Game crashes during specific levels

[Kristi]

Good day everyone!

I'm experiencing consistent crashes within certain areas of at least a few maps that I know of. Standing or moving within those specific areas within the map will cause artifacting on both of my monitors eventually leading to stuttering, long freezes that sometimes recover, and crashes.

I went and found the crash logs and it's the exact same every single time:

Sat Aug 20 06:19:11 2022


Application has crashed: access violation

-------------------------------

Callstack:

         payday2_win32_release  (???)     ???                                                 
         payday2_win32_release  (???)     ???                                                 
                          d3d9  (???)     ???                                                 
         payday2_win32_release  (???)     ???                                                 
           gameoverlayrenderer  (???)     OverlayHookD3D3                                     


-------------------------------

Current thread: Renderer

-------------------------------

System information:
	Application version : 1.127.120
	CPU : Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-9700K CPU @ 3.60GHz (4 cores); SSE; SSE2; SSE3; SSSE3; SSE4.1; SSE4.2
	DirectX : 12.0 
	GPU : NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 / nvldumd.dll[31.0.15.1694]
	Language : english
	Memory :     32682MB 28KB
	OS : 6.1.7600 () 0x100-0x1 (64 bits)
	Physics : threaded
	Renderer : DX9 threaded
	Sound : Realtek Semiconductor Corp. (Speakers (Realtek(R) Audio))



----------------------------------------------------------------------

Sat Aug 20 06:40:01 2022


Application has crashed: access violation

-------------------------------

Callstack:

         payday2_win32_release  (???)     ???                                                 
         payday2_win32_release  (???)     ???                                                 
                          d3d9  (???)     ???                                                 
         payday2_win32_release  (???)     ???                                                 
           gameoverlayrenderer  (???)     OverlayHookD3D3                                     


-------------------------------

Current thread: Renderer

-------------------------------

System information:
	Application version : 1.127.120
	CPU : Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-9700K CPU @ 3.60GHz (4 cores); SSE; SSE2; SSE3; SSSE3; SSE4.1; SSE4.2
	DirectX : 9.0c
	GPU : NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 / nvldumd.dll[31.0.15.1694]
	Language : english
	Memory :     32682MB 28KB
	OS : 5.1.2600 (Service Pack 3) 0x100-0x1 (64 bits)
	Physics : threaded
	Renderer : DX9 threaded
	Sound : Realtek Semiconductor Corp. (Speakers (Realtek(R) Audio))

These are the last two crashes as an example, it's the same all the way up no matter which map it happens in.

I've tried searching everything relating to this error and went down a lot of rabbit holes for attempts to fix the game and none of them have worked so far. Some of the fixes I've attempted already are:

• Remove all mods including BLT support files
  
• Disabling the Steam overlay
  
• Verifying cache
  
• Reinstalling the game
  
• Performing a clean install of graphics drivers
  
• Running Payday 2 as admin
  
• Running Payday 2 in Windows 7 compatibility and later Windows XP compatibility
  
• Searched my computer for each item on this software conflict list to be sure none of them were secretly running: https://steamcommunity.com/app/218620/discussions/14/412446292758934434/#c358415206095910647
  
• Ran the Payday process in high priority
  
• Tried limiting access various cpu cores
  
• Deleted render_settings.xml
  
• Attempted limiting framerate to refresh rate
  
• Watching gpu and cpu temperatures for anything abnormal
  
• Changing program specific nvida control panel settings to off or defer to the game
  
• Lowering the shadow and textures quality
  
• Lowering other graphical settings
  And lots more I can't think of off the top of my head.

These crashes occur online and offline and are repeatable if I go to certain locations within these maps.
Some of the locations I've found so far include:
Jewelry Store
Diamond Store
Brooklyn Bank
Golden Grin Casino

I've been trying the best I can for a long time to fix it on my own, so any new leads would be appreciated!

[iamidle]

What about discord overlay? Do you have nVidia GeForce Experience installed? If so, disable the overlay. Better yet, do a custom install and uncheck GeForce Experience.

Not sure how old is your HDD/SSD, but can scan the HDD/SSD for bad secctor. Also scan Windows for corrupt files.

What antivirus are you using?

[andole]

Kristi původně napsal:

gameoverlayrenderer (???) OverlayHookD3D3

You are using some sort of software that adds an overlay to the game. Find and disable that software and, if you still crash after that, post the new crashlog that does not contain this line I quoted.

[Kristi]

Thanks for the replies! I just got back to the computer to try these suggestions out.

iamidle původně napsal:

What about discord overlay? Do you have nVidia GeForce Experience installed? If so, disable the overlay. Better yet, do a custom install and uncheck GeForce Experience.

