Guild Wars 2

Could be your graphics card overheating

Maudlin.8652:

I clearly stated that it was not a overheating issue. My graphics card does not get any warmer than 59 degrees.

Fair, fair, 90% of people just only check CPU temperature
Edit: But in that case, I’d say it looks like you have been very thorough testing your software. Might be time to check the hardware

I have the exact same issue. It’s also not an overheating problem here, and I’ve stopped playing because of it. Re-logged recently to check if it has been adressed yet, figured out it wasn’t.

Don’t expect a fix, just stop playing, it’s hopeless.

EDIT: Don’t expect to find a fix on the internet either, I’ve been searching high and low for over 2 months.

I’m having the same issue with my PC. Just started today. Any know exactly what the problem is? I can play maybe 20 mins at a time, which hopefully will be enough to participate in non-world event festivals. However i wish to see this resolved before any more world events.

If you are certain temps are fine its likely to be a power issue, be it the actual brick (easy test) or the mobo voltage regulation. If you’re wondering why this wouldn’t show up in OCCT for example, its because some of these programs are throttled at the driver level due to poor quality VRMs/VRM cooling some manufacturers use…

I switched back to playing LOTRO, but this issue keeps re-occurring. Methinks maybe theres some flawed or bugged GW2 file? This has NEVER happened to me before yesterday. I’ve played LOTRO for years, and i am now realizing even with GW2’s much better combat systems and char balences etc., LOTRO is still better because of community.

Ok I did not want to post because I thought it was me..

but my laptop also shuts down completely (all the way, powered off).

It happens about 50% of the time only when doing personal quests. It is so odd.

Not in wpvp (which I do a ton).. Can’t figure it out

Been playing since launch and a few weeks now my computer is completely restarting itself. it isn’t a laptop but a desk top. Also not a overheating issue.

Did you disable all non-microsoft services ? Not just start ups, the services are important too.

I had the same issues for 3-4 days now. Random Crashing and stuff.
I disabled non-microsoft services and now, i don’t crash anymore.

Maudlin.8652:

Hi guys,

I’m having this problem for about a month now. I allready made a support ticket but the guys there seem to have no idea how to fix it. My laptop just shuts down and I have to manually turn it on again. (power just goes off)

I’m a 100% sure it’s not a overheating issue. I’ve stresstested my system with different programs (like OCCT, prime95,..). I played the game on all possible settings and it doesn’t seem to do anything. The problem seems to get worse on prime time (EU GMT+1).

Things I’ve have tried:

- using different internet (friends house)
- clean windows install
- directx update
- MSCONFIG and disable all startup programs
- set GW2 to only use physical cores.
- all possible graphic and sound settings
- set my CPU to not over or underclock (Turboboost)
- used my graphic drivers coming with a clean windows install, the 306.97 and the 310.70 Nvidia drivers
- started in all possible compatibility modes
- reinstall GW2
- repair GW2
- used the ‘Black Screen Issue’ settings in Nvidia control panel

I’m really starting to get frustrated by now. I played this game from headstart without any problem. The last month orso (don’t really know the exact date) I started to get this issue.

Hope somebody can help me

@Maudlin. I’m having the same problem on my PC. It’s shutting off when I try to run GW2, it just started doing this yesterday. Have you tried running the Windows Performance Index and 3DMark11? If not, try doing so, as my PC was shutting down when I ran those tests.

While I do not have a clue what can fix your problems, I’ll just highlight this from Maudlin’s post:

“Keep in mind that if the Laptop is physically shutting down, there is a hardware issue somewhere. When a computer shuts down in this method it’s doing so to protect itself. "

This is the simple truth. You can try ruling things out, but it is the bottom line. GuildWars uses something and something in your computers doesn’t like it. If it was a crash (to the desktop) I’d be crying for a bugfix. Seeing as it is a computer crash.. It is not on their end, sorry. I know this isn’t a solution.

I have had this problem off and on since launch. Usually happens after a patch and then another patch will fix it. In the past week or so I have been crashing repeatedly while doing all sorts of different things. Sometimes I’m on for 3+ hours with no issue and sometimes I crash in 15 minutes. I can be crafting, doing my storyline, browsing the TP or just out exploring. Nothing in particular seems to trigger a crash. I will say that today’s patch didn’t fix it though.

The one thing I see missing from this thread is information about what these systems contain:

- What operating system is everyone running?
- How much memory do you have?
- What brand of laptop do you have?

etc.

These things would really help in trying to help troubleshoot these issues.

Try something silly and put the game in a simpler graphical state by lowering all your graphics settings to low and see how it works. Sometimes I troubleshoot probems by going back to primitive mode and working up.

So if i open and play Diablo III i’m able to get gw2 to load. if i don’t my computer Restarts itself. It’s not a Hardware issue, since this doesn’t happen with any other game i play.

Maudlin.8652:

Treeline, while I agree that they have a point, it’s not 100% certain. A game, or software for that matter can cause your computer to shutdown, without being a hardware problem. Although it’s in 98% a hardware problem, doesn’t mean it’s always a hardware problem.

