You say there is a multicore rendering option in game? perhaps start by turning it off.
I tried this to no effect. The game played worse and still crashed just as quickly.
Or/and try to run the game on a single core. (alt-ctrl-del / task manager / process / right-click, set affinity.)
Ditto.
check if your sound card did not got installed twice. Sound impossible, but i saw it happen once, and it produced freeze and sound loop.
Just once . . . there are three DxDiag tabs because it's an onboard device with three separate output formats, but all that's just one "card."
It could be a power supply or overheat problem
The power supply is only a year old, and delivers 650W continuous, which should be more than enough for this hardware. The box itself is nearly empty – very spacious, with just about no card or cable clutter – and has five fans.
Still, if you have the time, you may perhaps try downloading a benchmark program and stress-testing the stability of your Graphic card under heavy load. Just in case the l4d2 demo is asking too much from your system and push it pass its limit. Wich is unlikely, your hardware is recent enough.
I might do that. The thing that bugs me is this: Left 4 Dead ran flawlessly at the highest settings since late last year. We're talking 11 months of regular play on the exact same hardware. Suddenly, just over two weeks ago, it starts crashing. I think the L4D2 demo release is a red herring, to be honest . . . whatever its demands are, the original L4D should still be okay.
no subject
I tried this to no effect. The game played worse and still crashed just as quickly.
Or/and try to run the game on a single core. (alt-ctrl-del / task manager / process / right-click, set affinity.)
Ditto.
check if your sound card did not got installed twice. Sound impossible, but i saw it happen once, and it produced freeze and sound loop.
Just once . . . there are three DxDiag tabs because it's an onboard device with three separate output formats, but all that's just one "card."
It could be a power supply or overheat problem
The power supply is only a year old, and delivers 650W continuous, which should be more than enough for this hardware. The box itself is nearly empty – very spacious, with just about no card or cable clutter – and has five fans.
Still, if you have the time, you may perhaps try downloading a benchmark program and stress-testing the stability of your Graphic card under heavy load. Just in case the l4d2 demo is asking too much from your system and push it pass its limit. Wich is unlikely, your hardware is recent enough.
I might do that. The thing that bugs me is this: Left 4 Dead ran flawlessly at the highest settings since late last year. We're talking 11 months of regular play on the exact same hardware. Suddenly, just over two weeks ago, it starts crashing. I think the L4D2 demo release is a red herring, to be honest . . . whatever its demands are, the original L4D should still be okay.
Thanks for the thoughts.