Crash on Arkham Mansion

[FR_Fox]

The game crashes when I'm at about 20% completed, and always in the same place. I have searched almost everywhere on the internet but I haven't found anything related.

[SPOILER ALERT]

It's in the Arkham Mansion, after leaving the batcave for the first time, when Joker is looking for Dr. Young's formula.

I come from Arkham Island East, through a vent on Arkham Mansion that must be taken down with the batclaw (after defeating four snipers, two bellow that same vent). I enter Arkham Mansion, defeat 3 guys and then I go up into another vent in the roof.

[/SPOILERS]

It crashes/freezes when I have to use the explosive gel, or a short moment before or after it. It sometimes reboots the system (when it doesn't, I sometimes have to reboot it manually). Other times, it just says that it encountered an error and has the options "Debug" or "Close". If I click "Close", it reboots.

I'm using:
Windows XP, SP3 (I tried Win7 and I also had this problem)
Intel Core2 Duo E7300 (2.66GHz)
2GB RAM
Nvidia GeForce 8600GT (1GB)

Almost all the graphic options are off, PhysX disabled, and I use the default screen resolution (1440x900). I tried to change the settings multiple times, even ran on windowed mode 1024x768. I purchased the DVD version of the game.

Can someone help me? Did someone manage to overcome this?

(I've already sent an e-mail to Eidos Technical Support about this, and I'm waiting for a reply. If their solution works, I'll post it here)

[Laptopnut]

Download HWMonitor http://www.cpuid.com/hwmonitor.php, run it before playing the game and check to see what the Max temperatures are afterwards assuming you don't have to reboot. Also make sure your graphics drivers are up to date, audio is up to date etc.

[FR_Fox]

All drivers are updated. I used windowed mode once to check HWMonitor (it seems to reboot less often on windowed mode). The only thing that changed was the graphic card's temperature (the max was around 60ºC or 65ºC before running the game). This printscreen was taken after the crash:

http://img682.imageshack.us/img682/962/hwmonitor.jpg

I really doubt that it has something to do with it. It always happens in that same place, whether I've been playing for a lot of time or not. I can do everything else but when I get there my pc doesn't hold on.

Man... and they say that Joker is a tough challenge...

One more thing I forgot to mention: before I bought the game, I used a pirated version (at least I think it was... I borrowed from a friend). But after I bought it, I uninstalled the first one and everything attached to it (including saved options and saved games). Can that be the problem?

[FR_Fox]

Just a small update:

I took a screenshot before it crashed to the desktop (click to enlarge):

http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/3852/batmanaacrash.jpg (http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/3852/batmanaacrash.jpg)

Any ideas about what it might be?

[deders]

It looks similar to the physx crashes people were getting, may be worth installing the patch from here
http://forums.eidosgames.com/showthread.php?t=96538
over any 1.1 patch you may have previously had, even if you aren't using physx.
the Fmod in the error message points to the sound engine.

[FR_Fox]

Thank you for the reply. I installed the patch over the 1.1 patch I had. I never saw that same dialog box again, but it is rebooting more often now...

You mentioned the FMOD was pointing to the sound engine. Can that be a possible cause of the problem? My sound card is a Realtek HD Audio (on board). I have the latest drivers installed...

Also, I have some problems with PhysX: When I go to Start -> Programs -> NVIDIA Corporation -> NVIDIA PhysX Properties, it says there's some kind of version conflict and doesn't open. It asks to reinstall the drivers, but when I do it it does the same.

[deders]

ok, if you want to see if your realtek chip is causing any problems, disable it temporarily in the bios and see how far you get with the game.

When i click on my physx properties from the start menu, I get the Physx/SLI screen that you would normally get if you right click/properties on the desktop, just underneath the 'manage 3d settings' page. can you access it that way?

If you want to be sure, use driver sweeper to remove all traces of your nvidia and physx drivers and install them fresh.

[FR_Fox]

ok, if you want to see if your realtek chip is causing any problems, disable it temporarily in the bios and see how far you get with the game.

I disabled the sound card in the bios, but I got the same problem.

When i click on my physx properties from the start menu, I get the Physx/SLI screen that you would normally get if you right click/properties on the desktop, just underneath the 'manage 3d settings' page. can you access it that way?

That's another problem I have... I can't access that PhysX/SLI screen from either way. It says there's a version conflict. I think it lacks the needed files, but from the latest NVIDIA drivers, there isn't anyone that installs those files (I think it's nvcplui or something like that, on the system32 folder)

If you want to be sure, use driver sweeper to remove all traces of your nvidia and physx drivers and install them fresh.

I used it not only for the NVIDIA components but also for the sound card's drivers. I did everything from the start and I got the same crashes.

I got a reply from Eidos Tech Support asking me about the dxdiag. I replied and sent some information that is already on this thread, and now I'm waiting for a reply.

[deders]

That's another problem I have... I can't access that PhysX/SLI screen from either way. It says there's a version conflict. I think it lacks the needed files, but from the latest NVIDIA drivers, there isn't anyone that installs those files (I think it's nvcplui or something like that, on the system32 folder)

I got a reply from Eidos Tech Support asking me about the dxdiag. I replied and sent some information that is already on this thread, and now I'm waiting for a reply.

Ok, the nvcplui (nvidia control panel user interface) files (.exe and .dll) should be in Program files\Nvidia Corporation. Where are you getting your Nvidia drivers from?

