Crashes Loading Save Games: 2 Solutions

[swervn69]

Using Silent Hunter 3, I have experienced two types of game crashes while loading save games that I have found solutions for. I see where others are experiencing similar crashes, so maybe my two solutions can point some in the right direction.

Problem # 1 (less common, but more universal - occurs in SH3 and SH4 for all installation types and mods):

I am a "save-aholic" and save the game all the time, especially during a heated battle in a large convoy. I hit Esc, click the "Save" option, input a new save game name in the box, then click the "Save" button, and the game immediately crashes to the desktop. I launch SH3 again, click "Career", Accept my profile name, then I click "Saved Career", and the game immediately crashes to the desktop again, before the Save Game List is displayed.

Solution # 1:
I have overflowed the save game directory with too many save games. I must now delete several of them to resume my career again.

a) Using Windows Explorer, open the
...\My Documents\SH3\data\cfg\Careers\<profile name>\<mission number> folder. I was on my Career Mission#33, so I opened the "32" folder
b) switch Windows Explorer to "Detail View" - click View/Details on the top menu bar
c) sort all the save games by their timestamp - click the "Date" or "Date Modified" column heading, until all the files are sorted in date order
d) scroll thru the list and pick out "non-essential" save games while avoiding the latest and most important ones - highlight blocks of save game files that all have the same name and timestamp - SH3 saves them in groups of 10 files (this folder had 1080 files in it, so I had 108 save games! Too many!)
e) delete these blocks of 10 files, until the folder is back down to a safe level - 500 or less
f) launch SH3 again, Career and latest Save Game loaded successfully! (...and next time, I was more conservative and saved over old save game names more often!) Once that Mission was over, I started a new Mission with a fresh set of save games again.


Problem # 2 (more common, but more Mod-specific; I never had this problem for 3 years on the stock SH3 install, but it happened frequently after installing GWX3 Gold and the associated Mods on the download mirror):

I attempt to load a Save Game, where I am in a heated battle in the middle of a large convoy. The Load Game progress bar loads up to 100%, then the screen goes black and displays the "Not So Long Ago..." message. Next, the Command Room starts to display for a split-second, then the game immediately drops out and crashes to the desktop.

I tried for three weeks to resolve this problem, using as many tips and tricks as I could find with google, ubi and subsim forums - no luck.

I refused to accept various explanations, like "you saved underwater", or "you saved within a gazillion kilometers of other ships, land, etc." Why? Because I have one Save Game that loads just fine, just off the coast of Hartlepool, where my XXI is underwater, in the middle of a huge convoy, sitting at the bottom, right next to a C2 that I just sunk, with a Flower Corvette bearing down on me from above. However, all subsequent Save Games fail to load with this CTD problem. If that one can load, then why can't the rest??

I did three things tonight, and my problem is solved! All my subsequent save games in the middle of this battle are now working again.

Solution # 2 (which one of these things fixed this problem?):

a) In Windows Explorer, I opened the C:\GAMES folder
b) I right-clicked on the SH3 game folder and selected "Properties"
c) On the General tab, in the Attributes section, I unchecked the "Read-only" box
d) I clicked on the Advanced button, and I unchecked the Archiving option, and I unchecked the "Index this folder" option
e) I clicked OK / Apply and selected "Apply changes to this folder, subfolders and files"
f) I opened the "My Documents" folder and right-clicked/Properties on the SH3 folder there and repeated Steps c, d, and e again
g) I launched JSGME (v2.2.0.120) and I removed the following Mods: "LifeBoats&Debris_v4", "Torpedo damage Final", and "GWX - Enhanced Damage Effects"
h) I launched SH3 again, and my "bad" Save Games loaded successfully!
i) I ran JSGME again and added those Mods back again
j) My "bad" SH3 Save Games still loaded successfully
k) I saved and loaded new Save Games, underwater, in the middle of that heated battle successfully!

What gives??
Did one of these specific Mods cause the crashes?
Is there a conflict between Mods causing these Save Game CTDs??
Do the Mods mark certain critical files "Read-only", causing Save Games to crash in the future??
Do the "Enhanced Damage" Mods cause loud explosions when the Save Games load, which cause them to CTD??

Can we pinpoint the exact solution??

[KL-alfman]

that's very valuable information!
thx for sharing your work. :up:

[RConch]

Can we pinpoint the exact solution??

