Help! BSOD when running two instances of WoW.

[jgilland]

I recently built a new PC. Here are the specs.

Intel 975XBX
Intel Core 2 Duo E6600
Crucial DD2 667 (NewEgg says 3x3x3x12) 2GB
Silverstone ST75F 750W
XFX GeForce 7950GT

The first problem I had was that, when using the DVI cables supplied with my two monitors (two Samsung 204B 20.1"), the monitors would flicker on and off. Sometimes one monitor would completely freak out for 5 minutes flicking on and off. Using VGA cables "fixed" the problem (the monitors would still flicker sometimes). Like five days after I purchased all that stuff the 8800GTX came out. I RMA'd the 7950GT thinking it was messed up and had a XFX 88000GTX overnighted to me. Same problem with DVI cables, but flawless using VGA cables.

Problem 1: Monitors flicker on and off using DVI cables supplied with monitors. Maybe they are just low quality? Do they make super high quality DVI cables?

The next problem is this. I can play FEAR with settings max'd out for hours. No problems what-so-ever. I can play a three hour game of Warcraft III with no problems. I can raid for 5 hours straight in World of Warcraft with no problems. The problem happens when I try o run two instances of WoW (I have two accounts). I could run two instances of WoW fine on my old PC but it was pretty laggy. When doing it on the new PC, I can play on both accounts for about 2-5 minutes all settings max'd getting 55-60 fps, then I get a BSOD. This only happens when running two instances of WoW.

Problem 2: BSOD when running two instances of WoW. The error given is 0x8e with a bunch of parameters.

Some things I tried:

- Updated the BIOS. Problem persisted.
- RAM timings in BIOS were set to automatic and were showing 5x5x5x15 timings. NewEgg said my RAM was 3x3x3x12 so I tried setting it to manual with those timings. Problem persisted.
- Stayed up till 4am doing a complete rebuild. I only installed sound drivers, graphic drivers, and WoW. Problem persisted.

Any thoughts?

 

[Aikouka]

You know, I don't think you're alone in this...

I have two Samsung SyncMaster 204BW's and I had my screen "turn off" yesterday while playing WoW. I almost freaked out, because I had an issue with my old card where sometimes the video would just die after awhile (it'd happen if I ever left WoW sitting at the login screen for ~20 minutes). It came right back on afterward and I didn't have it happen again, although I didn't play for horribly long yesterday as I was quite busy working with getting my machines setup properly.

This doesn't sound like a monitor issue at all as I don't think my second 204BW shut off. I'd say it's probably the driver and the video card. I'd recommend posting about this on the WoW Support forums to see if anyone else is seeing this problem and then post the link to said WoW Support forum post on here for dual coverage.

EDIT: Just to clarify, what drivers are you using for your video card?

 

[jgilland]

I'm using the 8800 series drivers from the Nvidia website (ForceWare Release 95, Version: 97.02, Release Date: November 8, 2006).

 

[jgilland]

Bump? Any ideas? I will probably run Memtest when I get home.

 

[Aikouka]

I'll try running two WoW's at once when I get home, although I really don't want to crash my system when I've only had it up for 2 days or so .

I just thought of something about the flickering. My Samsung 204BW's support HDCP... the G80 series cards are the first nVidia cards to support HDCP. You said you do not see the flickering on VGA... but if I remember correctly, HDCP is only used on DVI. Could the HDCP be messing up?

EDIT: Silly me, I have the 205BW, not the 204BW, and it seems the 204 does not support HDCP where the 205 does support HDCP. So I guess that theory is out of the water :/.

 

[jgilland]

Well thanks for the thought anyways

Given the likelihood that two monitors are messed up, compared to the likelihood that two cables are not up to par -- I'm really hoping it is the cables. I'll probably check around for high quality cables.

And if RAM is the problem, overnighting new RAM and RMA'ing the old is not a problem. Just a pain in the ass.

Is it possible that something with WoW + dual cores + two instances might be funky? Can I assign one instance to one core and the other instance to the second core?

 

[Aikouka]

Originally posted by: jgilland
Is it possible that something with WoW + dual cores + two instances might be funky? Can I assign one instance to one core and the other instance to the second core?

This is definitely not the case. On my old Athlon 64 X2 system that used a GeForce 6800GT, I had absolutely no problem running two WoW clients at once, other than in certain places it would hurt my FPS. I actually did this to let my Alliance character help my Horde character . Doing this did tend to cause problems with WoW itself. I know after running two clients after I installed a font add-on pretty much killed my font add-on (in all dialogs that resembled the tradeskill window, everything was "---").

