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Graphics card crash in 3D applications when using Windows 10 Magnify.exe: just me? (self.Blind)
submitted by AutumnalWillow
Apologies for the lack of flair. Reddit's being dumb.
Is anyone else around here a gamer who relies on Windows Magnify.exe for smaller UI elements//text in games?
Okay bear with me as this requires a little explaining. I am legally blind 20/250, and a lifelong gamer. As my vision's gotten worse I began relying on Windows Magnify.exe (aka Screen Magnifier, Screen zoom, etc) to keep enjoying some games, but over the last few years I've been dealing with random "has stopped working and recovered" type crashes.
When this happens, the screen goes black for about 4-8 seconds, and Magnifier resets from Full Screen to docked. The only way to get it back to full screen when this happens is to close it and tap the Magnifier hotkey again (Windows key+ the Plus key, or Ctrl+Alt+Scroll wheel up)
I've been trying to fix this for like three years now. It's happened on two different Graphics cards from two different brands (Both NVidia and AMD). It happens in both games and in Photoshop and Krita. According to Reliability Monitor, it's a full graphics driver "stopped working" Critical Error.
I've been very blessed that a Windows 10 Developer has reached out to me on Twitter asking for crash logs. I've provided them to her, and all I can do now is hope that she finds something I've missed.
I've tried changing brands of graphics cards (obviously), I've reinstalled Windows 10 a dozen times, not usually to try fixing this though. That was just a side effect.
I've done full Display Driver Uninstaller clean sweeps of old drivers, tried multiple versions of both NVidia and AMD drivers when using the respective video cards.
As I mentioned, I've been contacted by a Windows developer whom I'm working with now, so I'm posting this because I'm curious if anyone else has experienced anything like this? I know I'm far from the only blind gamer.
I've honestly gotten spoiled to the accessibility features on consoles, be it XBox games utilizing Screen Reader or the PS4 and Nintendo Switch's zoom features, text enhancement or whatnot.
I'd love to be able to use Windows Magnifier the same way on my PC only titles (World of Warcraft especially.)
Sorry this became a bit long winded and technical, but I've had a lot of experience with trying to sort this out. :-)
Is anyone else around here a gamer who relies on Windows Magnify.exe for smaller UI elements//text in games?
Okay bear with me as this requires a little explaining. I am legally blind 20/250, and a lifelong gamer. As my vision's gotten worse I began relying on Windows Magnify.exe (aka Screen Magnifier, Screen zoom, etc) to keep enjoying some games, but over the last few years I've been dealing with random "has stopped working and recovered" type crashes.
When this happens, the screen goes black for about 4-8 seconds, and Magnifier resets from Full Screen to docked. The only way to get it back to full screen when this happens is to close it and tap the Magnifier hotkey again (Windows key+ the Plus key, or Ctrl+Alt+Scroll wheel up)
I've been trying to fix this for like three years now. It's happened on two different Graphics cards from two different brands (Both NVidia and AMD). It happens in both games and in Photoshop and Krita. According to Reliability Monitor, it's a full graphics driver "stopped working" Critical Error.
I've been very blessed that a Windows 10 Developer has reached out to me on Twitter asking for crash logs. I've provided them to her, and all I can do now is hope that she finds something I've missed.
I've tried changing brands of graphics cards (obviously), I've reinstalled Windows 10 a dozen times, not usually to try fixing this though. That was just a side effect.
I've done full Display Driver Uninstaller clean sweeps of old drivers, tried multiple versions of both NVidia and AMD drivers when using the respective video cards.
As I mentioned, I've been contacted by a Windows developer whom I'm working with now, so I'm posting this because I'm curious if anyone else has experienced anything like this? I know I'm far from the only blind gamer.
I've honestly gotten spoiled to the accessibility features on consoles, be it XBox games utilizing Screen Reader or the PS4 and Nintendo Switch's zoom features, text enhancement or whatnot.
I'd love to be able to use Windows Magnifier the same way on my PC only titles (World of Warcraft especially.)
Sorry this became a bit long winded and technical, but I've had a lot of experience with trying to sort this out. :-)
honestduane 3 points 3y ago
Call Microsoft.
Tell them you have this consistent crash in this "critical accessibility tool provided by MS as part of windows.".
Let them know about your accessibility needs.
There are entire groups at MS dedicated to making sure this stuff works, and while you will be requested to update everything and drivers, etc once they validate that the updated stuff still crashes you should be able to get help directly from them. Or at least that seems reasonable.
Tell them you have this consistent crash in this "critical accessibility tool provided by MS as part of windows.".
Let them know about your accessibility needs.