We can perhaps minimize them, but do away with all CTDs, I doubt it.
We all have different computers and mods installed.
Conflicts occur, I make sure to read the "readmes" whenever installing a mod, if uncomfortable with what I read, no go.
I take a very minimal approach on mods, running on 90% realism, I don't use any of the eye candy which seems to have bothered my computer at times in the past.
Basic GWX with 16K and a few sound mods keeps me going.:rock:

[Jimbuna]

Welcome to SS http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/pirate.gif



Can we pinpoint the exact solution??

I would like to think so because the saved game phenomena you describe has been an issue since the games release.

I am impressed with the efort you have put into resolving the issue and would encourage you to continue in your endevours.

Sadly, and I am trying desperately not to sound too negative, but what you have tried has already been attempted by quite a few before you.

The overriding problem is the simple fact that this is an intermittent problem which cannot be pinned down under any definitive set of circumstances.....given a prescribed set of parameters, it works on ocassion and then doesn't on others.

Keep up your work/trials and should you be successful you'll be able to count on the undying gratitude of a great many in this community.

SINK EM ALL!! http://www.psionguild.org/forums/images/smilies/wolfsmilies/thumbsup.gif

[Apache312]

With this post, it reminds me to extend thanks to all of you who make this a community. I first came to this board because of crashing issues with savegames. Since given great advice to not save near other ships, I have had zero issues with savegames, although I get the occasional crash of game when I approach a REALLY BIG convoy. At this point, whenever im not in battle, im saving, so not much is lost.

A heart felt thanks to all who help this board...

/S

Apache312

[Vipper]

Thank you so much!!! That is what i did want to know so much, im saveaholic too :)

[ryanwigginton]

This bug is annoying the hell out of me. Is there still no sure fire way to avoid this completely.

@jimbuna, you say this has been happening since the games release. So even forfeiting all the mods won't fix it either?

[Jimbuna]

This bug is annoying the hell out of me. Is there still no sure fire way to avoid this completely.

@jimbuna, you say this has been happening since the games release. So even forfeiting all the mods won't fix it either?

The same problems exist even in stock/vanilla install unfortunately.

[JohnWoo]

I owe you one swervn69! You saved my 100k save:yeah:

[goldensleeve]

Swervn, thanks a bunch bro. I followed everything you said and my save works, big time. I dont know what element it was. Havent re added gwx damage mod yet but will try later. Thansk a bunch for taking the time, bro. I really didnt wanna lose progress to that point.:salute::rock::yeah::haha::up::salute:

[Osmium Steele]

I've been singing the praises of the "Read-only" trick for a year now.

Glad to hear of another believer! :salute:

[Sailor Steve]

Swervn, thanks a bunch bro. I followed everything you said and my save works, big time. I dont know what element it was. Havent re added gwx damage mod yet but will try later. Thansk a bunch for taking the time, bro. I really didnt wanna lose progress to that point.:salute::rock::yeah::haha::up::salute:
I'm sure he would appreciate your thanks if that post two years ago wasn't the first, last and only time he ever looked at these forums. :sunny:

[Nobon]

Greetings.


Well, I didnt know about the "read only" steps, maybe they resolved alot of guys problems, doesnt worked for me.

But removing those two mods, then loading:

Worked fine.

The game paused after the "Not so long ago...", in a way it -never- did, (only CTD, or the room flinges fluently after the text) so I presumed its another CTD, but then suddenly went on, and everything is fine.

Made a new savegame, and reenabled those mods.



By the way:


Until know, most of my CTD's (experimented with alot of mods, in not very lucky combinations) are solved by deinstallign all mods in jsgme, then load the game, (usually ctd's while loading) then reinstall in some different order, and voila, it works.

But in this particular case, your suggestion about those two mods worked just fine.

I have an idea why... Lying down the technological blabbing in a hour or two, but I have to go now.

Edit:

Well, both mods (especially the GWX, as the other is just 2 tga. My very favourite mod thou' ) enhance the damage of the environment. Therefore uses ram, or virtual ram.
I mean, If there was a large battle, (or an enormous monstrocity burn in 25 places, as the channel too shallow and he cant sink... Hehe, damn Revenge class in my last battle XD) suddenly there are a lots of effects to control. Maybe thats sometimes too mutch even for a better computer, to load it back in one piece.