EDIT: Although I'm not sure how cables could cause this problem. It's like the video shuts off and the card resets itself when this occurs.

One thing to try is downgrading the drivers to the CD release. I know some people have done this to fix other various issues.

 

[Leros]

Originally posted by: jgilland
Well thanks for the thought anyways

Given the likelihood that two monitors are messed up, compared to the likelihood that two cables are not up to par -- I'm really hoping it is the cables. I'll probably check around for high quality cables.

And if RAM is the problem, overnighting new RAM and RMA'ing the old is not a problem. Just a pain in the ass.

Is it possible that something with WoW + dual cores + two instances might be funky? Can I assign one instance to one core and the other instance to the second core?

Yah, go to the process tab in task manager. Right click the process, choose set affinity. Uncheck one of the CPUs. Repeat for the other instance of WoW, only uncheck the other CPU this time.

 

[imported_RedStar]

"Samsung SyncMaster 204BW's " just to go off topic for a sec..what is your overall impression of this monitor as i was thinking of getting one for wide screen gaming.

back to topic...have you tried lowering your WOW settings in both...all the way? -- just to exclude possibility that to maxed instances was still too much for your computer

edit: oops i ment the samsung 205bw also and i see the affinity may be the solution so ignore me

 

[Aikouka]

Originally posted by: RedStar
"Samsung SyncMaster 204BW's " just to go off topic for a sec..what is your overall impression of this monitor as i was thinking of getting one for wide screen gaming.

I have absolutely no problems with my monitor. Although as some will tell you, some games do NOT have built-in widescreen capabilities and I don't think the Samsung model has letterboxing (being able to put black bars on the screen to leave the input the way it was delivered). I believe it can only resize, but I haven't tried.

Originally posted by: RedStar
back to topic...have you tried lowering your WOW settings in both...all the way? -- just to exclude possibility that to maxed instances was still too much for your computer

Shouldn't cause a problem. Like I mentioned, I used two WoW clients simultaneously with my 20.1" widescreen LCDs on an Athlon 64 X2 4400+ and a GeForce 6800GT and they worked with everything maxed. WoW itself did sometimes get kind of fidgety about running two at once, especially when it came to exiting from one client and leaving the other one open. I've only ever had an issue with that happen maybe once or twice, the rest of the times were fine.

Originally posted by: RedStar
edit: oops i ment the samsung 205bw also and i see the affinity may be the solution so ignore me

Like I mentioned above, I doubt affinity is an issue. The only game I've ever played that required affinity changes was Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and that didn't play right for the longest time on a dual-core system (you had to set it to one core only). You'd literally get super fast time... it was kind of amusing . I think they patched it fairly recently though.

EDIT: Just as a note, with the 205BWs, do not use a VGA cable with them. The picture produced is definitely sub-par and suffers from bad pink hue-age when looking at vertical angles.

 

[jgilland]

Yah, go to the process tab in task manager. Right click the process, choose set affinity. Uncheck one of the CPUs. Repeat for the other instance of WoW, only uncheck the other CPU this time.

Thanks for the tip. I was try this out during my troubleshooting tonight and see if it makes any difference.

"Samsung SyncMaster 204BW's " just to go off topic for a sec..what is your overall impression of this monitor as i was thinking of getting one for wide screen gaming.

The monitors I have are Samsung 204B-BK 20.1" LCDs. Other than the flickering problems (which has been semi-solved and I don't think is monitor related) they are awesome. I have ZERO ghosting in FEAR (1600x1200 all settings max'd). They have pretty nice range of motion... nice tilt, can raise and lower, and can turn in a circle on its base. Only problem (more of a nitpick) is that the pin to hold the raise/lower in place is 1) weak/a pos 2) isn't really needed as they hold themselves in place. You can also see the backlight around the edges a little but only when the screen is pitch black.

back to topic...have you tried lowering your WOW settings in both...all the way? -- just to exclude possibility that to maxed instances was still too much for your computer

Since my older PC was able to do it (older graphics, older processor, half the memory) with all graphics max'd, I didn't even think to lower settings. I will try it out though just in case.

------------------------

Thanks for the replies. If anyone has any other ideas, I'm open. Besides Memtest, is there any other good ways to test my memory? Did I even get good memory in the first place (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820148017)? If there is better out there that someone could suggest I might just RMA this memory.

 

[zephyrprime]

The 204b just sucks. Lots of users here have had problems with it with a variety of graphics cards. I had the same problem that you do until I ditched the 204b.

