My game keeps crashing after clean Windows install

[asimbsim]

So the afternoon after I purchased Eco Lifestyle my pc got really loud and I figured out it was the CPU running crazy hot when I'm playing games (i'm not blaming Eco Lifestyle for this, just really bad timing).

I've bought a new CPU cooler, and new power unit (I needed one anyway), and the CPU is running higher than I'd like but seems to be ok (although no idea why it's happening suddenly after 6 years!) My pc is clean, I've changed my case fans - it's still warm in there but seems ok enough.

To try and start afresh and see if it could reduce the load on my CPU, I decided to do a clean Windows 10 install onto an SSD drive. I transferred my Origin game files afterwards so that TS4 was already saved (I have v slow internet), have repaired the game, removed the mods folder and only reinstalled updated mods, and turned off all in game Origin settings as I can. But quite reguarly when I play TS4 the game suddenly crashes to desktop (although today I got the blue screen of death too straight after crashing to desktop, and my pc turned off). Oh, I've also changed the settings in Nvidia controller so my game uses the GPU.

I realise that it's probably my pc rather than the game, but I don;t know. I played Cities:Skylines to see if the same thing happened with that, and it doesn't, it works like a dream...so now I'm not sure what's going on. Does anyone have any ideas? I dont want to go down the route of considering a broken pc if it's actually something related to TS4.

The most recent crash left a file in my TS4 folder saying Events, and when I opened it it just says:

[Object]
objects=

[Switches]

I'll attach the last crash file that it left too - I have no idea if it means anything to anyone!!!

Any help would be really welcome, I've ran out of ideas :-/

[puzzlezaddict · Accepted solution]

@asimbsim  The memory may well be the issue.  While the size and speed are the same in the two sticks, the timings are not.  The first one has timings of 9-9-9-24, and the second has 11-11-11-something (Crucial doesn't list it).  I'm not sure how your motherboard would handle the different timings, but if the answer is not well, it could account for the errors you're seeing.

Please test with only one RAM stick in at a time, and let me know if you get any more errors.  If you see or think you might have seen another BlueScreen with just the one module installed, please upload any new minidump file(s).  There may have been one after the memory test too, although BSODs don't usually cause a freeze like you described.

If you still get errors or BSODs with one RAM stick, try the other.  I don't think it's worth reinstalling Windows unless you confirm that the issue is still present even when testing each module separately.  Even then, there are intermediate steps that you can try before going to a clean wipe.

[puzzlezaddict]

@asimbsim  The BlueScreen means this is likely not a Sims 4 issue, or rather not entirely a Sims 4 issue, although the game could be triggering the problem.  Please start by running a dxdiag and attaching it to a post.

https://help.ea.com/en-us/help/pc/how-to-gather-dxdiag-information/

[asimbsim]

Thank you. I've attached the dxdiag. It doesn't always goes to the blue screen, mostly it just goes to desktop.  But I've never had the blue screen on this pc before so it's not a good sign :-/

[puzzlezaddict]

@asimbsim  No, BSODs are never a good sign.  Your dxdiag lists two, and while the type of error is clear from the code, the cause is not.  So please upload any recent dump files you can find.  Open a File Explorer window, enter C:\Windows\Minidump in the address bar, and grab any files dated after your clean Windows install.  (Right-click on the files and select Copy, then right-click on your desktop and select Paste.)  Zip the files together, upload them to the free filehosting site of your choice, and link them here.

I'll take a look in the morning... or rather, later in the morning.

[asimbsim]

I really appreciate you looking, thank you :-)

Hopefully this link will work. I only have one file in it.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LZoPU96DVLTuv3X9580HJrPF4QmzSUfk/view?usp=sharing

[puzzlezaddict]

@asimbsim  Sorry for the late reply; this is a new error for me, although it's certainly not new in general.

The BSOD points to corruption of critical data, and the faulting module is a Windows process, not Sims 4 and not some other third-party software.  Among the potential causes are a virus that modifies critical files, and a problem with your installed memory.  Since you only recently installed Windows 10 on your SSD, a virus is less likely, although it's certainly still possible.

If you have a preferred virus scanner, use that.  Otherwise, download and install Malwarebytes (the free version is fine), launch it, click Scan in the left panel, then Custom Scan, Configure, and scan for everything listed.  It'll take some time.

