CTD for every saved game

[anjutosi]

I've SH3 with GWX Gold. Everything is ok but, when I save a game during a patrol, I can't load that get. More: I can't load any game, unless I am in base. In the middle of a patrol it's impossible.
Can anybody help me?
Thanks
Antonio

[Osmium Steele]

There are many reasons for CTD on saved games. Too close to land, saving submerged, visible ship contacts, etc.

I saved my game two days ago when I had a damaged cargo ship despawn outside Hartlepool. It just disappeared. I was quite angry.

I was submerged, within sight of the piers, numerous contacts pierside and 2 ASW trawlers prowling in visual range.

I started up my saved game last night without any problems.

The only thing I did differently than the many CTDs I'd had before?

I removed the Read-only flag from my SHIII game folder and all files within.

Haven't had a CTD since.

It may not save your current game, but try it. I am sure this will minimize such instances in the futuure. It worked for me.

[anjutosi]

Looks very helpfull. Goona try
Regards,
Antonio

[Jimbuna]

There are many reasons for CTD on saved games. Too close to land, saving submerged, visible ship contacts, etc.

I saved my game two days ago when I had a damaged cargo ship despawn outside Hartlepool. It just disappeared. I was quite angry.

I was submerged, within sight of the piers, numerous contacts pierside and 2 ASW trawlers prowling in visual range.

I started up my saved game last night without any problems.

The only thing I did differently than the many CTDs I'd had before?

I removed the Read-only flag from my SHIII game folder and all files within.

Haven't had a CTD since.

It may not save your current game, but try it. I am sure this will minimize such instances in the futuure. It worked for me.

First time I've heard of this 'fix'...watching with interest :hmmm:

[Osmium Steele]

I discovered this nugget mining the many past CTD threads. I have no idea which one.

So far, so good. Restarting the above mentioned saved game was the first time I've tested it since I made the change a month or so ago.

[Jimbuna]

Well if it turns out it works, it will indeed be a golden nugget :yep:

[sublynx]

Ticking off the read-only attributes has worked for me too. I have not had a single CTD after the change.

[Jimbuna]

Not wishing to come across as being 'negative' but I'd like to see a period of time elapse and a lot more witness experiences....will adjust my files on an additional installation tomorrow :up:

[Obltn Strand]

Sounds like good news.:woot: Especially for those dreadfully long patrols with type IX.


I removed the Read-only flag from my SHIII game folder and all files within.

Now how is this done?

[Fish In The Water]

Now how is this done?

Right click on your main SH3 game folder and select properties. Down near the bottom of the pop up window there should be a 'Read only' attribute. De-select and apply.

At this point it'll likely ask if you want to apply the changes to all files inside the main folder. Say yes, sit back and watch it work.

Note: This may vary slightly from OS to OS but it should give you the general idea. :sunny:

[Obltn Strand]

Thanks Fish, I'll give it a test in evening.

[Fish In The Water]

Thanks Fish, I'll give it a test in evening.

You're welcome! :sunny:

[Captain Nemo]

The problem with the save game CTD bug is that you can go months and months, even years without an issue, saving in all kinds of situations, then bam you get a bad save. As Jim says, a long period of time needs to elapse before a potential solution to this problem can be given the thumbs up. Having said that, anjutosi seems to be constantly getting the problem, so if unchecking the read only attributes of the SH3 folder works for him, then it is certainly a step in the right direction.

Nemo

[sublynx]

Not wishing to come across as being 'negative' but I'd like to see a period of time elapse and a lot more witness experiences....will adjust my files on an additional installation tomorrow :up:

I don't think it sounds "negative" but realistic. We'll have to experiment.

I did this change in mid-May and have made at least one save game since that almost every day, sometimes two saves a day. I haven't played much SH3 in August, but played almost every day in June and July. My estimation is that during that time I have had at least 40 - 60 saves and no problems whatsoever - it doesn't even seem to matter if there are ships in close proximity.

Before the change I had a CTD in perhaps 1 in 5 saves. In fact so many and so regularly that I started avoiding saving when possible.

