Frequent crash: Screen goes black and need to reboot

CoH has been crashing a lot for me recently, after trying and failing to solve the problem on my own, and then after asking a few friends online, it is time to ask for help here.

The symptoms
The screen goes black, sound continues for another few seconds before the system hangs. I need to reset the power supply to reboot.

There is no error message.
There is no entry in in the system Event Viewer.
The crash has happened as soon as a few minutes after logging on, or as late as hours after I've started playing.
The crash has happened solo, while teamed, in a mission, out in a zone.

I am running the latest drivers for my video, sound, and motherboard as of a week or two ago.
Prior to updating I uninstalled the drivers, used a 3rd party program while in safe mode to ensure all traces were removed, and installed the latest Windows XP drivers available from the manufacturer's websites.

I have run chkdisk on all drives with no errors found.
I have defragmented with both the standard Windows defragmenter, and Asulogics Disk Defrag.

I have uninstalled and reinstalled CoH, using the Going Rogue install disk to save on download time.

I have tried running CoH with all settings at the minimum.

I have run Memtest-86 and no errors were found.
I have run Prime95 for a few hours and no errors were found, CPU temperature did not increase significantly.
I tried maxing all settings in game and ran around KR for an hour at 3FPS, GPU temperature did not increase significantly.
I also tried running around in Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion for an hour at above max settings, GPU temperature did not increase significantly.

I realize the tests I ran are not definitive, but given the frequency of the crashes I believe that they suggest that the crashes are not heat related.

I have reseated my memory, sound, and video card, and I vacuumed the slots, fans, and heat-sinks before reinserting components.

I have tried disabling virtual memory in case there was a bad sector on my HD that chkdisk missed that might be causing the crash.

I have run a virus scan with AVG.
I have run Spybot - Search & Destroy.

I have tried changing my CoH updater shortcut from -renderthread 1 to -renderthread 0.

I'm running out of things to try here.
Anyone have any ideas? Thanks.

---

---System information gathered by CoH Helper version 0.2.0.2---

DxDiag gathered at January 18, 2011 17:22 (-05:00)
Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 3 (2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.100427-1636)
System Manufacturer: System manufacturer
System Model: System Product Name
BIOS: Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
Central Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 5400+, MMX, 3DNow (2 CPUs), ~2.8GHz
Memory: 2046MB
.Net Memory Report: 1449MB out of 2046MB available
Page File: 7433MB (460MB currently in use)
C Drive: (Maxtor 6Y120P0) 4262MB out of 19077MB (22%) free
D Drive: (WDC WD40 0JD-19LSA0 SCSI Disk Device) 5075MB out of 19161MB (26%) free
E Drive: (Maxtor 6Y120P0) 8057MB out of 38719MB (20%) free
F Drive: (Maxtor 6Y120P0) 1709MB out of 59443MB (2%) free
G Drive: (WDC WD40 0JD-19LSA0 SCSI Disk Device) 4237MB out of 18973MB (22%) free
J Drive: (SAMSUNG HD080HJ/P SCSI Disk Device) 64877MB out of 76316MB (85%) free
H Drive: (IDE DVD-ROM 16X) zero-size drive
I Drive: (HL-DT-ST DVD-RAM GH22NS30 SCSI CdRom Device) zero-size drive
Windows directory location: C:\WINDOWS
DirectX: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DirectX Diag version: 5.03.2600.5512 (32-bit version)

Display Notes: No problems found.
Sound Notes: No problems found.

No problems found.
Input Notes: No problems found.

Monitor: COMPAQ P110 Color Monitor
Monitor's Max Resolution: 1800,1440
Video Device Name: NVIDIA GeForce 9600 GT
Manufacturer / Chip: NVIDIA / GeForce 9600 GT
Video Memory: 512.0 MB
Driver Version: 6.14.0012.6099
Driver Date: 10/16/2010 1:55:00 PM
Driver Language: English

Sound Device Description: SB Live! 24-bit
Driver File: P17.sys
Driver Version: 5.12.0001.0514
Driver Date: 6/15/2007 10:47:26 AM

Sound Device Description: SoundMAX HD Audio
Driver File: ADIHdAud.sys
Driver Version: 5.10.0001.6110
Driver Date: 1/16/2007 9:09:00 AM


WMI Information
Motherboard Manufacturer: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
Motherboard Model: (empty)
Motherboard Product: M2N-E
Motherboard Version: 1.XX
BIOS Manufacturer: Phoenix Technologies, LTD
BIOS Name: Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
BIOS Version: Nvidia - 42302e31
BIOS Release: 20071029000000.000000+000


Registry Information for Current User
Resolution: 1600x1200
3D Resolution: 1600x1200 (Not using renderscale)
Full Screen: Yes
Maximized: No
Screen Position: 0, 0
Refresh Rate: 75Hz
Vertical Sync Enabled: Yes


Physics Quality: Medium
Maximum Particles: 50000
Max Particle Fill? 10.000
Physics Card Enabled: No


Anti-aliasing: Off
Anisotropic Filtering: None
Texture LOD Bias: Medium
Water Effects: None
Bloom: 1.000 (turned on)
Depth of Field Enabled: No
Desaturation Effects (Sepia) Enabled: Yes
Shader Detail: Medium?


