Black screen upon exiting ns2, computer locks up

agentaibbagentaibb Join Date: 2012-09-04 Member: 157760Members, Reinforced - Supporter
Hello everyone
I have been having this problem with ns2 on exiting the program
Whenever I exit ns2, the program will close and I will have a black screen and my Computer will completely lock up and I cannot get out of it, It won't even respond to the keyboard, num lock, caps lock, and scroll lock, wont even turn on or off
So then the only way I can get out if this problem, is if I hold down the power button on my computer and restart it manually
This problem has been driving me nuts and I might end up uninstalling NS2 for now until this problem is fixed

My Specs
AMD QUAD CORE 3.4 DENEB BLACK EDITION
HIS ATI 7850 1GB
12GB DDR3 RAM
500GB HD


My NS2 Settings
Everything on highest except Ambient Occlusion and Atmospherics turned off
1920x1080 Resolution


«1

Comments

  • DC_DarklingDC_Darkling Join Date: 2003-07-10 Member: 18068Members, Constellation, Squad Five Blue, Squad Five Silver
    I would start with video drivers. Seems it doesnt give back the screen to windows?

    Also USB keyboard or ps/2? yes that matters. :)
  • agentaibbagentaibb Join Date: 2012-09-04 Member: 157760Members, Reinforced - Supporter
    Well I have my GPU Driver's updated to the most recent version possible
    And I am using a USB Keyboard (Logitech K120)
  • agentaibbagentaibb Join Date: 2012-09-04 Member: 157760Members, Reinforced - Supporter
    Also altf4 makes it to whereas I can exit NS2 safely but still, I would like to find a possible solution to this problem
  • DC_DarklingDC_Darkling Join Date: 2003-07-10 Member: 18068Members, Constellation, Squad Five Blue, Squad Five Silver
    USB keyboards are used in windows different then ps/2. Where a usb keyboard fails to react, a ps/2 keyboard still accepts keystrokes.
    You can perhaps test with a ps/2 one?

    from the sounds of it your kernel hangs.. although hard to say if it does not bluescreen, otherwise keyboard usually reacts.
    Did you check event viewer for errors?
  • agentaibbagentaibb Join Date: 2012-09-04 Member: 157760Members, Reinforced - Supporter
    USB keyboards are used in windows different then ps/2. Where a usb keyboard fails to react, a ps/2 keyboard still accepts keystrokes.
    You can perhaps test with a ps/2 one?

    from the sounds of it your kernel hangs.. although hard to say if it does not bluescreen, otherwise keyboard usually reacts.
    Did you check event viewer for errors?

    Alright let me test out my old emachines keyboard from like 04 and i'll respond
    and no I never checked event viewer for errors???
  • DC_DarklingDC_Darkling Join Date: 2003-07-10 Member: 18068Members, Constellation, Squad Five Blue, Squad Five Silver
    Its in your control panel, and then the system tools.

    or type eventvwr in the search/run bar.
    No that was not a typo.
  • dethovudethovu Join Date: 2009-06-23 Member: 67906Members
    agentaibb wrote: »
    Whenever I exit ns2, the program will close and I will have a black screen and my Computer will completely lock up and I cannot get out of it, It won't even respond to the keyboard, num lock, caps lock, and scroll lock, wont even turn on or off

    I've been having this same problem since last build, minus the black screen. Instead, it goes back to the desktop, then shows the hourglass circle for about a second, then the whole system hard locks.

    ATI GPU / Intel CPU

    It's definitely a problem with NS2 and not hardware.
    agentaibb wrote: »
    Also altf4 makes it to whereas I can exit NS2 safely but still

    Going to try this, thank you! I'm sick of my SDD losing all of its cache when the system hangs.
  • rwsrws Milwaukee, WI Join Date: 2013-01-05 Member: 177696Members
    Could you run a dxdiag and post it here.
  • DC_DarklingDC_Darkling Join Date: 2003-07-10 Member: 18068Members, Constellation, Squad Five Blue, Squad Five Silver
    It is impossible for non kernel software to hang a system, as that means hanging the kernel.
    its technically impossible. Its that simple.

    NS2 can wrongly push something which does run in kernel, like a graphics driver. But in essence the driver should say 'no way' instead of 'ok' or crash.
    Naturally if NS2 pushes something wrong we all want it fixed but that needs crash dumps and logs to isolate what went wrong.
  • agentaibbagentaibb Join Date: 2012-09-04 Member: 157760Members, Reinforced - Supporter
    rws wrote: »
    Could you run a dxdiag and post it here.
    Here you go
  • dethovudethovu Join Date: 2009-06-23 Member: 67906Members
    It is impossible for non kernel software to hang a system, as that means hanging the kernel.
    its technically impossible. Its that simple.

