LSH3 crashes upon loading to desktop every time.

[applesthecat]

I don't know if this should be here. I posted a similar thread in the MOD forum but maybe this is the better place for it.

I have windows 10 and just installed the LSH3 super mod and now it crashes each time it tries to start either a career or a single mission. It worked fine before the LSH3 mod installation. I followed the instructions closely. It is installed, I can pick my mission, but after the red bar goes right to the end, it pauses and then CTDs.

I have tried:

lowering resolution
enabling OS compatibility with older WIndows
playing with the video card settings
and a few other other things.

Does anybody know of any issues that cause this. Some files that may be a problem?

Thanks.

[THEBERBSTER]

Hi applesthecat
This is a classic Windows 10 incompatibility issue mentioned in my tutorials.
Change Windows 10 to run in compatibility mode Windows 7.
SH3.exe
SH3Commander
JSGME
Run all these as administrators.
Peterhttps://s21.postimg.org/4jcvljbbr/lsh3_support_download_banner.gif

[applesthecat]

Okay thanks

I notice there is a folder on my destop with the exe commands and a few other things. Do I launch the game from there or from the Steam shortcut?

I also notice that the jsgme, commander, and SH3 exe files are also here in addition to being in my Silent Hunter 3 directory. I enabled the Windows 7 compatibility option in both places for all three. Is that correct?

[applesthecat]

Well, I tried it that way, and it still stops working. When the game loads, it says game paused, and nothing can unpause it. Everything is frozen.

I tried starting it from Steam or from the LSH3 shortcut and it is the same for both ways. Even though I enabled the full screen option, I no longer have full screen. It is cut off at both sides.

I tried enabling the full screen mod in jsmge, but when I Tried to do that, I got a long message in German. It asked me Ja or Nein, so I choose Nein. I think it was telling me that if I enabled it, I would screw up the Main mod that was already enabled.

[ValoWay]

you can try this:

http://imgur.com/a/I7Dw3 & http://imgur.com/a/SANvb

[applesthecat]

thanks, yes, I tried deleting the V15 file, but it made no difference. I had no saved games anyway. The instructions tells you to deavtivate the mods from the bottom to the top, but for me, the only mod I have is the main one. It won't allow any other mods to activate while the main mod is activated.

[ValoWay]

So does the game crash when it is at the loading screen of a mission/career (like maybe shortly before the loading bar is full, at 100%?) or does it crash immediately once you hit the check mark button via commander?

Basically, does the game load up at all?

Edit:
The instructions say that you're supposed to install the mod on a fresh vanilla installation of SH3. You've said earlier that sh3 vanilla worked with win10? Depending on how far you went with your testing the LSH installation maybe failed because of that? Who knows :hmmm:

I would wipe everything sh3 related completely and try again, tbh. I was trying to squeeze a lot of mods into LSH which weren't made for it and even after getting rid of them it wouldn't stop the game from crashing.. I bet I installed sh3 and LSH like 10 times before I could play it the way I want it, haha..

[applesthecat]

Thanks,

The game was crashing as it was about to start after the second screen, but for some reason it is working now.

I got the game to work. Why, I don't know.

However, the resolution is not full screen.
I enabled the full screen mod in jsgme, and I enabled the full screen option inside the game, and enabled full screen on my AMD settings, and neither makes the game go full screen.

The installation manual says the solution is to enable that mod, but it does not seem to work.

BTW, do you have to restart the computer every time you make a change to the jsmge settings?

[THEBERBSTER]

Hi atc
I notice there is a folder on my destop with the exe commands and a few other things I think these are just the exe shortcuts.
The game should always be launched from SH3Commander.
I have found that the shortcuts can cause a ctd usually before it gets to the main menu.
Pinning SH3Commander to the Taskbar for some reason overcomes this loading problem.

I assume that you have done the Steam conversion?

The widescreen resolution is 1920x1080
Check your resolution settings in the Control Panel.
AMD settings should be.
Image scaling > Enable GPU scaling
Maintain aspect ratio or Scale image to full panel size.

It is important to start the game with only the base mod and the gui widescreen mod.
Entering the Naval Academy builds the V15 save game folder.
It is not necessary to take an exam but if you do you will get an extra 1000 renown points.
No changes should be made in the office before your first test mission.

I enabled the Windows 7 compatibility option in both places for all three. Is that correct? No, only the SH3.exe
Peter
https://s22.postimg.org/vz8byuhch/lsh3_support_download_banner.gif

[applesthecat]

HI Peter


My monitor runs on 1920 x 1080 and I have the GPU scaling on and the maintain aspect ratio on.

I started the game from the SH3commander exe and it still is not in full screen mode. :o

I restarted the computer. Do I have to restart the computer for any change to be in effect?

Yes, I downloaded the game from steam.

BTW, I notice there is also a jsgme program under the LSH3 2015 Commander directory. That one has no mods available. What does that one do?

I notice there are three widescreen mods in jsgme. I have the first one enabled.

