My first bluescreen:).

The Condor

The Condor

On an excellent adventure
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Hi, I just got my first bluescreen (complete with random numbers and letters on it) and a complete crash on my computer (it went off and would not turn back on for a while) and I just wanted to know if anyone has some good tips on how to prevent or solve it. Unlike a lot of these threads I am not going to renounce Sid as God or destroy the game or anything but try again. I was playing the Earth 1000AD scenario when it happened and I was English and just got a world map from Asoka (which revealed all of Europe and Asia) when the game screen went blue and my computer "chirped" and turned off while becoming hot to touch. When I restarted my computer after a minute because the power button was hot and it would not let me it had a little "you recovered from a serious error" thing so I came here. I am not super technological so I don't know every last detail about my computer but I do know it is a:

Toshiba Qosmio and was made in 2005 in August. I have Microsoft SP2 package thing with NVIDIA GeForce FX (don't know exact model nor how to find it) and SRS TruSurround XT sound stuff I think. My error report I sent said it could not trace the exact cause of the error but I didn't really care anyway. So any and all help would be greatly appreciated and if you think I am leaving something out please tell me so I can give out more information for a better chance at fixing this. Also, I have the special edition version patched if that helps.
 
Kolyana said:
CONGRATULATIONS! :hugs:
Click to expand...

Thanks, it was a special but frightening moment.
 
I've had Civ IV locking up on me since yesterday really badly ... everything is fine and then *POW* everything is frozen and needs a reboot. I've ended up uninstalling, reinstalling, defragging, increasing my MFT and not using the Blue Marble Mod. I'm going to try playing again but on reduced settings and slowly increasing it ... if I get a lockup again, I'll consider shelving the game until the next patch.
 
Kolyana said:
I've had Civ IV locking up on me since yesterday really badly ... everything is fine and then *POW* everything is frozen and needs a reboot. I've ended up uninstalling, reinstalling, defragging, increasing my MFT and not using the Blue Marble Mod. I'm going to try playing again but on reduced settings and slowly increasing it ... if I get a lockup again, I'll consider shelving the game until the next patch.
Click to expand...

Oh yeah, thanks for reminding me I have no mods whatsoever and also I defragged afterwords. I just spent two seconds retrieveing my Microsoft online crash analysis thing (I sent one of those error reports and got this):

Stop error caused by a device driver

Symptoms

You are receiving this message because a device driver installed on your computer caused a stop error message. This error message required a restart of your computer. After the restart your computer should continue to operate normally, however the error may re-occur until the problem is corrected.

Cause

A stop error occurs when your computer encounters an error from which it cannot recover. This is usually caused by a device driver which encounters an unhandled exception or performs an illegal operation. When the operating system detects this situation it is stopped to prevent further problems, such as data loss or further system instability.

Resolution

Your error report has been computer analyzed and is unable to determine the exact cause of the error at this time. Since a cause and resolution has not been found your error report will be analyzed by Microsoft and any associated vendors to determine the cause of the error. After a cause has been found and corrected you will receive an updated message the next time you receive this same error with instructions on resolving the problem. We apologize for any inconvenience this error has caused and are working to resolve it as quickly as possible.

Please note it is important you continue to report errors so analysts will have data to analyze and correct the problem as quickly as possible. We appreciate your patience and assistance while we work to resolve your error.
 
snepp said:
The power button was hot to the touch?
Click to expand...

It was really hot. It sorta burnt my middle finger on my right hand a bit. Sorry I could not think of a better description for it.
 
The "Blue Screen Of Death" is a software crash of the Windows OS caused by a crashing program (in your case : Civ IV). The "You have recovered from a serious error" is the Windows welcome-back message to inform you that your Windows OS is back on track after its crash.

It is a rare event with the Windows NT/2000/XP series, but it is usually not that "serious".

If you were really unlucky, some Windows system files might have been damaged ("corrupted").

There are 3 precautions you might want to take :

1. Use Windows' "System Restore" function to restore Windows to a state prior to the BSOD crash. For example : restore to one day before.

2. Use the Windows "error-checking" function located in the properties of your C: drive's icon (right-click on it). This will then require a reboot.

3. Better still...Use the Windows "run" command and insert in its little window the following command : SFC /scannow. This deeper error-checking process will take over 15 minutes...but it will end without producing any report on what it might have detected & repaired !

If you do step 1, you do not need to do steps 2 or 3 (but it would not hurt to do 1 and then 2).

If you do step 3, you do not need to do step 2 (it would be a redundancy).

At the very least, I recommend step 1 : Restore your Windows to a prior date (will then require a reboot). It cannot hurt.

In what concerns the catastrophic hardware shutdown (and the weird "hot" power button), it has somewhat happened to me (no hot button, though)...but I do not have any expertise to explain how a Windows OS crash (which is a software event) can cause such a catastrophic hardware event.

If any of you out there know better (or more), please correct me.
 
On those BSOD you should see a memory address and at the bottom a list of the driver that failed. If should also give you a clue as to what caused the error. If you didn't record this stuff down you should still be able to access it via the control panel\Administrative Tools\Event viewer. Or select run and type in "eventvwr.msc" (minus the quotes). I'm not sure if you need admin privileges but you might.

It will open up an explorer type window with a tree on the left and details on the right. Select "System" on the left pane and look for the error on the right pane. The error will have a red circle with a white x in it. Open that and follow the link. It may help and it may not. Then you can google the information or use microsoft's knowledge base to research more information about it.

Most probably your rig couldn't handle the sudden revelation of such a huge map at one time. It is probably a bad stick of RAM or not enough in most cases. Sometimes it is the power supply. If your power button was hot when you tried to reboot, it needed to cool off so it could have been a cooling issue. Unless you experience these BSOD on a frequent basis I wouldn't worry too much about them.

