Graphics Card Issue

[Vanoi]

I seem to be having a small( i think its small. It might actually be a big problem) with my graphics card. sometimes when i play Civ 5, the game will crash, along with my graphics card, which will suddenly stop working. Is this really bad? Or just a small problem?

[PoleCat]

I seem to be having a small( i think its small. It might actually be a big problem) with my graphics card. sometimes when i play Civ 5, the game will crash, along with my graphics card, which will suddenly stop working. Is this really bad? Or just a small problem?

Does it crash repeatedly? Any error message involved? Does it crash to Desktop or BSOD? You given us nothing to work with - we really need more particulars. Thanks in advance and good luck!

[Vanoi]

Does it crash repeatedly? Any error message involved? Does it crash to Desktop or BSOD? You given us nothing to work with - we really need more particulars. Thanks in advance and good luck!

It has crashed before like this. but its not something you can just repeat. It kind of just happens. I couldn't tell you what the game crashes to because as soon as the game crashes my monitor stops working. I receive no signal.

[PoleCat]

It has crashed before like this. but its not something you can just repeat. It kind of just happens. I couldn't tell you what the game crashes to because as soon as the game crashes my monitor stops working. I receive no signal.

Your monitor stops working and reports "no signal". Question - at this point is the computer still powered (are the computer lights still on) or do you need to hit the power button again to start the system?

I'd suggest doing what Bolkonsky suggested - remove all old drivers and approach it again carefully with new drivers.

But if the games you are playing are making your system crash-out completely (i.e. no power to the MoBo) then you have another problem altogether. This is an important question to answer so please try.

Please give us your DX log just so we can know what your system is. Hopefully someone here can spot what the trouble is. Good luck!

[Vanoi]

Your monitor stops working and reports "no signal". Question - at this point is the computer still powered (are the computer lights still on) or do you need to hit the power button again to start the system?

Everything is still on. Monitor is still on too. I have to hit the power button though to get my monitor to start working again.

I'd suggest doing what Bolkonsky suggested - remove all old drivers and approach it again carefully with new drivers.

Is there some kind of program i can download to do this?

But if the games you are playing are making your system crash-out completely (i.e. no power to the MoBo) then you have another problem altogether. This is an important question to answer so please try.

I am sure the MoBo and everything is still working. The only thing i think that stops working is the graphics card.

This also only seems to happen when i play Civ 5. I play games like Arma 2 also and i have never had this problem with them before.

Please give us your DX log just so we can know what your system is. Hopefully someone here can spot what the trouble is. Good luck!

Ok. Should be attached to this post.

[Bolkonsky]

Obviously, update your drivers right away. Or uninstall them completely and reinstall the last stable version that worked with Civ 5.

[Bolkonsky]

Well there is Driver Sweeper, but I'm not sure I'd recommend it unless you know exactly what you're doing. Just go to Add/Remove Programs and remove anything nVidia.

If you truly want to give it a shot with Driver Sweeper, boot to SafeMode (F8 during startup to open the menu) and run DriverSweeper. Check off the "Nvidia Display" box, and follow the prompts. Again, though, I'd stress that Add/Remove programs is your safer option.

Once the drivers are uninstalled, you can download them from Nvidia's website. Drivers> GeForce 4xx Series>GT 430>Download

[Vanoi]

Well there is Driver Sweeper, but I'm not sure I'd recommend it unless you know exactly what you're doing. Just go to Add/Remove Programs and remove anything nVidia.

If you truly want to give it a shot with Driver Sweeper, boot to SafeMode (F8 during startup to open the menu) and run DriverSweeper. Check off the "Nvidia Display" box, and follow the prompts. Again, though, I'd stress that Add/Remove programs is your safer option.

Once the drivers are uninstalled, you can download them from Nvidia's website. Drivers> GeForce 4xx Series>GT 430>Download

I might try that, but first i will read up on it so i don't mess up.

Update the High Definition audio codecs at www.realtek.com.tw as yours are almost two years old and will cause conflicts with CA's Warscape engine and possibly others.

Wow, i didn't know that. What kinds of problems would they cause?

[PoleCat]

If your system is fine but your monitor is shutting down with no signal then look to your monitor. Are you sure that you have all the drivers possible installed for it. After looking it up it seems that its native resolution is 1600x900. What are you running at?

This doesn't necessarily have to be a problem with the GPU - you may just need to check your monitor drivers or play with the resolution settings in Civ5. Good luck!

EDIT: A quick question - you have BDA drivers installed. What program do you use for watching TV on your computer?

[Vanoi]

If your system is fine but your monitor is shutting down with no signal then look to your monitor. Are you sure that you have all the drivers possible installed for it.

I don't know. I'll check now.

After looking it up it seems that its native resolution is 1600x900. What are you running at?

You mean the game's resolution? 1600x900.

EDIT: A quick question - you have BDA drivers installed. What program do you use for watching TV on your computer?

I don't actually watch TV on my computer. I'm also sure i don't have a program that allows me to either. Weird.

[irishron]

Update the High Definition audio codecs at www.realtek.com.tw as yours are almost two years old and will cause conflicts with CA's Warscape engine and possibly others.

[irishron]

Updating the sound drivers won't help with the present problem but will help out your gaming after this problem is fixed. Have you checked your cable connections to the monitor and card?

[Vanoi]

Updating the sound drivers won't help with the present problem but will help out your gaming after this problem is fixed. Have you checked your cable connections to the monitor and card?

I did. They are all fine. Thats actually the very first thing i checked when it first happened to me.

I have one last thing to add. For anyone who plays Civ 5, you know there is an option at the launch with play on Directx 9 or Directx 10/11. I always pick the Directx10/11 option. Could this be the possible reason for my game crashes?

[irishron]

Possible. How does it act on dx9?

[Vanoi]

Possible. How does it act on dx9?

I've never tried it. I'll try it today and see if i get any crashes.

Though i will say, the crashes are completely random. Not getting a single crash on Directx 9 might not mean anything.

[irishron]

Except stability you aren't getting in dx10/11. But I've been wrong before.

[Vanoi]

Except stability you aren't getting in dx10/11. But I've been wrong before.

No, what I'm saying us that playing only Directx 9 and not crashing won't tell us much when i could do the very same thing with directx 10/11. these crashes are random. They don't happen every time i play.

Also one key difference i have already noticed is that the screen resolutions are different. Directx 9 has my at 1370x720 (some werid resolution) while Dirextx 10/11 had me at the max 1600x900.

[irishron]

Resolution changes like this are new to me but these developers keep coming up new ways of doing things.

I have no way of testing it but have you pulled the card and blown the dust out of the slot? It could be dirt buildup causing a hot spot even though only "randomly" when "under stress".

[Vanoi]

I have no way of testing it but have you pulled the card and blown the dust out of the slot? It could be dirt buildup causing a hot spot even though only "randomly" when "under stress".

I have not. I'll try this soon.Though it still wouldn't explain why this only happens on Civ 5. Arma 2 puts more graphics card under more stress than Civ 5 does.

[irishron]

Maybe so but but which one puts the stress one which part of the slot?

In the old hardwire days, it was easy to know which one was which because diagrams were available.

Now with layered ribbon cables and the ability to piggyback with software, It's not as easy to trace or diagnose.