System crashed with FFXIV (sorry another crash post)

[3Jane]

To cover the basics first, I have over the time since this issue arose renewed all the drivers software etc also new CPU and Graphics cards to remedy the situation. Finally yesterday a fresh O.S re-installation with all software. No change.

The issue, during playing FFXIV after a period of time from between 40 minutes to 4 or 5 hours the game and my entire system crashes, sometimes crashing to desktop (non of the desktop items such as browser will open properly). But most of the time the system locks, the graphics corrupt, the screen goes dark prompting an auto restart.
I have tested my system with other games such as Alice 'Madness Returns' and 'Mirrors Edge. No system problems there.

I have checked the downloaded game files and run checkdisk, defrag etc etc and everything else I can think of.

Basic system details:

Amd 965 3.40 BE.
Asus Crosshair III board.
X2 Sapphire 6870 (x-fire)
Creative XFi championship series soundcard.
16 Gb Corsair vengeance DDR3 1600.
(yes I know 16 Gb is massive overkill, but a friend of mine was closing down her computer shop to emigrate to new Zealand so I got it free of charge . No reason not to use it.)
300 Gb Velociraptor HDD.
700W Thermaltake Toughpower psu.
Windows 7 H.P


* The cpu I replaced was an AMD 955 Phenom II 3.20.
* The cards I replaced were x2 Sapphire HD 5850 (x-fire)
* The memory I replaced was 8 Gb Corsair XMS 3 DDR 3 1600.


------------------
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 2/28/2012, 12:12:28
Machine name: ALICE
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (6.1, Build 7600) (7600.win7_gdr.110622-1503)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: System manufacturer
System Model: System Product Name
BIOS: BIOS Date: 10/21/11 16:23:25 Ver: 08.00.15
Processor: AMD Phenom(tm) II X4 965 Processor (4 CPUs), ~4.0GHz
Memory: 16384MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 16382MB RAM
Page File: 2476MB used, 30285MB available
Windows Dir: C:\Windows
DirectX Version: DirectX 11
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
User DPI Setting: Using System DPI
System DPI Setting: 96 DPI (100 percent)
DWM DPI Scaling: Disabled
DxDiag Version: 6.01.7600.16385 64bit Unicode

------------
DxDiag Notes
------------
Display Tab 1: No problems found.
Sound Tab 1: No problems found.
Sound Tab 2: No problems found.
Input Tab: No problems found.

--------------------
DirectX Debug Levels
--------------------
Direct3D: 0/4 (retail)
DirectDraw: 0/4 (retail)
DirectInput: 0/5 (retail)
DirectMusic: 0/5 (retail)
DirectPlay: 0/9 (retail)
DirectSound: 0/5 (retail)
DirectShow: 0/6 (retail)

---------------
Display Devices
---------------
Card name: AMD Radeon HD 6800 Series
Manufacturer: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
Chip type: ATI display adapter (0x6738)
DAC type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_6738&SUBSYS_174B174B&REV_00
Display Memory: 1742 MB
Dedicated Memory: 1999 MB
Shared Memory: 3839 MB
Current Mode: 1920 x 1080 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor Name: Generic PnP Monitor
Monitor Model: W2361
Monitor Id: GSM56FA
Native Mode: 1920 x 1080(p) (59.934Hz)
Output Type: DVI
Driver Name: aticfx64.dll,aticfx64.dll,aticfx64.dll,aticfx32,aticfx32,aticfx32,atiumd64.dll,atidxx64.dll,atidxx64.dll,atiumdag,atidxx32,atidxx32,atiumdva,atiumd6a.cap,atitmm64.dll
Driver File Version: 8.17.0010.1114 (English)
Driver Version: 8.930.0.0
DDI Version: 10.1
Driver Model: WDDM 1.1
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 12/6/2011 03:16:00, 933888 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
WHQL Date Stamp:
Device Identifier: {D7B71EE2-2478-11CF-A170-4137BEC2C535}
Vendor ID: 0x1002
Device ID: 0x6738
SubSys ID: 0x174B174B
Revision ID: 0x0000
Driver Strong Name: oem6.inf:ATI.Mfg.NTamd64.6.1:ati2mtag_NI:8.930.0.0ci\ven_1002&dev_6738
Rank Of Driver: 00E62001
Video Accel: ModeMPEG2_A ModeMPEG2_C
Deinterlace Caps: {6E8329FF-B642-418B-BCF0-BCB6591E255F}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,1) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
{5A54A0C9-C7EC-4BD9-8EDE-F3C75DC4393B}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY
{6E8329FF-B642-418B-BCF0-BCB6591E255F}: Format(In/Out)=(UYVY,UYVY) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,1) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(UYVY,UYVY) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
{5A54A0C9-C7EC-4BD9-8EDE-F3C75DC4393B}: Format(In/Out)=(UYVY,UYVY) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY
{5A54A0C9-C7EC-4BD9-8EDE-F3C75DC4393B}: Format(In/Out)=(YV12,0x32315659) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=
{3C5323C1-6FB7-44F5-9081-056BF2EE449D}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,2) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{552C0DAD-CCBC-420B-83C8-74943CF9F1A6}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,2) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{6E8329FF-B642-418B-BCF0-BCB6591E255F}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,1) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
{5A54A0C9-C7EC-4BD9-8EDE-F3C75DC4393B}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY
{5A54A0C9-C7EC-4BD9-8EDE-F3C75DC4393B}: Format(In/Out)=(IMC1,UNKNOWN) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=
{5A54A0C9-C7EC-4BD9-8EDE-F3C75DC4393B}: Format(In/Out)=(IMC2,UNKNOWN) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=
{5A54A0C9-C7EC-4BD9-8EDE-F3C75DC4393B}: Format(In/Out)=(IMC3,UNKNOWN) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=
{5A54A0C9-C7EC-4BD9-8EDE-F3C75DC4393B}: Format(In/Out)=(IMC4,UNKNOWN) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=
{5A54A0C9-C7EC-4BD9-8EDE-F3C75DC4393B}: Format(In/Out)=(S340,UNKNOWN) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=
{5A54A0C9-C7EC-4BD9-8EDE-F3C75DC4393B}: Format(In/Out)=(S342,UNKNOWN) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=
D3D9 Overlay: Not Supported
DXVA-HD: Not Supported
DDraw Status: Enabled
D3D Status: Enabled
AGP Status: Enabled

