BSOD Hardware Malfunction error playing AoE 2

I have an m1530 with specs in sig. running vista x64 and I am using the 176.44 drivers from Dell.

Every time I try to play Age of Empires 2 I get an error and a blue screen of death. Sometimes it happens right away as I start the game other times it takes 45 mins to occur, but it happens every time. Most of the time it is less than 5 minutes. Below is the error that I get on the BSOD.

*** Hardware Malfunction
Call your hardware vendor for support
*** The system has halted ***

I get the previous error most every time, but once a piece I have gotten the following errors.

*** Hardware Malfunction
Call your hardware vendor for support
NMI: Parity Check/Memory Parity Error
*** The system has halted ***

and also,

*** Hardware Malfunction
Call your hardware vendor for support
NMI: Channel check / IOCHK
*** The system has halted ***

I havn't gotten the errors any time other than while playing AoE 2. I just installed the game a few days ago. Anyone know what is going on? Is there something wrong with one of my hardware components? It is strange that I have only experienced the problem while playing AoE 2

 

I'm wondering if the 64 Bit OS could be the cause...

(I used to Play Age of Empires 2 on an old Windows ME laptop, and I had it up and running on an XP laptop - can't tell for Vista though)

Another issue:
Vista - are you running the game in compatebility mode? It could be incompatible with your drivvers...

 

Thanks DetlevCm, I didn't have it in compatability mode. I think that that may have fixed it. I only tried it for about 20 mins but it didn't crash. Plus 1 rep.

 

Thanks, you're welcome.

I think incompatebility is the most common problem you will encounter nowadays.
(With Vista)

 

Ugh, I thought that changing it to compatability mode had fixed it, but I just got the error again. Any other ideas?

 

It took longer though, didn't it?

Maybe faulty hardware? Something overheating for example...

also: Age of Empires - is that meant for a 64 Bit OS - I know some 32 Bit software doesn't run under 64Bit OSs

 

Yes, it does seem to be less frequent. I don't think it is overheating. I used HWMonitor to check my temps and if I remember correcty gpu temp was in the low 60's c. and cpu was in the 50's c.

 

Easiest was to check - if you have another game, run that and see how it behaves.
If it runs stable - then it shouldn't be overheating.
(Although at these temperatures I'd doubt it anyway)

What's the error code on the BSOD? Maybe take a picture of it...

There generally are some clues.

 

This is all the information the BSOD gave.

*** Hardware Malfunction
Call your hardware vendor for support
*** The system has halted ***

Also, when I restart Windows after it crashes from the BSOD every thing is really strange colors (sometimes neon), but it is corrected once I change the resolution back to 1400x900.

 

Strange...
Maybe this should be moved into the OS forum?

I think it'll boil down to a driver/Software/compatebility issue.

Do you know if Age of Empires 2 is compatible with a 64Bit OS?

 

According to this link from Microsoft it is compatible with Visa 64 bit.
http://www.microsoft.com/Windows/co...=&pf=2&pi=8&c=PC Gaming&sc=Strategy&os=64-bit

I hope it is a problem with the game and not a sign that a hardware component is going bad.

 

Ok.
Which compatibility mode do you run it in?
XP? 2000??

For example - Maple (maths software) runs under XP, but under Vista you need to run it in compatebility mode for 2000...

 

Hmm its funny, I just had this very exact BSOD just 10mins ago. It happened to me a couple of times before but its been a while. Was encoding a video (almost 100% usage), winamp, utorrent, firefox etc and bam! the BSOD.

 

I tried xp sp2, 98, and 2000.

 

Ok...
this is strange...

Can you check your system logs for the error that occured?

 

How do I check the system log?

 

There is a language barrier here for me...
Its in the same "part" that the device manager is in...

(German for me... you need English sorry )

 

There is an operating system barrier here for me... but I'll give you the XP directions and hopefully they're similar enough that you'll be able to find it.

Go to Control Panel, Classic View (no idea where anything is in New View, sorry), Administrative Tools, Event Viewer. Then double-click on the System log and look for the BSOD error.

I've had a few games go haywire on me because my processor is too fast, but AoE 2 didn't do this for me (granted, I haven't played it very much on my laptop). And since we're talking 2.4 GHz for you vs. 2.2 GHz for me, I doubt that's the problem. But the erratic time before it crashes and compatibility mode not helping does match.

