White screen when starting actual game, driver crash, nVidia NVS 5100

[thylacine666]

Hi all...

I'm sorry if this has been covered, but I've checked the 'read this first' thread, and scanned over a few posts here, but they're all subtly different or haven't helped.

I've got an HP EliteBook (8540 I think is the exact model, from memory), with an onboard nVidia NVS 5100. This laptop runs Fallout 3, Starcraft II etc with Ultra High graphics, so I'm sure it SHOULD run Amnesia OK.

I have the latest driver from HP's site (from the section for downloads for my specific model of laptop), which hasn't changed since last year. The driver's only been changed once since I got the laptop last year, from the version of driver that came with it.

I've checked nVidia's site, but now it seems you can't just get the latest Forceware drivers etc, like in past years; you have to search your model etc, and 'NVS' only yields 'NVS 300', which I assume is because the manufacturer provides drivers.

Anyway... the demo (all I have at this point, but my experience with it playing on another PC, and recommendations from friends and critics I trust make me definitely want the full game) launches fine, gets to the profile section, I can select my profile (and the camera zooms to the doorway), I get the Loading screen (with the stone emblem thing)... then a full white screen. The Windows 7 hourglass equivalent swirls away... and I have to task switch or Ctrl-Alt-Del and get to Task Manager and kill the app.

If I run it windowed, at the point the white screen appears I see a system tray popup error that the nVidia whatever has crashed.

I can play the game fine on my office desktop, which is an older PC with a years-old nVidia Quadro somethingorother, but this is a less powerful card meaning I need to run everything on low, which I oppose on principle haha.

Also I have my laptop with me much more frequently, so it's not really worth my buying the full game if I can't get it running on the laptop (on which I've never had any issue running anything, and running it at full detail etc, though I understand that it's using OpenGL vs DirectX, and I've been PC gaming/tweaking/etc for yeeeeeeears, though have recently gone more towards consoles for the ease of just throwing in the disc and sitting back with a beer on the couch with surround sound ha, but my PC still plays a big part with many games).

Aaaaaaanyway, I'm rambling now. I'm at home now for the weekend, but if the log file would help I can upload this next week when I have the laptop hooked up to everything at work (prob won't get time to use it here at home on the wireless, new baby and all), but I was just wondering firstly if there's some reason the NVS 5100 won't work (is it a case of ANY onboard graphics won't work?? The thing runs Blu-rays beautifully so I'll be depressed if I can't get the game to work, and if not, what people suggest I try next.

Thanks all!

[jens]

ATI/NVIDIA integrated should work, but might not work. It sounds like a driver issue, you could also try fiddling with settings in the control panel for the NVIDIA card. Post the hpl.log and it could provide some helpful hints.

[thylacine666]

OK fired up the laptop, file attached.

I've uninstalled the demo already (since it didn't work; as above, installed on a different PC and played there) but the Amnesia directory is still there, with the hpl.log file, hopefully still suits? Not sure if it'd update it were I to reinstall and try again, but I can do that if necessary.

[jens]

Did not have any hints. So unfortunately no additional tips to give other than those already given.

[thylacine666]

No worries mate, thanks!

[thylacine666]

All fixed - uninstalled that OEM driver and replaced it with the latest beta from nVidia. Whilst it's not the official OEM driver, which is the recommended one according to all sources, it works, and lets me play it on the better video card, so I can run everything at full res.

I can comfortably and happily buy the full game now :-)