Not sure how old is your HDD/SSD, but can scan the HDD/SSD for bad secctor. Also scan Windows for corrupt files.

What antivirus are you using?

Discord overlay is set to off and I've even reproduced the crash without it running. To be sure I looked up the discord overlay hotkey and nothing appears, I also haven't seen it in the processes. The same goes for GeForce Experience, it tells me overlays are off, the hotkey doesn't do anything in game, and I can reproduce the crash with it off.

I scanned both drives that the game accesses for failures and Windows reports that they are all clear.

I believe the only antivirus I have is Windows Defender. I perform virus scans with Spybot S&D and Malwarebytes, but both are freeware versions that don't have the antivirus components. I couldn't find an exceptions list for Windows Defender except for relating to networking and Payday 2 is allowed and has two instances for some reason, both allowed.

andole původně napsal:

Kristi původně napsal:

gameoverlayrenderer (???) OverlayHookD3D3

You are using some sort of software that adds an overlay to the game. Find and disable that software and, if you still crash after that, post the new crashlog that does not contain this line I quoted.

I have no known software from the compatibility issues running. I just performed two tests with steam overlay disabled as well as Discord and Geforce being completely off. The first crash produced the same error log and the second crash crashed the computer into a restart and didn't produce a log.

Sat Aug 20 16:06:41 2022


Application has crashed: access violation

-------------------------------

Callstack:

         payday2_win32_release  (???)     ???                                                 
         payday2_win32_release  (???)     ???                                                 
                          d3d9  (???)     ???                                                 
         payday2_win32_release  (???)     ???                                                 
           gameoverlayrenderer  (???)     OverlayHookD3D3                                     


-------------------------------

Current thread: Renderer

-------------------------------

System information:
	Application version : 1.127.120
	CPU : Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-9700K CPU @ 3.60GHz (4 cores); SSE; SSE2; SSE3; SSSE3; SSE4.1; SSE4.2
	DirectX : 12.0 
	GPU : NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 / nvldumd.dll[31.0.15.1694]
	Language : english
	Memory :     32682MB 28KB
	OS : 6.1.7600 () 0x100-0x1 (64 bits)
	Physics : threaded
	Renderer : DX9 threaded
	Sound : Realtek Semiconductor Corp. (Speakers (Realtek(R) Audio))

I am going to write down all running processes before launching the game and afterwards to see if I can find whatever this overlay is that way and will post the results after that's done.

[Kristi]

The results of comparing processes before and after launching the game found me these processes:

• Gamebar Presence Writer
  
• Microsoft Network Realtime Inspection Service
  Microsoft Defender Antivirus Service
  
• Video Application (2)
  Runtime Broker
  Video Application
  
• Service Host: UdkUserSvc_814e8
  
• Service Host: Xbox Live Auth Manager
  
• Service Host: GraphicsPerfSvc

These all pop up when I run the game.

Interestingly I found a Spybot S&D process running so I disabled that and made sure it was off to test again and this time the crash led to a bluescreen DPC watchdog violation error crash from the game hanging all processes for too long.

[Kristi]

An update: I did try closing all of those processes when in game before selecting a test contract. Went and stood in the crash area and got the same results of screen artifacting, crash, and then the same exact crash log error.

[iamidle]

Spybot and Malwarebtye are known to suck the living daylight out of Windows resources. Might not be related, but won't hurt to shut it down and try your test again.

[Kristi]

I most definitely had them off on recent tests. Running the task manager at the same time to make sure nothing pops up. If I shut down spybot, microsoft defender comes in and I've made exceptions for both directories in microsoft defender. Unfortunately it's still crashing and I can't image what overlay is causing the issue, I'm unable to find any I recognize in the processes.

[Kristi]

I have uninstalled anything that could be remotely called an antivirus program or cleaner. I have made sure Discord and Geforce Experience are completely off. I have disabled the Steam overlay. I have removed all mods and modding support. I'm running the game in a lower resolution and lower settings. The game is currently verified with fresh graphic drivers. And yet I can still easily perform this crash over and over by opening up Brooklyn Bank and standing in a certain area.

I'm completely at a loss as how to fix this. At this point I'm desperate enough that I've also been trying to zap random running processes one by one and I can still make it crash in the same way.

