Re: Game Crashes Computer?

You are ever so kind.  I didn't read the DxDiag.  Sadly, as is so glaringly obvious, I'm not intelligent when it comes to things I cannot see beyond the screen of the computer.  I have no idea what, exactly, those DxDiag errors are, what they mean, or what could've triggered them to begin with.  And I suppose I may never fully understand what it all means.  However, I have downloaded hwinfo and will run it next time I play the game.  I suspect that I won't have the issue unless Discord or some other program is running simultaneously, but I will see if by normal game play the error can be replicated.  If not, then I may attempt to replicate it using TS4, Origin, and Discord.

Also, should any of those errors cause me concern?  Now I'm all kind of like "I dunno what it means, but it something's broken, I want to have it fixed."

Here's the log.  Programs in use: Chrome, Origin, TS4.

https://www.filehosting.org/file/details/849749/hwlog.CSV

@ChrinnieSims  There's a lot of stuff hidden away in computers that most people never know is there.  I remember the first time I opened the Event Viewer and faced the tsunami of reports.  But in general, if your apps are working, there's no reason to go poking around.

The errors in your dxdiag are all either innocuous or easily solved.  The radar pre leak means Windows found an app leaking memory, but a lot of apps do that, and Windows is merely noticing.  The Origin error you know how to address, although you'll need to reapply the fix any time Origin updates.

The Nvidia error and the driver-related errors are usually solved with a driver update, but given how new your GPU driver is, you might have solved them already.  (The error entries aren't dated in a dxdiag.)  If you want to be thorough, you can do a clean install the next time you update the driver.  Download it manually; disable your antivirus/firewall temporarily, as well as anything else you might have running; launch the installer, and when asked, choose custom mode and perform a clean installation.  That will remove the old driver and associated components, even if the new driver uses the same version of those components.

I took a look at your hwinfo log, and there's no sign of excessively high temps anywhere in your system.  I'm curious though what you were doing in the last five minutes or so before you shut down the monitoring.  There's a significant spike in usage across multiple components five minutes before the log ends, and then the numbers drop.  Also, did your computer restart this time?  And have you overclocked your graphics card?  If so, please undo the settings, at least for now.

Please also let me know what you have for a power supply: manufacturer, wattage, and rating.  If you're not sure, you can just look at the PSU; the relevant info should all be printed on the side.

The last five minutes... I was playing TS4 and needed to research a career.  I looked it up on Carl's Sims guide and was switching the window back from Chrome to TS4 when the crash happened.  Literally the moment I switched from the Chrome window to the TS4 window... poof!.  During that last 5 minutes was when I was buy reading on Carl's website.  And yes it always restarts after the cutoff.  I have not overclocked anything... I don't even know how to do that.  Even if I did, I've heard some not good things about it.

@ChrinnieSims  Okay, thanks.  Before I start wildly speculating, I'm asking for a second opinion on this one.  Your GPU use in particular spiked so much right at that time that it's hard to imagine it's a coincidence, but for specifics, I'd rather have someone else look over the log.

Is this similar to other times your computer has restarted?  As in, if you can remember, were you also switching between the game and Chrome, or even on a particular site (or maybe just one with lots of videos or ads)?  I know Carl's can have some annoying popups if your browser doesn't block them, although for me that site has never crashed anything more than my phone's browser.

Well, I do block popups and I have an ad blocker as well. 

Let me rehash the order things have gone.... forgive my indulgence....

When this all first started, it happened relatively quickly (within 10-20 minutes) of starting TS4.  The first time I was in CAS creating a sim, the second time I was just getting started in the game (I take some time to craft a sim).   I had Chrome and/or Discord running all those times. I couldn't be 100% certain I had or hadn't switched between TS4 and either Chrome or Discord within the 5 minutes before it 'crashed and uncrashed.'  Honestly, the first time it happened I thought it was a power outage because that's how it went... poof.  No warning.  I could only speculate as to where I would've been stopped on the browser prior to the 'crash and uncrash' but I will say that I had to look a few things up I'd forgotten about because it had been a full year since the last time I even opened the game.  So, assuming that TS4 was the most likely cause, or largest contributor to the cause from my standpoint, I instantly came here and read about what to do before you report.  I did a full uninstall and reinstall; same problem.  Then, I went to Origin and repaired the game.  I also edited the TS4 folder so the game would create a new one.  Both of those 'fixes' occurred before I reopened the game.  From that point on, I had a longer period of time.  Then I disabled the Origin Web Service Helper (or whatever it's called) per your instructions.  Since that time, I have only seemed to have the issue if another program is opened simultaneously and I flip between it and TS4.  I have, when nothing else is opened, have been able to play unfettered without the issue.  While I know most will go "don't open anything else while playing from now on," that's not how it used to work.  This isn't the greatest computer, but it's certainly more-than-capable of handling TS4.  And when I used to play it a year ago, I had all the other things on with only 8GB DDR4 RAM at the time.  I'm at 32GB DDR4 these days.