Not to mention if theres some overlapping in coordinates, etc., which maybe isnt a problem, when slowly generates, step by step, and overwrite eachother, via the battle, but if you want to load it back, its too mutch. (and maybe something also conflicts- as far as I know Sh3 arent simply mirrores the piece of information from ram to savegame, as a database, nor it writes variables in a similar manner in one array, but uses a rather complicated mechanism. You can guess it by the way those weird things happen even in stock Sh3, when after a load everything shakes, old damages, and radio messages sound up, etc.
Seems like it loads "happened" things in a chronological order, step-by-step, as "events". Not in one piece. Many chance to a bug, especially with tons of sometimes conflicting mod. The way that it produces tons of files for one simple savegame, also reveals this questionable method.

Thats why it Usually helps for me, to disable large mods, load without ctd, save, and enable all again.
Or, If ctd still occurs, then unloading all mod, and trying to install in slightly different order- used to help.

Imagine, SH3's 7 years old VERY unoptimal (in data processing at least. as a mathematic-geometric-physics-calculation production, its remarkable) engine arent designed to load THAT mutch of beautidul 3d, effects, and scripts, which produced in a GWXv3 battle, with some graphical enhancement also.

Eeee... So I figured this out after tons of CTD's, and via digging up the career files.

[Catalysis]

Huge thanks here too. Was driving me insane trying to solve this. Works for me 100% thus far. Much appreciated.

[Alfred Keitzer]

One of my golden rules is never implement MODs while at sea. There are linkages between save files and your game setup (as established by the game files and your implemented MODs), and changing MODs while on patrol can break these linkages in the save files. That said, I am very surprised you were able to remove MODs and get your save to work unless you added those particular MODs after the save in question. I have had maybe two or three save files go bad on me over several years of play and many MOD changes (but only made while in port). I only save when I am on the bridge (surfaced) or in the control room (submerged) at 1x TC. and I will often play just a few minutes longer (without saving again) just to make sure things look okay. Saving submerged or near convoys has never been a problem for me using this method. This is NYGM and GWX.

As for the 3 particular MODs you mention "LifeBoats&Debris_v4", "Torpedo damage Final", and "GWX - Enhanced Damage Effects", the latter two have never given me a problem.

As I remember, I did have problems with "LifeBoats&Debris_v4" and switched back to ""LifeBoats&Debris_v3B", which has given me NO problems.

[enjoi]

I tried everything under the sun to fix the ctds i was getting in gwx. The only fix that has lasted was switching to NYGM. I never get crashes with this mod, just saying...

[Zosimus]

I don't know. All I can say is I run GWX 3.0 and I never have CTDs of any kind.

I save submerged, near convoys, and frequently save over names I've previously used. I've never had a corrupted save. I personally believe that those rules are superstitions.

I've also changed mods mid-voyage with no problems. However, I don't think that one is a superstition. I could easily see that going wrong in my mind's eye. I recommend that no one change mods while at sea.

[Tycho]

My first experience with CTD happened just yesterday.

I never had a problem with saves. But yesterday, after two and half month not playing SH3 (I don't play games during the summer), load my save and it's OK, play 10 min. and CTD, what the..... Again, loading, play 10-15 min. and CTD, and again.
I made some heavy editing on menu_1024_768.ini file, before that, but think, that problem is not there. Check everything again, all there is alright.

Well, finally I uncheck some option in my sound card control panel and change another option on my video card, and now SH3 work without a problem.

[Alfred Keitzer]

There have been on very rare occasions (maybe twice in 7 years) where I would load a save where my boat was following a plotted route; run along for about 5-10 minutes; and CTD -- and it was repeatable -- same location every time.

Finally, I loaded the save file and manually changed course about 90 degrees for 10-15 minutes; then returned to my pre-defined route; and no CTD.

I think just once in a blue moon the track movement model just gets a bad update (especially on long, straight legs is my observation) and ultimately underflows or overflows causing a CTD -- just my guess really. On long, straight legs, I always save about every five days of sim time.

[Alfred Keitzer]

I also found the above (CTD on long, straight legs of a route) is more likely to happen the higher the TC. I stay away from TC 2048 and 4096. The only time I will even consider TC 2048 is on the Transatlantic trip home where I intend to play until I reach base and not save. I never use TC 4096.

