Severe Windows Crash Error

[Remat3]

Remat3: Afraid you have not changed correctly or forgot to run the game after changing. The hpl_update log is blank.

I'm not sure which "change" you're referring to: All the updates when you download Amnesia via Steam are handled on Steam's end, and I've already set it to automatically download and install all updates. Running as administrator hasn't changed because I've been doing that from the beginning, and anything else has been changed long before that. Also, these are the logs immediately after I ran it (after changing the settings config file) the last time and it caused my computer to crash again--It was the first thing I did this morning.

I've attached my updated settings config file as proof: I've hypothesized that whatever is going wrong might be crashing windows before the program can catch up to it and record just what went gone, but I don't know enough about how it works to prove or disprove that.

[Thomas]

Remat3:
Weird that the hpl_log is blank, it should work to turn it on (has worked for
other users)

The hpl_log should just constantly write what is happening and thus one can see where it crashes (when it stops writing).

Could you give it another go and see if you can get it printing?

I would also suggest choosing another sound card in the launcher or running oal soft (as it might be a sound related issue)
http://www.frictionalgames.com/forum/thread-4313.html

[Remat3]

I'll give both a shot as soon as I get up tomorrow and let you know what happens...

[Remat3]

Remat3:
Weird that the hpl_log is blank, it should work to turn it on (has worked for
other users)

The hpl_log should just constantly write what is happening and thus one can see where it crashes (when it stops writing).

Could you give it another go and see if you can get it printing?

I would also suggest choosing another sound card in the launcher or running oal soft (as it might be a sound related issue)
http://www.frictionalgames.com/forum/thread-4313.html

AHA! This time it worked--no idea what I did differently that made it transfer to the log, but at least I have an updated log file now.

Also, in case it helps, I went ahead and shot a video of what happens when I try to run the game when it crashes; Usually I can at least make it down the stairs and back up again, but this time it crashed faster than usual. Here's the url (also, I lied--it's about 68 degrees out): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbi5c1hwkvw

[Thomas]

It happens during a SwapBuffer, so it is definently a graphics card issue. I would suggest turning all features to lowest, shadow quality to low, shadow resolution to low, SSAO off, turn off all post effects (in graphics->advanced in game), etc. Try and run the game again and see if that helps.

If it does, then you can start turning on stuff until you find the problem. The best way to do this is a "binary search", meaning that you turn on half the things, if there is a crash you know something you turned on is the problem, if not then it is something in the off. Now you just focus on the half where the problem is, turn on half of them, try again, and repeat until you nailed it down.

I know it is a bit annoying to do this, but really only way as I can not reproduce it.

[Remat3]

It's okay--I don't mind doing the footwork. I'll give it a shot and report back once I know more.

[Remat3]

It happens during a SwapBuffer, so it is definently a graphics card issue. I would suggest turning all features to lowest, shadow quality to low, shadow resolution to low, SSAO off, turn off all post effects (in graphics->advanced in game), etc. Try and run the game again and see if that helps.

If it does, then you can start turning on stuff until you find the problem. The best way to do this is a "binary search", meaning that you turn on half the things, if there is a crash you know something you turned on is the problem, if not then it is something in the off. Now you just focus on the half where the problem is, turn on half of them, try again, and repeat until you nailed it down.

I know it is a bit annoying to do this, but really only way as I can not reproduce it.

It crashed again on me after dropping all the visuals down as low as I could. I went ahead and tacked on the update log and the hpl.log as well as recorded another video of what I saw on my end: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaEgVp7Pjo0

[Thomas]

It crashed again on me after dropping all the visuals down as low as I could. I went ahead and tacked on the update log and the hpl.log as well as recorded another video of what I saw on my end: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaEgVp7Pjo0

It crashes in the middle of writing to the update log and that pretty much only leaves a sound issue. Update drivers for your sound card, try OAL soft (http://www.frictionalgames.com/forum/thread-4313.html) and try choosing some other sound card.

[Remat3]

Understood--I'll give it a shot some time this weekend and I'll report back once I know more. Thank you in advance for all your help!

[Remat3]

Hey all, I finally got this issue resolved and I wanted to go ahead and post on here so that if someone else has the same issues. After reloading drivers, reformatting the hard drive (due to an unrelated problem) and then reloading the drivers again, the same error continued until, at long last, the video card failed completely--it was, in the end, a hardware problem. Amnesia just happened to be using some of the card's features that triggered a crash before the rest of the card failed completely. The card was replaced and Amnesia now runs perfectly.

I also wanted to thank you guys at Frictional Games for all your help in troubleshooting the problem--unfortunately it ended up being something that neither of us were aware of, but thank you for your effort and patience.

I'm already loving Amnesia and I look forward to playing it in the weeks to come.