Warframe crashes my entire system shortly after booting

[DarthK3v]

The title gives you the idea, so now for some background. At first, the crash would only happen if I walked down the ramp to the rest of the orbiter immediately after logging in. Specifically when I reached the middle of the ramp, my computer would shut off and boot back up again. Recently however, the issue has become more frequent and occurring at random points, but always only shortly after logging in. Sometimes it will crash before I can login. Once I didn't even get to see the login screen as it crashed during the opening loading screen. Tonight I managed to log in, but while I was just standing there looking out the viewport of my landing craft, doing literally nothing, it crashed again.

I've noticed that so long as the crash doesn't happen right after logging in, I can play as long as I like with no issues. It seems to only have a chance of occurring immediately after logging in, or during the initial loading process. When it happens is sporadic with no pattern I've noticed. I've looked over the possible fixes suggested in the pinned thread.  I've updated my video drivers, I have full virus detection, my OS is completely up to date (for Windows 7 that is), I've tested for missing/corrupt system files, my hard drives passed with no issues, I've done a GPU stress test with no issues, and my memory likewise shows nothing wrong. I've even uninstalled/reinstalled Warframe, but the issue persists.

I think I can also rule out temperature and my power supply being the issue. Temperature on account it only happens shortly after loading Warframe, even if my computer was asleep directly prior to doing so and therefore is at an idle temperature, as well as the fact that I can play other resource-intensive games (Stellaris and BattleTech, to name a few) with no issues. Similar reasoning for my power supply. Again, this issue never happens while I'm actually playing Warframe, only while attempting to or shortly after logging in.

Granted, seeing as this does not appear to be a wide-spread problem among many players, and even my wife playing on her computer has no problems, I am forced to admit the issue must be with my computer at least in part. But I also cannot ignore the fact it only happens in Warframe and only at a point when it should not be having issues. I'm just at a loss to find out what exactly is going wrong.

System specs:

• CPU: Intel Core i7-5930K at 3.5GHz\
• RAM: 16GB
• OS: Windows 7 64-bit
• GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 970, system version 441.12

If I've forgotten to list something which might help diagnose the problem, let me know and I'll add it to this list.

Edited November 14, 2019 by DarthK3v
Added bullet list

[sam686]

7 hours ago, DarthK3v said:

my computer would shut off and boot back up again.

An internet search... https://www.google.com/search?q=computer+power+cycle+when+running+games

Most of others having the power cycling problem points to a PSU failing when a different PSU worked for them, or unstable electricity power like brownout or power flicker.

Try using both CPU stress like Prime95, and GPU stress like Furmark, both at the same time. This will put the PSU to the test.

[maumastoks]

No, this problem isn't with PSU. This crash appeared with current 26.0.7 update. I have the same problem and my PSU is definitely powerful enough to handle my system's needs. I'm a computer engineer.

It affects only a limited amount of players but judging from bug reports on this forum (most likely many people didn't report it at all), I'd say it still does affect quite a significant portion of system set ups. I don't know what exactly causes the issue and unfortunately bug reports cannot be submitted with error log dumps as the entire system, not just the game itself, crashes.
But 26.0.6 was definitely stable, so checking the code changes would help in indicating the cause of the problem

Edited November 15, 2019 by maumastoks

[maumastoks]

Still exists in 26.0.8
I have a guess it has something to do with graphics drivers, even though they're updated to latest. Likely some command gets sent and a fatal uncaught exception. Basically the system crashes instantly, like pressing the restart button on the machine.

Edited November 20, 2019 by maumastoks

[DarthK3v]

Oddly enough, the very next time I booted Warframe after making this post, all my graphics settings were reset. Even my login window showed a generic Excalibur instead of my currently active 'Frame and default color scheme for the background. My keybindings were not reset, however. One of the more noticeable changes was the switch from my chosen setting of borderless window to fullscreen. Since then I've logged into Warframe seven separate times with no instance of the bug occurring.

My paranoia tells me someone at DE read this, knew what the problem was, and quietly reset my graphics settings to 'fix' the issue. However I am aware just how unlikely that is. I'm also not yet content to say it really is fixed until I can manage to go several more logins without any problems. I'll keep everyone posted on my progress.

maumastoks, if you are also running Warframe in borderless window, could you please try switching to fullscreen and see if that fixes it on your end as well? If we can get the same fix to work for more than one person, then we can get closer to the actual source of the issue. While I am tolerating fullscreen for now, I would actually prefer to go back to borderless window for the faster startup times and quicker Alt+Tab functions when I need to quickly check the wiki.