Good luck, they're a pain in the neck to troubleshoot.
 
Sorceresss said:
The "Blue Screen Of Death" is a software crash of the Windows OS caused by a crashing program (in your case : Civ IV). The "You have recovered from a serious error" is the Windows welcome-back message to inform you that your Windows OS is back on track after its crash.

It is a rare event with the Windows NT/2000/XP series, but it is usually not that "serious".

If you were really unlucky, some Windows system files might have been damaged ("corrupted").

There are 3 precautions you might want to take :

1. Use Windows' "System Restore" function to restore Windows to a state prior to the BSOD crash. For example : restore to one day before.

2. Use the Windows "error-checking" function located in the properties of your C: drive's icon (right-click on it). This will then require a reboot.

3. Better still...Use the Windows "run" command and insert in its little window the following command : SFC /scannow. This deeper error-checking process will take over 15 minutes...but it will end without producing any report on what it might have detected & repaired!

If you do step 1, you do not need to do steps 2 or 3 (but it would not hurt to do 1 and then 2).

If you do step 3, you do not need to do step 2 (it would be a redundancy).

At the very least, I recommend step 1 : Restore your Windows to a prior date (will then require a reboot). It cannot hurt.

In what concerns the catastrophic hardware shutdown, it has happended to me, but I do not have any expertise to explain how a Windows OS crash (which is a software event) can cause such a catastrophic hardware event.

If any of you out there know better (or more), please correct me.
Click to expand...


Thanks, I will try and also thanks for very clear instructions (I have a tendency to be absent-minded).
 
EL_OSO said:
On those BSOD you should see a memory address and at the bottom a list of the driver that failed. If should also give you a clue as to what caused the error. If you didn't record this stuff down you should still be able to access it via the control panel\Administrative Tools\Event viewer. Or select run and type in "eventvwr.msc" (minus the quotes). I'm not sure if you need admin privileges but you might.

It will open up an explorer type window with a tree on the left and details on the right. Select "System" on the left pane and look for the error on the right pane. The error will have a red circle with a white x in it. Open that and follow the link. It may help and it may not. Then you can google the information or use microsoft's knowledge base to research more information about it.

Most probably your rig couldn't handle the sudden revelation of such a huge map at one time. It is probably a bad stick of RAM or not enough in most cases. Sometimes it is the power supply. If your power button was hot when you tried to reboot, it needed to cool off so it could have been a cooling issue. Unless you experience these BSOD on a frequent basis I wouldn't worry too much about them.

Good luck, they're a pain in the neck to troubleshoot.
Click to expand...

Thanks also. As I said earlier this was my first BSOD and also I forgot to mention my first huge map (I love eighteen civ duel sized pangaeas) so I the big stick of ram thing could the issue. Also thanks for trying to explain what happened to my power button cuz that also spooked me into thinking my computer was melting or something.
 
Also, (sorry for triple post) I will try those things now so I won't be on for a while but please continue on posting suggestions for I will thank you later if they work. Lastly, this was my first thread started ever so it is nice to see I got some posters unlike many another persons thread that gets shot down in a second.
 
The Condor said:
Thanks, I will try
Click to expand...

Windows XP's "System Restore" function is so easy to use, and it is a harmless cure to many Windows problems.

I recommend that all gamers execute a "Create restore point", each & every time, before launching CIV IV (and any program that is potentially problematic). If that software crashes & mess with your Windows OS, it is then easy to restore the latter to its system-state prior to the crash.

It is easy & harmless...except if some of your Windows files were already corrupted to start with. You would then be restoring back to a damaged Windows OS.

That is why it is prudent to regularly launch one of the 2 steps of Windows-files "error checking" I mentioned above. And then, afterwards, you immediately create a new restore point with your error-checked Windows. Give this restore point a special name to remember that it is a relatively safe point. Consequently, if you crash again a few days later, you can restore back to this safe point.

Please correct me if I missed something.
 
Nice suggestions from several people and pretty much hits the nail on the head.

I use a Toshiba Satellite (how it runs Civ 4 sometimes is beyond me) and I have had this happen with a number of games... This problem can be tied mostly to the manufacter's design of the laptop... with Toshiba they tend to put all the heat generating compunents close together. So when you load up a game that uses most of your systems resorces it tends to cause the whole thing to heat up.

For the driver issue are you running stock drivers on that FX6600 GO card (thats whats in your laptop, I looked it up). The reason I ask is that Toshiba doesn't like to keep its drivers up to date imo. I had to track down a new set of drivers and it pretty much fixed that issue for me. I say track down because the drivers you get from Nvidia directly are not always compatable with the GO (or laptop) model video cards.

EDIT: For those curious what I run Civ 4 on...
2.8ghz Intel P4 HT
512 MB DDR Ram
32MB Nvidia FX5100 GO
and I run at medium graphics levels (stable)
Try to figure that one out :P
 
this sound like temperature cascading. Civ 4 proly pushed your vid cd (or some other component in the system) harder than it's been pushed in the passed and started heating up. This heat increased internal case heat some which then started overheating another compontent and so on until shutdown. I'd check the case fans and power supply. Run with the side off and see if it repeats or if you can identify which component is running hot. many times it's the vid cd fav has gone out and that's where it starts....or the power supply is a bad one for this....just an idea
 
oh, as far as the BSOD...Civ4's been doing that to a LOT of ppl. That's normal for now, i'd be focussed on the overheating. that's an abnormal condition...
 
his biggest problem (the heat) he really can't do much about. He is using a laptop and pulling the side off isn't really an option. actually to get an open view of a laptop you pretty much have to disasemble it. Need to buy a small fan and prop the laptop up more if you get constant overheats due to gaming :P
 
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