SOLVED BF3.exe has stopped working

[ebug122]

I'm able to play one round MAYBE part of a second and then my BF3 will lock up and I'll have to Ctrl+Alt+Del into the task manager. At that time I can see a window beside the task manager that says BF3.exe has stopped working.

This has been happening for a couple months now. The frequency of the game crashes have increased ever since the latest patch that included Armored Kill.

Computer specs are in my signature. GPU is a GTX 560 Ti (not OC'd) and the CPU is also not OC'd. My temperatures do not exceed 75C and 65C for GPU and CPU respectively.

Here's what I've tried so far:
-Completely removed/uninstalled BF3.
-Completely removed/uninstalled Origin.
-Re-installed Origin, Installed BF3, updated BF3.
-Disabled cloud sync in Origin.
-Manually updated PunkBuster.
-Removed my video drivers in safe mode with driver sweeper. Re-installed the latest nVIDIA drivers (306.23)
-Rolled back to nVIDIA driver version 301.42
-Ran Memtest for 10.5 hours without error.
-Ran chkdsk.
-Ran sfc (system file checker).
-Windows is up to date.
-Deleted the contents of Documents\Battlefield 3\settings

Here are a few examples of the Event Viewer output:

Faulting application name: bf3.exe, version: 1.4.0.0, time stamp: 0x500530ad
Faulting module name: bf3.exe, version: 1.4.0.0, time stamp: 0x500530ad
Exception code: 0xc0000005
Fault offset: 0x00290dbe
Faulting process id: 0xae0
Faulting application start time: 0x01cd9537d78c56f2
Faulting application path: F:\Program Files\Origin Games\Battlefield 3\bf3.exe
Faulting module path: F:\Program Files\Origin Games\Battlefield 3\bf3.exe
Report Id: 5aa765be-012b-11e2-a5ab-005056c00008

Faulting application name: bf3.exe, version: 1.4.0.0, time stamp: 0x500530ad
Faulting module name: nvwgf2um.dll, version: 8.17.13.142, time stamp: 0x4fb20322
Exception code: 0xc0000005
Fault offset: 0x004eb0aa
Faulting process id: 0x654
Faulting application start time: 0x01cd96b9695f26cd
Faulting application path: F:\Program Files\Origin Games\Battlefield 3\bf3.exe
Faulting module path: C:\Windows\system32\nvwgf2um.dll
Report Id: 9d0046fa-02b5-11e2-abf3-005056c00008

Faulting application name: bf3.exe, version: 1.4.0.0, time stamp: 0x500530ad
Faulting module name: d3d11.dll, version: 6.1.7601.17514, time stamp: 0x4ce7b7b0
Exception code: 0xc0000005
Fault offset: 0x0007051e
Faulting process id: 0x1994
Faulting application start time: 0x01cd9873f4f84cc3
Faulting application path: F:\Program Files\Origin Games\Battlefield 3\bf3.exe
Faulting module path: C:\Windows\system32\d3d11.dll
Report Id: 6fa51bd3-046a-11e2-88d5-005056c00008

The second and third correspond to DLLs related to the nVIDIA drivers. I'm not sure how to address this as I've already wiped out and re-installed the graphics drivers I feel like I've tried everything short of a reformat, which I'd really rather not do. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Janus67]

reinstalled d3d?

Do you have any monitoring software installed (afterburner/etc)? I'd try disabling those as well.

 

[ebug122]

Afterburner/EVGA precision are not running when I play the game.

Not entirely sure how to re-install DirectX. Is it not part of the main Windows install?

 

[(G{in}[AK)TION]]

Afterburner/EVGA precision are not running when I play the game.

Not entirely sure how to re-install DirectX. Is it not part of the main Windows install?

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=35

 

[ebug122]

Ran the DX Web Installer. It said my installed version is newer and or already up to date.

