I want to sort out some random crashes I get and that only occur in LFS. Because of that I'd like LFS to give me excessive debugging information, so I can track down the source of the error. Is there any possibility to activate a debugging mode (or verbose-mode) or debug-executable that can provide me detailed error-codes etc.?

Vain

Only the devs have that software, so I guess the answer would be a no

That's bad because then I'm stuck with an error that won't let me race longer than 30 minutes.
I can't get anything to log the error, wherever it may spawn. Oh, if windows was just as easy as Linux... *sigh*

Vain

I suppose deb.log in the game directory is of no help then? It's pretty rudimentary really, and I don't think there's any switches to make it more verbose.

EDIT:
And you've also tried using DrWatson for a log?

No. deb.log says it initialized fine and after that not a single character on "drawing failed, hell froze over" etc.
Even windows doesn't seem to notice the error. I'll explain it short:
1. Start LFS.
2. Race some 30 minutes.
3. The system looks like it freezes, sound loops, etc.
4. After a while the sound-loop ends and I can hear other cars drive by, I can hear my own engine when I rev it up. LFS works happily. But the video is still frozen. I can even chat. But I can't see what others write because the image is frozen.
5. When I press escape a mouse-cursor appears over the frozen image. Still the image is frozen. I press the general area where the "Exit"-button should be. LFS tries to uninitialize the grafics, but fails because something is wrong with the video (obiously). The video is still frozen, but LFS crashes.
(Here is where I'd like the log-output. What failed? Which error-code?)
6. The image is still frozen, LFS is crashed and gone. Windows still believes that everything is in best order and I can use the mouse to reboot the computer (still frozen image, I get no feedback aside the moving cursor and the changing of the cursor when floating it over the edge of a window).

The windows logging-system doesn't notice anything. It makes an entry when starting windows "Everythings OK". And it makes an entry when I shut down windows with the frozen image "Everythings OK". In between: Nothing.

I have the slight idea that "Universal Speculative Write Combine" (USWC) might fail. It's a feature that, so rumour has, is useless on non-intel-systems. That's why LFS is the only game that uses it. That would surely explain the error.
But to test it I'd need Scawen to pay attention. Perhaps even compile a test-LFS.exe with USWC disabled.

Angryminer

I have an Intel-based system and used to have exactly that problem if I played LFS for about an hour on an overclocked FX5200 I used to have - if I turned down the OCing (and waited for the VGA to cool off) it didn't occur.

i have the same problem as you vain, i thought that disabling the write combine box in windows would solve it despite the fps loss.
its odd though that only lfs crashes when i have it on, id like to hear scawen's opinion on this also.

the temperatures might be getting too high, play for 29 mins then tell us the temperatures of the graphics card and cpu

No, the temperatures are all well. Please note that the system works flawlessly when the error occurs. The operating system is in full operatable state aside from the video. I could compile myself a new kernel while the error occurs without a problem.
Also this is not a heat-related problem. The system is neither overclocked nor modified nor unstable under any amount of load (are 5h 100% load enough for you?).
But for your information: The CPU-temp-sensor on the mainboard says temps are below 60°C. It won't get any lower because the CPU-cooler is temperature-controlled. The CPU cooler is heavily overspecified. (I wanted to have space for upgrading.) I can't give you information on the GPU-temp, because the GF4 Ti 4200 doesn't feature such a sensor. But the card is just as original as it shipped and otherwise stable.
This is propably not an error caused by heat-induced miscalculation. It's a bug. I just need to find out which soft- or hardware causes the bug. It is likely that USWC is involved here, because of Barroso's report.
Unfortunately I can't disable USWC in windows, because per default it is (or should be) disabled on non-intel systems anyway. The Nvidia drivers don't offer this option. Anyway USWC shouldn't be used in LFS at all on non-intel system.

Vain

Have you tried changing display drivers? Also if your CPU temps are near 60, you might want to open side of your computer just to make sure it's not a heat related problem. Computers are great dust collectors, you know...
As you stressed your computer, did you stress only CPU or whole system? When did this crashing started? Maybe you have changed some settings in windows etc.?

Hmmm... I'm sure I had something else to ask too, can't remember it anymore...
Let us know if you find the problem

1. Yes, various drivers (and BIOS-versions) tried. Same problem. Obviously not a driver-related problem.
2. No, the system is stable at this temp. Opening the case won't help anything, because the CPU-cooler will then begin to cool lesser, because any temperatur below 60°C doesn't affect stability.
3. The problem started with the S2 license.
4. Please read this: The system doesn't crash. Again: Everything aside the video-output works flawlessly. The system is full operatable. If windows would support it I could still login over ethernet and have a fully functional system.
This also points to USWC.

Vain

Quote from Vain :

4. Please read this: The system doesn't crash. Again: Everything aside the video-output works flawlessly. The system is full operatable. If windows would support it I could still login over ethernet and have a fully functional system.

That was exactly my experience too. Infact, whenever that would happen I'd shut it down by logging in via ssh (it runs sshd via cygwin) from another machine instead of playing "find the button".

Its a little OT, but:
Have you guys never heard of RDP? Remote Desktop...You can remotely connect from another machine if its turned on (XP Pro, or 2000 with appropriate patches).

Ofc ssh2 > rdp.

My hardware runs at vendor specs.

Vain

So, other games work fine? Just because your CPU stays at ~60°C that doesn't mean the graphics chip does too and I think the CPU is a lot less sensible to this. Back in the days of my Athlon XP 2000+ 60° was my idle temperature, with several self-shutdowns at 79° in the summer, so I know CPUs can take quite a hit.

Also only your gfx "shutting down" and the rest working fine directs us to a gfx card problem. Try what was suggested earlier and remove the side of your case, not to prevent CPU- but to prevent GFX card overheating.

Quote from the_angry_angel :

Have you guys never heard of RDP? Remote Desktop...You can remotely connect from another machine if its turned on (XP Pro, or 2000 with appropriate patches).

Heard and used extensively, especially after http://www.rdesktop.org/ went stable but sshing from an adjacent machine takes about 2 secs if what you want to do is only to just restart the machine... and yes, we could also use the PsTools supplied by www.sysinternals.com. However, the problem Vain is having is not how to view his desktop remotely or how to soft-restart the machine...


Back on topic: Vain, have you tried tinkering with the "minimum sleep" setting in LFS?