Blue screen when launching L4D

[RobS]

When I first built this computer and played L4D I don't recall ever getting a BSOD, just that studdering issue fixed by turning off multicore rendering. But at some point (with no major hardware/software changes) I started getting random BSOD's when I launch the game.

The BSOD says this: DRIVER_IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL along with this at the bottom 0x000000d1 It does not list a file that caused it.

This issue is totally random, I could boot into windows and load the game and it will work fine, and then I could reboot, go back into windows and it will crash. I can also load the game then close it a random number of times in a row and eventually it will BSOD out, but of course over half the time I actually want to play the game it will crash on the first launch. I have tried having a ton of applications open, and then none open, there isn't a consistent thing that makes it crash. I have all the updated drivers for all my hardware, and I have the latest BIOS. I have tried a 4 or 5 different video card drivers. I have run virus and spyware scans, I have disabled all startup programs, I have turned off Steam Cloud and deleted my config letting the game make a fresh one, I have tried deleting and reinstalling the game. I contacted Nvidia tech support and they gave me drivers to try (177.92 beta) and said if it doesn't work with those that it is a problem with the game. I have played GTA IV, Portal, and FarCry 2 only a couple of times, but have never had a BSOD with them. Here is a video of it happening: http://72.52.202.216/~rob/VID00051.AVI

Windows XP Professional SP3
Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 @ 3.16GHz (not overclocked)
Asus Rampage Formula X48
4GB Mushkin DDR2 1066 (5-5-5-15) (Windows only uses 3.25GB of the 4)
EVGA GeForce GTX 260 Core 216 Superclocked Edition 896MB 448-bit

[FaceGrater]

CarrionSwarmJosh was having the same issue with TF2. I know he figured out how to fix it, not sure exactly what that fix is.

[UKMD Elmo]

Check this thread out robs:

http://www.left4dead411.com/forums/index.php?actio n=vthread&topic=10520&forum=5&page=0 (http://www.left4dead411.com/forums/index.php?action=vthread&topic=10520&forum=5&page=0)

You need to change your page pool RAM usage as applicable to the ammount of RAM you have.

Hope it helps (it did for Mr Carrion). Cheers Facegrater for mentioning the thread.

[dethklok]

4GB Mushkin DDR2 1066 (5-5-5-15) (Windows only uses 3.25GB of the 4)
ofcourse 32bit cant use more than 4gb of ram and thats why you have the bsod, try to get the 64bit edition or try to remove 1gb ram to check if you solve the problem

[RobS]

UKMD Elmo, by page pool ram, you mean virtual memory? Right now I have it on system managed size, perhaps I'll try the recommended 1.5x my ram, but then again, should I go by 3.25GB or 4GB?

dethklok, when I built the new PC I had no idea of the ram limitations with the regular 32-bit XP, and bought 2x2GB sticks of RAM, after I saw the 3.25GB I looked on google and from what I read there wouldn't be any problems running it, I would just be losing out on that extra bit of RAM. How sure are you that that is the problem? I don't know much about 64-bit.. with the 64-bit XP, do all my drivers and programs need to be written for 64-bit or is everything compatible?

Or would it be a good idea to downgrade to 2x1GB of ram?

[FaceGrater]

You did the work there Elmo, i was too lazy to search for it.

Anyways, its not that you have too much RAM. It's true that 32-bit can only support up to 4 gigs, but if you put more, it doesn't blue screen, you would just be wasting money on RAM thats not being used. Use the thread Elmo linked, I'm pretty sure thats your solution.

[RobS]

I don't really see where the solution is in that thread, he says he tried some steps to fix it yet doesn't mention those steps except for that he has 1024 ram and set his min and max to the same number. I set mine at what it recommends (4990MB) since I don't know if I should do the math on 3.25GB or 4GB but 4990 is in the ballpark. I still got the BSOD. And in the few last posts someone said disable custom-content downloading..is that even an option in L4D? And my game crashes before I even get into a menu, I doubt that would be a content downloading issue.

[FaceGrater]

4990 megs of RAM is 4.99 gigs. Like i said, 32-bit can only support 4 gigs and you have it set to almost 5. just try lowering it.

[Goldkills]

Try to reinstall your drivers like video and chipset drivers might work

[Darkness]

Also, no where in your thread there did I read you trying to reinstall L4D. Totally wipe it from your computer and try.

Also do this:
Try to reinstall your drivers like video and chipset drivers might work

And by reinstall I mean, first uninstall old driver then install new driver, dont just start the over-installation.

But indeed, maybe it is crashing because it is trying to use 4990 megs of RAM which you neither have nor can support. Lower it to like 3000 or something and see what happens.

[RobS]

I didn't know the 32-bit 3.25GB RAM limitation also effected virtual memory, in the virtual memory settings, the recommended box said 4990MB, weird how it would suggest that if it can't support it? So how does this work here.. I have two 2GB ram sticks in my computer, windows only sees/uses 3.25GB, so won't any page files not be able to be used then?

Yes, I used driver sweeper when uninstalling drivers, and I have all the updated drivers for my chipset and ALL hardware in my computer.

[darkmessiah]

Oh lookie, I helped on that thread.

[Darkness]

Oh lookie, I helped on that thread.

wow... now that would be the rarest thing I think ive ever seen... if only it were true...

in any case, RobS, I don't know. Computers are weird things, just try it and see if it helps. If it doesn't you can always change it back.

Have you tried reinstalling steam and reinstalling l4d?