[2020] Failed creating pixel buffer - GPU crashes, full PC crashes... and more!

Definitely an issue in the video area, as you say. We're mostly seeing this still on AMD GPUs, like you have.

DXDIAG is a program you run from a command prompt or the Windows start menu 'run' dialog box (or 'search programs' in Windows 7 or later). After running it will open a window and start collecting info with a progress bar in the lower-left corner. When it completes click the 'save all information' button and save it to a file then attach that file here.  

This is looking more like a hardware problem in your case, so please attach a new dxdiag.txt , thanks.

Please attach your Documents/Paradox/CK3/pdx_settings.txt .
From your Documents/Paradox/CK3/logs/ folder, attach system.log , error.log


Please report the temperatures of your CPU and video (GPU)
1/ before starting the game up and
2/ in the main game menu
3/ after say 10 minutes' play.
If your PC's vendor has given you no way of reading temperatures, install
SPEEDFAN http://www.almico.com/sfdownload.php  

70c is getting up there but not quite to the level when I'd typically see problems happen. It never ever gets to 80c?

Do you have any overclocking active?

If Afterburner is running when you play the game when the problem happens, can you try it with that utility unloaded please?  

azemazer said: I have physically removed the GPU to install it on another PCI unit: I still have the same problem.

Does this mean the problem followed the GPU to another machine? If so then it's pretty clearly a hardware fault with it.  

I see, so all that eliminated was one PCI slot. Is there any way you can test that video card in another machine, or another card in this machine?

azemazer said: I still cannot play this game, or any other game from the list.

Sorry, what list is that? Your Paradox games here, so just CK2 basically?