 

[imported_RedStar]

ok, please, list the bsod message and perhaps we can get a clue that way.

TIA

 

[jgilland]

Originally posted by: RedStar
ok, please, list the bsod message and perhaps we can get a clue that way.

TIA

Will do that as soon as I get home from work.

 

[jgilland]

In the meantime, does anyone following this thread know of better RAM than what I purchased? If Memtest finds that the RAM is bad, should I just get an exchange or RMA/upgrade to something better?

 

[Aikouka]

Originally posted by: jgilland
In the meantime, does anyone following this thread know of better RAM than what I purchased? If Memtest finds that the RAM is bad, should I just get an exchange or RMA/upgrade to something better?

I use OCZ DDR2-800 in my system, but Crucial's fine.

 

[Nightmare225]

Originally posted by: jgilland
I'm using the 8800 series drivers from the Nvidia website (ForceWare Release 95, Version: 97.02, Release Date: November 8, 2006).

Have you tried, erm, using the drivers that were actually designed for your card?

Product Support List Windows XP 32-bit ? 97.02

GeForce 8800 GTS
GeForce 8800 GTX

Please note that this driver currently only supports GeForce 8800 series. If you need a driver for other NVIDIA GPUs, please visit www.nvidia.com/drivers and select the driver for your product.

 

[jgilland]

Originally posted by: Nightmare225

Originally posted by: jgilland
I'm using the 8800 series drivers from the Nvidia website (ForceWare Release 95, Version: 97.02, Release Date: November 8, 2006).

Have you tried, erm, using the drivers that were actually designed for your card?

To the best of my knowledge, I am. The 8800 Series drivers from the Nvidia website are for 8800 Series video cards, are they not?

 

[jgilland]

Originally posted by: Nightmare225

Originally posted by: jgilland
I'm using the 8800 series drivers from the Nvidia website (ForceWare Release 95, Version: 97.02, Release Date: November 8, 2006).

Have you tried, erm, using the drivers that were actually designed for your card?

Product Support List Windows XP 32-bit ? 97.02

GeForce 8800 GTS
GeForce 8800 GTX

Please note that this driver currently only supports GeForce 8800 series. If you need a driver for other NVIDIA GPUs, please visit www.nvidia.com/drivers and select the driver for your product.

Yea... that's the one I'm using. Am I missing something here?

 

[Nightmare225]

Originally posted by: jgilland

Originally posted by: Nightmare225

Originally posted by: jgilland
I'm using the 8800 series drivers from the Nvidia website (ForceWare Release 95, Version: 97.02, Release Date: November 8, 2006).

Have you tried, erm, using the drivers that were actually designed for your card?

Product Support List Windows XP 32-bit ? 97.02

GeForce 8800 GTS
GeForce 8800 GTX

Please note that this driver currently only supports GeForce 8800 series. If you need a driver for other NVIDIA GPUs, please visit www.nvidia.com/drivers and select the driver for your product.

Yea... that's the one I'm using. Am I missing something here?

NVM, I didn't see the RMA part. My mistake

 

[jgilland]

Originally posted by: Nightmare225

Originally posted by: jgilland

Originally posted by: Nightmare225

Originally posted by: jgilland
I'm using the 8800 series drivers from the Nvidia website (ForceWare Release 95, Version: 97.02, Release Date: November 8, 2006).

Have you tried, erm, using the drivers that were actually designed for your card?

Product Support List Windows XP 32-bit ? 97.02

GeForce 8800 GTS
GeForce 8800 GTX

Please note that this driver currently only supports GeForce 8800 series. If you need a driver for other NVIDIA GPUs, please visit www.nvidia.com/drivers and select the driver for your product.

Yea... that's the one I'm using. Am I missing something here?

NVM, I didn't see the RMA part. My mistake

Heh, no problem. You had me really confused for a second.

Here is the error as listed in the System Event Log.

Error code 1000008e, parameter1 c0000005, parameter2 b67520f8, parameter3 b584b84c, parameter4 00000000.

 

[imported_RedStar]

well:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/defau...ed-3296-4e84-8885-c3162fd0ddbf.xml.asp

"Bug Check 0x1000008E: KERNEL_MODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED_M
The KERNEL_MODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED_M bug check has a value of 0x1000008E. This indicates that a kernel-mode program generated an exception which the error handler did not catch.

Bug check 0x1000008E has the same meaning and parameters as bug check 0x8E (KERNEL_MODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED).
"
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/defau...d6-98d1-4d1d-8068-883e89933845.xml.asp

"Bug Check 0x8E: KERNEL_MODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED
The KERNEL_MODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED bug check has a value of 0x0000008E. This indicates that a kernel-mode program generated an exception which the error handler did not catch.

