Game Keeps Crashing

[conorbrod]

My game keeps crashing and I'm not sure why. I am not great with computers but I recently bought a Dell Inspiron 16 7620 and from what i can read online the laptop should be able to handle Medieval 2 but it keeps crashing on me after 10 - 15 mins each time.

My graphics cards are in date, I don't play with the steam overlay (a friend said this might be the issue) . The game loads in seconds and runs smoothly but then crashes every single time and I'm not sure why. Just bought the game from steam less than a month ago.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[HazardHawk]

Step 1, settings, display, dig in and find Medival 2 in the listed installed games and set to high performance video. Did not look up your laptop specifically, but thank you for the model number as that is helpful.

If Nvidia graphics, uninstall GeForce Experience, reboot, open the Nvidia Control panel, 3d settings, the opening tab is global, go to the other tab for specific games, find medieval 2 and set here as well to use Nvidia. (Honestly, on my laptop, I set globally just to use the Nvidia but I do it in registry).

Why are you uninstalling Geforce experience? It has an internal hook which overrides whatever settings you attempt to make when it thinks it knows better which it doesnt usually have a clue! Then it not having a clue could simply be confusion from some games having the same embedded hooks with different descriptions and they conflict.

Next, right click in games list, manage > Browse into game files. Go to the Medival 2 exe file, right click, select properties, go to compatibility tab, set to run as XP and as well tick the box next to disabled fullscreen optimizations (game doesnt have xbox features to optimize), at the bottom, click DPI, set to application controlled. Now click apply then ok as needed to clear back out of all of this and try again.

JUST as a note, the preferences file is also in the main game folder. It opens with notepad and you should as well check to make sure both campaign and battle match your native screen resolution you are using.

[conorbrod]

thanks for the detailed response I just tried all these things and it still seems to crash. Like the laptop gets really loud trying to cool down just before it crashes I don't know if that just means the laptop ain't up to scratch. I'm devastated because I used to love playing this game

[Inardesco]

Are you playing while the laptop is on power and does your laptop have sufficient cooling? It becoming really loud sounds like its overheating.

[HazardHawk]

Originally posted by conorbrod:

thanks for the detailed response I just tried all these things and it still seems to crash. Like the laptop gets really loud trying to cool down just before it crashes I don't know if that just means the laptop ain't up to scratch. I'm devastated because I used to love playing this game

Cooling issues of a laptop are common. Always maintain a can of air and before starting up, do a quick blow out of 2-3 seconds. Exhaust first then intake.

When attempting to play, find a way to add secure spacers underneath which do not block air flow.

DO NOT push active air in for cooling, but you can add extra exhaust pull to pull air through faster. It is not difficult to create a flow pull by adding an extension to the exhaust sealed against leak and going to a pull fan externally which plugs into USB or if a 12 volt fan, off a UPS battery backup system battery.

Also, laptops not specifically made for gaming have very cheap and ill applied heat sync glue usually. If you have never opened a laptop, I recommend someone like the Geek Squad at Best Buy. Have the laptop opened and all the heat sync glue refreshed with quality and actually covering the chip fully heat sync paste/glue. If it is affordable and an available option, have them change the processor fan motor with a faster one.

Also, throwing together an inexpensive gaming computer and loading it up is not that difficult. Even taking a year to collect parts, once you have the base system then parts can be improved. NOT that you absolutely need a computer, but gaming tends to be an all around better experience on a computer than a laptop. If you ever want to learn how to balance build your own for performance and durability, just come find me. Just please be patient and understand I am up as often as possible, but right now I am 70% bedridden. Helping others actually helps me have something meaningful in life to do.