New Patch: Blue Screen of Death

Never actually had a BSoD with CoX before.

So after downloading the latest patch (2/15/2011), I logged on to the game and started an AE mission that I had. About 2/3 of the way through it I get a black screen for several seconds, then a BSoD message. Something about windows shutting down to protect my system, and that a driver reset failed. That's as far as I got to read before the system reset.

So, are these crashes logged anywhere? Where would I look to post some more info for the Devs?

My system briefly is a Dell laptop, XPS M1710. I have the latest drivers but being a laptop they're actually a rev back or so. NVidea 9700 GS Go. Windows Vista, latest updates on everything (I have auto updates turned on).

What else should I post?

Well, the issue appears to be repeatble. I logged in, ran the same mission, and about half way through, boom.

This second blue screen was worse than the first, I couldn't read the display. I had streaks and kept flashing to black. On reboot.... no screen. The display was completely black.

So, anyone know how to recover a laptop dispaly after a crash? I'll deinitely need that to get any info off the system. Rebooting several times hasn't helped. I tried unplugging it and removing the battery, waited a couple of minutes. Turn on... nothing.

I think the system is on because I can see the hard drive work and if I type, it seems to respond. Obviously, no display though so it's hard to be sure.

Also, FYI I'm posting this on the old tower, not the system that's busted.

Any help is much appreciated.

As much as I hate to say it, this is most likely coincidence. It sounds like the video card in your laptop just went poof. Have you contacted Dell? If the game/driver was causing the issue you would still be able to actually see something on your screen, especially outside of windows. So it's one of 2 things, the video card or the LCD screen itself.

We'll see....

Ultra Mode claims another video card's soul.

Mua ha ha ha ha!!

"Memories" - The Evangel Farewell Video

After getting advice from another forum, it turns out I can get video from the external LCD port. The card hardware seems to be fine.

However, all the system ever boots to is the Start Up Repair utility. This runs a disc scan (takes like a hour) and then pops me into some sort of admin repair screen. There is an option to reinstall the factory OS. I'm tempted to use it. If some corrupt bytes got written to the driver or OS, it should clear them out. I hope.

Not going to yet though, waiting to see what other advice I can get.

I haven't contatcted Dell yet. The laptop is 4 years old and out of warranty. Last time I called them, which was recently, they were pretty unhelpful.