I tried everything, including disabling all services. Point being is that I got the problem RIGHT after a patch. Would be very strange that I got a hardware problem right after a patch, no?

While I considered it could be a hardware problem, it simple isn’t. I hoped it was.

In my 21 years I have never seen a game crash the entire computer unless a) some odd piece of software interferes with the game (including vira) or b) drivers aren’t updated or c) the hardware is faulty in some way.

While I do study software on University level i’d be happy to be proven wrong.

Edit: Oh and 4) The game causing some component to overheat of course

I spoke too soon, i crashed again.

I wonder if its heat issues although i’ve never gone above 80 on Prime95. TJ max is 100.
Will get a laptop cooler and report back

prime95 doesn’t include the heat produced by a gpu thats usually on the same heatpipe/sink

I experience the same problem while playing Guild Wars 2 or even at times at the Character select screen, loading screen, my laptop shutting down. It’s peculiar because times I can play GW2 for a few hours with minimum problems (e.g. lag, latency). Within the last few days, along with the “patches”, whereas I had very few problems before I can say it’s fairly status-quo with shutdown.

And yes, I am aware not everyone experiences these issues, in the same way.

While I haven’t ruled out my computer (it’s a mid-range laptop), however given that other people in the GW2 community are having similar technical problems regardless of system specs; for example game client crashing to the desktop while teleporting for some players for me it shuts down my computer I haven’t completely ruled out the game client entirely.

Just by reading the ArenaNet Guild Wars 2 forums I can see pattern emerging, exactly what that pattern is or rather what is causing it, not being employed by ArenaNet, I can only speculate at this point (which could be processes prior to or on the onset of dynamic events and/or rendering issues just to name a few), but whether it is a few or many, the game is having an adverse effect on peoples systems regardless of specifications – although if you are hovering around minimum system specs you shouldn’t expect a lot of aesthetically pleasing visuals or performance when you play.

I actually don’t have t the funds to do this on a whim ,but to be fair to ArenaNet, as a process of elimination I am currently at my own checklist where I am looking into estimates in to having my laptop serviced to rule out any hardware wars. I suppose I could take the Metro down to ArenaNet Studios and –gently – plop my laptop on the receptionist counter and say “prove me wrong, geniuses… Excelsior!”.

The point being is that I am not entirely convinced the game is without its coding problems and is definitely having effects on peoples systems as it attempts to chop on the code so to speak. I can have my laptop serviced and if there aren’t any hardware issues in my particular case then when you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth the ball is in ArenaNet’s court, if you will. If however there is hardware issues with my computer I’ll decide accordingly what to do. But neither of these results addresses players in the community with similar in-game issues it only answers my particular case.

Should you have your PC/laptop serviced, while it may seem counter-productive, if you can afford it and you have exhausted all other options, sure why not check it off the list. For me its primarily a concern of overheating, after a thorough cleaning this may resolve my issues. After describing your issues, if you professional PC service results are no hardware issues then perhaps it is best to move on playing a different MMO of your liking.

For me that would be unfortunate, not only can I appreciate ArenaNet philosophy as a game developer (at least to what they present to the public) but that Guild Wars 2 is game that, in part, is parallel with my own notion of a RPG sandbox – although I don’t think it is all that “revolutionary” in the sense of game play and content overall and I am more inclined with the cyberpunk genre.

Well, I may post a summary of my results after my computer is serviced, or not. In the meantime here is hoping we will get a xmas-fix sooner than later.
Cheers

Squall Leonhart.2075:

prime95 doesn’t include the heat produced by a gpu thats usually on the same heatpipe/sink

I ran OCCT for 3 hours, and i still didn’t get an error. I ran both GPU and CPU load tests.

For the record, i have separate heat sinks and fans for my cpu and gpu.

Thing is, i’ve cleaned the interiors of my laptop. Reapplied quality thermal paste on my GPU and CPU. There is literally no visible dust patch in my laptop.

I didn’t crash when the troll event was up and there were tons of effects going off. I crashed while doing the simplest things, like looking on the ground with nothing going on.

If it was a matter of heat, i’m guessing i should be seeing similar crashes while i load up D3, Borderlands 2 or Far Cry 3. But i have no issues in those games.

Try running prime95, OCCT & 3dmark all at once for a while see if you can replicate a system shutdown.

Abstract layers
GW2 —> OS —> Drivers —> BIOS —> Hardware

GW2 doesn’t touch the hardware directly to force a abrupt system shutdown. It all goes through a middleman. No game modern would bother programming access to the hardware directly, but its not impossible. Usually, it’s a point of failure between the drivers and hardware. Often shutdowns are safety mechanism to prevent physical damage.

Hey there,

I’m doing exactly this right now.

Running Prime 95 and OCCT GPU at the same time and hoping to see a crash.

kirito.4138:

Try running prime95, OCCT & 3dmark all at once for a while see if you can replicate a system shutdown.

---

Abstract layers
GW2 —> OS --> Drivers —> BIOS --> Hardware

GW2 doesn’t touch the hardware directly to force a abrupt system shutdown. It all goes through a middleman. No game modern would bother programming access to the hardware directly, but its not impossible. Usually, it’s a point of failure between the drivers and hardware. Often shutdowns are safety mechanism to prevent physical damage.

