SOLUTION: Repeated Safe Mode - Startup Crashes

[Overpriced Avocado]

Alright - I actually sat down and put my technical chops to work. I spent about an hour re-running ProcMon and examining the COD.exe and CODCrashHelper.exe stack traces.

Details:

I'm running on an Asus motherboard (Z490-E) that loads some kind of dll/service for A-Volute NS which is a component of Sonic Studio WHICH IS A COMPONENT of Sonic Radar. From what I remember, Sonic Radar is classified as kinda cheat software (maybe that's changed).

Anyways, after monitoring ProcMon when I launched COD.exe, you can see that the last query was at a-volute; repeatedly. After this point, the process thread ends and goes to the CodCrashHandler.exe

Solution (?)

Digging around, I did a few things:

1. In your UEFI/BIOS, turn off the Armoury Crate crap. It's somewhere in Tools.
   
2. (Probably the most important step) In Windows, at the Start Menu, type 'Sonic' and look for Sonic Studio Companion. Open it and there should be an Uninstall button. Wait a few seconds.
   
3. For good measure, look through your Add/Remove Programs ( Start > Run > appwiz.cpl ) and get rid of any Asus software you're not using.
   
4. There is an "Armoury Crate Uninstall Tool" that you can download from Asus' site if you search your model, select Windows 10/11, and scroll to the bottom.
   
5. Go into Realtek Audio Console, and in your outputs, disable All Sound Effects

THIS IS NOT A GUARANTEED FIX but it has worked for me. I confirmed by re-launching, restarting, and re-launching some more. I've gone about an hour of opening/closing and it's working fine.

What's it mean?

My only guess is that the corresponding dll/service for a-volute and Sonic* stuff is being flagged by the anti-cheat software at launch.

What if I'm not on Asus hardware?

I've been on this build for a few years and I'm not familiar with other hardware at this time. However, you may have similar software from other hardware vendors. Look into it and disable it, as needed. A lot of people mention removing ReWASD (for controllers).

Good luck!

[Neclord06]

NGL I'm invested.

[V D V I C T O R]

How can i use ProcMon to try to detect my problem? I tried everything else

[Overpriced Avocado]

To diagnose those with ProcMon, you'll want to download it:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/procmon

You'll want to run ProcMon64 as Admin

Go to Filter > Filter > ProcessName CONTAINS "cod"

Close any background apps

Click the record/play button for capture

Launch the game and, when it crashes, pause the capture

Scroll down and look for the area where cod.exe STOPS, the thread ENDS, and CodCrashHandler.exe takes over.

You'll find the offending service or file BEFORE the thread ends.

Hope that helps.

[V D V I C T O R]

Originally posted by Overpriced Avocado:

To diagnose those with ProcMon, you'll want to download it:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/downloads/procmon

You'll want to run ProcMon64 as Admin

Go to Filter > Filter > ProcessName CONTAINS "cod"

Close any background apps

Click the record/play button for capture

Launch the game and, when it crashes, pause the capture

Scroll down and look for the area where cod.exe STOPS, the thread ENDS, and CodCrashHandler.exe takes over.

You'll find the offending service or file BEFORE the thread ends.

Hope that helps.

I'm trying to see something strange but i don't see nothing about some service or similar that's crashing cod :(

[Overpriced Avocado]

Just going to provide one update and then I'll let this thread go.

After playing multiple sessions last night and this morning (closing and reopening the game), it has been solid each time.

Before the fix, I would have to re-launch like 5-6 times to get the game to open.

Happy to help anyone that wants assistance with ProcMon. If I have time, I'll get something on Youtube because I feel like I'm not the only one seeing this. Cheers.

[z__frog__z]

pro tips
never remove build in manufactory software , it may works for cod but over time your system 'll become more instable . even those blotaware can garanty safety on your system :)

my 2cte
if your system can run fine all other games but not cod , its not up to player to modify any setting on their config , its dev of COD that need to do a fix , and specially when a lot of people having the same issues :)

[Overpriced Avocado]

Sonic Studio and Armoury Crate are not critical to the hardware or OS. I wouldn't call it bloatware but most people don't really need it. However, it can be installed by default or unknowingly.

For _most_ users, they don't need this software running on their device.