 

[(G{in}[AK)TION]]

Ran the DX Web Installer. It said my installed version is newer and or already up to date.

bummer....have you checked the optional updates in windows update i suppose?

im guessing you already one that...

 

[ebug122]

bummer....have you checked the optional updates in windows update i suppose?

im guessing you already one that...

You have no idea how much I'm gonna thank you if this works...First optional update I clicked on

Edit: Nope, that just made it crash every time I launch the game.

 

[(G{in}[AK)TION]]

You have no idea how much I'm gonna thank you if this works...First optional update I clicked on

Edit: Nope, that just made it crash every time I launch the game.

have you updated your video drivers?

 

[Janus67]

have you updated your video drivers?

yes, it is listed in the OP.


To the OP: sad to say it, but I would try a fresh install of Windows. Sounds like something is corrupt, and with the amount of time that you have spent troubleshooting it would have been faster to backup, reformat, and reinstall.

 

[BCboneless]

I am having this problem while trying to load the game:


Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: bf3.exe
Application Version: 1.4.0.0
Application Timestamp: 500530ad
Fault Module Name: bf3.exe
Fault Module Version: 1.4.0.0
Fault Module Timestamp: 500530ad
Exception Code: c0000005
Exception Offset: 000a5d00
OS Version: 6.1.7601.2.1.0.256.48
Locale ID: 1033
Additional Information 1: 0a9e
Additional Information 2: 0a9e372d3b4ad19135b953a78882e789
Additional Information 3: 0a9e
Additional Information 4: 0a9e372d3b4ad19135b953a78882e789

 

[ebug122]

From what I've read on the Battlelog forums. The immediate crashing is due to the latest PunkBuster update. I just hope they release another one soon :/

@Janus: currently backing my Steam games up. I think it's about time for a format anyway.

 

[ebug122]

Turned out to be the latest version of PunkBuster. If you haven't already, DO NOT update until a newer version of the client is released than Sept 24th.

If your app crash reports say that the faulting module path is nvwgf2um.dll or d3d11.dll, try installing the Windows optional update KB2488113 as I mentioned a few posts up. Info here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2488113

 

[lukestrothman]

Just a heads up for anyone else having it crash on initial launch without even had played the game at all yet, for some reason a lot of people are installing to "\Program Files(x86)\Battlefield3™\ Remove the ™ out of "Battlefield 3" and also if it has been launched, check REGEDIT>LOCALMACHINE>SOFTWARE>WOW64NODE>EAGAMES>BF3> and change the path from the ™ to the non ™ if you've already successfully launched and this is happening as well as the directory. Fixed my problems long ago...

 

[ebug122]

New PunkBuster update released today.

Wednesday 09.26.2012 [11:45AM]

We are aware that some players are experiencing crashes in BF3 after Monday's PB Server update was released. These are players that used PBSETUP to manually update their PunkBuster for BF3. To eliminate the crashing, these players should find and delete any pbsv.dll files located on their hard drive associated with BF3 (use the Windows search feature). Do not run PBSETUP again after the deletes or it will recreate the problem. The crash prevents our auto-update and the file deletes are necessary to resume normal operation.

 

[BCboneless]

thanks, will try that.

 

[BCboneless]

I cant find pbsv.dll. I feel like a noob. Any help?

 

[ebug122]

I think it's in Program Files\Origin Games\Battlefield 3\pb\

 

[BCboneless]

thanks! I got it working!

 

[coolnezz]

Thanks much!
This worked for me!

Just a heads up for anyone else having it crash on initial launch without even had played the game at all yet, for some reason a lot of people are installing to "\Program Files(x86)\Battlefield3™\ Remove the ™ out of "Battlefield 3" and also if it has been launched, check REGEDIT>LOCALMACHINE>SOFTWARE>WOW64NODE>EAGAMES>BF3> and change the path from the ™ to the non ™ if you've already successfully launched and this is happening as well as the directory. Fixed my problems long ago...