BF2042 and BF6 Beta Crashing

Hi, 

I have been a long term player of BF, I am encountering a problem which seems to have started when secure boot was required, I have analysed crash logs both from the bf6 beta and 2042, and windows using Grok. I am being told the issue is with EA anti cheat, I have gone through everything that my ai has suggested all the way to doing a clean install of windows and redownloading the game, the problem persists. I have disabled XMP and am not using any other over clocking of GPU or CPU, I have run mem checks as well which were all clear. I have rolled back my driver to 566.36, first removing current drivers with DDU in safe mode. I have followed all other ideas that have helped others in EA forums and Reddit with no joy. I will paste the crash logs and Grok's recommendations below. My system specs are as follows;

13th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-13700K (3.40 GHz)

Corsair Vengeance DDR5 32.0 GB (31.8 GB usable)

Asus TUF RTX 4070ti

Please Help, I really want to sort this out so i can play BF6 at launch.

I have gone through the below list of recommendations, including repairing ea anti cheat.

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The WinDbg analysis you provided for the IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL (0xA) bugcheck clearly points to eaanticheat.sys as the culprit, which is the driver for EA AntiCheat, used by Battlefield 2042. This driver is causing the crash by attempting to access invalid memory at a high IRQL, likely due to a bug, incompatibility, or corruption in the anti-cheat system. The process name BF2042.exe and the module eaanticheat.sys in the stack trace confirm this is tied to the game’s anti-cheat mechanism. Below are targeted steps to resolve the issue, tailored to the minidump analysis.

Steps to Fix the Crash

1. Uninstall and Reinstall EA AntiCheat:
   • Since eaanticheat.sys is the failing module, reinstalling it can fix corruption or compatibility issues:
     • Open the EA App or Steam, locate Battlefield 2042, and uninstall the game.
     • Navigate to C:\Program Files\EA Games\Battlefield 2042 (or your game install directory) and delete any residual folders, including the EA AntiCheat folder if present.
     • Go to C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\AntiCheat or C:\ProgramData\EA AntiCheat and delete any EA AntiCheat files (if you have admin access).
     • Reinstall Battlefield 2042 via Steam or EA App. The EA AntiCheat service will reinstall automatically.
     • Launch the game to test if the crash persists.
2. Update EA AntiCheat Manually:
   • EA occasionally releases standalone updates for their anti-cheat system. Visit the official EA website or check the EA Answers HQ for any patches or updates for EA AntiCheat specific to Battlefield 2042.
   • If no updates are available, ensure the game is fully patched (Season 5/6 updates may include anti-cheat fixes).
3. Run the Game and AntiCheat as Administrator:
   • Missing permissions can cause anti-cheat drivers to malfunction. Right-click the Battlefield 2042 executable (bf.exe or BF2042.exe) in the game folder, select Properties > Compatibility tab, and check Run this program as an administrator.
   • Do the same for the EA AntiCheat executable if accessible (e.g., C:\Program Files\EA AntiCheat\eaanticheat.exe).
4. Disable Conflicting Software:
   • EA AntiCheat can conflict with other software, especially antivirus, firewalls, or monitoring tools (e.g., MSI Afterburner, Discord overlays). Add exceptions for Battlefield 2042 and eaanticheat.sys in your antivirus (e.g., Windows Defender, AVG):
     • Windows Defender: Settings > Windows Security > Virus & Threat Protection > Manage settings > Exclusions > Add bf.exe and eaanticheat.exe.
   • Disable overlays:
     • Steam: Properties > General > Uncheck Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game.
     • Discord: User Settings > Activity Settings > Game Overlay > Turn off.
   • Temporarily disable third-party antivirus during gameplay.
5. Update Graphics Drivers:
   • While eaanticheat.sys is the primary issue, GPU drivers can exacerbate instability. Update to the latest version:
     • NVIDIA: Use GeForce Experience or download from NVIDIA’s website (avoid 531.xx series; 577.00 is stable for Battlefield 2042).
     • AMD: Use AMD’s Auto-Detect tool or Drivers and Support page.
     • Perform a clean install to remove old driver remnants.
   • If crashes started after a driver update, roll back via Device Manager > Display adapters > Properties > Driver > Roll Back Driver.
6. Test and Stabilize RAM:
   • The memory address 00007fffffff0000 suggests a potential RAM issue. Run MemTest86 (download from their website, create a bootable USB, and run 4+ passes) to check for errors.
   • If errors are found, replace faulty RAM or lower overclock settings (disable XMP in BIOS or reduce frequency, e.g., from 4000 MHz to 3733 MHz).
7. Run System File Checker (SFC) and DISM:
   • Corrupted system files can cause driver issues. Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run:
     • sfc /scannow
     • DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
     • Restart your PC after each command.
8. Update Windows:
   • Ensure Windows is up to date (Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates), as outdated kernel components (e.g., ntoskrnl.exe) can cause compatibility issues with anti-cheat drivers.
9. Check for Overheating:
   • Overheating can cause driver instability. Use HWMonitor to monitor CPU/GPU temperatures during gameplay. If temps exceed 85°C, clean fans, reapply thermal paste, or adjust fan curves.
10. Update BIOS:
    • An outdated BIOS can cause driver compatibility issues. Check your motherboard manufacturer’s website for the latest BIOS version and update carefully per their instructions.
11. Reinstall Windows (Last Resort):
    • If the above steps fail, a clean Windows install can resolve deep driver or system conflicts. Back up your data and use Microsoft’s Media Creation Tool to create a bootable USB for reinstallation.

Additional Notes

• Bugcheck Details:
  • Arg1: 00007fffffff0000: Invalid memory address accessed.
  • Arg2: 00000000000000ff: High IRQL (0xFF), typical of kernel drivers like EA AntiCheat.
  • Arg3: 000000000000000a: Indicates a write operation violation.
  • Arg4: fffff800a70f155c: Instruction pointer in ntoskrnl.exe, but the root cause is eaanticheat.sys per the stack trace.
  • SYMBOL_NAME: eaanticheat+31370b7: Confirms EA AntiCheat’s involvement.
• Community Reports: EA AntiCheat has caused similar crashes in Battlefield 2042 and other EA titles (e.g., FIFA). Check EA Answers HQ or Reddit (r/battlefield2042) for recent reports or patches. Some users report that reinstalling the anti-cheat or rolling back GPU drivers resolves the issue.
• System Specs: Please share your CPU, GPU, RAM, Windows version, and whether you’re overclocking. This can help identify compatibility issues (e.g., specific GPU models or Windows builds).
• EA Support: If the issue persists, contact EA Support with the minidump file and bugcheck details. Reference the Report Id: 9ce55326-22b6-467d-a82f-e9e3a5a117e1 and mention eaanticheat.sys as the failing module.

Next StepsStart by uninstalling and reinstalling Battlefield 2042 to refresh EA AntiCheat, then ensure your GPU drivers are updated or rolled back to a stable version. Test RAM with MemTest86 to rule out memory issues. If you need help analyzing further minidumps or performing specific steps, let me know your system specs or any new error details!Does this resolve the issue, or do you need assistance with a specific step?