    Dude, games have been locking up computers for eons :)

    But with all seriousness, I fully expect a defensive attitude when someone says your software is causing problems.
    NS2 can wrongly push something which does run in kernel, like a graphics driver. But in essence the driver should say 'no way' instead of 'ok' or crash.
    Naturally if NS2 pushes something wrong we all want it fixed but that needs crash dumps and logs to isolate what went wrong.

    I'm sure it's some type of driver related error. Fully updated on my end.

    Also, there is no log generated on crash because the whole system hangs.

    A difficult error to diagnose, but I think it has something to do with the big changes to the Spark engine lately.
  • rwsrws Milwaukee, WI Join Date: 2013-01-05 Member: 177696Members
    For the time being until we can find a possible solution to this, I would suggest that when you want to exit the game, to pull up task manager and close it from there.
  • dethovudethovu Join Date: 2009-06-23 Member: 67906Members
    rws wrote: »
    For the time being until we can find a possible solution to this, I would suggest that when you want to exit the game, to pull up task manager and close it from there.

    Unfortunately, this doesn't work. System still hangs.

    So far, the only thing that has worked is alt-F4ing out with both the console and menu screen closed.
  • DC_DarklingDC_Darkling Join Date: 2003-07-10 Member: 18068Members, Constellation, Squad Five Blue, Squad Five Silver
    edited March 2013
    If its a driver issue, the GAME doesnt hang.. but the driver. ;)
    Lets be realistic.. if the game hangs, which runs in user mode, a kernel mode command must be able to get passed it. Thats how it works.

    Lets see if we can force the kernel to respond?

    * try to plugin a ps/2 keyboard if you can. It works with hardware interrupts instead cpu polling and will give better results even if a kernel hangs.
    * does ctrl+alt+del work?
    * does winkey+L work? << my favorite
    * does alt+F4 work?

    If the answer to any of the above is yes.. Gratz, its most likely not a kernel hang so your computer doesnt hang, but the game. :)
    Only reason people blaim games from hanging the kernel is because they do not know that games can not.. Drivers can. game can influence driver. Game can not hang the kernel. (I havent seen a game run kernel code yet, but lets not exclude anything. but in theory you need admin acces to run kernel stuff)

    Hey.. its not MY software. Im just a player. Not related to uwe. But Does not mean I can not help.


    So to recap so all get it.
    - you need admin access to run kernel code
    - kernel code can hang your computer
    - user code can not. It can apear to hang the system because it 'owns' the keyboard, but its not the system which hangs
    - if the game hangs, in most cases you should succeed in pushing keyboard commands, especially with a ps/2 keyboard.
    - games, thankfully, run in user mode.
    - I have no idea if drm software uses kernel mode drivers, but as uwe uses steam.. I do not find a need to check for this at this time.
    - games can push a driver, but then you should technicly say your driver hanged the system, not the game. :)

    For added bonus.. if you run in windowed mode, you lose some fps but the system will react better to key combo commands.

    >edit.. also.. if the game does hang, and we know because winkey L works.. you should be able to close the program manually with some effort, may not to login a different user so both computer users are logged in to kick it. you could also rightclick on NS > make a minidump or full dump. im sure uwe wants those if its NS2<
  • OuchOfDeathOuchOfDeath Join Date: 2013-02-04 Member: 182825Members
    edited March 2013
    Why bother explaining the concept if people are convinced it's the game that's hanging their computer? I just state that it's impossible for userland code to crash anything except themselves, and the ONLY way they can crash the computer is by triggering a bug in some other part of the system stack like the graphics driver or the operating system kernel. The fault is with that other piece of software. This isn't something that's up for discussion. This is basic operating system design that has been around for decades.
  • dethovudethovu Join Date: 2009-06-23 Member: 67906Members
    If its a driver issue, the GAME doesnt hang.. but the driver

    Right, someone comes in and says the software doesn't work and you get the natural kneejerk "it's NOT the software, it's ______" defensive reaction.

    Saying drivers are the cause, and not the game, is not only splitting hairs (there are ZERO issues with other games/programs on the system), but is missing the point. And that point is, when ns2.exe shuts down, it locks up the system 50% of the time.