 

Vista and XP path are exactly the same as far as I'm aware.
Thanks for taking over from me

 

Hey guys - I've got the exact same problem as mowing machine, down to the last detail. here's what I found in the system log when the crash happened:

Fault bucket 9759162, type 5
Event Name: PCA2
Response: None
Cab Id: 0

Problem signature:
P1: age2_x1.Exe
P2: 0.7.22.627
P3: Age of Empires II Expansion
P4: Age of Empires II Expansion
P5: Microsoft Corporation
P6: 200
P7: -1
P8:
P9:
P10:

Attached files:
C:\Users\Alexander\AppData\Local\Temp\{776a2079-0e7a-4101-8d83-2278ea3b4bba}\appcompat.txt
C:\Users\Alexander\AppData\Local\Temp\Tab2458.tmp

These files may be available here:
C:\Users\Alexander\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WER\ReportArchive\Report15db5b40

Usually happens around half an hour to 45 mins into a game, never fails. any help?

 

I'm having this exact same error on the Dell M1530. I have 2.4ghz Core 2 Duo, Geforce 8600M GT 256mb (with latest drivers released by Dell), and 4GB of ram.

[edit]I am running Vista Home Premium 32bit.
Here is the exact error
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f356/rapt10439/AoEBluscreen.jpg

I want to play Age of Empires sooo bad :C

BTW, this same error occurs for the first Age of Empires as well.

 

Were there ever any pathces released for Age of Empires?

Also - if you have a legal copy- contact Microsoft, this is getting interesting now.

 

I doubt Microsoft would support a roughly 10 years old game. The CD copy protection interferes with Vista anyway so the game must be played with some sort of crack.

Yes, there is a patch that brings it to 2.0a but that doesn't help the issue. I read on other sites that it might be the nVidia GeForce 8600M GT card that is causeing the issue. I'm going to try a hacked driver from http://www.laptopvideo2go.com/ (which I don't recommend unless you know what you're doing). I'm hoping it is driver issue.

Just a side note, I thought it was funny that Microsoft released an AI patch to make it so they won't resign early on

[edit]It crashed the same way with the 180.00 drivers for Vista 32 bit. Bah. I think I'm going to set up a virtual machine to run this .

 

I play it with no problems. Too bad many people hack now and ruin the game

I have the 1.0c/e patch installed, mostly using the c one in gamespy.com

 

What kind of system do you have? Are you running Vista? Is your hardware simliar to ours?

Any info would be nice.

 

High,

I've a Dell M6300, Quadro FX 1600M, 4G, T9300. Tried with XP32 sp3 and with Vista 32 ultimate sp1. Same error after 45 min playing. I use this laptop to work with CAD(SEdge, UG, ...) and never had any problems, just with aoe2.

 

Ok, so it crashes in both XP and in Vista. So, it's obviously a hardware problem causing the problem.

 

are you seriously asking what system do I have ??

.. cause it's in my sig

my GPU is also overclocked big time.

 

Yepp, as I definitely had it running under XP - but XP SP2.

(Pentium M - integrated grpahics, and 512mb RAM at the time)

 

My friend had it running on a G1S with Vista 32bit and 8600GT zero problems. Works in XP for me.

 

Has anyone made any progress on figuring out the issue here?

 

Hi everyone, checked this post some days ago when i was receiving the same BSOD using AOE2 conquerors...
I'm using a Dell Inspiron 1420, Intel 2.4Ghz, 3 GB and most important an Nvidia 8400GS 128MB, Vista 32 bit home premium... anything else relevant?

The game was working perfectly just before my Nvidia drivers got updated. Before rolling the drivers back, I tried turning the game into XP compatibility mode but that didn't do the trick.

So here's what I did, and I already played twice for about an hour and a half each time and worked perfectly (the BSOD used to appear 10 to 15 minutes into the game...):
-Comatibility mode (probably not necessary)
-Uninstalled Nvidia drivers
-Installed stock Nvidia drivers in my C:\drivers folder. Those probably might also be found in the recovery drive D:\ setup as default by Dell. My drivers are version 1.5.700.77. Probably any earlier version will work. I really didn't notice any difference with these "older" drivers vs the new ones. HOwever, I'm not much of an demanding gamer...

Hope this might help you people. Let me know.