An insufficient voltage when vdroop occurs would be a cause for random crashes during less intensive work.

Just an update, OCCT and P95 doesn’t seem to crash my system.

I modified Nvidia Power Management Setting to prefer maximum performance instead of the default one, seems fine now. Haven’t crashed yet. Will report back.

Edit

scrap that, i’m still experiencing crashes. I wonder if it has to do with my factory oced hardware. . .

If you keep getting this, maybe it is just a bad sector in your hard disk. Happens somethimes when the disk can’t read some files and just shutdown your pc (some kind of blue screen without blue screen :p)

Guys, i may have fixed it. Seems like Phys X is causing all sorts of trouble for people like myself. Uninstalling it and i haven crashed at all.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2665946

I have also installed the fix listed above.
Will report back and check if Phys X is causing the crash.

Another thread with the same issues. It is “WOW” but they offered the fix.
http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/6759186508

@Maudlin, Did you verify ALL hardware drivers are up to date. I recently upgraded my GPU and had system crashes from the get go (only in GW2). Turned out I needed to update my BIOS. I would make sure ALL your hardware drivers (sound, GPU, BIOS, Network, etc.) are up to date. You never know with issues like these.

Rabbiddog.7690:

@Maudlin, Did you verify ALL hardware drivers are up to date. I recently upgraded my GPU and had system crashes from the get go (only in GW2). Turned out I needed to update my BIOS. I would make sure ALL your hardware drivers (sound, GPU, BIOS, Network, etc.) are up to date. You never know with issues like these.

Yes I did, everything is up-to-date!

My pc reboots whenever I am playing a personal storyline. On 2 of my chars the pc crashes at the exact same point in the story. “Light in the Darkness” and “arson at the Orphanage” I cant understand why this could be anything other than a code issue.
I can play PvE, WvW and dungs for hours at a time with no probs (I do sometimes get the same issue with black screens with sound).

Maudlin.8652:

Rabbiddog.7690:

@Maudlin, Did you verify ALL hardware drivers are up to date. I recently upgraded my GPU and had system crashes from the get go (only in GW2). Turned out I needed to update my BIOS. I would make sure ALL your hardware drivers (sound, GPU, BIOS, Network, etc.) are up to date. You never know with issues like these.

Yes I did, everything is up-to-date!

Set Phys X to GPU only. Try it, i haven crash in awhile.

game doesn’t use physx for that option to be of any difference to the game.

Squall Leonhart.2075:

game doesn’t use physx for that option to be of any difference to the game.

If you Google, you will know that this “fix” has helped tons of people even when games do not use physx. Check out the links for League of Legends, Wow and even Black Ops.

This is for people who crashes with the – Nvidia Driver Stopped working and has Recovered message

Clyne.9038:

Squall Leonhart.2075:

game doesn’t use physx for that option to be of any difference to the game.

If you Google, you will know that this “fix” has helped tons of people even when games do not use physx. Check out the links for League of Legends, Wow and even Black Ops.

This is for people who crashes with the – Nvidia Driver Stopped working and has Recovered message

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but I also have the same issue as her I know for a 100% fact my card isn’t overheating either and I set the physx as GPU only and still crashes…

Clyne.9038:

Squall Leonhart.2075:

game doesn’t use physx for that option to be of any difference to the game.

If you Google, you will know that this “fix” has helped tons of people even when games do not use physx. Check out the links for League of Legends, Wow and even Black Ops.

This is for people who crashes with the – Nvidia Driver Stopped working and has Recovered message

[/quote]

PseudoCorrelation

most League players are idiots, they’ll believe anything.

The setting does NOTHING for applications that do not utilise the PhysX API.

Just like OpenCL, DirectCompute, OpenGL, etc. it is only utilised if the Application is written to use it.

Here, take this sugar pill, it’ll reduce your crash rates as well.

If you’ve reffered

Most cards that are not in the stone age run some sort of PHYSX (at least for NVIDIA). I recently stumbled upon the culprit for all the ALT-TAB crashing I have been having. When PHYSX is turned on, the NVIDIA nView Manager by default determines itself when to use the GPU. What happens with this, is any NVIDIA with PHYSX set to auto will shut down the GPU (ran a little test to make sure) when the card is not in use. The way LOL was programmed is if your GPU suddenly goes missing, LOL is forced to crash. This happens because the card No longer detects any significant GPU usage and switches to CPU rendering instead

Simply go into your nView manager and tell physX to run on your GPU card ONLY. This will prevent the card from shutting down.
anywho, hope this helps It worked for me

Theres a good reason his thread was closed and not responded to (guys an idiot).

What he is saying is simply not how DirectX/DXGI works.

So what’s your point? That uninstalling PhysX doesn’t help? Why does it crash less often then?

Maudlin.8652:

So what’s your point? That uninstalling PhysX doesn’t help? Why does it crash less often then?

Maudlin, did you try running the game in windowed mode ?
Doesnt seem to crash as often.