For the memory, what do you have for RAM: manufacturer, product name, size, speed, and timing?  If it's easier, you can just list the product number on the RAM sticks.  It would be a good idea to run MemTest86, if you have a USB lying around that you don't mind erasing.

https://www.overclockersclub.com/guides/memtest86_memory_guide/

Otherwise, you can use Windows 10's built-in tool.  Hit Windows key-R, enter "mdsched" without quotes, and let the program restart your computer and test your memory.

Let me know how this goes.  If nothing turns up in either scan, I'll ask for a second opinion; as I said, this particular error is new for me.

[asimbsim]

Thanks so much for getting back to me :-)  That's really interesting and very annoying about the faulting module being a windows process!

I did a virus scan and it found a PUP file, which I've quarantined and deleted.

I recently added an 8gb RAM to my system, so I thought maybe I'd installed it wrong, so I went back in and did it again to make sure it was secure.

Then I ran the "mdsched" scan and it said it detected no faults, and then as the system was restarting itself, the whole system froze at the startup screen, before it'd even reached the password screen before my desktop - so I had to turn it off at the power supply. It did the same thing last night when I was using it, the mouse cursor just froze in place and I couldnt do control, alt, delete or anything. :-(

So the scan's seem fine, which is really bizarre.

The product numbers (I think partnumber is the same?) for the RAM sticks are: for the DIMM_A1 stick: BLS8G3D1609DS1S00, for the DIMM_B1 stick: CT102464BD160B.M16

They are both 8gb, both DIMM DDR3 with 1600 speed

Do you think it's worth completely reinstalling Windows 10 again, if the problem is windows? Or is it an unfixable windows bug type thing?

My PC was running hot before the clean install, but I never had these bugs with my old version of windows :-/

I really appreciate your help!!

[puzzlezaddict · Accepted solution]

@asimbsim  The memory may well be the issue.  While the size and speed are the same in the two sticks, the timings are not.  The first one has timings of 9-9-9-24, and the second has 11-11-11-something (Crucial doesn't list it).  I'm not sure how your motherboard would handle the different timings, but if the answer is not well, it could account for the errors you're seeing.

Please test with only one RAM stick in at a time, and let me know if you get any more errors.  If you see or think you might have seen another BlueScreen with just the one module installed, please upload any new minidump file(s).  There may have been one after the memory test too, although BSODs don't usually cause a freeze like you described.

If you still get errors or BSODs with one RAM stick, try the other.  I don't think it's worth reinstalling Windows unless you confirm that the issue is still present even when testing each module separately.  Even then, there are intermediate steps that you can try before going to a clean wipe.

[holger1405]

@puzzlezaddict  Thanks for tagging.

@asimbsim 

Pull the new Ram stick > Test.

If that not helps, run chkdsk on your system drive:

• Press the Windows key and "X" at the same time.
• Choose "command prompt (Administrator)" or "Power shell (Administrator)"
• At the prompt, copy and paste "chkdsk x: /f /r" (Without the quotes, change x to the drive letter of the system drive.) > ENTER.
• Choose "Y" at the dialogue > Restart the machine.
• Here is a guide on how to find the Chkdsk log after you are back in Windows.

Also check all cable to the hard drive. (Data, Power)

Edit: Did you changed anything in BIOS?

[asimbsim]

Thank you so much for your help, and sorry for the delayed reply. I've been trying to test my pc out to make sure it seems sorted. I think you're right, it seems the new RAM stick was to blame for the crashing because it hasn't happened since (fingers crossed it stays that way!) Very annoying because I did the pc scan on the Scan website to find a compatible RAM stick :-/

But taking it out does seem to have solved the crashing problem, so thank you!

I do still get an annoying freezing, but usually only when I'm using the internet and it seems to unfreeze if I leave it for 5-10 mins. In the "processes" bar of "task manager" when it does eventually unfreeze, the history during that time shows a massive increase to 100% usage of CPU, GPU and a massive constant fluctuation of ethernet connection - no idea what that's about!! Technically it's working better and more stable, but I can't shift the uneasy feeling of something just not being quite right:-/

But as the actual crashing goes, it seems (hopefully) solved! So thank you so much for your help, I really appreciate it :-)