Sun Aug 21 21:40:38 2022


Application has crashed: access violation

-------------------------------

Callstack:

         payday2_win32_release  (???)     ???                                                 
         payday2_win32_release  (???)     ???                                                 
                          d3d9  (???)     ???                                                 
         payday2_win32_release  (???)     ???                                                 
           gameoverlayrenderer  (???)     OverlayHookD3D3                                     


-------------------------------

Current thread: Renderer

-------------------------------

System information:
	Application version : 1.127.120
	CPU : Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-9700K CPU @ 3.60GHz (4 cores); SSE; SSE2; SSE3; SSSE3; SSE4.1; SSE4.2
	DirectX : 12.0 
	GPU : NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 / nvldumd.dll[31.0.15.1694]
	Language : english
	Memory :     32682MB 28KB
	OS : 6.1.7600 () 0x100-0x1 (64 bits)
	Physics : threaded
	Renderer : DX9 threaded
	Sound : Realtek Semiconductor Corp. (Speakers (Realtek(R) Audio))

[Dom]

Do you have RTSS ?

[Kristi]

Yes I did have RTSS, but have already tried uninstalling it as part of the many fixes I've stumbled across. I just checked again to see if it popped back up, but it's still uninstalled. Unfortunately I can still reproduce the problem.

Another update is that I just finished running the windows memory diagnostic and a gpu stress test and they both came up clean in addition to the drives being fine.

[Kristi]

I just managed to capture a quick visual of what it looks like. Maybe that will help in some way:

https://i.gyazo.com/05c19025fc7400e29931a957e346f99a.mp4

During this recording:

• Nvida Geforce Experience was completely uninstalled and replaced with fresh Nvidia drivers without Geforce Experience
  
• Discord was not running
  
• Payday 2 was running as admin in Windows 7 compatibility mode
  
• Steam overlay was off
  
• Absolutely no mods
  
• Steam was running as admin
  
• Payday 2 completely validated
  
• Tried this configuration before using something to record and still got the same results

Another thing to note is this isn't an all the time thing, this is triggered in certain levels and in certain areas of those levels.

In the example recording I used Brooklyn Bank, I can wander around the outside of the building just fine, but if I enter the lobby, especially the left side, the artifacting starts followed by a crash unless I leave as quickly as possible.

This is the crash log right after I took that recording:

Mon Aug 22 07:34:43 2022


Application has crashed: access violation

-------------------------------

Callstack:

         payday2_win32_release  (???)     ???                                                 
         payday2_win32_release  (???)     ???                                                 
                          d3d9  (???)     ???                                                 
         payday2_win32_release  (???)     ???                                                 
           gameoverlayrenderer  (???)     OverlayHookD3D3                                     


-------------------------------

Current thread: Renderer

-------------------------------

System information:
	Application version : 1.127.120
	CPU : Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-9700K CPU @ 3.60GHz (4 cores); SSE; SSE2; SSE3; SSSE3; SSE4.1; SSE4.2
	DirectX : 12.0 
	GPU : NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 / nvldumd.dll[30.0.15.1215]
	Language : english
	Memory :     32682MB 28KB
	OS : 6.1.7600 () 0x100-0x1 (64 bits)
	Physics : threaded
	Renderer : DX9 threaded
	Sound : Realtek Semiconductor Corp. (Speakers (Realtek(R) Audio))

I had just grabbed the two most recent bundles that were new to me and have been very eager to play them, but it turns out that the first contract new to me since I last played (Border Crossing) has this same error and I haven't been able to enjoy any of the new content without fear of these randomly distributed crash zones. So I've been researching and trying to find some way to fix this for days while burning a lot of that sweet offshore cash to test these problem contracts.

These suggestions are appreciated, maybe we'll get down to the cause soon.

[iamidle]

Not sure if you're up to it. I have googled around and that error seem to related to Steam. Maybe a Steam uninstall. Also a complete uninstall of nVidia using DDU and reinstall using an older version (maybe a couple version back). When reinstall, do a custom and uncheck GeForce Experience.

Do your computer have two video card, Dedicated (nVidia) and Integrated (Intel). If so, force the game to use the Integrated video and see what happen.

[iamidle]

iamidle původně napsal:

Not sure if you're up to it. I have googled around and that error seem to related to Steam. Maybe a Steam uninstall. Also a complete uninstall of nVidia using DDU and reinstall using an older version (maybe a couple version back). When reinstall, do a custom and uncheck GeForce Experience.

Do your computer have two video card, Dedicated (nVidia) and Integrated (Intel). If so, force the game to use the Integrated video and see what happen.

edit: Might also consider trying with a new save. Backup your save files and disable cloud save. Start with a fresh one. Just a thought.

[Kristi]

I will try the re-installations of those. Starting completely over with a new save at 1,500+ hours would be horrible, hopefully that's not the only way for a long time heister to be able to continue!

[NewPJzuza]

I'd think of the worst way possible as the GPU is starting to be broken either the chipset of its gpu or the vram. Since it's not reproducible, so it's likely a hardware issue. If you manage to have a spare gpu, you may try using it to test your issue.