    Considering the game engine code is newer than the latest drivers available, it's easy to say either "are at fault" -- but it doesn't change the fact the game locks up a healthy, updated system on shut down.

    Again, so far using Alt-F4 to shut down works without locking the system. Shutting down via the console, alt-tabbing to task manager, exit in the menu, all lead to the system hanging 50% of the time.
  • DC_DarklingDC_Darkling Join Date: 2003-07-10 Member: 18068Members, Constellation, Squad Five Blue, Squad Five Silver
    Ouchofdeath is right. he got what I wanted to explain.

    Im here spending my own free time to help players in NS2. Im not required to, im trying to be nice.
    To help I/we need realistic info. Having your game lock (where the system can respond fine) or having the pc lock up (which must be hardware or driver) is 100% needed to diagnose.

    If you want to be stubborn, fine. Ill help the next guy and count this as a loss. I do not need to help anyone.
    Go ask someone else, im done in this thread.
  • dethovudethovu Join Date: 2009-06-23 Member: 67906Members
    To help I/we need realistic info.

    What kind of info? There are no logs produced during the error. The system is healthy otherwise, no problems what-so-ever with any other game/software. Also, NS2 runs butter smooth and always has (well, maybe not in Alpha :).

    Intel i5-3470 / 1GB AMD HD6850 / 8GB DDR3 1600 / Win7 x64

    I don't think anyone is trying to be stubborn here, but for me personally it's more of just letting someone know the problem exists. I'm not really looking for a "solution" because I'm positive the problem is within the NS2 CODE interaction with something, and not something that can be fixed without debugging and recompiling.

    I'm satisfied using Alt-F4 as a solution for now. Hopefully whatever the problem will be remedied next update.
  • rwsrws Milwaukee, WI Join Date: 2013-01-05 Member: 177696Members
    edited March 2013
    Couple random thing to look into.
    Power management - If you are running more towards performance, bring it down to more of an eco state.
    Java - Try reinstalling Java.
    Cleanup - Go through and do a computer cleanup (temp files, disk and registry cleanup, check disk, etc.)
  • agentaibbagentaibb Join Date: 2012-09-04 Member: 157760Members, Reinforced - Supporter
    rws wrote: »
    Couple random thing to look into.
    Power management - If you are running more towards performance, bring it down to more of an eco state.
    Java - Try reinstalling Java.
    Cleanup - Go through and do a computer cleanup (temp files, disk and registry cleanup, check disk, etc.)

    I actually do have the High Performance profile set on my PC
    Let me try doing the standard profile
    And yeah i did reinstall java and i uninstalled a ton of games/programs yesterday as well
  • VittuLimaVittuLima Join Date: 2012-12-25 Member: 176227Members
    I have this same problem sometimes when i change stuff in options not when i exit the game, i made a topic of it earlier today. Complete computer freeze.
    http://forums.unknownworlds.com/discussion/129441/game-crashes-the-entire-computer-in-sound-options
  • IronHorseIronHorse Developer, QA Manager, Technical Support & contributor Join Date: 2010-05-08 Member: 71669Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Developer, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Subnautica Playtester, Subnautica PT Lead, Pistachionauts
    edited March 2013
    dethovu wrote: »
    Right, someone comes in and says the software doesn't work and you get the natural kneejerk "it's NOT the software, it's ______" defensive reaction.
    Stating a fact of how operating systems work is not a kneejerk reaction.
    But a "stubborn reaction" would definitely be to blame something when you don't fully understand how it works, even when told otherwise, and then when corrected tell that person they are being defensive..
    dethovu wrote: »
    I'm not really looking for a "solution" because I'm positive the problem is within the NS2 CODE .
    Great. Info received. You can stop posting now that we know you're not interesting in diagnosing the problem for yourself or others.
    We'll work with the OP now instead, thanks.


    @OP: when you restart your machine did you check that event viewer for any errors or info as suggested?
    Are your sound drivers up to date?
    Do you have Any programs that are running overlays like mumble or msi afterburner?

    Thanks for your help

  • agentaibbagentaibb Join Date: 2012-09-04 Member: 157760Members, Reinforced - Supporter
    IronHorse wrote: »
    dethovu wrote: »
    Right, someone comes in and says the software doesn't work and you get the natural kneejerk "it's NOT the software, it's ______" defensive reaction.
    Stating a fact of how operating systems work is not a kneejerk reaction.
    But a "stubborn reaction" would definitely be to blame something when you don't fully understand how it works, even when told otherwise, and then when corrected tell that person they are being defensive..
    dethovu wrote: »
    I'm not really looking for a "solution" because I'm positive the problem is within the NS2 CODE .
    Great. Info received. You can stop posting now that we know you're not interesting in diagnosing the problem for yourself or others.
    We'll work with the OP now instead, thanks.


