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Crash to desktop troubleshooting tips & solutions that may work for you

Débuté par Guest_Elps_* , mai 14 2010 02:37

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#1
Guest_Elps_*
Posté 14 mai 2010 - 02:37

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I'm starting this thread in the attempt to gather links to useful posts here, and for people to offer troubleshooting tips and possible solutions for those who are having issues with slow loading and crashes following installation of Awakening or the manual patch 1.03.

There are other troubleshooting threads around so let's not duplicate the work going on in those please.

For maximum usefulness it would be good if everyone would just post tips here, not questions. 

General Troubleshooting
Dragon Age Unofficial Troubleshooting FAQ

Profile and Connection Issues
DA profile wont update
"You are not connected to the internet" / Port Number problem Solved
TCP Port 18081 and profile/content issues

DLC Issues
Redeemed DLC Unofficial Troubleshooting and FAQ (PC Only)
Dragon Age DLC In-Game Errors FAQ (DLC  items disappeared.  Sulcher’s Pass, Levi, or Soldier’s Peak not appearing.  Shale acting weird, RtO Stuck Loading Screen, Unauthorized Content)
Potential DLC Issues with no CD Key in your registry

Patches and Updates
Dragon Age: Origins Patch Thread. March 8 - Patch 1.03

Hardware
Video Card Rankings and Basics

For answers you don't find in these community forums contact EA at http://help.dragonage.com/ or use the Official Support FAQ's offered by Bioware/EA.

Modifié par Elps, 17 mai 2010 - 06:10 .

#2
Guest_Elps_*
Posté 14 mai 2010 - 02:50

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Windows 7

DirectX
Win 7 comes with DirectX 11 installed by default. If your hardware does not support DirectX 11 crashes to desktop are likely to result. Check if your video card supports DirectX 11, and if not, make sure your PC has all the DLL files needed for your supported version of DirectX. 

The Win 7 version of DirectX does not include all DirectX 9 DLL's, so if you do have hardware that supports DirectX 11 it may still be advisable to add the DirectX 9 runtime. Here's the link for it: http://www.microsoft...&displaylang=en

You will not need to add the DirectX 9 DLL's if your PC had previously been running this version. When updates to later versions occur they do not remove DLL's. A clean install of DirectX 10 or 11 does not, however, contain all DLL's from earlier versions (which means you only get basic compatibility). 

Note: Using the DirectX redistributable adds the missing DLL's but you must make sure you create a system restore point before installing them, just in case your system becomes unstable. 

Do NOT attempt to uninstall DirectX 11 - this is guaranteed to cause system instability!

Windows Operating Systems (all)

Conflicts
Conflicts with drivers, start-up menu items, or other apps could cause issues.

Perform a Clean Boot to make sure nothing else is getting in the way.
Create a new user & install your game under that new user's account.
Run the System File Checker and Disk Error Check

Check that your BIOS and drivers are all up to date.

DirectX Error Checking
Run DxDiag, which is a diagnostic tool, to check for any problems. 
Go to Start, select Run and type in "dxdiag'' (without the " surrounding it). If you are unsure about how to read the result and suspect there is a problem, save the log file and post the contents into a thread here - someone is sure to help.

Graphics Cards
If you are using nVidia graphics cards, check on the nVidia forums - there have been many reported issues with nVidia drivers this year.

Make sure you are using a supported video card. A lot of people reporting problems here are not.

Check the temperature of your video card - if its running too hot your PC will crash (see Overheating).

Useful Utility:
GPU-Z - Detailed information about your Graphics Card

Sound Cards
Audio sampling rates can impact badly on performance. This causes problems with many games (from other game developers too) so should always be checked if your game isn't performing well.
This article shows how to check your audio sampling and set it for optimal performance.

Memory
RAM requirements for games just tell you what memory is required for the game itself. When calculating whether your system has enough memory for Dragon Age you also need to take into account any other applications you may be running at the same time.

Useful Free Utilities: 

Autoruns - this checks what programs automatically run at startup.
If you have memory-hogging applications running in the background you may wish to temporarily disable some of them.  

Process Explorer - A very detailed task manager showing information about running processes.

Memtest86 - Test your computer's RAM for memory errors.

Hardware/Performance
OCCT - Stress test your CPU to check stability and temperatures. Provides useful info and graphs.

Overheating
Overheating causes crashes. To eliminate overheating of your graphics card and/or CPU as a cause for the game crashing you can install monitoring utilities.

RealTemp (for Intel Core processors) - Shows CPU & GPU Temperatures. 

CoreTemp (for all other processors) - Shows CPU Temperature.

HWMonitor (not good with Intel Core processors, useful for others) - Shows temperatures, voltages and other information.

WIP...
(let me know of any errors or omissions, or anything I should add - thanks)

Modifié par Elps, 15 mai 2010 - 04:30 .