Did you first uninstall your drivers from add/remove programs?

Let us know if Eidos come up with something.

[FR_Fox]

Hello again. I'm still having the same old crash problem... It is a temperature problem, as you can see on the image:

http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/9455/g8600gttemperature.jpg

It reached 114ºC. Don't know how it hasn't melted yet =P

I managed to go a bit further, to a room where the bandits are looking for Dr. Young's documents. It still crashes there, since the GPU's temperature doesn't go bellow the 105ºC, but I paused and opened CPUID monitor and I saw this results. I think the graphic cards don't go over 90ºC or 100ºC, so I think this can really be the problem here.

Is there a way to solve this then, without buying a new graphic card?
I'm currently reading other solutions, especially on nvidia forums, and I'll post something here if I manage to solve the issue.

About Eidos Technical Support, I have to say they are being great, replying to me much more often than I would ever expect to. I saw some guys here complaining about them, and how they don't do their job, but, at least in my case, I'm happy with their work (even though they haven't come up with a solution lol).

[deders]

Modern Nvidia cards should be able to handle 115C, but i'd still be worried if it was above 80 myself.
To start off with you could take the side off your case, this should at least let any hot air that is trapped escape.
Make sure your Graphics card's fan is working, then you have to start thinking about the airflow in your case.
Ideally you want an intake on the front of the case and an exhaust at the back.
Because graphics cards can be so large it is easy for hot air to get trapped under them. If there are holes in the side of your case, near your Graphics card, you may be able to install a side fan to extract the hot air directly.
If not then you can get a fan that fits into one of the slots underneath your graphics card and sucks the hot air out directly,
For really hot days I have a Desk fan pointed directly into my case, to make sure all the fans are getting cool air instead of re-circulating hot air.

[FR_Fox]

Yes, I thought about using fans... but I already have a side and a back fan working. I cleaned all my system, especially all the fans I could clean, with a small vacuum cleaner a few days ago, and maybe that's what made the game not crash on for now (also, today is somewhat cold here in Portugal, so that might also have helped).

I'm aware that the card may handle the 115ºC, since mine is still at 110ºC and I haven't restarted yet (the CPUID WM is still with the same values as they are on my last post). But it seems that it may go past that temperature when it crashes

I'll try opening the side of the case. If it's still no good, I'll buy my PC an ice cream : )

[deders]

Any ideas on where you're going to install that ice cream?

[FR_Fox]

THROUGH THE FLOPPY DISK! I'll give it some use after decades. Besides... it looks like a mouth, so I guess it's the proper place. I'll check the ice cream read me though

[deders]

You may be able to get a USB ice cream, I know there are USB mince pies available

but anyway,
Which way are those fans blowing air?
Did you check the Graphics fan is still working as 110 seems unaturally high for a card like yours. Mine is clocked much higher and has 4 times the amount of shader cores, is also positioned directly above an identical card, neither of which go much above 80C even when under stress on a hot day.
Although I must admit my idea of a hot day probably differs from yours over in sunny Portugal.

[FR_Fox]

I managed to drop the temperature down to 60ºC/70ºC during the game, but it still crashes. I can fight the bandits before it leaves the game. And when it does, I most likely get a BSOD.

The side fan is blowing outside to inside, and the back fan is inside to outside. My father put that back fan lol... is it placed correctly?

I even updated my BIOS to the latest version, but nothing...

Can there be any missing files? Can anyone tell me here how many files, folders and the total size of the game directory?

I have 63 folders, 3059 files, 8.605.970.410 bytes...

[deders]

The back fan is placed correctly, you might get better airflow if you turn the side one so it blows air out of the machine. As you have it now, the air is going in over your graphics and straight out the back, meaning none of your other components are getting cooled. If you switch the side fan over then the air will have to find it's way in through other areas of your case.
BSOD's usually mean there is a problem with the Hardware configuration I/O, usually can be resolved in the Bios

[FR_Fox]

Ok, I'll try that out. I thought the fans had to be placed in order to send fresh air inside.
I just don't know enough to change the BIOS config properly, at least yet. I make minor, safe changes, and only when I need to.

What about the directory size? is it ok?
63 folders
3059 files
8.605.970.410 bytes

[deders]

I couldn't really suggest anything as far as the bios is concerned without looking at it for myself.

The air will still have to come from somewhere otherwise it would create a vacuum, it would help if you had an intake fan on the front of your case but it's not essential.

My install has:
63 folders
3065 files
8,600,424,689 bytes

I wouldn't worry too much about the exact bytes, some files, especialy shaders can vary from machine to machine. the lack of files is slightly worrying though.

BMgame has 2892 files
Binaries has 29 files
Engine has 136 files
there's 8 files in the main directory.

[FR_Fox]

I have only 23 files on the Binaries folder. I have installed this game twice, one for Win XP and one for Win 7 and they have both the same number of files and size.

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/8089/binariesfiles.jpg

[deders]

Ahh, that makes sense, i've installed an Xbox 360 pad emulator. all my extra ones relate to that.

[FR_Fox]

You made me happy for a moment... I really thought my problem could be solved =(

Anyways, I'm giving up for now. My brother is going to buy a new graphic card in a few days. I'll test the game on his PC and if it works, I'll steal his computer.

Thanks for the help

[deders]

no problem, at least you'll know whether it's the game or your PC causing the problem