Shogun 2 CTDs while trying to launch from Steam

[MarklonW]

As the topic, Shogun 2 fails to initialize consistently after reaching the small splash screen when booting through Steam. I've tried all the usual fixes including updating my nvidia and realtek drivers, but so far nothing has worked. What is really strange is that the first time I tried booting up Shogun 2, it worked perfectly and I played for a few hours without a problem, but now it's completely unusable.

If it's relevant, I've also had this problem with the Transformers game and LA Noire.

Here's my dxdiag: http://pastebin.com/ZWK2GJNR

[irishron]

Where are your harddrive and optical drive specs in the dxdiag?

Have you done this? http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=238484
Are you using Game Booster?
Have you tried it with the SLI disabled?
Have you run Microsoft Update and installed all software options manually?
Have you tried it with the antivirus and firewall disabled?

[MarklonW]

I just applied the virtual memory fix, and I'm going to reboot and test it now. Not using game booster, I don't believe I've ever turned SLI on (since I only have a single GPU), and I don't use any sort of active always-on AV or firewall, and I just checked Microsoft Update and it says I'm totally up to date.

Regarding information missing from the dxdiag: I have no clue. I just ran it twice and saved and both times they saved as equal sized files (47.7 KB). I don't think I'm doing anything wrong, but if you're missing information clearly something on my end (or just me) is not functioning as intended.

[irishron]

Let's see how it goes this far, then.

[MarklonW]

Back with news: Booted into the fixed virtual memory and Shogun 2 still crashes at the same place with the same generic Windows error message.

[MarklonW]

This is confusing enough to warrant me to double post. I just tried to boot the game a few more times...and it worked. Once or twice the game actually booted up to the menu where it ran, albeit at around 10 or 15 FPS. I set it to windowed mode (my preferred way so I can use both monitors without having to minimize and restore applications/games) and it started failing again. Now it seems to be back to failing to boot.

[irishron]

Total War games are not known to be multiple monitor friendly.

Post your gfx.log.txt.

[MarklonW]

Here's gfx.log.txt http://pastebin.com/jZQd3KJC

More news. Running in window mode seems to break the game, as when it resizes and reloads all the options are greyed out and I can't click accept, but running full screen is fine. I can minimize and alt-tab to access content on either monitor just fine. I just got into a battle, however, and that seemed to break it. It went to a black screen and when I alt tabbed, that seemed to have been the killing blow.

Here's the really, really, really strange part: When the game works, it still gives me the Windows shogun2.exe has failed error. But the game runs anyways.

[irishron]

You're not going to get the graphics settings you want. It has left you with just enough to play the game.

You could possibly have a shot at windowd mode with a better graphics card.