#3
Guest_Elps_*
Posté 14 mai 2010 - 02:56

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Official System Requirements:

Origins:
Windows XP
OS: Windows XP with SP3
CPU: Intel Core 2 (or equivalent) running at 1.4Ghz or greater AMD X2 (or equivalent) running at 1.8Ghz or greater
RAM: 1 GB or more
Video: ATI Radeon X850 128MB or greater; NVIDIA GeForce 6600 GT 128MB or greater.(see note)

Windows Vista
OS: Windows Vista with SP1
CPU: Intel Core 2 (or equivalent) running at 1.6Ghz or greater AMD X2 (or equivalent) running at 2.2Ghz or greater
RAM: 1.5 GB or more
Video: ATI Radeon X1550 256MB or greater; NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GT 256MB or greater. (see note)

Recommended Requirements:
Intel Core 2 Quad 2.4 GHz Processor or equivalent
4 GB RAM (Vista) or 2 GB RAM (XP)
20 GB HD Space
ATI 3850 512 MB or greater; NVidia 8800GTS 512MB or greater
Sound Blaster® X-Fi™”
DVD ROM


Awakening:
OS: Windows XP SP3 / Vista SP1 / Windows 7
Processor: Intel Core 2 SINGLE 1.6 GHz equivalent or faster / AMD Athlon 64 2.0GHz Processor equivalent or faster
Memory: 1.0 GB for XP / 1.5 GB for Vista and Windows 7
Hard Drive: At least 4.0 GB of free space**
DVD-ROM Drive: 8x Speed
Video Card: 128MB RAM for XP / 256MB RAM for Vista and Windows 7***
Sound Card: Direct X 9.0c compatible
DirectX: Version 9.0c (November 2007)
Input: Keyboard, Mouse

** 24GB required if installing with Dragon Age Origins

*** Supported video cards:
XP requires ATI Radeon X850 or better; NVIDIA GeForce 6600 GT or better. (see note)
Vista and Windows 7 require ATI Radeon X1550 256MB or better; NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GT or better.(see note)
Laptop versions of these chipsets may work but are not supported.
Updates to your video and sound card drivers may be required.

----------
The above was published on the EA site.

According to Microsoft, DA:O is compatible with Windows 7 x64. There is no information there for DA:A.

NOTE: There are discrepancies between what the EA store sites say (depending on which location the site thinks you are coming from), and what the Bioware site says, AND between what is printed on the boxes. See this post and the ones below it for more information: http://social.biowar...29557/1#2606477

The stated video card requirements for Vista and Windows 7 are inadequate for running DA:O. For a list of suitable cards please see: http://social.biowar...58/index/128343

Modifié par Elps, 14 mai 2010 - 02:58 .

#4
Cloud Windfoot Omega
Posté 14 mai 2010 - 03:27

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Elps wrote...

Windows 7

DirectX
Win 7 comes with DirectX 11 installed by default. If your hardware does not support DirectX 11 crashes to desktop are likely to result. Check if your video card supports DirectX 11, and if not, roll back to an earlier version of DirectX. 

The Win 7 version of DirectX does not include DirectX 9, so if you do have hardware that supports DirectX 11 it may still be advisable to add the DirectX 9 runtime. Here's the link for it: http://www.microsoft...&displaylang=en

.... this is so very wrong.

DX11 is backwards compatible with DX10 and DX9

http://www.microsoft...&displaylang=en

should instead to add newer DX libary files.
you should NOT nor can you, roll back your Directx on windows7 as it can cause the os to run into problems.

i dont know where you got this but it is incorrect

#5
Guest_Elps_*
Posté 14 mai 2010 - 03:56

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Cloud Windfoot Omega wrote...

Elps wrote...

Windows 7

DirectX
Win 7 comes with DirectX 11 installed by default. If your hardware does not support DirectX 11 crashes to desktop are likely to result. Check if your video card supports DirectX 11, and if not, roll back to an earlier version of DirectX. 

The Win 7 version of DirectX does not include DirectX 9, so if you do have hardware that supports DirectX 11 it may still be advisable to add the DirectX 9 runtime. Here's the link for it: http://www.microsoft...&displaylang=en

.... this is so very wrong.

DX11 is backwards compatible with DX10 and DX9

http://www.microsoft...&displaylang=en

should instead to add newer DX libary files.
you should NOT nor can you, roll back your Directx on windows7 as it can cause the os to run into problems.

i dont know where you got this but it is incorrect


I hear where you are coming from but I'm not wrong on this. Theoretically, all versions of DirectX are backward compatible. However, they are not fully compatible. If someone upgrades from DirectX9/10 to a later version their systems still contain the dll's of the earlier version. A clean install of DirectX 11 only installs a very basic compatibility layer for earlier versions. If a game relies on accessing dll's from DirectX 9 it may not find them in DirectX 11. Using the DX redist installs the missing dll's without messing with the latest version. 