I have had a save game problem with Windows, PC games and read-only attributes before, as well. The saves I made with Panzer General II didn't work in a new Windows operating system (XP) before I noticed that the files were marked read-only - not by me, probably it was done automatically by the operating system.

Of course, I'm not at all sure if this is a solution to the CTD problem, but it would be nice for people to try it. If many ppl try and many ppl find it helps, we know there's something to it. If many try and there are only a few who find it helpful, then we know it isn't the solution.

So far I tend to think the read-only attribute thing might really be quite helpful, from my own experience. One experience is nothing, though, more feedback is needed.

If this really is about read-only attributes, there would even be a bigger explanation on why nothing has been done to this problem before, Microsoft wanting to make foolproof and secure operating systems and disregarding the needs of the gaming society - there's not much money in old games, compared to all the offices and workplaces everywhere that need operating systems that can't be changed much by the layman user. Even if Microsoft knew about this kind of problem, it would be tempted to keep quiet about it, because if people started to tick off the read-only attributes from the wrong places, that would probably effect the security of the computer. And what comes to Ubisoft, even if they knew about the problem, they would be tempted to keep quiet about it too, they wouldn't want their customers to start ticking off the read-only attributes and perhaps find out their computers security compromised.

[anjutosi]

Read only was read only and I couldn't change it.
But I found a solution.
SH3 EXE file, properties, compatibility: check XP compatibility and ckeck "run as administrator". That's it.
Good luck
Antonio

[Jimbuna]

Read only was read only and I couldn't change it.
But I found a solution.
SH3 EXE file, properties, compatibility: check XP compatibility and ckeck "run as administrator". That's it.
Good luck
Antonio

I'm afraid that solution was investigated a few years ago prior to a 64bit system being released.

[FUBAR295]

I made the change, but I really never did have many issues with CTD on saved games ( less than a hand-full in the past few years ). The last time I had CTD on a saved game it was very aggravating getting things back in order not to mention losing some hard earned tonnage.

It will be interesting to see how this pans out.

Good Hunting,
FUBAR295

[Obltn Strand]

Right click on your main SH3 game folder and select properties. Down near the bottom of the pop up window there should be a 'Read only' attribute. De-select and apply.

At this point it'll likely ask if you want to apply the changes to all files inside the main folder. Say yes, sit back and watch it work.

Note: This may vary slightly from OS to OS but it should give you the general idea. :sunny:

Doesn't work with windows visva :(. Worth to try though.

[Fish In The Water]

Doesn't work with windows visva :(. Worth to try though.

It's just a strange Vista issue, it actually does work even though it appears not to have worked.

NOTE: The read-only box will always default back to being filled in with blue. A undetermined state of not being read-only. This is not read-only.Please see this page for a full tutorial:

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/107890-read-only-file-folder-attribute.html

PS. As for what Microsoft was thinking, it's safer not to ask... :O:

[Jimbuna]

SH3 definitely works with Vista...there ia even a set of installation instructions on the GWX website for Vista users.

[Fish In The Water]

SH3 definitely works with Vista...

Absolutely, but the real question is - what does Vista work with? :O:

[Jimbuna]

I wouldn't know...never liked it from day one, especially after seeing it on one of my kids laptops.

[Obltn Strand]

It's just a strange Vista issue, it actually does work even though it appears not to have worked.

Please see this page for a full tutorial:

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/107890-read-only-file-folder-attribute.html

PS. As for what Microsoft was thinking, it's safer not to ask... :O:
Aargh it was only corrupted save. No tonnage lost. I hate computers, especially those who have developed AI, like mine who has a mind of a teen age girl.

SH3 definitely works with Vista...there ia even a set of installation instructions on the GWX website for Vista users.

Game works fine. I did the tweaking while back.

wouldn't know...never liked it from day one, especially after seeing it on one of my kids laptops.

That's why windows visva. Visva=pus

[GOZO]

Now the CTD:s has kept me from playing for a very long time now. Seems I will try this out anyway:salute:. Good Job!!!