World Texture Level: High
Character Texture Level: High
World Detail Level (Vis_Scale): 2.000
Entity Detail Level: 2.000
Shadows Enabled: No
Shadow Mode: Stencil shadows
Shadow Map Shader: Unknown (0)
Environmental Reflections: Disabled
Advanced Occlusion Settings: No
Ambient Occlusion: Off
Occlusion Strength: Off
Blur: Bilateral
Ambient Resolution: Performance


Gamma Correction: 0.895
Geometry Buffers (VBOs) Enabled: Yes
Suppression of FX When Camera Close Enabled: No
Close Suppression Range: 3.000
Show Advertisements: Yes

Audio Mode: Performance
3D Audio: No
FX Sound Volume: 0.000
Music Sound Volume: 0.000

Show Advanced Graphics Options: Yes
Overall Graphics Quality: 0.500
Reverse Mouse Buttons: No
Save Login Username: Yes
Transfer Rate: Unknown bytes/second
Current Game Version: 1900.201011102104.27
Installation Directory: D:\CoH

Mod files in the Data directory
No modifications found

---

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 5:20:47 PM, on 1/18/2011
Platform: Windows XP SP3 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v8.00 (8.00.6001.18702)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG10\avgchsvx.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG10\avgrsx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ZoneLabs\vsmon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Logi_MwX.Exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Rundll32.exe
C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\zlclient.exe
C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG10\avgtray.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\RUNDLL32.EXE
C:\Program Files\Analog Devices\Core\smax4pnp.exe
C:\Program Files\Analog Devices\SoundMAX\Smax4.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG10\Identity Protection\agent\bin\avgidsmonitor.exe
C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG10\avgwdsvc.exe
C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\nTune\nTuneService.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Pen_Tablet.exe
C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\nTune\nTuneCmd.exe
C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\System Update\UpdateCenterService.exe
C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\NetworkAccessManager\bin32\nSvcAppFlt. exe
C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\NetworkAccessManager\bin32\nSvcIp.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuauclt.exe
C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG10\Identity Protection\Agent\Bin\AVGIDSAgent.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\WTablet\Pen_TabletUser.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Pen_Tablet.exe
C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG10\avgnsx.exe
C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG10\avgemcx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.sluggy.com/
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R3 - URLSearchHook: AVG Security Toolbar BHO - {A3BC75A2-1F87-4686-AA43-5347D756017C} - C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG10\Toolbar\IEToolbar.dll
O2 - BHO: Adobe PDF Reader Link Helper - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: WormRadar.com IESiteBlocker.NavFilter - {3CA2F312-6F6E-4B53-A66E-4E65E497C8C0} - C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG10\avgssie.dll
O2 - BHO: Spybot-S&D IE Protection - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy16\SDHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_05\bin\ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: AVG Security Toolbar BHO - {A3BC75A2-1F87-4686-AA43-5347D756017C} - C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG10\Toolbar\IEToolbar.dll
O3 - Toolbar: AVG Security Toolbar - {CCC7A320-B3CA-4199-B1A6-9F516DD69829} - C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG10\Toolbar\IEToolbar.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Logitech Utility] Logi_MwX.Exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [P17Helper] Rundll32 P17.dll,P17Helper
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [KernelFaultCheck] %systemroot%\system32\dumprep 0 -k
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ZoneAlarm Client] "C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\zlclient.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG_TRAY] C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG10\avgtray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [amd_dc_opt] C:\Program Files\AMD\Dual-Core Optimizer\amd_dc_opt.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvMediaCenter] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\NvMcTray.dll,NvTaskbarInit
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [nwiz] C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\nView\nwiz.exe /installquiet
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SoundMAXPnP] C:\Program Files\Analog Devices\Core\smax4pnp.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SoundMAX] "C:\Program Files\Analog Devices\SoundMAX\Smax4.exe" /tray
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_05\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_05\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra button: AOL Instant Messenger (SM) - {AC9E2541-2814-11d5-BC6D-00B0D0A1DE45} - C:\Program Files\AIM95\aim.exe
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {DFB852A3-47F8-48C4-A200-58CAB36FD2A2} - C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy16\SDHelper.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Spybot - Search && Destroy Configuration - {DFB852A3-47F8-48C4-A200-58CAB36FD2A2} - C:\Program Files\Spybot - Search & Destroy16\SDHelper.dll
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @xpsp3res.dll,-20001 - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\windows\system32\nwprovau.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\program files\nvidia corporation\networkaccessmanager\bin32\nvlsp.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\program files\nvidia corporation\networkaccessmanager\bin32\nvlsp.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\program files\nvidia corporation\networkaccessmanager\bin32\nvlsp.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\program files\nvidia corporation\networkaccessmanager\bin32\nvlsp.dll
O16 - DPF: {6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) - http://update.microsoft.com/windowsupdate/v6/V5Controls/en/x86/client/wuweb_site.cab?1285720845812
O16 - DPF: {74DBCB52-F298-4110-951D-AD2FF67BC8AB} (NVIDIA Smart Scan) - http://www.nvidia.com/content/DriverDownload/nforce/NvidiaSmartScan.cab
O16 - DPF: {E2883E8F-472F-4FB0-9522-AC9BF37916A7} (get_atlcom Class) - http://platformdl.adobe.com/NOS/getPlusPlus/1.6/gp.cab
O18 - Protocol: avgsecuritytoolbar - {F2DDE6B2-9684-4A55-86D4-E255E237B77C} - C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG10\Toolbar\IEToolbar.dll
O18 - Protocol: linkscanner - {F274614C-63F8-47D5-A4D1-FBDDE494F8D1} - C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG10\avgpp.dll
O18 - Protocol: skype4com - {FFC8B962-9B40-4DFF-9458-1830C7DD7F5D} - C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\Skype\SKYPE4~1.DLL
O23 - Service: Adobe Active File Monitor (AdobeActiveFileMonitor) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop Elements 3.0\PhotoshopElementsFileAgent.exe
O23 - Service: AVG Security Toolbar Service - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG10\Toolbar\ToolbarBroker.exe
O23 - Service: AVGIDSAgent - AVG Technologies CZ, s.r.o. - C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG10\Identity Protection\Agent\Bin\AVGIDSAgent.exe
O23 - Service: AVG WatchDog (avgwd) - AVG Technologies CZ, s.r.o. - C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG10\avgwdsvc.exe
O23 - Service: ForceWare Intelligent Application Manager (IAM) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\NetworkAccessManager\bin32\nSvcAppFlt. exe
O23 - Service: ForceWare IP service (nSvcIp) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\NetworkAccessManager\bin32\nSvcIp.exe
O23 - Service: Performance Service (nTuneService) - NVIDIA - C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\nTune\nTuneService.exe
O23 - Service: NVIDIA Display Driver Service (nvsvc) - NVIDIA Corporation - C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe
O23 - Service: TabletServicePen - Wacom Technology, Corp. - C:\WINDOWS\system32\Pen_Tablet.exe
O23 - Service: Update Center Service (UpdateCenterService) - NVIDIA - C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\System Update\UpdateCenterService.exe
O23 - Service: TrueVector Internet Monitor (vsmon) - Check Point Software Technologies LTD - C:\WINDOWS\system32\ZoneLabs\vsmon.exe