[xDangerCatx]

I've had something like your last post happen last night.  I was running the final sortie and my computer hard locked.  The screen froze and the sound sample was stuck in a buzzing noise, so I had to press the power button to restart.  When I logged in to rejoin my friend and restart the sortie, Excalibur was there to greet me at the log in screen.  I didn't notice my UI was reset until I actually got into the mission and my icons were tiny.  (I play with them as close to the default they used to be before you did the UI change)

It was the oddest thing and only the second time or so I've had a hard lock on Warframe, all in the last few weeks.  The only other game I've experienced the lock with is occasionally in FF14.  I scanned my drive for errors, updated windows but I haven't updated my GPU drivers.  I tend to leave those alone until I need to update them for a new game.  Not sure what would cause the crash, let alone why the crash would reset the UI settings.

[maumastoks]

I always am running in fullscreen. And for me it crashed mid-mission (defection sortie) - logging in, modding warframe, choosing weapons, running half of the mission, as always, was smooth. Then it's crashed. Was running on Medium 1080p DX11 this time.

[DarthK3v]

Well, I managed to go a little over a week without issue, but it just popped up again this morning, crashing during the loading screen before even reaching login.

Would be nice if someone from DE could shed some light on this. Without a crash log, is there even a way to submit this as a bug besides on the forums?

[sam686]

15 hours ago, DarthK3v said:

Well, I managed to go a little over a week without issue, but it just popped up again this morning, crashing during the loading screen before even reaching login.

Problem stop for weeks, and returns on updates. I am guessing the problem will happen again with shader cache deleted from C:\ProgramData\NVIDIA Corporation\NV_Cache, or shader cache turned off in NVidia control panel. This might be high CPU usage instability. More about Warframe's high CPU usage and shader cache: https://forums.warframe.com/topic/1088029-massive-cpu-useage/

This reset crash problem is likely any of these: Motherboard, CPU, VRM (voltage regulator module) built into motherboard, PSU. What motherboard you using? Some motherboard settings might fix it. Some moetherboard settings like CPU clocks, turbo boost settings, or CPU voltage offset, might fix it.

My old intel i7-2600 on Asus P8H77-M CSM need CPU voltage offset +0.02 to be fully stable, no errors on Prime95.

[xDangerCatx]

I can add that when I went down to complete the orb vallis part of the nightwave missions(Which I couldn't do anyways, thanks coildrives), ALL the npcs in fortuna and out on the vallis were talking to me like I had just completed the tutorial there.  The Business gave his little speech about how he would have to set Legs up with a new body since he owed him, etc etc.  My actual maxed progress was still there, but they just treated me like I was new, including their little spoiler mode when you have their rep maxed out.

Really weird bug this is.  No idea why it reset so many things with the game.

[DarthK3v]

8 hours ago, sam686 said:

This reset crash problem is likely any of these: Motherboard, CPU, VRM (voltage regulator module) built into motherboard, PSU. What motherboard you using? Some motherboard settings might fix it. Some moetherboard settings like CPU clocks, turbo boost settings, or CPU voltage offset, might fix it.

I'm using an Asus X99-A motherboard. I'll be honest, while I did build this computer, it's the first one I ever built and I'm still new to most of the deeper settings. But I'll see if I can figure out how to access voltage offset and make adjustments.

[DarthK3v]

And it happened again this morning. Except this time I noticed my backup battery made some noises like it was switching off power. I suspect an upgrade is needed, and that my computer is simply too power-hungry for my very old backup. That being said, no other game I have causes power spikes, so it might also just be that Warframe is sucking up more power than my backup can provide.

[GenteelFish]

Honestly, I've been seriously chasing this problem for the past month myself. I've gotten together some ee.log information that points to a DX11 rendering issue hanging threads in the GPU. I'm at work now, but I'll post the snippet of the log when I get back. It used to only crash the gameplay loop, leaving a transparent window open with looped sound. It's now (after the latest hotfixes and a tdr wait time adjustment) hard-crashing into the warframe hardware issues popup.

It's even worse in Unreal Engine 4 games, but flicking the physical dual BIOS switch on my Sapphire Radeon 590x nitro+ SE into "silent" (non-factory-overclocked) mode seems to have stabilized out the system a little and will continue experimenting with underclocking as a band-aid.

 

To note, things I have tried to date:

• Unparked CPU cores
• Tried a handful of different driver versions (DDU'd each time) (19.9.2, 19.5.x, current optional AMD) and might try 18.12.1.1 later tonight
• confirmed Windows was completely updated to latest (1903) edition using system settings
• installed optional 6-pin PCIe power in case it was a power throttling issue

I don't *want* to refresh/clean install windows but I might this weekend if my handful of other options don't pan out. It'll help clear out the useless lenovo bloatware & drivers at least from the repurposed SSD my OS is on.

[DarthK3v]

And it's happened twice in a row just now. First right after getting past the initial loading screen and crashed while at the login screen. Second time was mid-mission only a few moments after loading into Orb Vallis. This was the first time it happened to me while in a mission too.

I'm at the point where I don't feel comfortable risking trying to play anymore. Partly for fear of damaging my computer, and partly because it now seems I can lose mission progress when it never happened during gameplay before. I'll try again when my new backup battery arrives to see if my old one is causing the issue, but considering other people have encountered the same issue with different setups, I'm not holding my breath.

