Game Freezing to Black/Blank Screen with Sounds- Game Unplayable

tokyov

Hi,
ESO keeps on crashing a few minutes or seconds into the game. Although the game freezes, I can hear my character moving and doing actions. Shortly thereafter, it will crash.

I have sli gtx 660.

I have tried all steps in other threads, including:

1) Running game as admin.
2) Reinstalling drivers
3) Setting maximum performance under Nvidia settings.
4) Repairing ESO
5) Moving around my GPU's thinking maybe it was one of my GPU's. It isnt my system.
6) I even tried changing my usersetting.txt to "OpenGL" only to crash with the error from Nvidia "OpenGL driver lost connection with the display driver due to exceeding the Windows Time-Out limit"
7) FORMATTING MY COMPUTER.


There are only crashes with ESO- I played in Beta since September and played all of early access with NO ISSUES. After the patch on 4/3, this began.

I have attached 1) my dxdiag and 2) game consultant report from ESO.


Sometimes when the game crashed, I will get the "Nvidia Kernel Mode Driver has stopped responding" I am running latest Nvidia drivers. Only crashes occur with ESO. I can play all other new games on max settings with no crashes.
Please help. @ZOS_JasonL‌

tokyov

bump. Cannot play at all. Freeze within 30 seconds of being in game

tokyov

Just as an FYI: I installed an old radeon hd 5770, uninstalled nvidia drivers, and SUPRISE: no crashes!! ESO: FIX YOUR GAME. THIS IS AN ESO ISSUE. Its ridiculous I have to go to these lengths to play your game.

Malvoiant

Having the same issue. I haven't tried some of the things you did though. Running with a GTX 550ti and can't get past character generation.

Tyetonious

hmmm looks like there having compatibility issues with nvidia as im having same issue with GTX570

tokyov

bump. any help here?

tokyov

=\

Chingowey

I'm having the same problem. Can't commit to any dungeon runs because of the frequent crashes. Also getting the "display kernal mode" failure

Thakaron

Same issue. Dual 580M sli config, reimaged the PC, latest drivers, BIOS, etc, etc. and I ran Heaven benchmark fullscreen for an hour with no issues...go through the multi-hour ESO download (yet again) and immediately upon getting into the game it freezes. Serious issue, apparently with the Nvidia GPU drivers. Not a happy camper.

Tyetonious

any update on the Nvidia compatibility? think il have to go for ATI next time :P

tokyov

its not a problem with our graphics cards. Its a problem with the Elder Scrolls client. The game is just very buggy. No response from the support team on this thread says it all

Chingowey

This is getting progressively worse. A couple days ago I could play for about an hour before experiencing the black screen, now I am getting one every 5 minutes.

tokyov

Bump

Geezer5000

Same problem with gtx570
I already tried the new Beta-Driver from Nvidia (released 07th of April) - still same problem.
Somtimes quickly after login, sometimes after 1 hour --> black screen

I played ESO-BETA and Early-Access - no Problems until last ESO patch was released.

Chingowey

I just tried optimizing the game in the Nvidia GeForce Experience, still no luck.

Geezer5000

Minimum 15th times in 3 hours.
Unplayable!

ZM please don't start like SWTOR.

digibluez

I can not play either, really taking all the anticipation off, after bugs where You are not able to play the game, the interest in the game sinks fast.

The freezes are crazy, depending what area you are in. I get 3-5sec freezes right in middle of a fight, after im dead and nothing i can do.

Worst part is, i can not get my game time back!

Geezer5000

Ha.....it is getting worser with every hour.
Now I can just see my UI - no character, no landscape...nothing
Even on the Login Screen I can't see my character.

ESO will be the new SWTOR

Elsonso

Relatively new GTX 660 here and had constant crashes, reliable crashes, with both the driver not responding and the hardware actually locking up and requiring a full power off to fix.