Parameters
The following parameters are displayed on the blue screen.

Parameter Description
1 The exception code that was not handled
2 The address at which the exception occurred
3 The trap frame
4 Reserved


Cause
This is a very common bug check. To interpret it, you must identify which exception was generated.

Common exception codes include:

0x80000002: STATUS_DATATYPE_MISALIGNMENT
An unaligned data reference was encountered.

0x80000003: STATUS_BREAKPOINT
A breakpoint or ASSERT was encountered when no kernel debugger was attached to the system.

0xC0000005: STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION
A memory access violation occurred.


For a complete list of exception codes, see the ntstatus.h file located in the inc directory of the Windows Driver Kit.

Resolving the Problem
If you are not equipped to debug this problem, you should use some basic troubleshooting techniques. Make sure you have enough disk space. If a driver is identified in the bug check message, disable the driver or check with the manufacturer for driver updates. Try changing video adapters. Check with your hardware vendor for any BIOS updates. Disable BIOS memory options such as caching or shadowing.

If you plan to debug this problem, you may find it difficult to obtain a stack trace. Parameter 2 (the exception address) should pinpoint the driver or function that caused this problem.

If exception code 0x80000003 occurs, this indicates that a hard-coded breakpoint or assertion was hit, but the system was started with the /NODEBUG switch. This problem should rarely occur. If it occurs repeatedly, make sure a kernel debugger is connected and the system is started with the /DEBUG switch.

If exception code 0x80000002 occurs, the trap frame will supply additional information.

If the specific cause of the exception is unknown, the following should be considered:

Hardware incompatibility. First, make sure that any new hardware installed is listed in the Microsoft Windows Marketplace Tested Products List.

Faulty device driver or system service. In addition, a faulty device driver or system service might be responsible for this error. Hardware issues, such as BIOS incompatibilities, memory conflicts, and IRQ conflicts can also generate this error.

If a driver is listed by name within the bug check message, disable or remove that driver. Disable or remove any drivers or services that were recently added. If the error occurs during the startup sequence and the system partition is formatted with NTFS file system, you might be able to use Safe Mode to rename or delete the faulty driver. If the driver is used as part of the system startup process in Safe Mode, you need to start the computer by using the Recovery Console to access the file.

If the problem is associated with Win32k.sys, the source of the error might be a third-party remote control program. If such software is installed, the service can be removed by starting the system using the Recovery Console and deleting the offending system service file.

Check the System Log in Event Viewer for additional error messages that might help pinpoint the device or driver that is causing bug check 0x1E. Disabling memory caching of the BIOS might also resolve the error. You should also run hardware diagnostics, especially the memory scanner, supplied by the system manufacturer. For details on these procedures, see the owner's manual for your computer.

The error that generates this message can occur after the first restart during Windows Setup, or after Setup is finished. A possible cause of the error is lack of disk space for installation and system BIOS incompatibilities. For problems during Windows installation that are associated with lack of disk space, reduce the number of files on the target hard disk. Check for and delete any unneeded temporary files, Internet cache files, application backup files, and .chk files containing saved file fragments from disk scans. You can also use another hard disk with more free space for the installation. BIOS problems can be resolved by upgrading the system BIOS version.

"

heh, this tells me very little..so ima gonna say wait for the next nvidia driver update.

Short answer: i do not know. hehe


edit: grasping at straws ..here is what blizzard says to do with diablo and exception c0000005:
http://www.blizzard.com/support/?id=adt0274p
(the part i would try? defrag your hard drive

edit 2: and i guess i will end on what WoW tech support has to say (which overlaps alot of what i have already linked to.):
http://www.blizzard.com/support/wow/?id=aww01662p

the update link seems to be too old to bother considering ...so the blame goes to nvidia and i guess a wait for a driver update.

(do you run the two wow instances the same way you did on old system?)

 

[jgilland]

Well, no errors from Memtest or Windows Memory Diagnostic. I guess I will chalk this one up to the fact the video drivers are so new. Thanks to everyone that replied.

 

[Aikouka]

I played WoW last night for awhile and saw no problems with black screens or BSODs. Although I did not run two WoWs at once as I was doing some disk I/O work and I didn't want to inhibit that with a possible BSOD. Also, that BSOD error sounds like it's a driver issue (especially with the kernel-level program talk).

 

[oynaz]

I am nearly positive it is your RAM acting up. Try a replacement.