[Hunter 101]

My first experience with CTD happened just yesterday.

Well, finally I uncheck some option in my sound card control panel and change another option on my video card, and now SH3 work without a problem.

I never finished SH3 due to save game loading crashes. I started once again from scratch - fresh install with no patch updates - and only removed SF.

I could only make progress if I saved back at base, and only after a mission. All in-mission saves would crash on loading. After reading your post I just turned all the sound options to 0Db and have now finished 3 missions with no crashes at all. Mid mission, with or without enemies around as well as underwater or surfaced. Funny thing is, I still have sound!
I will keep going as long as possible and update if the problem re-occur.
Thanks for the "sound" hint :)

[sublynx]

I can confirm the solution number 2 working as well. I've been using that for a couple of years. Before the read-only ticking crashes almost every time I saved while at sea, after the solution no crashes at all.

Since the solution I've only had mod development related crashes, not while playing.

[GOREUNCLE]

I also found the above (CTD on long, straight legs of a route) is more likely to happen the higher the TC. I stay away from TC 2048 and 4096. The only time I will even consider TC 2048 is on the Transatlantic trip home where I intend to play until I reach base and not save. I never use TC 4096.

I've never had TC related CTDs. In fact, I usually run at 8192 (SH3+GWX3+MaGui3.4Widescreen+SH3Commander) without ever crashing in-game. However, I've been experiencing those savegame load CTDs for years. I'm going to try this read-only trick and see how it goes.

[DEChurch]

I can confirm that #2 worked for me. Also, it seemed that the issue was related to the Enhanced Damage Effects mod. When I reinstalled it, the issue returned. I reinstalled it again and looked at the read-only flag on the SH3 folder and it had the "some of the contents are read-only" flag on the checkbox. So I cycled the checkbox so everything was NOT read-only, and applied the setting change. The save was then able to be loaded.

[Aktungbby]

DEChurch!:Kaleun_Salute:

[Jimbuna]

Welcome to SubSim DEChurch :sunny:

[cjbeattie]

hey swervn69 (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/member.php?u=253560)

just want to say done your instructions after having all the problems reloading with windows 8 and gmx installed..

and its around 90% better now

so thanks alot for your help and time

Happy new year everyone and good hunting

Craig

:)

[DEChurch]

Welcome to SubSim DEChurch :sunny:

Thanks.:salute:

Just an update on this topic, in case anyone still cares:

If you have GWX Enhanced Damage Effects installed, I think i figured out the trigger for the crash on save game load. Don't save if you have an active wreck in the draw range for the game engine. It happened to me again today and the thing that the two incidents had in common was the fact that I saved it near a wreck that was still rendered (i.e. within 16km of my boat. 8km is you're not using the 16k atmosphere mod.)

Maybe coincidence.

[Foggy]

Thanks.:salute:

Just an update on this topic, in case anyone still cares:

If you have GWX Enhanced Damage Effects installed, I think i figured out the trigger for the crash on save game load. Don't save if you have an active wreck in the draw range for the game engine. It happened to me again today and the thing that the two incidents had in common was the fact that I saved it near a wreck that was still rendered (i.e. within 16km of my boat. 8km is you're not using the 16k atmosphere mod.)

Maybe coincidence.

Interesting possibility. I wish I'd found this thread before last week. I had ran across a massive convoy (20 or so ships and 3 escorts) and I unloaded on all of the largest targets. I had to leave the house so I saved the game in the middle of that melee (and I'm sure there were ships still in the middle of sinking when I saved it). I came back later and tried to reload that save a dozen times and couldn't get it to load.

Not only am I going to follow the directions in Problem/Solution #2 listed prior, but I think I am also going to avoid saving while a ship is still sinking if I can help it...

[Shibster]

Thanks.:salute:

Just an update on this topic, in case anyone still cares:

If you have GWX Enhanced Damage Effects installed, I think i figured out the trigger for the crash on save game load. Don't save if you have an active wreck in the draw range for the game engine. It happened to me again today and the thing that the two incidents had in common was the fact that I saved it near a wreck that was still rendered (i.e. within 16km of my boat. 8km is you're not using the 16k atmosphere mod.)

Maybe coincidence.


