BATTLETECH - Constant crashing (SOLVED: Asus AIsuite software CPU overclock conflict)

[RomarioGee]

One line summary of your issue
Constant crashing

What platform are you running the game on?
Steam

What operating system do you use?
windows 10

Which version of the game are you running?
1.91

What DLC do you have installed?
Flashpoint, Urban Warfare, Heavy Metal

Please explain your issue is in as much detail as possible.
Just bought mercenary edition and love the game. But it crashes constantly its ridiculous. Even after years since release I am just shocked. I tried all possible troubleshooting options. But nothing help. I just want to play the damn game. So if anyone can decipher my error logs it would be greatly appreciated.
My troubleshooting:
-clean reinstall
-files verified
-fullscreen, windowed, borderless makes no difference
-disabled page file (allowed me to pass intro missions) still crashes randomly...ram usage went down from almost 14gb to 11gb. I mean what is this game?
-with v-sync on a rtx3080 I get dips in to 40fps. Without vsync in 4k I am 100fps and 100% gpu utilization. LOL

Please help

Have you tried verifying your files?
Yes

Steps to reproduce the issue
Random during mission

Attach DxDiag (PC), System Info log (Mac), or run sudo lshw -html > specs.html and uploaded specs.html (Linux)
File(s) attached

Attach Output Log
Windows: \Users\YourUserName\AppData\LocalLow\Harebrained Schemes\BATTLETECH\output_log.txt
Mac OS: Users >{name} > Library > Logs > Unity > Player.log
Linux: ~/.config/unity3d/Harebrained Schemes/BATTLETECH/Player.log
File(s) attached

If the game crashed, please attach the crash file with the time stamp closest to the crash.
Windows: [Steam library folder]\steamapps\common\BATTLETECH\DumpBox
For v.17 and beyond try here: C:\Users\[YourUserName]\AppData\LocalLow\Harebrained Schemes\BATTLETECH
OSX: Macintosh HD > Users > [username] > Library > Application Support > Steam > steamapps > common > BattleTech > DumpBox
Linux: [Steam library folder]/steamapps/common/BATTLETECH/DumpBox
File(s) attached

If a save game was loaded at the start of the game session, upload it. Please make sure to upload the save game with the timestamp closest to when you loaded it.
Windows:
Steam: [Steam installation folder]\userdata[SteamID]\637090\remote\C0\SGS1
GOG: 'C:\Users\USER_ID\AppData\Local\GOG.com\Galaxy\Applications\50593543263669699\Storage\Shared\Files\C#\SGS#'
Vanilla:'C:\Users\USER_ID\AppData\LocalLow\Harebrained Schemes\BattleTech\C#\SGS#'
OSX:
Steam: Macintosh HD > Users > [username] > Library > Application Support > Steam > userdata > [SteamID] > 637090 > remote > C#> SGS#
GOG: Macintosh HD > Users > [username] > Library > Application Support > GOG.com > Galaxy > Applications > 50593543263669699 > Storage > Shared > Files > C# > SGS#
Vanilla: Macintosh HD > Users > [username]> Library > Application Support > unity.Harebrained Schemes.BattleTech > C# > SGG#
Linux:
Steam: /home/.steam/steam/userdata/[steamID]/637090/remote/C#/SGS#
GOG: /home/[username]/.config/unity3d/Harebrained Schemes/BATTLETECH/remote/C#/SGS#/
Vanilla: /home/[username]/.config/unity3d/Harebrained Schemes/BATTLETECH/remote/C#/SGS#/
File(s) attached

Attach screenshot / video
File(s) attached

 

[AndrewT]

From that log it looks like a game bug (in that there is no other evident cause), except that it is not normal to get crashes as often as you are - we’d know if that was happening to everyone like that!

A worrying part of your description is where disabling the Windows page file helped to some degree - that makes no sense! You are confident of cause and effect there ?

i’s there any particular action or event in the game that seems to trigger these crashes?

 

[RomarioGee]

Thank you for answering. Well, first I was constantly crashing during the tutorial mission (right before reinforcements arrive with the dropship). But I was saving and loading and got passed that into the dessert level. And there it happened even more frequently. I enabled Riva tuner with the shortcut to see usage (before that I was just switching it on and off afraid that overlay might interfere and cause crashes...I don't know the details I guess it's still running in the background even if it's not on screen. I use afterburner but there is no overclock). So rtss showed ram usage 14000 gb range (never seen that before in any game). I disabled page file and usage went down to 9500 to 10000gb. I passed the dessert level fidlet for hours in the leopard and mechlab thinking the problem gone. But started a new mission and random crashes again. Usually, I think its during my turn. There's a quick freeze, sound goes out for a second and it crashes to desktop. Sometimes it shows a small window with mech head and some error codes (I think it generates report maybe) but I am on nvme drive so it's gone after a second. So I don't know what else to try. Tried looking at the error logs but don't know what to look for. This one a little bit different maybe

 

[AndrewT]

I'd actually recommend unloading Rivatuner and all MSI apps and utilities, we've seen them cause crash problems in our games. You can use Task Manager to see memory used by the game.