[sam686]

On 2019-11-27 at 11:26 AM, DarthK3v said:

And it happened again this morning. Except this time I noticed my backup battery made some noises like it was switching off power.

2 hours ago, DarthK3v said:

And it's happened twice in a row just now.

Maybe just plug directly to power outlet and bypass or unplug that backup battery unit?

Computer automatically turning on by itself is an option for some motherboard power settings. "Restore after AC power loss" or similar power options. This may make it look like a reset. The computer may still be receiving  unstable electricity if the battery backup cannot handle it.

 

In United States, I use Power Saving Back-UPS XS 1500, BX1500G, with 865 watts limit. I run 3 computers through it and for me, have easily handled it for more then 4 years, I recently got a new battery as the old battery went bad with warning alarm. What is your battery backup model? If battery is older then 5 years, maybe it might need a new battery to stay on?

[DarthK3v]

I'm fairly certain it's well over five years old. I've had it for at least that long, and it was on clearance when I bought it, so it may have been on the shelf a good while longer. It doesn't even have a voltage display, which is part of why I ordered a brand new unit rather than a new battery for the existing unit. I'm not even sure anymore what it's max voltage is as I seem to have lost the manual and I don't see it printed anywhere on the casing.

As for plugging my computer directly into a wall socket, I'll see if I can try that when I have more time. Need to leave for work in a bit, but maybe when I get home. But again, even if the power is at fault, this only happens in Warframe, so it's still partly on Warframe for forcing unstable power requirements on my computer.

[DarthK3v]

Alright, so my new backup arrived yesterday, and this one has a display telling me how much power I'm using. My computer averages around 260 watts while playing Warframe, and sometimes briefly peaks above that during loading or intense activity. My new backup can support up to 600 watts. My old unit only went up to 450 watts, and that's assuming it hasn't declined with age. I need to do more testing to be sure, but I think this might be the source of the issue. Warframe seems to cause random power spikes which were simply too much for my old backup to handle, forcing a temporary loss of power. Or so my current theory goes. We'll see after a week or two of regular logins if the problem happens again or not.

[DarthK3v]

Well, it's been a week now of regular logins at least once every day, and the issue has not occurred with my new backup. I'm about 90% sure now the old backup was responsible. I will report back in another week.

Also, I really hope someone in DE is reading this. The fact remains that this issue only ever occurred in Warframe, meaning it's causing odd power spikes at times. Even Jedi Fallen Order, which caused my computer to use up about 40 watts more than Warframe, never had this issue and never spiked. While this was an easy fix (so far) for myself, not everyone can afford shelling out $200 for a brand new device all for the benefit of a single game. This kind of issue could hurt player retention in the long run. Unfortunately, I don't know nearly enough about coding to offer any prediction on where the issue might be.

I also know DE already has their hands full with various issues, so I'm not expecting an immediate response to this or even a "hi, yes, we're aware of this problem and are working on it." I just hope someone has seen this, made note of it, and that they'll get to it at some point. If I had a better way of submitting this as a bug, I'd do it just to bring it to their attention at the very least.

[DarthK3v]

Issue is not resolved. Warframe has crashed my system twice in the past 24 hours from this post. Clearly my old battery backup wasn't wholly at fault, since this new backup has a wattage capacity far and above what my computer uses.

I'm at a loss.

Edited December 25, 2019 by DarthK3v
Typos

[StrangeSky]

Hi, I believe im now having the same problem. After logging into warframe my pc shutdown and i have to turn off the power supply and then turn it back on to start my pc again. For some reason warframe causes my pc to trigger my power supplies over current protection. I know this is not a hard ware issue because warframe is the only thing that causes this behavior, I've run multiple stress test on my pc and every thing is normal and I'm able to recreate this problem consistently every time I log into warframe. I've done everything to try to fix this including doing a fresh install of warframe. For me this issue started right after this recent patch Nights of Naberus: Hotfix 30.8.3. 

[cambridge91]

On 2021-10-21 at 11:53 AM, StrangeSky said:

After logging into warframe my pc shutdown and i have to turn off the power supply and then turn it back on to start my pc again.

I know this is not a hard ware issue because warframe is the only thing that causes this behavior.

For me this issue started right after this recent patch Nights of Naberus: Hotfix 30.8.3. 

I am in a similar position, although I had to use the power supply only because I had fast boot enabled and was having issues rebooting. Now with it disabled I am experiencing unexpected shutdowns followed by automatic reboots. Warframe is the only thing that I have found to cause this behaviour and it started after the most recent patch. I have raised a ticket, will try to come back and post should anything come of it.

[StrangeSky]

Hello, updating my earlier post, for me the latest amd adrenaline drivers (21.10.2) seem to fixed the problem. I've been able to play since the update without any issues. If you are using an amd gpu I hope the latest amd drivers fix the issue for you.