Please Help Me... System Crashes While In Programs...

[mjkovis]

Dear Anyone Who Reads This:

I have been recently having problems with getting an old game, Baldur's Gate, to work on my computer. I am running Windows XP and I know this is an older game, but I never had problems before back when I bought this computers components.

Here is the problem to its fullest extent that I can describe. I installed Baldur's Gate one day deciding to play it once again. Not even 5 minutes into the game it would crash sending me to the blue error screen reading:
IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL
No other file names or anything. This persisted and I wasnt having any other trouble with other games or programs unless I was running them for long periods of time. I took my computer in and had someone look at it and they told me it was fine. The problem persisted still so I was able to conclude I had bad RAM. I traded the RAM in and bought an extra 512 MB stick just for kicks.

Well I reinstalled the computer many times to get the right configurations and upgrades and had the computer working perfect. I was ready to install new software and games. I installed Baldur's Gate..... Didnt work again. I installed Quake 3 Arena.... Didnt work. Now please dont tell me it is because my system is so new. I have had Starcraft installed on this computer since I have had it and NEVER had problems.

I still get the same blue error message over and over. I have tried program compatibility, updates, patches, advice from support techs with software companys, and so on. If anyone can help me, please do! I apologize for the length of the letter!

Thanks,

Michael J. Kovis
Frusterated User

[Mac Medic]

Have you tried disabling other programs at start-up with msconfig to see if they're conflicting with somthing?

[mjkovis]

Yes I have. I have tried a lot of different things. As a matter of fact an Interplay.com tech told me to do the same thing and I still didnt see any results.

[Mac Medic]

I see a number of comments after doing a google that 32bit color may corrupt the textures. Try setting to 16bit and see if it helps.

[Mac Medic]

Found this also

Since i'm here anyway trying to remember most of the solutions to WinXP crashes in case I encounter them, here's a list of all i've seen so far.

Q) BGConfig video test results in grey bar off center
A) This seems to have to do with refresh rate problems. Try disabling all 3rd party refresh rate locking utilities and then going into baldur.ini. Under Program Options, look for "Resolution". Match up your hardware (monitor or video card) with that resolution's max refresh supported, and enter this value into "Display Frequency". (ie. ViewSonic's P90F has a 131hz max refresh at 1024x768, displayed as 1024 under Resolution. You would set your desktop to 1024x768 and enter in "120" under Display Frequency)

Q) BG2 crashes when you try to move to new areas
A) Try clearing the game's cache and reloading. If this does not work, uninstall the game and then delete the Baldur's Gate 2 directory from your hard drive in Program Files. Reinstall the game and when you start a new game, use the CLUAConsole to move to the area that gave you problems. The error should no longer occur.

Q) BG2 crashes at start of a new game.
A) Try disabling 3D Acceleration in BGConfig.

Q) BG2 crashes when equipping weapons.
A) 1 - Try disabling 3D Acceleration in BGConfig.

2 - Set your desktop to the same resolution that you want to run the game in and follow the instructions in the first question to set your refresh rate in the game. (ie. If you want to play BG2 at 1024x768, set your desktop to 1024x768 before running the game)

Q) I have a Radeon XXXX and BG2 is crashing.
A) Update your drivers to Catalyst 2.4 or 2.5 available from ATi's website. Catalyst 2.4 included a fix for Infinity Engine games.

Q) I have an ATi XXXXXX and BG2 is crashing.
A) Download the latest patch for BG2, it includes a fix for ATi video cards.


General Solutions:

If your issue with WinXP and BG2 isn't one of the above, before posting up your problem try the following:

1 - Disable 3D Acceleration
2 - Do a complete reinstall, deleting the BG2 directory from Program Files after you uninstall and before you reinstall.
3 - Test your CDs on another computer to verify that the CD data is not corrupt


Actually, may as well give you the link

http://forums.bioware.com/viewforum.html?forum=11

[mjkovis]

Thanks for the help with that quick fix trouble shoot, but this isnt just Baldur's Gate 2. Actually BG2 works just great on my computer. It is BG 1 and Quake 3. I just recieved a new error giving me the file name of nv4_disp.dll. That is my video card. Maybe I have a bad video card or driver?

[Mac Medic]

Maybe the drivers, is it just the two games that crash or do they all do it. Try the newest detonator's. It may help.

Everything i see related to NV4 recomends the newest Nvidia drivers and VIA 4 in 1 drivers.

[mjkovis]

I have tried that. I have been researching this subject here and I am finding good stuff. I think I am having an IRQ conflict somewhere or one of my two new 512 DDR RAM sticks are bad. I dont know. I will find the light though!!!

[Markoman01027]

The problem is with your VIA chipset. I am positive on this one, because I have seen many users with the VIA chipset getting the same type of error.

[Miz]

The infamous "nv4_disp.dll error." Yes, it could very well be a problem with the Nvidia drivers. When I was getting that error message (and was trapped in the endless reboot nightmare because of it) I had to try four different version of the Detonator drivers before I found a version that played nicely with my brand new system...and it was not the newest version, either.

Go to Guru3d, follow the links to Video Card Drivers then Nvidia Detonator Drivers, scroll down a ways and you will find pretty much every Nvidia driver ever written. I can't tell you which to try because it seems to be a matter of trial and error to find those which work on individual systems.

[Andrew Lynch]

Did you try to run the game in system compability mode?

[mjkovis]

Problem solved everyone! Motherboard was bad and so was my video card. I upgraded. My new system specs are listed below. The only changes were the mobo and video card... My motherboard used to be a VIA chipset driven Gigabyte 7VRXP KT-333 and the video card was a GeForce4 64 MB MX440. Thanks for the help! Everything is flying right now!!!! :-)