I can see where my hastily written tips could cause problems for inexperienced users though so I'll update them (and add a warning).

#6
Cloud Windfoot Omega
Posté 14 mai 2010 - 04:11

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Elps wrote...

Cloud Windfoot Omega wrote...

Elps wrote...

Windows 7

DirectX
Win 7 comes with DirectX 11 installed by default. If your hardware does not support DirectX 11 crashes to desktop are likely to result. Check if your video card supports DirectX 11, and if not, roll back to an earlier version of DirectX. 

The Win 7 version of DirectX does not include DirectX 9, so if you do have hardware that supports DirectX 11 it may still be advisable to add the DirectX 9 runtime. Here's the link for it: http://www.microsoft...&displaylang=en

.... this is so very wrong.

DX11 is backwards compatible with DX10 and DX9

http://www.microsoft...&displaylang=en

should instead to add newer DX libary files.
you should NOT nor can you, roll back your Directx on windows7 as it can cause the os to run into problems.

i dont know where you got this but it is incorrect


I hear where you are coming from but I'm not wrong on this. Theoretically, all versions of DirectX are backward compatible. However, they are not fully compatible. If someone upgrades from DirectX9/10 to a later version their systems still contain the dll's of the earlier version. A clean install of DirectX 11 only installs a very basic compatibility layer for earlier versions. If a game relies on accessing dll's from DirectX 9 it may not find them in DirectX 11. Using the DX redist installs the missing dll's without messing with the latest version. 

I can see where my hastily written tips could cause problems for inexperienced users though so I'll update them (and add a warning).

i still must add that the und user runtime link i posted is the better means to get those libary files

#7
Guest_Elps_*
Posté 14 mai 2010 - 04:16

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Yes, it is a better link. I forgot to update the post :-)
Thanks for providing the link to the web installer. I'm a manual person and tend to ignore web installers - not exactly helpful in this forum B)

Modifié par Elps, 14 mai 2010 - 04:19 .

#8
Gorath Alpha
Posté 14 mai 2010 - 03:08

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Please note here for any "late arrivals" to this party: 

Bioware was just as guilty of promoting Pie in the Sky impossible daydreams in their requirements as most developers usually are, particularly regarding the video minimums.  Starting some six weeks prior to the release, at the point when we still had direct access to Bioware's people in the forums, and the proposed System Requirements were named, I had pointed out the inconsistencies in the video cards chosen to represent minimum components. 

The Geforce 6600 GT was very poor at handling shader-intensive code, and was already outclassed four years ago, when it was only a year old, by the demands of TES IV: Oblivion.  The X1300 Pro of that period was a slower card than the 6600 GT, with a far better ability to deal with shaders.  None of the Radeon Xn00 cards offered full Dx9.0c shader compliance, although the X700, X800, and X850 cards had Dx9.0"b".  ATI had dropped the X700 and X800 cards from coverage by their newest drivers before Bioware tested those, which is why only the X850 passed their small textures cutoff.  That's also the cause of the huge raw speed advantage between the Radeon X850 and the Geforce 6600 GT.

Back in early 2006, when Oblivion and the X1n00 Radeons were new together, the difference in performance between the X1300 and the X1600 was quite small, and for any games out that didn't have heavy shader coding included, the X1600 was hardly competitive in speed with the Geforce 7600 GS, let alone with the 7600 GT.  The X1600 is the one that should have carried the "1550" performance code number, with the X1300 sitting at "1450" perhaps.

Just as the X1300 was too slow for Windows XP in Dragon Age, the X1550 is too slow for Windows Vista and this game.  They are the same cards, with minor tweaks that place the X1550 in between the X1300 Vanilla and the X1300 Pro, but much closer to the plain vanilla card than to the "Pro".  Looking at the minimum Geforce named, the 7600 GT, and relying on NotTheKing's tests and collecting of benches, the X1650 XT was the closest overall match, but I think that an X1650 Pro would also work equally well (as the 7600 GT) for a minimum. 

I repeatedly pointed out the discrepancies as the release date drew nearer, and they never wavered in their error.

Once the game was available, it was easily confirmed that a Geforce 6800 GS was a FAR more practical choice as the Windows XP minimum, and the X800 Pro was equally practical (with Omega drivers, in that case). 

Another, less egregious error was failing to differentiate in some manner between the Celeron / Sempron-type of reduced power CPUs and the minimum published processors for the game.  The "Pentium Dual" series is much less expensive than the C2Ds because they only have a mere fraction of the onboard cache RAM that the full power CPU includes.  Semprons are similarly crippled, but to a somewhat lesser degree. 