Just got back into sh3 from sh4 after not playing it for 7 years. I installed gwx and some other additional from gold such as the enhanced damage. Sunk a merchant just before deciding to get off. For some reason I thought it might be bad to save from next to the sinking ship and headed off to get some distance. I don't think I put enough distance in to despawn the ship when I saved and excited, so now my save crashes after "not so long ago. " I've been playing for a week straight and this is the only time I've crashed.

[DEChurch]

Just got back into sh3 from sh4 after not playing it for 7 years. I installed gwx and some other additional from gold such as the enhanced damage. Sunk a merchant just before deciding to get off. For some reason I thought it might be bad to save from next to the sinking ship and headed off to get some distance. I don't think I put enough distance in to despawn the ship when I saved and excited, so now my save crashes after "not so long ago. " I've been playing for a week straight and this is the only time I've crashed.

Do you have the GWX enhanced damage effects mod installed? If so, just uninstall it and try to load that save again.

[Shibster]

I did. I tried the steps for solution 2 for the first post, which included removing the damage effects, but I was unable to get my save back to working. I noticed that my tonnage for the patrol wasn't showing in the save and that the time of the save was shown as before I left base. All other saves from previous patrols showed correctly. I think mine was corrupted. Unfortunately I accidentally deleted it so I can no longer troubleshoot.

[BBFIN]

Edit. Bad word deleted.

I tried everything said in this tread, still "Silent Hunter III has stopped working" when I try to load my career. All mods are disabled. I've tried load via SH3 Commander, CWX and Steam.

Do I have to give up? Do I have the nerve start all over again?

[Scarredclown]

Problem # 2 (more common, but more Mod-specific; I never had this problem for 3 years on the stock SH3 install, but it happened frequently after installing GWX3 Gold and the associated Mods on the download mirror):

I attempt to load a Save Game, where I am in a heated battle in the middle of a large convoy. The Load Game progress bar loads up to 100%, then the screen goes black and displays the "Not So Long Ago..." message. Next, the Command Room starts to display for a split-second, then the game immediately drops out and crashes to the desktop.

I tried for three weeks to resolve this problem, using as many tips and tricks as I could find with google, ubi and subsim forums - no luck.

I refused to accept various explanations, like "you saved underwater", or "you saved within a gazillion kilometers of other ships, land, etc." Why? Because I have one Save Game that loads just fine, just off the coast of Hartlepool, where my XXI is underwater, in the middle of a huge convoy, sitting at the bottom, right next to a C2 that I just sunk, with a Flower Corvette bearing down on me from above. However, all subsequent Save Games fail to load with this CTD problem. If that one can load, then why can't the rest??

I did three things tonight, and my problem is solved! All my subsequent save games in the middle of this battle are now working again.

Solution # 2 (which one of these things fixed this problem?):

a) In Windows Explorer, I opened the C:\GAMES folder
b) I right-clicked on the SH3 game folder and selected "Properties"
c) On the General tab, in the Attributes section, I unchecked the "Read-only" box
d) I clicked on the Advanced button, and I unchecked the Archiving option, and I unchecked the "Index this folder" option
e) I clicked OK / Apply and selected "Apply changes to this folder, subfolders and files"
f) I opened the "My Documents" folder and right-clicked/Properties on the SH3 folder there and repeated Steps c, d, and e again
g) I launched JSGME (v2.2.0.120) and I removed the following Mods: "LifeBoats&Debris_v4", "Torpedo damage Final", and "GWX - Enhanced Damage Effects"
h) I launched SH3 again, and my "bad" Save Games loaded successfully!
i) I ran JSGME again and added those Mods back again
j) My "bad" SH3 Save Games still loaded successfully
k) I saved and loaded new Save Games, underwater, in the middle of that heated battle successfully!



That works for me ! thx, that save game crash was ruining the game for me ! Hope it will work in the long run .

[GT182]

What bugs the living daylights out of me is... we never really had a lot of these problems, at least I didn't, with XP. It seems the new operating systems we're running have messed things up royally.

Hopefully Win10 will work when I finally upgrade to it. I have to get 8.1 repaired first and clone it. Then I can do the upgrade.

[ColonelMolerat]

Hi all! My first post here!

After a *very* frustrating few hours, I found a solution to crashing-on-loading-saves that seems works for me. Hopefully it'll work for others too!

This is on the Steam version, on Windows 10.