-------------
Sound Devices
-------------
Description: Speakers (Creative SB X-Fi)
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: PCI\VEN_1102&DEV_000B&SUBSYS_00431102&REV_04
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Type: WDM
Driver Name: ctaud2k.sys
Driver Version: 6.00.0001.1348 (English)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
Date and Size: 7/7/2010 22:16:24, 697816 bytes
Other Files:
Driver Provider: Creative
HW Accel Level: Basic
Cap Flags: 0xF1F
Min/Max Sample Rate: 100, 200000
Static/Strm HW Mix Bufs: 1, 0
Static/Strm HW 3D Bufs: 0, 0
HW Memory: 0
Voice Management: No
EAX(tm) 2.0 Listen/Src: No, No
I3DL2(tm) Listen/Src: No, No
Sensaura(tm) ZoomFX(tm): No

Description: SPDIF Out (Creative SB X-Fi)
Default Sound Playback: No
Default Voice Playback: No
Hardware ID: PCI\VEN_1102&DEV_000B&SUBSYS_00431102&REV_04
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Type: WDM
Driver Name: ctaud2k.sys
Driver Version: 6.00.0001.1348 (English)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
Date and Size: 7/7/2010 22:16:24, 697816 bytes
Other Files:
Driver Provider: Creative
HW Accel Level: Basic
Cap Flags: 0xF1F
Min/Max Sample Rate: 100, 200000
Static/Strm HW Mix Bufs: 1, 0
Static/Strm HW 3D Bufs: 0, 0
HW Memory: 0
Voice Management: No
EAX(tm) 2.0 Listen/Src: No, No
I3DL2(tm) Listen/Src: No, No
Sensaura(tm) ZoomFX(tm): No

[Kittra]

Noted that you replaced the CPU and Video cards, but have you replaced the Motherboard as well?

Have you updated your Motherboard's bios?

Have you tried pulling one GPU out and run the game with just one card?

Have you updated your video card drivers?


Personally, if anything could be causing it, I'd bet it's your Crossfire setup. FFXIV doesn't seem to play nice with that or SLI. Try running just one card in the first PCI-e slot, and if that fails, move it to the second. If it doesn't work in the first slot but works in the second (or vice versa), the problem is your motherboard.

Of course, it might be none of the things I listed, but these are just some suggestions that may help get you on the right track. If I did have to hazard a guess though, I would put my money on it being one of your video cards. I had almost the exact same symptoms you did (with Nvidia cards running in SLI though) and it turned out that one of the cards was defective.

[3Jane]

From what you say it sounds as if my problem may be hardware related. All the drives and bios are up to date so that is what remains. My budget means replacements may take some time, but it's nice to be finally narrowing things down.
Thank you very much for your response.

[REDace0]

If it happens after a while and sometimes crashes hard, I wonder if it could be heat related? This is especially worth considering because FFXIV runs the CPU hard (at least on one core) and I know from experience that the stock Phenom II heat sink is pretty worthless, especially if you don't have a good application of thermal paste underneath it.

I built my own too, but I'm no PC hardware expert, just wondering.

[3Jane]

If it happens after a while and sometimes crashes hard, I wonder if it could be heat related? This is especially worth considering because FFXIV runs the CPU hard (at least on one core) and I know from experience that the stock Phenom II heat sink is pretty worthless, especially if you don't have a good application of thermal paste underneath it.

I built my own too, but I'm no PC hardware expert, just wondering.

Sorry about the delay in my response. No luck so far getting rid of this issue. The cooling on both the cpu and vga cards is good, 45-50 on the cpu and 50 65 on the cards.
I'm going to replace the mainboard as a last ditch effort. It's either this or the soundcard, they are the only two items left I haven't replaced. After twice re-installing the O.S, I feel it must be a hardware issue.
Even all the data cables have been replaced.
The problem game-wise, is that I can't engage in any L.S / Party activity because I can not be sure I'm not just going to drop out when my system crashes.

Sigh....... onwards.

[Daemion]

I'm having a similiar problem. For me the game freezes, the the screen flickers and I get a DivX not found error message. This sometime happens 5 times in 1 hour, or never in a 5 hour game span. Never quite figured out what it is.. But my thoughts are that i spent to much on my GPU and not enough on my MB/CPU. I think I'm bottle necking my system.

I currently run a...
AMD Phenom II X4 955 ~ 3.2Ghz on a ASUS M4A785-M Motherboard > Windows 7
AMD Radeon HD 6800 serious Graphic Card.

If anyone knows how to fix these issues.. do tell!

[Venom]

I also thought it could be a heat issue, Id recommened using a software to check the computer's heat levels while playing the game through windows mode. The heat levels checking in the BIOS settings or before loading the game are when the computer is more idle than doing anything to generate as much heat.

[KiniRyris]

Yeah i had a heat problem a while back on this system, it would just turn the computer off randomly, no errors at all. Try replacing the gel between the cpu and the cooling unit, that dropped the temp. pretty well for me.