I consider the CPU errors in the requirements to be more readily excusable.  I don't believe that there could be any excuse for naming the Radeon X1550 as a usable choice. 

Gorath
-

Modifié par Gorath Alpha, 14 mai 2010 - 03:09 .

#9
Guest_Elps_*
Posté 15 mai 2010 - 02:12

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Tip: If you get the option to send a crash report to Microsoft make sure you do this. Microsoft aggregates the data and forwards it to Bioware.



Bioware developers may not see your reports in this forum but they certainly see the reports from Microsoft.

#10
Guest_Elps_*
Posté 17 mai 2010 - 07:06

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Windows Vista and 7 - disable Aero 

Windows Aero is a resource hog that can affect frame rates when you are playing games. Here's how to get it to turn off when you launch Dragon Age, and turn back on once you have closed DA. 

If you haven't already done so, create a shortcut to the DA launcher on your desktop. Right click on the shortcut and go to Properties. Click on the Compatibility tab. 

Check the box for “Disable desktop composition” and Apply.
Next time you use the shortcut Aero will be automatically disabled.

Posted Image

#11
Guest_Elps_*
Posté 22 mai 2010 - 12:31

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"Application has failed to start .....Please see the application event log for more details" 

Q. Where do I find the Dragon Age event log?

A. This is in C: -> Libraries -> Documents -> Bioware -> Dragon Age ->Logs (in Win 7) or your Documents\\Bioware\\DragonAge\\Logs for other systems.

You can open the file in any text editor. 

"The application has failed to start because its side-by-side configuration is incorrect."
This error usually pops up if there is an incompatibility with the Microsoft C++ library. It comes about when code is scripted in different versions of C++ and is quite common with games that are developed and updated over several years. 

To resolve this error in Dragon Age, check that you have Visual C++ 2005 installed and that it's running SP1 and the ATL Security Update. Note, these need to be the x86 versions. 
You can get the Visual C++ 2005 SP1 here: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=200B2FD9-AE1A-4A14-984D-389C36F85647&displaylang=en

The security patch for Visual C++ 2005 is here http://www.microsoft...&displaylang=en

Note: Installing the Visual C++ 2005 runtimes fixed crashes I was having with Return to Ostagar so if you are experiencing crashes with newer DA content it could be worth doing for you too.

Modifié par Elps, 22 mai 2010 - 12:55 .

#12
Gorath Alpha
Posté 22 mai 2010 - 12:38

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Elps wrote...

"Application has failed to start .....Please see the application event log for more details" 

Q. Where do I find the Dragon Age event log?

A. social.bioware.com/forum/1/topic/58/index/384131/2#2684273

Thought that I'd add that. 

(For anyone other than Elps, he had omitted something I've added now.)

#13
Guest_Elps_*
Posté 22 mai 2010 - 03:16

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If you need to reinstall Dragon Age you may find the following tips useful. 
Be sure to check out the other troubleshooting FAQ threads on this forum for more detailed information (see list in first post).

Backup the saved game data:
  • Click on the Start button -> My Documents (or Libraries -> Documents, depending on which Operating System you use) then navigate to the BioWare folder.
  • Open the Dragon Age folder.
  • Right-click on the Characters folder and either copy or cut and paste it to a folder OUTSIDE of the Bioware folder, or to your Desktop.
To restore your Dragon Age saved game files, move the folder mentioned above back into the Dragon Age folder.

Backup your screenshots:
  • Click on the Start button -> My Documents (or Libraries -> Documents, depending on which Operating System you use) then navigate to the BioWare folder.
  • Open the Dragon Age folder.
  • Right-click on the Screenshots folder and either copy or cut and paste to a folder OUTSIDE of the Bioware folder, or to your Desktop.

Backing up mods:
This can be done if mods were manually installed by placing them directly in the Bioware -> Dragon Age -> packages -> core -> override folder.
If you installed dazip mods you will need to reinstall these through the Dragon Age updater after you have reinstalled the game.
  • Click on the Start button -> My Documents (or Libraries -> Documents, depending on which Operating System you use) then navigate to the BioWare folder.
  • Open the Dragon Age folder.
  • Go to the packages folder, then core -> override. .
  • Right-click on the override folder and either copy or cut and paste it to a folder OUTSIDE of the Bioware folder, or to your Desktop.
To restore your Dragon Age manually-installed mod files, move the folder mentioned above back into the Dragon Age folder.
 

Modifié par Elps, 22 mai 2010 - 03:29 .

#14
Guest_Elps_*
Posté 22 mai 2010 - 03:22

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How to Backup your Game Serial:

Launch Dragon Age then go to Configuration. Under the Game tab in the configuration utility you will see your serial number. Copy and paste this to a text file or note and save.

Posted Image 

Modifié par Elps, 22 mai 2010 - 03:22 .

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