--
End of file - 7888 bytes

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It looks like my problem is not CoH specific.
I just experienced the same crash while playing a different game.

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I've seen too many 8 and 9 series Nvidia video cards die in the last year or two.

Pretty classic symptoms of the card on its last legs before dying. I had an 8800 GTX and a 8800 GT do similiar things before going. Hope I am wrong on this one but if you have a friend with a spare video card it would be helpful just to make sure it isn't something else.

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H: Blaster 50, Defender 50, Tank 50, Scrapper 50, Controller 50, PB 50, WS 50
V: Brute 50, Corruptor 50, MM 50, Dominator 50, Stalker 50, AW 50, AS 50
Top 4: Controller, Brute, Scrapper, Corruptor
Bottom 4: (Peacebringer) way below everything else, Mastermind, Dominator, Blaster
CoH in WQHD

First off Maribelle let me say I'm impressed. It's nice to for a change see somebody who has already tried all the standard solutions and run all the diagnostic programs. Your Hijackthis and CoH helper logs look fine. Your audio drivers are out of date but that's not likely to be causing the problem.

I would say one of two possibilities. Either video card dying or power supply dying. I'm leaning towards power supply because a sudden drop in voltage to the video card would pretty much cause the exact symptom you are seeing.

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Don't count your weasels before they pop dink!

Thanks for the feed back.
I was afraid it might be the power supply going.

I'll check with a few people I know and see if any of them have an extra power supply or video card that could be used to test things out.

I've been having a hard time getting the more recent drivers from Creative to install, I think the newer drivers for my card do not support Windows XP.

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Happy ending:
I decided to reinstall Windows just in case it helped.

I did some exploration badge hunting, joined a Hami raid, a RWZ ship raid, did a few missions, fought Jack and Eochai, and did not crash once.

Thanks again!

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Don't count your weasels before they pop dink!