 

Hi chopel,
Thanks for your solution.
I am using a Dell Inspiron 1520, 2.0Ghz,2 GB, 8600M GT 256MB, Vista Home Baisc and I am stuck with the same problem as well. I have check the archived drivers on nVision
http://www.laptopvideo2go.com/forum/index.php?showforum=31
But I cannot find any driver in the version of 1.5.700.77. I have tried the Release 100 series and it doesn't works. Can you tell me what driver are you using now? Thanks.

 

Hi,
I am having the exact same problem as you guys....
Inspiron 1520 , T7300(2.0mHz) , 1gb ram , 8600m gt(dhum dhum dhum dhuuuuuuum)
Thanks for your suggestion Choppel...
Right now I am going to try installing the old Nvidia drivers

 

I rolledback my driver to version :7.15.11.5669
Now instead of a bsod my whole computer freezes up after an hour of play.
This never used to occur with games like counter-strike 1.6,serious sam I or Quake 3 which i usually play.
Does anyone know a solution to this.
I am fed up of these rubbish drivers nVidia\dell release.

 

I have the same problem with the same game at the same time haha. It would be too much of a hassle to use older drivers because my other games would suffer FPS drops. I don't think it's a hardware issue unless AOE2 makes a GPU call that neither of my other games does (Crysis, Crysis Warhead, HL2, COD4, COD5, etc.). I think I'm just SOL for now.

 

During boot up spam f8 (im sure theres a point and time but i havent counted recently) and when the boot manager menu comes up (atleast a black screen with white writing) go to disable restart on hardware malfunction or something?


Disable automatic restart on system failure, i think that was it .



I think that could possibly stop it, (its stopped blue screens for me in the past).
Cata

 

Are you undervolted by any chance? If so, quite RMClock and run in normal mode. Just my 2 cents, hope it might help.

 

I have the same problem too, i also play on an external monitor and i thought that was the problem but it happens on my laptop monitor just as frequently.

This is actually a common problem as posted on the dell forum and as far as I know, its not a OS problem or a major hardware problem.
My sys.
m1530
2.1Ghz 800FSB (T8100)
4GB Ram
8600GT
64 bit Vista

I really love Age of Empires 2: AoK and for some reason it does not work on my m1530 but it works on any other computer and any of my dell desktops (Dell Studio XPS and Dell Dimension 8300)

I haven't been able to completely eliminate the problem but i have managed to cut down the chance it will crash significantly... As channelv said, I have to quit RMclock because for some reason AoE does not like undervolting. Doing this, the game crashes probably 1/10 times now. Also, I put the battery into the system when i play, ( i usually leave it out)

 

sorry to bump this old post but I fixed this error.

I am using Dell 1520, 8600m GT and I had similar symptoms. It kept on crashing after about 10 min of game play, displaying that "NMI Parity Error" message.

I thought may be playing it on windowed mode will help but it wasn't supported by the game, so I ended up using the modified exe file (I'm not sure if this is illegal) that I found on google and it worked flawlessly.

You can download it here:
http://aok.heavengames.com/cgi-bin/aokcgi/display.cgi?action=st&fn=4&tn=38601

just make sure you back up the original files before replacing them.

good luck,
Kelvin

 

a solution would also be to update ur drivers to the latest ones released by NVDIA on their site.... they are newer and more stable.. give that a try out...

 

Almost a year in response, but I just wanted to say I also have a Dell XPS M1530, running Windows Vista, but I'm running 32-bit architecture. I got the same, exact problems when playing Age of Empires II, the blue screen, same error message(s), etc. So it must be Vista! I'm about to try it in my XP virtual machine. I'll repost for others' benefit of my results.

 

Alright, so I installed Age of Empires II - The Conquerers on my Windows XP virtual machine, with Windows Vista as the host machine (in my previous post I explained I had the same _exact_ problem [and same exact computer!] as the author of this thread), so anyways, indeed, you're problem must be Windows Vista. I ran the game on my XP virtual machine, absolutely no problems, no hardware failure blue screen errors, hours of fun. If you're interested, get VirutalBox at: http://www.virtualbox.org

You'll need a copy of Windows XP. If you get these done, install the game on there, and besides the fact of lowered resolution, and occasional mouse problems (just hit Right Ctrl twice when this happens), you'll get to experience the game at it's full potential.

Hope this helps.

 

I was wrong.