- Run 'Silent Hunter 3', and 'Testapp' (in the Silent Hunter 3 folder in Steam) as Adminstrator, and also in 'Windows XP, (Service Pack 3)', compatibility mode.


To do this, right-click on the application, then choose 'properties'. Click the 'Compatibility' tab. Click 'Run this program in compatibility mode for' and choose 'Windows XP (Service Pack 3)' from the drop down menu. Also tick 'Run this program as an administrator'.

- Run 'SH3 Commander' as Adminstrator. (I didn't run this in compatibility mode).

This is done the same as above, but skip the 'Run this program in compatibility mode for' step.

You may not need to do all of the above, but something in that seems to have worked for me. I tested it on a save out at sea, away from other boats, that wouldn't load before, and it loaded up. I also tested it on a save just after leaving harbour (only about fifty metres out!) and it worked.

However, I hadn't sunk any ships at this point, which seems to be a trigger for the crash in some saves, so I can't vouch it'll work if that's the problem. I'm new to the game, so haven't yet sunk any ships to test it out on!

Sorry if this has been said elsewhere, but I couldn't see it in my online searching.

[ivanov.ruslan]

Happy hunting :salute:

[Jimbuna]

Great first post Molerat.

Welcome to SubSim :salute:

[fumo30]

I only save when I am......in the control room

That works for me very well. :yep:

Formerly I too had constant corrupt save games, no matter was there other ships nearby or not, or was I submerged or surfaced.
After I started to save game only in command room; No more save game load crashes. :)
...Maybe it has something to do with the fact, that the game always start in the command room and saving on some other position possibly confuses the game??? :hmm2:

I'd like to focus at that I'm emphatically in the default position in the comman room when saving.

[Aktungbby]

ColonelMolerat!:Kaleun_Salute:

[Outeniqua]

The reason I love this community!

Dude, words cannot describe my love for you at this moment. After several career restarts, reinstalling, etc. I was able to load the save that just did not want to budge. Especially after sneaking up on a convoy in my XXI and sinking a Bogue and 3 tankers, and successfully evading prosecution from 5 DD's, in 1944.

You sir, are a gentleman and scholar.

[Shadowblade]

I saved the game after I have destroyed enemy convoy and could not reload the save game.

disabling/enabling mods helped a lot - thank you very much guys :arrgh!:

[ChromartyForthTyne]

Solution-#1 worked for me. Took a long time to load with all that missing data but to be expected after deleting 700+ files :o :Kaleun_Cheers:

[idl0r]

That works for me very well. :yep:

Formerly I too had constant corrupt save games, no matter was there other ships nearby or not, or was I submerged or surfaced.
After I started to save game only in command room; No more save game load crashes. :)
...Maybe it has something to do with the fact, that the game always start in the command room and saving on some other position possibly confuses the game??? :hmm2:

I'd like to focus at that I'm emphatically in the default position in the comman room when saving.


So, it would be very interesting where and how that's represented in the save game. I did some tests and noticed that actually only that .isf file differs, if you save fast enought between F2 (control room) and F5 (map screen). Just need that bit though. I'd like to continue my patrol as the read-only/permission solution does not work this time. It did back a few years/months ago, while on Windows 7 but that doesn't seem to work, at least not in this case.

[idl0r]

Could someone with LSH2015 and these mods enabled perhaps try to load it and save it while being in the control room?
_LSH3-2015___FULLVERSION=1
_LSH3-2015___Patch_HSIE-V16B1=2
_LSH3-2015__Addon_SH3-ClassicDials=3
_LSH3-2015__BunkerStart=4
_LSH3-2015__ExtendedChallenge=5
_LSH3-2015__ExtentedChallengeBlackContacts=6
_LSH3-2015__HistoricalMessages=7
_LSH3-2015__NoFatigue-NoSleepCrew=8
_LSH3-2015_GUI__WIDESCREEN=9
_LSH3-2015_GUI__WIDESCREEN-Addon_SH3-ClassicDials=10
_LSH3-2015_SLS_SpecialEffects=11
_LSH3-2015_SLS_SpecialEffectsBig=12

Savegame via PM.