It was not the nVidia drivers, I tried them all going back at least 6 months, and it was not ESO, although I blamed them since Zenimax and bugs are bedfellows. I considered DX11 incompatibilities, but the results were inconclusive. I changed power supplies, but it was when I replaced the card that all was revealed. It was the card. ESO reliably crashed it within minutes, but given time, I found I could also get 3DMark 11 to crash it.

It was a factory overclocked card that I am pretty sure was not good enough to be sorted into the overclock pile.

New card. Same driver. Same configuration. No problems.

Vadorin

I have the exact same problem described by tokyov.

I'm running the game on a GTX 780 (max settings) and I didn't have any issues during the last 2 beta weekends und during most of the early access. I think the first crash happened after the second to last patch before the release though. The crashes seem to be completely random. Sometimes it crashes after a couple of minutes, sometimes I can play for an hour or two without a crash and at least once it crashed on the loading screen immediately after character selection. It seems to happen more frequently during conversations with quest givers or in dungeons, but it happens in the outside areas as well. Most of the time I can see 2-3 very short flickers of the screen when talking to NPC's and a short time after that it will crash. I can still hear the game sound and the game reacting to my keys, but the screen will turn completely gray for a second and then switch to "no signal". A couple of times I could prevent a complete crash of my PC by pressing Alt-F4, but most of the time I have to reset it. One time I got a blue screen with an "irql_not_less_or_equal" error.

I hope this issue gets resolved soon, because I can't even run group dungeons at the moment - it's not very helpful when the tank has a crash during a boss fight...


PS: I have tried reinstalling my graphics driver after clearing it with Display Driver Uninstaller. I have also tried the newest beta drivers (337.50) and I have tried redownloading the complete game client. Non of it changed anything.

ZOS_MichaelD

Hello Tokyov,

We have examined your diagnostic files. Here are a few suggestions:

1.) Check your Graphics Card Drivers

It is dated at 3/20/2014. It is very likely that Nvidia has an updated driver for your GeForce GTX 660. Additionally, you may want to try the "Beta" version, if the normal driver has no effect on your situation. Here is a link:

geforce.com/drivers

2.) Windows Updates

Make sure you have all of your current Windows Updates. The Graphics Drivers may be included in this step automatically.

3.) Disable Overclocking

If you have any Overclocking setup, please consider returning all settings to default. The game is very sensitive to these changes. If it is not balanced correctly, it could cause your issue.

4.) Antivirus Programs

Make sure you have made an exception for the game in any Antivirus Programs you have installed. Additionally, if you have multiple installed, this could cause system instability. It is recommended only to have one Full Feature Antivirus Program installed at a time.

5.) Compatibility / Permissions

Try "Running as Administrator" Additionally you may want to try setting the "Compatibility" settings to "Windows 7". Here is a link for Windows 8:

eightforums.com/tutorials/9564-run-administrator-windows-8-a.html

If you are still having issues, please submit a support ticket! We will try our best to get back to you right away!

Athaina

ZOS_MichaelD wrote: »

Hello Tokyov,

We have examined your diagnostic files. Here are a few suggestions:

1.) Check your Graphics Card Drivers

It is dated at 3/20/2014. It is very likely that Nvidia has an updated driver for your GeForce GTX 660. Additionally, you may want to try the "Beta" version, if the normal driver has no effect on your situation. Here is a link:

geforce.com/drivers

2.) Windows Updates

Make sure you have all of your current Windows Updates. The Graphics Drivers may be included in this step automatically.

3.) Disable Overclocking

If you have any Overclocking setup, please consider returning all settings to default. The game is very sensitive to these changes. If it is not balanced correctly, it could cause your issue.

4.) Antivirus Programs

Make sure you have made an exception for the game in any Antivirus Programs you have installed. Additionally, if you have multiple installed, this could cause system instability. It is recommended only to have one Full Feature Antivirus Program installed at a time.

