Victoria 3 attempts to use non-primary screen

[LiberiusX]

My current setup is an MSI laptop with an RTX 3070 and an i9 - 12900. I currently have an MSI 32" 4k monitor as my primary screen. The integrated laptop screen is disabled in the display settings.

You have helped me resolve some bluescreen and crash issues over the past few weeks, and that is much appreciated. One of the issues I was having about a month ago was Victoria 3 trying to migrate from my 32" primary monitor to the native laptop screen. i.e. the 4K monitor will randomly go black, I can see laptop screen come on for a split second and then turn off, and the 4k will turn back on. Each cycle takes about 15 seconds.

Here are some clues: With previous problems I played with some settings to improve frame rate. Through the course of that, this migration problem went away. Then I started experiencing crashes and blue screens after the windows update on Feb 25th. So, I did a system restore and did a fresh installation of Victoria 3. Now the game tries to migrate every 2-5 minutes again.

Victoria 3 is the only game I've played in the past month that has this issue. Warno, Warthunder, Starbound, Total War: Warhammer 3, Armored Core 6, and Titan Quest are games that I've tested with no issue.

I've done everything I know to do. My drivers are up to date. Flashed my BIOS. etc. I've also tried different HDMI cables and bought some brand new ones.

Is there a graphics setting in Victoria 3 that could be causing this? This monitor uses HDR.

Is there a launch option i can use to force Victoria to ignore the integrated screen?

EDIT: Also went into device manager, and disabled the integrated screen and I'm still experiencing the above.

 

[AndrewT]

None of those other games are very similar to this, but if you have CK3 or Imperator, they would be a good test.

Does this happen whether you are in fullScreen or Windowed display mode?

 

[LiberiusX]

OK, I ran Imperator for about an hour on highest setting preset. No problems.

I then ran CK3 on High settings preset. The game ran for about 10 minutes and then started doing the same thing as Victoria 3 as mentioned above.

Edit: Full screen mode always.

 

[AndrewT]

So something in your setup is upset about our recent games, or I guess vice versa! Quite what I do not know.

Can i get a new dxdiag.txt please


Please install and run the free utility Speccy. Send its output to a text file and attach that here please.
https://www.ccleaner.com/speccy/download

 

[LiberiusX]

Dxdiag attached. Can't seem to get Speccy.txt to attach here, starts to upload, and then fails. Is there another way for me to transmit the Speccy.txt?

 

[AndrewT]

There's a forum limit on files of IIRC 30mb - but surely the Speccy output is not that large? You could try zipping it up first.

 

[LiberiusX]

Ahhh, good idea, that worked!

 

[AndrewT]

Not that i think it's causing this, but you have two AV apps both enabled:

Antivirus
Norton 360
Antivirus Enabled
Virus Signature Database Up to date
Windows Defender
Antivirus Enabled
Virus Signature Database Up to date

Best to pick one and disable the other.

I notice the Intel(R) Iris(R) Xe Graphics driver is still running - have you re-enabled that perhaps? Might be work checking with Intel for an updated driver to that

Download Intel Drivers and Software

Download new and previously released drivers including support software, bios, utilities, firmware and patches for Intel products.

downloadcenter.intel.com

Given Windows was installed nearly 2 years ago, you have remarkably few Windows Updates shown as installed there. If you run the Windows Update app doesn't find anything to do?

ANd you have a bunch of utilities running there. What if you go into Startup apps, disable everything, and reboot? Any different?

 

[LiberiusX]

OK, here's what i've done today:

1) disabled the intel graphics.
2) installed all intel updates

Also, I don't know how many updates are typical but my windows update shows 50 installations over the past 2.5 years:

The only thing it's wanting to install is 24H2, which made the game unplayable.

I've already disabled a few apps but let me see if there are a few more that can be done away with.

So far, still getting the issue.

 

[AndrewT]

If those ideas don't help, I don't know what could possibly be causing this to you, I am sorry!

 

[LiberiusX]

Did a hard drive wipe and windows reinstall. I think it's a load issue of some sort. Once the issue does start, the issue will repeat every 2-5 minutes as mentioned above.

Before my windows reinstall, it would take 30ish minutes for the game to start acting up. Now I'm able to go 60ish. I notice now, that something is being throttled, because my frame rate drops and stays significantly lower(and the machine performs significantly slower) until I perform a reboot. A reboot, or even a full shut down and start, doesn't reset the problem though, as if I jump back in to a game of Vicky, the problem starts right back up. The only thing that helps is if I take a break for 30-60 minutes.

Any ideas? Temperature? Memory?

 

[AndrewT]

Those symptoms do sound like temperature, I agree. What CPU and GPU temps do you see after, say, 30 minutes' play?

How that relates to your monitor issues I cannot see though.

 

[LiberiusX]

CPU Maxes out around 94C
GPU sits at 82-83C

 

[AndrewT]

CPU Maxes out around 94C
GPU sits at 82-83C

Those are both too high, problems start at ~80c or so in my experience. In particular it is unusual to see the CPU hotter than the GPU.

From your dxdiag the game will not be exceeding 60 fps, is that right? If so there's definitely a cooling problem here.
Clean out all air vents it has (compressed air cans are good for this). Make sure airflow to them is not blocked by anything like walls, books or whatever.
If that doesn't drop the temps enough, you probably have a faulty fan or a heatsink/thermal paste problem. You may need professional help at that point.

 

[LiberiusX]

OK thanks I'll pass this along to my tech guy!

 

[LiberiusX]

another data point to consider:

I bought a laptop cooler. at 2800 RPMs it lowers my GPU peak heat to 55C. Pretty impressive.

The processor still touches 91-92C and then drops 10-20C, and then slowly works its way back up to 90+C and repeating the cycle.

 

[AndrewT]

Wow, that is NOT good! As I mentioned above, you probably have a faulty fan or a heatsink/thermal paste problem on your CPU. You may need professional help at this point.