If it's a GPU issue, then that's going to take a while to fix.  As far as what I am using as a power supply, I have no clue and I don't know where the PSU is, but I know a few months ago when I asked about new fans and upgrading the graphics card, I was told that it had to be able to use a 650W supply otherwise I'd have to upgrade.  I'll search and post it below once I find it.

Honestly?  There's no information written that I can see on this power supply.  I will have to research further.  The only sticker I see as 5 boxes with APP PIN-TEST HI-POT GROUND ATE.  All other things are hidden behind other things.

Hey, just an update.... the game did a crash/reboot this time while in CAS without other programs running in the background.  I've uploaded that log file as well

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1MAc59XvOEozGUHbJaJe-9_G-chUcYnw-

Right, so today was trying to figure out the PSU information you wanted.  I have to admit, it's packed in there pretty tight with barely enough room to move about with the length of cords.  I was able to disconnect it partly and move it out enough to grab this image and I hope this is what you wanted.

https://i.imgur.com/KuM16cS.jpg?1 (The 1 is part of the URL)

@ChrinnieSims  That photo is perfect, thanks.  I looked over your second hwinfo log but still want to ask someone else about it.  Thanks for the extra information, too.

Thanks for tagging @puzzlezaddict 

@ChrinnieSims 

This is imho the culprit.

You PSU is mediocre at best, and time seems to take it's toll.
It goes way under 12V on the 12V rail if taxed.

But software readings must always be taking with a grain of salt, so I like to test this further.

Best would be if you have access to a different PSU you can test with.
(From a friend or relative.)

If that is not an option:

• Download OCCT from here.  (Stable, x64)
• Run the Program. (It does not need installation)
• Go to "Test configuration" >select "Power".
• Start the test with a click on the click on the red bar with the with arrow.

I doubt that your PSU will withstand the test, so the PC should crash again.

If it does it would be another strong hint towards the PSU as the culprit, but still not absolute proof.  

So as said, you should test with a different PSU nevertheless, and if there is no way and you have to buy one, buy at a place that accepts refunds.  

I appreciate your assistance.  I'm kind of leery of testing the PSU with an app I don't know about because I don't want it to stress it to the point of shorting something out.  I may just get a new PSU anyway because I do want to upgrade it and the GPU at some point... so might as well start now.  I'll try the test once I see if it is capable of shorting out my computer first. 

@holger1405 

How long do I run this test.  It just seems to go on.  10 minutes no issues, so far.

@ChrinnieSims 

I would have thought it would not last that long.

How long did you run the test and did it give you any problems?

I ran it for 15 ish minutes and it didn't give me any issues.

@ChrinnieSims 

This makes things complicated.

I still would say the PSU is the most likely culprit for your issues, it might be that the PSU is doing well under constant load, and fails at load changes.

This is most probably a hardware problem, and a power issue is the most likely trigger for such a behavior of a PC.

But it also can be a different component, and it is very hard to diagnose this over the internet. 

What you can do is to test the memory with MemTest86 or to test the RAM sticks individual

If there is a PC shop in your vicinity they might let you test with a different PSU, for no or very little cost.

Right, well, it does bring in a specific answer for me anyway: I had planned to upgrade the GPU with the ol tax refund, guess that'll be a guarantee thing this pay day and probably a new PSU to boot.. .one a bit better and tad bit more powerful... for future upgrades anyway.

Thank you, @holger1405  and @puzzlezaddict for your Herculean efforts here to assist.  I will solve the problem if it's the last thing I do! :D

@ChrinnieSims 

You're welcome!

To bad we could not get a definitive diagnose, but I am sure you will figure it out. 🙂