    @OP: when you restart your machine did you check that event viewer for any errors or info as suggested?
    Are your sound drivers up to date?
    Do you have Any programs that are running overlays like mumble or msi afterburner?

    Thanks for your help

    Actually yes I always run msi afterburner when I play games to monitor GPU Temperature, My sound drivers are up to date, and no I don't believe any errors that are ns2 related have shown up in the event viewer
  • IronHorseIronHorse Developer, QA Manager, Technical Support & contributor Join Date: 2010-05-08 Member: 71669Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Developer, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Subnautica Playtester, Subnautica PT Lead, Pistachionauts
    Try disabling all overlays to include afterburner's. Ns2 does not play well with them
  • agentaibbagentaibb Join Date: 2012-09-04 Member: 157760Members, Reinforced - Supporter
    IronHorse wrote: »
    Try disabling all overlays to include afterburner's. Ns2 does not play well with them

    Hmm I'll try that
  • dethovudethovu Join Date: 2009-06-23 Member: 67906Members
    edited March 2013
    IronHorse wrote: »
    You can stop posting now that we know you're not interesting in diagnosing the problem for yourself or others.

    Iron, I don't know why you're acting so rude or how you've misconstrued I'm not interested in helping.

    If you read back through the posts you'll see I was simply trying to circumvent the typical 1,2,3 step of diagnosing by reading logs, checking power profiles, etc -- This is because there are no logs, and the system is 100% healthy, so it's obviously some type of stop error incompatibility. NOT necessarily ns2.exe (I think this is where people began to misconstrue what I was saying and started to split hairs on how computers function and how errors occur), but it IS happening when ns2.exe exits in a normal fashion. That is the ONLY information I have besides specs.

    As I stated before: with no error logs or events, this is a difficult, if not impossible, problem to diagnose via a forum. My main intention was to let it be known it exists so something could possibly be done about it internally. This does NOT mean I'm not interested in finding a solution.

    Alt-F4 is continuing to work and as long as I don't forget to use it, it's not much of a problem anymore.
  • dethovudethovu Join Date: 2009-06-23 Member: 67906Members
    agentaibb wrote: »
    My Specs
    AMD QUAD CORE 3.4 DENEB BLACK EDITION
    HIS ATI 7850 1GB
    12GB DDR3 RAM
    500GB HD

    My NS2 Settings
    Everything on highest except Ambient Occlusion and Atmospherics turned off
    1920x1080 Resolution

    Perhaps we can find a commonality to our systems.

    Do you use a sound card or onboard sound? Are your Catalyst drivers totally up-to-date? Are you running Win7 x64?

    Does the system hang every-single-time or just sometimes?
  • agentaibbagentaibb Join Date: 2012-09-04 Member: 157760Members, Reinforced - Supporter
    dethovu wrote: »
    agentaibb wrote: »
    My Specs
    AMD QUAD CORE 3.4 DENEB BLACK EDITION
    HIS ATI 7850 1GB
    12GB DDR3 RAM
    500GB HD

    My NS2 Settings
    Everything on highest except Ambient Occlusion and Atmospherics turned off
    1920x1080 Resolution

    Perhaps we can find a commonality to our systems.

    Do you use a sound card or onboard sound? Are your Catalyst drivers totally up-to-date? Are you running Win7 x64?

    Does the system hang every-single-time or just sometimes?

    Onboard Sound
    Yep my Catalyst Drivers are up to date
    and yes Win7 64bit
  • IronHorseIronHorse Developer, QA Manager, Technical Support & contributor Join Date: 2010-05-08 Member: 71669Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, Forum Moderators, NS2 Developer, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Subnautica Playtester, Subnautica PT Lead, Pistachionauts
    How did disabling the overlays go? any change?
  • agentaibbagentaibb Join Date: 2012-09-04 Member: 157760Members, Reinforced - Supporter
    edited March 2013
    IronHorse wrote: »
    How did disabling the overlays go? any change?

    Still using alt-f4 to exit out of NS2 because i was rather scared of my PC hanging after exiting ns2 like usual but let me play NS2 for today and exit out just by using the EXIT button and I'll post back here soon
Sign In or Register to comment.