Well, Zorlacc, I would not say no to any further suggestions! So please, if you have the time feel free to share, if it does not help me, it might help someone else.
I have followed your suggestion with two sfc /scannow with restarts in between. Both stated "Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations" ☹️ So dead end so far.
Then I proceeded to create a Documents/Battlefield 4/settings/PROFSAVE_profile file with the follwoing contents:
GstAudio.AudioLanguage 0
GstAudio.AudioQuality 1
GstAudio.CarRadio 0
GstAudio.DialogueVolume 0.700000
GstAudio.MicrophoneVolume 0.500000
GstAudio.MusicVolume 0.700000
GstAudio.SoundSystemSize 20
GstAudio.StereoMode 0
GstAudio.VOIPVolume 0.500000
GstAudio.VOLanguage 0
GstAudio.VoipOn 1
GstAudio.VoipVolumeReduce 1
GstAudio.Volume 1.000000
GstAudio.YourSoundSystem 2
GstRender.AmbientOcclusion 2
GstRender.AnisotropicFilter 4
GstRender.AntiAliasingDeferred 0
GstRender.AntiAliasingPost 3
GstRender.Brightness 0.500000
GstRender.ColorBlindMode 0
GstRender.ConsoleAntiAlias 1
GstRender.Contrast 0.500000
GstRender.EffectsQuality 2
GstRender.Enlighten 1
GstRender.FieldOfView 70.000000
GstRender.FieldOfViewScaleADS 1
GstRender.FullscreenEnabled 0
GstRender.FullscreenMode 2
GstRender.FullscreenRefreshRate 60.000000
GstRender.FullscreenScreen 0
GstRender.HUDScale 0.500000
GstRender.LightingQuality 2
GstRender.MantleEnabled 0
GstRender.MeshQuality 2
GstRender.MotionBlur 0.500000
GstRender.MotionBlurEnabled 1
GstRender.OverallGraphicsQuality 0
GstRender.PostProcessQuality 2
GstRender.ResolutionHeight 1080
GstRender.ResolutionHertz 0
GstRender.ResolutionScale 1.000000
GstRender.ResolutionWidth 1920
GstRender.ScreenSafeAreaHeight 1.000000
GstRender.ScreenSafeAreaWidth 1.000000
GstRender.ShaderQuality 2.000000
GstRender.ShadowQuality 2
GstRender.StereoConvergence 1.000000
GstRender.Stereoscopy 0
GstRender.TerrainQuality 2
GstRender.TextureFiltering 2
GstRender.TextureQuality 2
GstRender.TransparentShadows 1
GstRender.UndergrowthQuality 2
GstRender.VSyncEnabled 0
GstRender.WeaponDOF 1
GstInput.Deadzone 0.300000
GstInput.DeadzoneCenter 0.220000
GstInput.FreelookSensitivity 0.500000
GstInput.HeadtrackingEnabled 1
GstInput.HoldButtonToZoom 1
GstInput.HoldForBreathControl 1
GstInput.InputMethod 0
GstInput.IsRightHanded 1
GstInput.LeaningEnabled 0
GstInput.LeaningSensitivity 0.500000
GstInput.MouseRawInput 1
GstInput.MouseSensitivity 0.030000
GstInput.MouseSensitivityVehicle 0.300000
GstInput.Scheme0Buttons 0
GstInput.Scheme0FlipCameraY 0
GstInput.Scheme0FlipY 0
GstInput.Scheme0Sensitivity 1.000000
GstInput.Scheme0Sticks 0
GstInput.Scheme1Buttons 0
GstInput.Scheme1FlipCameraY 0
GstInput.Scheme1FlipY 0
GstInput.Scheme1Sensitivity 1.000000
GstInput.Scheme1Sticks 0
GstInput.Scheme2Buttons 0
GstInput.Scheme2FlipCameraY 0
GstInput.Scheme2FlipY 0
GstInput.Scheme2Sensitivity 1.000000
GstInput.Scheme2Sticks 0
GstInput.Scheme3Buttons 0
GstInput.Scheme3FlipCameraY 0
GstInput.Scheme3FlipY 0
GstInput.Scheme3Sticks 0
GstInput.SoldierZoomSensitivityAll 1.000000
GstInput.SoldierZoomSensitivityCloseMagnRange 1.000000
GstInput.SoldierZoomSensitivityCloseRange 1.000000
GstInput.SoldierZoomSensitivityLongRange 1.000000
GstInput.SoldierZoomSensitivityMediumRange 1.000000
GstInput.SoldierZoomSensitivityVeryLongRange 1.000000
GstInput.SpeechRecognitionDialect 0
GstInput.SpeechRecognitionEnabled 1
GstInput.SpeechRecognitionEnabledEnum 0
GstInput.VehicleAimRelativeControl 1
GstInput.Vibration 1
Which I had taken from http://segmentnext.com/2013/11/06/battlefield-4-tweaks-guide-how-to-improve-graphics-and-performance/
I have also double checked the registry entries at:
HKEY LOCAL MACHINE/SOFTWARE/WoW6432Node/EA Games
where I have not changed anything, but removing the "TM" from the DisplayName.
Furthermore I have recognised that everything is set to the en_US locale which is in correspondance of my keyboard layout, but not with my Region settings, which are set to en_GB (United Kingdom)
I have also downloaded, once again from http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/confirmation.aspx?id=35 the DirectX and reinstalled it.
I did manage to start the game. And the first thing that I changed was putting the video settings to "Borderless". I did manage to play for a couple of minutes until it crashed. Interestingly no error message was available. But the TaskManager showed a RAM usage of about 1680mb. I assume, it has something to do with the 1.6GB.
Next I am going to try to switch of the Intel Hypervisor from the BIOS setting, though, it kind of defeats the purpose of my machine as I am heavily working with virtual machines for work and the also explains the specs of a i7 and 32GB of RAM - in fact, I only got the graphics card, because every now and then I would like to play. But the machine is not build for gaming.
I will also try to change my Region format to United States and see what happens. I will update accordingly.
Btw, Thank you for taking interest into my problem ! I really do apprechiate it.
EDIT:
I have also installed BF3 now, to see if that makes any changes.
EDIT 2:
Interestingly, turning off Hypervisor and installing Battlefield 3 have not solved the issue. But it seems like, that during all these changes the problem was shifted. Instead of a DirectX error I am getting a Nvidia Driver crashed notification! I am upgrading from the 337.88 stable to the 340.43 beta. Lets see what happens. I am doing this without safe boot, but I already see myself safe booting and doing it again. We will see - Ill keep you updated.