[Nitroarms®©™]

Windows Audio stack strikes back. WOW. Windows has had a weak audio stack for some time now. I am running a Asus mother board that uses the Realtek driver the Sonic Studio is in the driver. I like it, although it has some faults. I was having hard PC crashes in games from AUDIODG.EXE via the ntdll.dll, the door keeper in a way. I fixed the crashes by removing the Nvidia HD Audio that comes with the Nvidia driver. Fixed no more crashes.
There is nothing wrong with the Nvidia HD Audio. Windows just can't run Icue for the headst, Sonic Studio and Nvidia HD Audio at the same time. The door keeper 'ntdll.dll' flops on the floor and cries, PC locks up crashes. I still get the Audiodg.exe error in Event viewer, if I alt+tab out of the game. This is from what I can tell, it's looking for audio in the MDT or HDMI input.

I found that if I started Steam and just let the PC sit the game would start. This led me to think windows was turning off a service when it was not needed or task manager stop a service.
I was able to confirm that the Nahimic Service is what is keeping the game from starting or a sub component of it. Going to services and just stopping it will let the game start. I was able to repeat this.
Stopping the service kills Sonic Studio, as this service has the 3D or Upmix/Surround components. There is no need to uninstall Sonic Studio, and in my case it's part of the audio driver signed by Microsoft.
I don't think Activision blocked this, as their is no cheat advantage at all. So it needs to be fixed. I want that great COD sound. I was able to alt+tab out of the game and restart the service and Sonic Studio to get the sound back and had no issues.

[Anim]

Originally posted by z__frog__z:

pro tips
never remove build in manufactory software , it may works for cod but over time your system 'll become more instable . even those blotaware can garanty safety on your system :)

my 2cte
if your system can run fine all other games but not cod , its not up to player to modify any setting on their config , its dev of COD that need to do a fix , and specially when a lot of people having the same issues :)

Is that sarcasm? It has to be. First thing I do is get rid of all the crap a manufacturer pre-installs. It's just bloat. Also, a game like COD expects a "clean" healthy system to run. That is the best they can support in the first 6 months. Any 3rd party software or tools running on your machine is your responsibility, not theirs.

[Overpriced Avocado]

Originally posted by NITRO~ARMS©:

Windows Audio stack strikes back. WOW. Windows has had a weak audio stack for some time now. I am running a Asus mother board that uses the Realtek driver the Sonic Studio is in the driver. I like it, although it has some faults. I was having hard PC crashes in games from AUDIODG.EXE via the ntdll.dll, the door keeper in a way. I fixed the crashes by removing the Nvidia HD Audio that comes with the Nvidia driver. Fixed no more crashes.
There is nothing wrong with the Nvidia HD Audio. Windows just can't run Icue for the headst, Sonic Studio and Nvidia HD Audio at the same time. The door keeper 'ntdll.dll' flops on the floor and cries, PC locks up crashes. I still get the Audiodg.exe error in Event viewer, if I alt+tab out of the game. This is from what I can tell, it's looking for audio in the MDT or HDMI input.

I found that if I started Steam and just let the PC sit the game would start. This led me to think windows was turning off a service when it was not needed or task manager stop a service.
I was able to confirm that the Nahimic Service is what is keeping the game from starting or a sub component of it. Going to services and just stopping it will let the game start. I was able to repeat this.
Stopping the service kills Sonic Studio, as this service has the 3D or Upmix/Surround components. There is no need to uninstall Sonic Studio, and in my case it's part of the audio driver signed by Microsoft.
I don't think Activision blocked this, as their is no cheat advantage at all. So it needs to be fixed. I want that great COD sound. I was able to alt+tab out of the game and restart the service and Sonic Studio to get the sound back and had no issues.

This is a good alternate solution if you don't want to remove the Sonic software

However, if you're a big online gamer and don't have an accessibility issue, I would avoid Sonic Radar. A quick google shows that people have been banned for running it.

