Source games freeze and crash system, please help

[KosmicznaCebula]

I am not tech savvy and I have quite a problem with this.
Also, forgive me any mistakes, I am not a native English speaker.

I have a 2-years-old Dell Inspiron 7520 with Win7 (and I have no idea which specs I should post so I'm just gonna leave it like that). It seems to have problem with Source Engine – games tend to freeze and sometimes even give me the bluescreen. I didn't have such problems with any other game or program.
I tried searching for some solutions but as I said before – I don't know much about computers so I didn't understand most of them and was afraid to try them, fearing that I might break somthing.

Some more specific info:

• Problem intensity differs depending on a day. Just like if it was having „good days” and „bad days” I am sometimes able to play without any problems but some days games freeze immediately (regardless of game, level, graphic options etc.).
  
• After forcing the game to close from WinManager I would often get an info that screen drivers regained ability to work after an error (I don't remember what it says exactely, I haven't seen it lately).
  
• Games seem to freeze without any reason, although sometimes it might be because of things like lots of flying particles, higher than usual number of moving objects (such as enemies) or water (I think that one happened only in the Black Mesa mod).
  
• The problem got weaker after I set „-dxlevel 81” in launch options. Someone suggested turning multicore rendering off, but it didn't seem to make any difference.
  
• Problem seems to get worse with time (e.g. Black Mesa would run with some problems but now there is a couple of white lines going arcoss the screen and the game freezes and crashes the system immediately after I start playing it; Portal used to work but now it crashes immediately)

Also, problems are different depending on a game:

• Black Mesa mod used to freeze and give me bluescreens a lot and now it nearly doesn't work at all
  
• HL2 and episodes run quite fine, sporadically freezing; I have to force it to shut down
  
• Portal used to run with a lot of freezing, now it's as bad as BM (minus the white lines)
  
• TF2 and Portal 2 run quite fine, sporadically freezing; it shuts down by itself and shows the message that the game stopped running
  
• L4D2 runs quite fine, although because of freezing I am rarely able to finish the campaign
  
• Source Filmmaker crashes easily

I would ignore all of that as I used to do for a year, but as I said – it seems to be getting worse. Also, yesterday I turned SFM on, started doing something else, I just let it be there completely idle and after some time SFM just crashed the system out of nowhere. Enough is enough.

If someone had this problem and managed to fix it or just knows how to fix it – please, help.

DxDiag info:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/dvdiewenaag9qf7/DxDiag.txt?dl=0

[Knappy]

BlueScreenView[www.nirsoft.net] to locate what causes the BSOD.

Post your DXDIAG report to cross reference drivers.

Assuming I have the correct model you may want to run the Dell Diagnostics[www.dell.com] to check for updates and drivers.

When dealing with windows, especially laptops it's common to format the system every so often to purge the registry of corruption. As long as you have access to high speed unlimited data I don't see formatting as an issue as long as you backup your critical data (documents, music, pics) as it does degrade the life of a hard drive. However, when re-installing Windows or formatting all the previous files are moved into a windows.old folder with all your personal files, so you wouldn't need to backup but as I said should the drive fail while you are in the process of formatting then you're screwed.

Until I can view the DXDIAG I can’t cross-reference drivers or run benchmarks to see if your system can even handle these games (it should).

[KosmicznaCebula]

Posted my DxDiag in the topic.

I know I should format my system (and I'll do it soon but now I need some work done on it and I don't want to accidentally screw something up moments before deadline). Hovewer, I never considered it to be the cause of said problems, since they started when the system was rather "fresh" (few months or so).

Dell Diagnostics: all passed.