(Played SHIV with TM2.0 instead and it has been very stable compared to SHIII/GWX).

/Gozo

[LiveGoat]

I'm sure this has been suggested already but lately I've found that when the game crashes or a save doesn't want to load, exiting the game, doing a rollback for SH3C and then rebooting the computer and starting up and loading the save again usually works. It's tedious but seems to work for me.

I'm using XP btw.

[YukonJack_AK]

Just my $0.02... but if it's a save game issue, why wouldn't you change the folder where your save games are saved (ie, C:\...\My Docs\SH3) to no longer being "Read Only"? I can't really see what changing the main install directory would accomplish if the CTDs are all related to loading save games... :hmmm:

Will definately give a try it myself however... anything to be rid of the random CTDs from loading saves :shifty:

[sublynx]

Just my $0.02... but if it's a save game issue, why wouldn't you change the folder where your save games are saved (ie, C:\...\My Docs\SH3) to no longer being "Read Only"? I can't really see what changing the main install directory would accomplish if the CTDs are all related to loading save games... :hmmm:

Will definately give a try it myself however... anything to be rid of the random CTDs from loading saves :shifty:

I think that changing the save game folder should be enough. I changed the game folders too, anyways, thinking there would be no harm done if I did that too, just in case.

And if you forum people do decide to try this change, please do inform us on the results. So far I only know of me and MissingName who seem to have changed the read-only attributes and gotten no save game CTD's after that.

[Osmium Steele]

I've made the change as well and have deliberately saved 6 or 7 times over the last 2 weeks in situations which would have previously crashed the game without a single crash.

It is working fine for me.

[Jimbuna]

I've made the change as well and have deliberately saved 6 or 7 times over the last 2 weeks in situations which would have previously crashed the game without a single crash.

It is working fine for me.

I wish you luck but I fear the result will eventually be the same as so very many before you.

[Osmium Steele]

I wish you luck but I fear the result will eventually be the same as so very many before you.

OK. I've enjoyed seven glorious months without a CTD after loading screen incident, saving in situations which would give most SH3 players mightmares. Until this morning. I ended up restarting in port.

We had completed our 4th patrol, went through the in-port procedure and started our 5th patrol without incident. I saved outside the port as a matter of course. We made it to our assigned patrol area and submerged to 25 meters. No sound contacts. I saved at this point and shut down both game and computer.

This AM, I started the computer. Started the game in Commander as usual, and CTD after loading. Both saves crashed.

Here's the interesting bit. When I had started the 5th patrol yesterday, the calendar in the briefing room had the correct date of 23 February. I noticed the loading screen was displaying December's news. Since the patrol start date was 23 February, I thought it strange that January's news was not displayed. The game had played normally afterward.

Could it simply have been a date discrepancy causing the crash?

Unfortunately, restarting the patrol in port deleted the corrupt saves. If it happens again, I'll certainly check that option out.

[Jimbuna]

Could it simply have been a date discrepancy causing the crash?

Unfortunately, restarting the patrol in port deleted the corrupt saves. If it happens again, I'll certainly check that option out.

Almost certainly...had it happen to me in the past...damn annoying :damn:

[Osmium Steele]

Ok, it happened again this morning. This save should have been clean. I was at the corner of No and Where, no contacts within listening distance and on the surface.

There was no date discrepancy as may have been the problem yesterday.

Here's the only common thread. Both crashed patrols started pierside even though I have the Start at Sea mod enabled.

This last one was a result of not giving commander a chance to roll back after the crash. Ok, my bad.

The earlier one I assumed was normal behavior when I didn't exit the game after the previous patrol. I just reloaded torpedos and headed back out to sea. To my surprise, the patrol started pierside.

Question: Is it normal for those with the Start at Sea mod to start the second patrol at pierside if they do not exit the game between patrols?

[Jimbuna]

As far as I am aware you need to start a patrol via SH3 Commander for the function to work.

[Osmium Steele]

Thanks you, sir!