[THEBERBSTER]

Hi idl0r
These are all choices where you only select 1.
_LSH3-2015__Addon_SH3-ClassicDials=3 < not widescreen just dials
_LSH3-2015_GUI__WIDESCREEN-Addon_SH3-ClassicDials=10

_LSH3-2015__ExtendedChallenge=5 < no black contacts
_LSH3-2015__ExtentedChallengeBlackContacts=6

_LSH3-2015_GUI__WIDESCREEN=9 > default mod with default dials
_LSH3-2015_GUI__WIDESCREEN-Addon_SH3-ClassicDials=10

_LSH3-2015_SLS_SpecialEffects=11 < smaller effects bigger than default
_LSH3-2015_SLS_SpecialEffectsBig=12 < bigger than the special effects.

Peter
https://s12.postimg.org/fwxanqiml/lsh3_support_download_banner.gif

[idl0r]

Hi idl0r
These are all choices where you only select 1.
_LSH3-2015__Addon_SH3-ClassicDials=3 < not widescreen just dials
_LSH3-2015_GUI__WIDESCREEN-Addon_SH3-ClassicDials=10

_LSH3-2015__ExtendedChallenge=5 < no black contacts
_LSH3-2015__ExtentedChallengeBlackContacts=6

_LSH3-2015_GUI__WIDESCREEN=9 > default mod with default dials
_LSH3-2015_GUI__WIDESCREEN-Addon_SH3-ClassicDials=10

_LSH3-2015_SLS_SpecialEffects=11 < smaller effects bigger than default
_LSH3-2015_SLS_SpecialEffectsBig=12 < bigger than the special effects.

Peter
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Hi Peter,

I was just looking for someone who would try to load my savegame with exactly the mentioned mods and order and try to safe my savegame by saving it again in the control room, in case that's really the solution. But for a new game I'll remove those false ones then. Either I didn't read enought or the docs weren't really clear about that. Thanks for the hint!

[Solyom2]

I made the #2 solution steps months ago. Now i continued my carreer. I finished 4 patrol without any crash. So it worked, I thought.

Now, when I loaded my last save game, it crashed. I was in the middle of the sea alone (it was heavy raining, but my sonar didn't find anything).
okay, i uncheck the GWX enhanced damage and enhacd torpedo damage mod. It still crash.
Okay, i check the SH3 Commander. In my captain's textbook, the next patrol Grid is "Null". I dont know, if it caused CTD, or its because the CTD.

Delete previous save games.

Okay, i load my previous save, CTD. Previous, CTD. The game has this nice ability, if I loada newer save, the later will be deleted.

Finally, i managed to load a much earlier save in this patrol, where I was next to two neutral cargo ship in the sea, on the surface.

So, I dont know what was that. First I thought there were ships neary in the saved game, but its not the cause.
Pretty annoying.

Any idea?

[Harm]

Some time ago I had the same problem. Every time I loaded the savegame with commander the result was CTD.

So I tested to start without commander and the savegame loaded without any problem. Maybe it work also with your savegame.

[Solyom2]

Thanks, I will try it.

So i I launch the Sh3.exe without commander, load the game, if it works I make a new save.
After can I load the new save via Commander and continue patrol

[Fenris_Wolf]

The OP gets a :salute: and :yeah: big thanks for saving my career as I return to replay SH3 once again after many years.

Three big cheers!!!

:Kaleun_Salute:

[XenonSurf]

Very good problem-solving thread from OP.
But in order not to invest much time in save repairs, here my simple tips:

- Very obvious: save often and accept to replay a portion of your campaign in case of save corruption; get used to save in different slots each time;
- Also obvious: different mod config needs its own saves in most cases to avoid corruption; if you change mods play with new saves;
- Saving the game in open sea with no enemy units in sight and away from ports is almost a guarantee for healthy saves;
- SH3 + GWX3 + SH3 Commander: You MUST install the special files for the SH3C; also not every SH3C setting is possible for a mod without crashing
- SH5: In case of save corruption, locate the file 'special.txt' in your save folder and erase it. Reload save.

[Eikson]

Hey guys,

Unfortunately I face the same issues with broken saves. I tried the read-only fix but whenever I turn read only off on a folder it automatically reverts the next time I check. Has anyone else had this issue on Windows 10?
The folder is on my C drive, but not in program files

[Pisces]

Well, that read-only option would only apply to files in a folder. Not to the folder itself. (It says so on my machine)

Besides, in Windows 10 these days it does not prevent deletion or overwriting of files. NTFS security rules (security tab in file/folder properties) determine which users (or the applications started by the user) can do what to files and folders. That checkmark is a left over from the DOS filesystem years.