BluescreenView:
I decided to run Black Mesa and Portal because I was sure those will cause BSOD.
running Black Mesa resulted in instant bluescreen:
==================================================
Dump File : 090414-15022-01.dmp
Crash Time : 2014-09-04 13:10:47
Bug Check String :
Bug Check Code : 0x00000116
Parameter 1 : fffffa80`084c5290
Parameter 2 : fffff880`07accaf4
Parameter 3 : 00000000`00000000
Parameter 4 : 00000000`00000002
Caused By Driver : dxgkrnl.sys
Caused By Address : dxgkrnl.sys+5d134
File Description :
Product Name :
Company :
File Version :
Processor : x64
Crash Address : ntoskrnl.exe+75bc0
Stack Address 1 :
Stack Address 2 :
Stack Address 3 :
Computer Name :
Full Path : C:\Windows\Minidump\090414-15022-01.dmp
Processors Count : 8
Major Version : 15
Minor Version : 7601
Dump File Size : 465 080
Dump File Time : 2014-09-04 13:11:43
==================================================

Portal crashed when the level was loaded but there seems to be no record of it. I tried again with the same result.
Later today I'll try to ge what happened two days ago (SFM crashing when running idle).

[Knappy]

Originally posted by idestond:

Posted my DxDiag in the topic.

No, you should have a wall post containing more information than driver names, dates and versions. Please post the entire DXDIAG here or to Google Docs/Dropbox/MediaFire so we can check the other resources used.

Edit: After review of the dxgkrnl[lmgtfy.com] error it's vague what the issue could be. I see GPU, MOBO and PSU thus far as the culprits.

[KosmicznaCebula]

I'm sorry, I followed that EA site, it said that was the most important info. Here's the entire thing:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/dvdiewenaag9qf7/DxDiag.txt?dl=0

[Knappy]

Dxdiag looks up to par, I would format if I were you. Just backup the most critical data to an online host/hard media in case the hard drive fails during the process. Data recovery is not a quick process...

Win 7 HPx64 @ i7-3612QM CPU @ 2.10GHz (8 CPUs), ~2.1GHz? May want to consider Ultimatex64

[Lexlor]

www.whocrashedme.com

[Knappy]

Originally posted by Lexlor:

www.whocrashedme.com

No need to link sub-par software that has already been provided[www.nirsoft.net]

[priscillawelch32]

when it comes to pc im ur man i'm a roast bast me plus put the setting of video down to the lowest setting it'll fly like mad mine will do that too if i dont and my pixel shader is 6.2

[nicolopra]

I have A similar error BuT IT IS REALLY FRUSTRATING. EVERY SINGLE TIME I PLAY ZOMBIES IN ANY MAP, LIKE AFTER 30 MINUTES I INSTANTLY GET DISCONECTED AND A THIN COMES UP AND SAYS I HAVE BEEN DISCONECTED FROM THE COD BO2 SERVER.


IF ANY BODY KNOWS HOW TO FIX THIS THEN PLEASE!!!! PLEASE!!!! PLEAASEE!!!! HELP ME!! I WILL DO ANY THING IN GAME FOR ANY BODY WHO GIVES ME THE CORRECT SOLUTION!!!!!!!!!!

[priscillawelch32]

are you using ethernet? if you are you may want to go but you another internal ethernet card, there really cheap around 10 to 20 bucks it's a lot but not hard to put in thats a beginning or call your isp and tell them your modem could be going out too but my expertice with a dell is that ethernet cards in a dell are junk and go out if you dont turn off the pc no power save turn it off thats bad. ethernet cards are simle too installl come with a cd and instutions even a child can put one in really ultra simple don't ask how i know just go to wallmart or a pc repair place buy a NEW one never buy used cards! just make sure you pull that black plug out of the back of the mainbrain and wait for green light on motherboard to go out! do not touch it otherwise! just to be safe unplug all from the back of ypur desktop! install card in the white slot after you use the cd not before any of those slots will work so it dont matter which one try that first then if it fails call isp that would mean your modem the box with internet to pc the black box for ethernet get them to check it they have ways!

[Knappy]

Please don't ninja threads, make your own...

Edit: I highly dowbt the eastbridge or ether is the problem. This sounds more like an isp issue but without specs or any pc information it could be anything.

Don't go blowing money on a PCI-Ether until you do a POE. It could be the Cat line running in & also a waste of slot pace.

Make a NEW thread with a DXDIAG report and someone will help.