, DxDiag & Vulkan (zip)
I started with Tides of Avaris: STRANDED
X4 version: v5.10-479084 (all DLCs, no mods)

The CTDs can occur after 5 minutes as they can after 2 hours...

- Installed the Realtec sound drivers (R2.82) replacing the generic MS ones
- Latest nvidia drivers (3080ti) dated 1st of December (till now, no new ones out) - runs 60 to 140 fps @5120x1440/120Hz
- My HW setup is clean, non OC, and the game runs just perfectly, until... it crashes. Nor CPU nor GPU are overheating (CPU around 50-70°C and GPU constant 70°C).
- Antivirus exception rules set on X4.exe and its whole folder too...
- No other software or browser running in back ground

Thanks for your investigations
KR

[Alan Phipps]

Along with a few LiveKernelEvents that are usually from driver issues, most of your reported issues seem to be with MpTelemetry which is usually Windows Defender or Microsoft Security Essentials trying and failing to report a Windows issue back to Microsoft over the internet. It implies that something in your system is upsetting WD or MSE and that in turn is having issues reporting back. It may even be the internet reporting failure that is taking focus away from X4 and causing the CTDs.

Your DxDiag is also telling me that you have many different sound devices and drivers operating at the same time. That is where I would start eliminating potential issues. You can disable sound devices and drivers that you do not use in Device Manager, Sound/Audio Devices (right-click on a device in the listing for a disable/enable pop-up). Make sure that whatever device drivers you keep are fully updated from the device manufacturers' update sites.

Good luck.

[blacky75]

Thnx for the clues... I'll try to turn off the sound devices... I'll keep posting, positive or negative outcome

Have a nice evening
cheers

[blacky75]

Along with a few LiveKernelEvents that are usually from driver issues, most of your reported issues seem to be with MpTelemetry which is usually Windows Defender or Microsoft Security Essentials trying and failing to report a Windows issue back to Microsoft over the internet. It implies that something in your system is upsetting WD or MSE and that in turn is having issues reporting back. It may even be the internet reporting failure that is taking focus away from X4 and causing the CTDs.

Your DxDiag is also telling me that you have many different sound devices and drivers operating at the same time. That is where I would start eliminating potential issues. You can disable sound devices and drivers that you do not use in Device Manager, Sound/Audio Devices (right-click on a device in the listing for a disable/enable pop-up). Make sure that whatever device drivers you keep are fully updated from the device manufacturers' update sites.

Good luck.

Still crashing... (new dxdiag/vulkan/DMP files)
Disabled all other sound devices as suggested... (pc restart to give a clean chance)
The only point I just don't quite understand, is your first sentence... the WD is not running, as it's a thirdparty AV (TotalAV)...
Hope you find new info to dig into, under the DMPs...

tia!
cheers

[Ketraar]

The only point I just don't quite understand, is your first sentence... the WD is not running, as it's a thirdparty AV (TotalAV)...

3rd party AV have often more impact to crashes as they are much more intrusive then Defender. You said you added the X4 folder to exceptions but this might be the case where the game is trying to save and thus accessing \Documents. Chances are your AV is blocking writing/reading from that location causing the crash. Try adding that too to the exceptions.

MFG

Ketraar

[blacky75]

would have been a direction to look at, if it would happen on save moments... I've cut off autosave, so I got that in control... it happened a few times that it went CTD after saving, but it's not the rule... it CTD more often elsewhere where I'm not saving... thanks so far

[blacky75]

PROBLEM SOLVED... even if everything ran fine, any games and even benchmarks, only X4 had problems with it..... I found it! The RAM wasn't correctly setup in the BIOS. The 'AUTO' function had malfunction anyhow, I set manual, then back to AUTO, and compared the original RAM specs (clock and so....). Now every bit is fine, and.... X4 runs crashless! Had a few session, and just finished a 4 hours session!

Damn I'm happy it works now Thnx for your help anyway, cheers

[CBJ]

That's really good to hear, and thanks for reporting back on your findings.

[Imperial Good]

The reason X4 crashed in those conditions but other games and applications did not is most likely to be due to the difference in workload of X4. X4 is very CPU and memory access intensive so is more prone to exposing CPU and memory instabilities than most games and applications.

[blacky75]

for sure But I ran a full memory test (30 minutes?), run CPU heavy benchmarks to check temps, and run even benchmarks on GPU... Now I think it's usefull to run X4 over a few hours to see if the system is really, really, rreeeeaaaaally ok
Just wondering that with my adobe premiere use it never crashed, neither did it crash when running often a full virtual machine mounted into a RAM drive (Got 64Gb, so 30Gb for a VM is a certain load already)

But anyway, man I'm happy X4 runs flawless now!!!!!

BTW: any clues on when X5 will be ready? THanks again for all your responses, appreciated.

Cheers