And indeed I see it in the crash stack this time:

C:\Program Files (x86)\RivaTuner Statistics Server\RTSSHooks64.dll

So please try unloading that.

FYI in the main game menu this game uses just over 2gb in my machine. Loading a career save someone sent me, that goes up to just under 3gb. Once I landed on a planet with a lance, about 4.7gb.

 

[RomarioGee]

Ok, I have disabled riva and afterburner but it didn't help. I can't even play for 10 minutes without a crash. But I noticed that I hadn't turned off paging file after all. There was probably a checkmark set to manage paging files automatically. As when I tried to disable it "for real this time". The game wouldn't start at all. So here are my latest crashes with. And a screenshots of my ram usage and I managed to grab that popup also.

 

[AndrewT]

That does show 12.5gb of memory in use overall, but not by process. What does it say against BattleTech.exe in Processes? If it is anything like that I can't account for the discrepancy with what I'm seeing here.


I don't know what this is:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Stardock\Fences\FencesMenu64.dll

but it should not be in the game's crash stack either, please unload it too.

What size is your paging file now? For our other major Unity game Cities Skylines I'm recommending a set max size of 32gb.

 

[RomarioGee]

I never experience anything like this with any game ever. This game just refuses to run properly and it's a damn shame. Thank you AndrewT for trying to help me. I have increased page file to 32gb got BSOD (hadn't had one of those for a while) still kept it that way. The new driver came out (updated) disabled geforce overlay for good measure and FENCES (it's a program that creates virtual spaces for files and folders on the desktop and integrates with explorer)....3 turns in to the games crash. This game wants to force me to reinstall my whole system or something but I can't do that...especially with all the other games installed and working flawlessly. I only have an hour to play a day. Here is my last crash and if you give up I will understand mate

 

[AndrewT]

This game wants to force me to reinstall my whole system or something but I can't do that.

Sorry, what are you seeing in the game that says that?

FENCES (it's a program that creates virtual spaces for files and folders on the desktop and integrates with explorer)

That is still in the crash stack I'm afraid!

What does memory use for BattleTech.exe specifically show in Task manager-processes?


DXDIAG is a program you run from a command prompt or the Windows start menu 'run' dialog box (or 'search programs' in Windows 7 or later). After running it will open a window and start collecting info with a progress bar in the lower-left corner. When it completes click the 'save all information' button and save it to a file then attach that file here.

And please install and run the free utility Speccy. Send its output to a text file and attach that here too please.

 

[RomarioGee]

Sorry, what are you seeing in the game that says that?

I actually was about to give up. But decided to try and find out what is actually happening. I uninstalled fences even thou it's a more expensive program then I paid for the game. It's still crashed. But I have all the files requested (I have run them along with the game). I still have hope that you might be able to help me.

 

[AndrewT]

That screenshot shows a much more reasonable 5.5gb being used by the game. What is using the other 7gb you mention is not clear from that shot, maybe sort it by Memory % ? Or perhaps removing Fences has helped in that regard.


I can see in that dxdiag you are getting Windows bluescreens (BSoD):

+++ WER2 +++:
Fault bucket , type 0
Event Name: BlueScreen

Are these associated with the game crashes, or indeed with the game at all? Next time you get one please record the text on that screen, it can help point to the cause of that problem (whether related to the game or not).

And that Spccy output shows this:

Graphics
SAMSUNG (3840x2160@60Hz)
2047MB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 (Gigabyte) 70 °C

70c is getting up there - if that ever hits 80c that might be the cause of the bluescreens and the game crashes. Can you see what temps you get when in the game please? Either Speccy or SpeedFan can show you that. As part of that go into the game's Video settings, Advanced, and scroll down until you se Vsync - check that is Enabled. If not the game may be running at some very high refresh rate which can cause GPU overheating.

And finally, you might try unloading these utilities, which I've seen cause problems with our games before:

C:\Program Files (x86)\ASUS\AI Suite III\AISuite3.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\ASUS\AI Suite III\DIP4\DIPAwayMode\DipAwayMode.exe


Whew! I hope one of those bears fruit for you.

 

[RomarioGee]

AndrewT you are a Legend.​

I have solved the mystery. I mean you have solved it. I was about to give up. I had Asus AIsuite software CPU overclock set for 3 years and it never ever interfered with any other game. And it was literally the last thing I was about to try and give up. I have set my parameters to default and BAM...no more crashes no more problems. Been playing the whole weekend the game is rock solid. Thank you

 

[AndrewT]

Great to get a win under the belt - all the best!