Pink and red screen of death on L4d1+2 and Alien Swarm

Dave**** · 14 Sep 2010 at 17:16

As the title says whenever I play L4d1 or 2 or alien swarm I get very random PARSODs.

They happen very sporadically, normally when there is some big animation right up in my face (only on L4d1+2), but that one just now happened when I wasn't doing anything not even shooting.

This time I took a photo with my phone to upload so I can show you what I mean.

Has never happened in any other games (touch wood).

At first I thought it might be something to do with SLI, so I disable that now each time I play any of the games, yet it still happens.

Thanks for any helpful input.

twist3d0n3 · 14 Sep 2010 at 17:35

i'd be tempted to say that the gpu memory might be screwed... can you try each card individually (as in taking one out and trying them)

i say tempted to say gpu memory as i've never seen it like that before, but you never know....

Schnippzle · 14 Sep 2010 at 17:36

twist3d0n3 said:
i'd be tempted to say that the gpu memory might be screwed... can you try each card individually (as in taking one out and trying them)

i say tempted to say gpu memory as i've never seen it like that before, but you never know....

Yep, screams of GPU memory = buggered.

FrenchTart · 14 Sep 2010 at 17:46

Seems unlikely that the GPU memory is knackered if it's working fine in other games...

edit: GPU. Damn my typing.

Dave**** · 14 Sep 2010 at 17:50

OK thanks. I will try taking out one card and test it.

Tefal · 14 Sep 2010 at 17:50

looks very much like a distorted version of the pink chequer of the source engines "missing texture"

Normally you get it as like an overly on the lighting "shine" (sure there's a technical term for it) on source games and it's fixed by tabbing out/minimising and restoring.

never seen it full screen opaque though.

If it's not frozen try alt tab/windows minimise/crtl alt del minimise, and then a restore to see if that works?

Dave**** · 14 Sep 2010 at 17:53

FrenchTart said:
Seems unlikely that the CPU memory is knackered if it's working fine in other games...

GPU, but I guess that's just a typo. And that's what I thought but someone on mumble just said that maybe the new source engine is using a specific slot on the GPU memory that other games don't???

I'm just awaiting approval on the steam forum so I can post this there too.

Dave**** · 14 Sep 2010 at 17:54

Tefal said:
looks very much like a distorted version of the pink chequer of the source engines "missing texture"

Normally you get it as like an overly on the lighting "shine" (sure there's a technical term for it) on source games and it's fixed by tabbing out/minimising and restoring.

never seen it full screen opaque though.

If it's not frozen try alt tab/windows minimise/crtl alt del minimise, and then a restore to see if that works?

When it happens I am completely locked out and have to reset my PC.

Tefal · 14 Sep 2010 at 17:55

ah definitely not that then and sound much more serious

HAz · 14 Sep 2010 at 18:28

looks like your gfx card or cards are ****** mon

smogsy · 14 Sep 2010 at 18:44

most possibly gpu memory you could try a different driver?

could be driver related

Rroff · 14 Sep 2010 at 19:40

Your not using a creative soundcard are you? I used to get that in L4D1 until I updated the drivers on my X-Fi.

Dave**** · 14 Sep 2010 at 20:04

HAz said:
looks like your gfx card or cards are ****** mon

smogsy said:
most possibly gpu memory you could try a different driver?

could be driver related

Good idea. Thanks.

Rroff said:
Your not using a creative soundcard are you? I used to get that in L4D1 until I updated the drivers on my X-Fi.

Nope, but if you used to get it and now don't I will try updating my onboard sound drivers. Thanks.

smogsy · 14 Sep 2010 at 20:09

please let us know if you get it sorted it be nice to know what caused this.

Rroff · 14 Sep 2010 at 21:48

EDIT:

Sorry to be barer of bad news but having realised your having issues with the GTX260 black and left 4 dead I know what this problem is...

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17971890
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17970899
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17969619

When the GTX260-216 was newish a proportion of users with the BFG GTX260 OC2/X, black edition and a couple of other factory overclocked models found the cards would randomly crash like that in left 4 dead - theres probably some threads on these forums if you can find them (edit: found some of them above) - it was thought to be due to VRMs overheating and only solution was to underclock or run 100% fan speed while playing. Seems a batch of cards with either sub-standard power circuit components or poor airflow in the design.

Dave**** · 15 Sep 2010 at 00:25

Thanks for that mate. Least I now know what it is.

It has only started happening since I installed the Revision 1 of the black edition that I bought off a fellow member of the forum. I stress I am not saying he sold me a dud card because it's fine it all other games.

Before when I was using the newer version of the card I never had this problem.

Maybe overclocking it to 666 by default wasn't such a good idea after all, as it seems the devil is ******* with me

Time to sell my cards to some mates and get a 460 I reckon

Rroff · 15 Sep 2010 at 00:33

Yeah doubt he intentionally sold you a dud card, just using a custom fan profile or difference in ambient room temperature seems to be enough to cause it/not cause it.

HAz · 15 Sep 2010 at 00:39

Davola said:
Good idea. Thanks.

Nope, but if you used to get it and now don't I will try updating my onboard sound drivers. Thanks.

?? i wasn't slagging off your cards, I think the 5 stars mislead u. The word i meant sounded like "ducked"

Dave**** · 15 Sep 2010 at 09:58

The rolleyes was for the excellent input you added /sarcasm