WARNING: Don't go screwing around with those security settings if you don't know how it works. Since many computer users are administrator by default (first computer user on the system) you can mess up badly. You might screw up your install further, or even be unable to remove the folder or files and reinstall the game back in that place.

Personally I think the solution must lie somewhere else. It was posted as one of many actions that somehow got the OP to get the game running his/her savegames. It was never figured out systematically if this was the sole cure or solution to the problem.

[Eikson]

Thanks for the clarification.

I seem to be unable to fix this issue. Restarted several campaigns and took out all particle-effects/debris related mods.

Every single savegame I try to load leads to a crash, even when following all the rules posted here (I believe some are just superstition though).

I gave all exes admin privileges and marked them as safe for my antivirus.

I tried the "read-only" method as well as the indexing/archiving method but they both changed nothing.

I also did a complete clean reinstall.

Does anybody else have an idea or does he maybe spot a mod that caused similar issues for him in my modlist?

Thanks!!

Supplement to V16B1 (JSGME)
ARB WideGui 1920x1080
raobf Fix
SH-5 Water for SH-3 16 Km V84
TKSS18 German U-Boats Compilation
New U-Boat Guns Fixed Reworked (for German U-Boats Compilation)
FixAllSubGWX
Alert Crew
Weather Fix
German Hits Collection
SH3 oggvorbis2
Rapt0r's Uniforms V2.0 [Grey]
GWX - No Medals on Crew
Rapt0r's Uniforms V2.0 [Grey - All Leather] Patch
MFM-Improved
MFM v3.3 Silhouettes by Izgud
MFM-v3-US+UK_Skins19390901
OLC's Modified Searchlight Beams for GWX3
TheDarkWraith_DC_Water_Disturbance_v4_0_SH3
Sh3_volumetric_clouds&fog_V2.2

[u47 1956]

Hi Eikson,


There is a bug in the mod "TheDarkWraith_DC_Water_Disturbance_v4_0_SH3"


It is known to cause save games to CTD as your experiencing


Graeme :Kaleun_Salute:

[Eikson]

Thank you man! I'll try that asap

[mrb__]

I made the #2 solution steps months ago. Now i continued my carreer. I finished 4 patrol without any crash. So it worked, I thought.

Now, when I loaded my last save game, it crashed. I was in the middle of the sea alone (it was heavy raining, but my sonar didn't find anything).
okay, i uncheck the GWX enhanced damage and enhacd torpedo damage mod. It still crash.
Okay, i check the SH3 Commander. In my captain's textbook, the next patrol Grid is "Null". I dont know, if it caused CTD, or its because the CTD.

Delete previous save games.

Okay, i load my previous save, CTD. Previous, CTD. The game has this nice ability, if I loada newer save, the later will be deleted.

Finally, i managed to load a much earlier save in this patrol, where I was next to two neutral cargo ship in the sea, on the surface.

So, I dont know what was that. First I thought there were ships neary in the saved game, but its not the cause.
Pretty annoying.

Any idea?

I’ll dig this one up for the record, maybe someone smarter or with a fresh approach figures out the solution.
It happens to me too, UNLESS I load up the first save of that particular sortie, but then all my patrol efforts are lost...

What I noticed on returning to the gameplay on the following day, is that the original save game (in base before mission) bears a later date and time stamp then the consecutive patrol entries :wah:
This order is not logical and you need to remember that the particular savegames are grouped under the main entry done by the game system before deploying out to the sea.

My guess is, the game engine compares both timestamps during the load up and gets stuck, you cannot be far away from your home base and at sea earlier in time then you were at the start of your mission. :D

One more thing, I’ve noticed too is I tend to go to sleep late at night and often after midnight, while the last savegame might have been done with the timestamp of the previous day, ie. before midnight. The game engine might be writing down that new date and time to the original entry (at home base before mission) messing up the whole structure.

Now, if only I could figure out how to change the “last modified/created” entry in Win10 for each file of the particular savegame...

[Dostie]

I tried everything. The only thing that seems to work for me so far is to save while you are in the control room.

[kaizerhund10]

it works!!! so now do i save first then add the three mods i took out and reload?

[Captain Drastic]

Yes, save from the F2 Control Room Screen, even submerged. Works like a charm for me.