[MADGulliver]

Just Armoury Crate cause the issue "crash", Sonic radar doing nothing "crash/ban" but for marking it sure "for crash" just disabled in device manager. i have Sonic radar for more then 4 years but im not using it, just disabled, Sonic radar ban is false info!
My last post:
https://steamcommunity.com/app/1938090/discussions/0/4844275132576191396/

[Nitroarms®©™]

Originally posted by Overpriced Avocado:

Originally posted by NITRO~ARMS©:

Windows Audio stack strikes back. WOW. Windows has had a weak audio stack for some time now. I am running a Asus mother board that uses the Realtek driver the Sonic Studio is in the driver. I like it, although it has some faults. I was having hard PC crashes in games from AUDIODG.EXE via the ntdll.dll, the door keeper in a way. I fixed the crashes by removing the Nvidia HD Audio that comes with the Nvidia driver. Fixed no more crashes.
There is nothing wrong with the Nvidia HD Audio. Windows just can't run Icue for the headst, Sonic Studio and Nvidia HD Audio at the same time. The door keeper 'ntdll.dll' flops on the floor and cries, PC locks up crashes. I still get the Audiodg.exe error in Event viewer, if I alt+tab out of the game. This is from what I can tell, it's looking for audio in the MDT or HDMI input.

I found that if I started Steam and just let the PC sit the game would start. This led me to think windows was turning off a service when it was not needed or task manager stop a service.
I was able to confirm that the Nahimic Service is what is keeping the game from starting or a sub component of it. Going to services and just stopping it will let the game start. I was able to repeat this.
Stopping the service kills Sonic Studio, as this service has the 3D or Upmix/Surround components. There is no need to uninstall Sonic Studio, and in my case it's part of the audio driver signed by Microsoft.
I don't think Activision blocked this, as their is no cheat advantage at all. So it needs to be fixed. I want that great COD sound. I was able to alt+tab out of the game and restart the service and Sonic Studio to get the sound back and had no issues.

This is a good alternate solution if you don't want to remove the Sonic software

However, if you're a big online gamer and don't have an accessibility issue, I would avoid Sonic Radar. A quick google shows that people have been banned for running it.

Good point, The Sonic Radar is in the Audio driver as well. However is it's own thing. They can block that exe. I never use it. It's not like the Nahimic breaking the whole audio stack.

[RabbitBreeder]

Originally posted by Overpriced Avocado:

Alright - I actually sat down and put my technical chops to work. I spent about an hour re-running ProcMon and examining the COD.exe and CODCrashHelper.exe stack traces.

Details:

I'm running on an Asus motherboard (Z490-E) that loads some kind of dll/service for A-Volute NS which is a component of Sonic Studio WHICH IS A COMPONENT of Sonic Radar. From what I remember, Sonic Radar is classified as kinda cheat software (maybe that's changed).

Anyways, after monitoring ProcMon when I launched COD.exe, you can see that the last query was at a-volute; repeatedly. After this point, the process thread ends and goes to the CodCrashHandler.exe

Solution (?)

Digging around, I did a few things:

1. In your UEFI/BIOS, turn off the Armoury Crate crap. It's somewhere in Tools.
   
2. (Probably the most important step) In Windows, at the Start Menu, type 'Sonic' and look for Sonic Studio Companion. Open it and there should be an Uninstall button. Wait a few seconds.
   
3. For good measure, look through your Add/Remove Programs ( Start > Run > appwiz.cpl ) and get rid of any Asus software you're not using.
   
4. There is an "Armoury Crate Uninstall Tool" that you can download from Asus' site if you search your model, select Windows 10/11, and scroll to the bottom.
   
5. Go into Realtek Audio Console, and in your outputs, disable All Sound Effects

THIS IS NOT A GUARANTEED FIX but it has worked for me. I confirmed by re-launching, restarting, and re-launching some more. I've gone about an hour of opening/closing and it's working fine.

What's it mean?

My only guess is that the corresponding dll/service for a-volute and Sonic* stuff is being flagged by the anti-cheat software at launch.

What if I'm not on Asus hardware?

I've been on this build for a few years and I'm not familiar with other hardware at this time. However, you may have similar software from other hardware vendors. Look into it and disable it, as needed. A lot of people mention removing ReWASD (for controllers).

Good luck!

You're not overpriced, I hope something good happens to you today.

[Nitroarms®©™]

Yea, I never ran the Armory Crate. From what I remember there was some Bios tools. But not needed.

[Nitroarms®©™]

Nahimic Service is not just on Asus boards. Steel Headsets, MSI boards and ASRock use it as well. Could be others. Major audio component.