There are entire groups at MS dedicated to making sure this stuff works, and while you will be requested to update everything and drivers, etc once they validate that the updated stuff still crashes you should be able to get help directly from them. Or at least that seems reasonable.
lurking_in_the_bg 3 points 3y ago
I too rely on Windows magnifier for my every day computing now so I can empathize with your situation. I used to have this issue on my much older laptop with ancient hardware but since I've gotten a new laptop I don't experience this anymore.
I don't really have any input as it pertains to a solution but maybe list your hardware specs here so others can help. Are you using any other accessibility tools or anything 3D related that can interfere with magnifier?
I don't really have any input as it pertains to a solution but maybe list your hardware specs here so others can help. Are you using any other accessibility tools or anything 3D related that can interfere with magnifier?
AutumnalWillow [OP] 1 points 3y ago
That it happened across two GPUs strongly leads me to suspect that (despite Reliability Monitor calling it a GPU driver crash), it's something in either the mobo/CPU/memory that's flaking out. I'm just glad to hear it isn't just me that this has happened to
As for specs I'm using an old (2013) AMD build thgat's in desperate need of replacing:
AMD FX 8370 CPU (non overclocked)
ASUS Pro Gaming Aura motherboard
Seagate Barracuda 3TB 7200 SSHD
XFX RX 580 8GB
16GB DDR3 G.Skill Rippjaws RAM
EVGA 650 watt 80+ PSU (I think... Been 7 years since I built this system)
Windows 10 Professional x64
Once I get a few more ducks in a row and get rid of the last of my credit card debt I'm probably going to build a new system (Or have one built since my vision's gotten worse). I just have to muddle through until then. It's just odd that sometimes it can go a week without any problems, other days it's 5-6 times in 5 minutes.
Anyway, sorry for the late reply!
Edit: Line breaks - Reddit does not respect them.
As for specs I'm using an old (2013) AMD build thgat's in desperate need of replacing:
AMD FX 8370 CPU (non overclocked)
ASUS Pro Gaming Aura motherboard
Seagate Barracuda 3TB 7200 SSHD
XFX RX 580 8GB
16GB DDR3 G.Skill Rippjaws RAM
EVGA 650 watt 80+ PSU (I think... Been 7 years since I built this system)
Windows 10 Professional x64
Once I get a few more ducks in a row and get rid of the last of my credit card debt I'm probably going to build a new system (Or have one built since my vision's gotten worse). I just have to muddle through until then. It's just odd that sometimes it can go a week without any problems, other days it's 5-6 times in 5 minutes.
Anyway, sorry for the late reply!
Edit: Line breaks - Reddit does not respect them.
bscross32 2 points 3y ago
I can't say that I have, and I've used magnifier inside a flight simulator. You are definitely using it in ways it was not designed to handle though. Also, the added load might be causing a thermal issue which causes the card to shut down and the driver to crash.
MostlyBlindGamer 1 points 3y ago
I've never experienced anything like that either.
I wonder if you have any specific program that isn't playing well with Magnifier. Massive even some weird DRM thing like denuvo?
Have you tried a completely clean install with an empty user account, the latest drivers and a single game?
I wonder if you have any specific program that isn't playing well with Magnifier. Massive even some weird DRM thing like denuvo?
Have you tried a completely clean install with an empty user account, the latest drivers and a single game?
AutumnalWillow [OP] 2 points 3y ago
Sorry about the delay :)
Yup, I've done several clean installs, only backing up important files to an external drive while completely formatting the original drive, and installing fresh drivers. A problem plugin in Google Chrome actually forced me to have to do the clean user profile thing to deal with that, but I never thought to try it with Magnifier and 3D apps.
Yup, I've done several clean installs, only backing up important files to an external drive while completely formatting the original drive, and installing fresh drivers. A problem plugin in Google Chrome actually forced me to have to do the clean user profile thing to deal with that, but I never thought to try it with Magnifier and 3D apps.
MostlyBlindGamer 1 points 3y ago
No worries.
Have you consulted with an exorcist?
Seriously though, at this point we need to find the constants in all of this. Could it be an issue with some other component like your motherboard, CPU or RAM that only shows under these circumstances?
I guess you could try installing a Linux distribution and see what happens there, to weed out hardware issues.
You could run a system stress test like AIDA64 or Memtest. maybe eliminate more variables by running 3D Mark instead of special games.
Either way, *something* is going on and it seems to be beyond "normal" issues.
Have you consulted with an exorcist?
Seriously though, at this point we need to find the constants in all of this. Could it be an issue with some other component like your motherboard, CPU or RAM that only shows under these circumstances?
I guess you could try installing a Linux distribution and see what happens there, to weed out hardware issues.
You could run a system stress test like AIDA64 or Memtest. maybe eliminate more variables by running 3D Mark instead of special games.
Either way, *something* is going on and it seems to be beyond "normal" issues.
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