Game freezes like a lollipop

[rexychapman]

Okay guys, I need a lot of help here. I've already searched the forums for a solution, but nothing.

Here's the problem: the game loads just fine, and plays the submarine school just fine. But that's it. When loading a War Patrol, Career, Quick Mission, even the Museum, the entire computer freezes. I've tried different methods: compatibility mode, 800x600 vs 1024x768, low vs high graphics. Nothing has worked.

Specs:
SH4 with 1.4 patch (no mods)
Windows Vista Ultimate (I know that causes major problems for everything)
AMD Athlon XP 2600+ @ 1.9 GHz
2GB RAM
Sound Blaster Live!
ATI x1600 AGP

I'll keep trying, but if nothing, I'll keep hacking away with SH3 until I'm all washed out.

[cdrsubron7]

Are you using the latest drivers for both your video card and sound card?

[DeepIron]

Just a shot... what speed is your AGP port running at? If you can access your BIOS you should find a setting there for the AGP slot speed and its probably set to Auto. Try setting the speed manually to, say, 2x, and retest. If it works, bump it up to 4x...

I have an Athon XP 3000+ 2.1Ghz and had similar issues...

Also, make sure you've gotten the latest ATi drivers and your DX is updated too.

Good luck.

[rexychapman]

The video drivers are up to date, but the sound drivers are tricky with Vista. I'm using NGO Modded drivers, which works with everything. The game doesn't freeze with any sound, the entire system just stops.
As for the AGP, it is 4x with 8x on the mobo. I've tried to change it before and nothing either.
I'm thinking about switching back to XP, but that'll take me a week to square away all the system. If XP is causing any major problems to anyone, let me know.

[mookiemookie]

The video drivers are up to date, but the sound drivers are tricky with Vista. I'm using NGO Modded drivers, which works with everything. The game doesn't freeze with any sound, the entire system just stops.
As for the AGP, it is 4x with 8x on the mobo. I've tried to change it before and nothing either.
I'm thinking about switching back to XP, but that'll take me a week to square away all the system. If XP is causing any major problems to anyone, let me know.

No XP problems here!

[kylesplanet]

The video drivers are up to date, but the sound drivers are tricky with Vista. I'm using NGO Modded drivers, which works with everything. The game doesn't freeze with any sound, the entire system just stops.
As for the AGP, it is 4x with 8x on the mobo. I've tried to change it before and nothing either.
I'm thinking about switching back to XP, but that'll take me a week to square away all the system. If XP is causing any major problems to anyone, let me know.

I don't know the answer to your problem but there are alot of people running SH4 with Vista (including me) that are having success. :hmm: Sure seems like you've covered alot of bases though, hope you get it working!

[Seadogs]

Only problem I have had with vista is you have to go through hell and back to install mods if the game is installed to C:\program files go ahead and reinstall somewhere else if you have not already to save you problems down the road.

Now about the problems you are having now. What do you mean sound card drivers are tricky with Vista? Does the automatic updater on creatives site not work? Worked for me. Or is the Soundblaster Live no longer supported?

I am also assuming you have installed all the updates from windows update? Vista was crap six months ago but it's come a looooong way.

[sunvalleyslim]

what I want to know is how does a lollipop freeze?

[rexychapman]

Well.......

I gave up and installed XP Pro on the system. Spent the whole day installing updates and all that fun stuff that comes with it.
Installed latest ATI video driver, but game did not load, said "Can not initialize 3d engine"

So I went to a previous driver, which worked.
But.......

I'm back to the same old problem of the game not running during anything but Submarine School.

The thought I'm having is if it has anyting to do with my game being in a seperate hard drive from my XP drive. It's even on a IDE controller card.

I'm gonna try disabling Sound Card and other stuff...then...
I'll put the drive onto a different controller and see if that works.

Question: Anyone else have problems with game installed on seperate drive/partition than system?

[SteamWake]

what I want to know is how does a lollipop freeze?

I think he meant a popsickle :know:

[SteamWake]

Question: Anyone else have problems with game installed on seperate drive/partition than system?

Dunno never tried, that probably has something to do with it.

[switch.dota]

I never install anything on my system partition (other than system-related utilities). If there was any problem derived from that, I would've noticed by now.