5.) Compatibility / Permissions

Try "Running as Administrator" Additionally you may want to try setting the "Compatibility" settings to "Windows 7". Here is a link for Windows 8:

eightforums.com/tutorials/9564-run-administrator-windows-8-a.html

If you are still having issues, please submit a support ticket! We will try our best to get back to you right away!

None of this generic advice works.
I have submitted a ticket.
I'd like to be able to play the game without freezing and black screening since I am paying for this game monthly.
If you are going to release an MMO at least make sure it freaking works on all graphics cards before you release it.

digibluez

I installed latest beta drivers from nvidia and the freeze is gone. No idea if they did something on their end or was it the driver update

tokyov

ZOS_MichaelD wrote: »

Hello Tokyov,

We have examined your diagnostic files. Here are a few suggestions:

1.) Check your Graphics Card Drivers

It is dated at 3/20/2014. It is very likely that Nvidia has an updated driver for your GeForce GTX 660. Additionally, you may want to try the "Beta" version, if the normal driver has no effect on your situation. Here is a link:

geforce.com/drivers

2.) Windows Updates

Make sure you have all of your current Windows Updates. The Graphics Drivers may be included in this step automatically.

3.) Disable Overclocking

If you have any Overclocking setup, please consider returning all settings to default. The game is very sensitive to these changes. If it is not balanced correctly, it could cause your issue.

4.) Antivirus Programs

Make sure you have made an exception for the game in any Antivirus Programs you have installed. Additionally, if you have multiple installed, this could cause system instability. It is recommended only to have one Full Feature Antivirus Program installed at a time.

5.) Compatibility / Permissions

Try "Running as Administrator" Additionally you may want to try setting the "Compatibility" settings to "Windows 7". Here is a link for Windows 8:

eightforums.com/tutorials/9564-run-administrator-windows-8-a.html

If you are still having issues, please submit a support ticket! We will try our best to get back to you right away!

None of the above worked. My ticket has been outstanding for 4 days now.

Chingowey

ZOS_MichaelD wrote: »

Hello Tokyov,

We have examined your diagnostic files. Here are a few suggestions:

1.) Check your Graphics Card Drivers

It is dated at 3/20/2014. It is very likely that Nvidia has an updated driver for your GeForce GTX 660. Additionally, you may want to try the "Beta" version, if the normal driver has no effect on your situation. Here is a link:

geforce.com/drivers

2.) Windows Updates

Make sure you have all of your current Windows Updates. The Graphics Drivers may be included in this step automatically.

3.) Disable Overclocking

If you have any Overclocking setup, please consider returning all settings to default. The game is very sensitive to these changes. If it is not balanced correctly, it could cause your issue.

4.) Antivirus Programs

Make sure you have made an exception for the game in any Antivirus Programs you have installed. Additionally, if you have multiple installed, this could cause system instability. It is recommended only to have one Full Feature Antivirus Program installed at a time.

5.) Compatibility / Permissions

Try "Running as Administrator" Additionally you may want to try setting the "Compatibility" settings to "Windows 7". Here is a link for Windows 8:

eightforums.com/tutorials/9564-run-administrator-windows-8-a.html

If you are still having issues, please submit a support ticket! We will try our best to get back to you right away!

Tried all of this as well, no luck. The game is currently crashing every time I engage in combat. I really want to keep playing this game but it's becoming more frustrating than not. I've had a ticket submitted for a few days and have posted on multiple threads on this issue.

canadubz

Got the game yesterday, it freezes up everything forcing me to shut off my machine. Tried waiting 30+ minutes to see if it would unfreeze. I tried many of the steps above, and nothing works.

I hope this issue is fixed or some subscription time compensation is going to be needed. At first I thought the issue was me alone, but I see others are also not able to play the game.

Thought I should add that I am not using nVidia like a lot of you above, I'm with ATI on a laptop. Well over the minimum requirements for the game.

dubz

InvictusApollo

I am having the same issue. If it wasn't for the love I have to Elder Scrolls I would just cancel my subscription right away. However I will do it if the problem is not resolved. This game is simply unplayable.