[THEBERBSTER]

Hi atc
Seems like a gpu problem.
I also run at 1920x1080 resolution without any problems with a Nvidia gpu.
I have also used Ahnenerbe's 1920x1080 wide screen mod as well as others in LSH3-2015 without any problems.
I restarted the computer. Do I have to restart the computer for any change to be in effect?
Normally you Apply and Save or, Save keeps your changes.
Restarts should tell you although a reboot is never a bad thing to do for peace of mind
Yes, I downloaded the game from steam.
Did you do the Steam conversion for LSH3?
BTW, I notice there is also a jsgme program under the LSH3 2015 Commander directory. No idea, LSH3 has an adapted version of SH3Commander where JSGME already contains the LSH3 mods so the one you are mentioning maybe the default version that comes with SH3Commander.
I notice there are three widescreen mods in jsgme. I have the first one enabled. This is the default version.
Used with the first mod these two are used to set up the V15 game folder.
You then just add the mods behind these two if keeping the default gui mod.
For other gui's mods, disable the default gui mod and just select the mods in the order showing.
Peter
https://s21.postimg.org/u4zfj27if/lsh3_support_download_banner.gif

[ValoWay]

Sounds like he has issues with the game accepting changes made to the game like activating mods without the game recognizing it.

Here are 3 suggestions which in my opinion might help with this issue:

1) I copied my steam version straight to C:\SilentHunter3 out of the steamapps/common folder. Activating '_LSH3-2015___Patch_HSIE-V16B1' via JSGME will overwrite steam's copy protection so that you can use your copy wherever you want on your hard drive. Straight to C: is probably the least headache-inducing way when you wanna use mods, especially when we talk about classics like sh3.

2) Furthermore, when you (de-)activate mods via JSGME, turn mods on or off only one after the other instead of letting JSGME do multiple mods at once.

3)

3A) Make hidden folders visible.

How-to:
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/show-hidden-files-and-folders-in-windows-vista/

3B) Go to: SilentHunter3\MODS

3C) Check the hidden folder called '!BACKUP'

I remember that I at one point had a similar issue with the game not recognizing changes I made to the game. After some testing I found out that some files inside the '!BACKUP' folder where preventing the changes I made to the game. After I deleted those files the game accepted what I was trying to change.

In your situation I would turn all active mods off via JSGME and check '!BACKUP' folder for any remaining files and delete them. Then activate the mods I want, one by one. If the game still doesn't accept '_LSH3-2015_GUI__WIDESCREEN' you have the option to delete all files inside '!BACKUP' folder.

Keep in mind, though, that you won't be able to deactivate mods via JSGME if you delete files inside '!BACKUP'! So only do that when you know that you won't need any further 'mod swapping' in JSGME.

[applesthecat]

Okay thanks

I did what you suggested, I deleted all the files in Backup, and then went back to jsgme but when I loaded the widescreen mod, it greys out the supermod. Is that correct?

Unfortunately, now that I have put the Silent hunter 3 directory under c:, the game no longer opens. I get an error message, something about a d3Dx9_42 dll file missing.

Did you do the Steam conversion for LSH3?Hi Peter, what is a steam conversion?

[THEBERBSTER]

Hi atc
That was what I was saying in your other post.
This looks like a Direct X problem from what you are now showing.
https://s14.postimg.org/f40czgbdt/capture_001_18112016_001419.jpg

Hi Peter, what is a steam conversion?
Steam conversion by our friend VW
Steam Conversion Installation Instructions By ValoWay (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showpost.php?p=2418373&postcount=614)
Peter

[ValoWay]

Yes, it is perfectly normal when it greys out. That only means that the widescreen mod overwrote some files of '_LSH3-2015___FULLVERSION'.

When you say 'put'? Do you mean you simply moved the entire folder or that you reinstalled everything to C: cause after installing software on your hard disk you're usually not supposed to move the folder of your program.

If you have moved the folder instead of reinstalling sh3 and LSH your shortcuts on your desktop more than likely won't work anymore. Try to go into your silenthunter3 folder and start the game via 'SH3Cmdr.EXE' which you'll find inside your commander folder (C:\SilentHunter3\_LSH3-2015-COMMANDER).

Furthermore, it is possible that the 'V15' folder inside your documents folder may or may not cause crashes when you have moved the game folder instead of reinstalling sh3+ LSH.

So if the game still causes issues after you managed to start the game via 'SH3Cmdr.EXE' you probably wanna delete 'V15' and restart the game in order to let the game create a new 'V15' folder.
(Your career is inside the 'V15' folder but you said that you didn't start any careers anyway, right?)

Oh, and if it still doesn't work even via clicking on 'SH3Cmdr.EXE' I would strongly suggest to delete and reinstall everything! Software as old as sh3, especially when heavily modded can break easily even when you didn't do anything significant. For example, whenever you have finished a patrol, make sure that you exit the game and restart!

[applesthecat]

Hi Steve

Those files are missing on my computer. How that happened just now I don't know.

So I have to download SH3 again and start all over?

[applesthecat]

Well what I did was copy and paste the whole thing over to a directory under C

Is that okay?

I tried starting the game from the CMDer shortcut on the desktop and the same command in the directory. No luck.

[applesthecat]

This looks like a Direct X problem from what you are now showing.

I hope not because i can not get those files back. DirectX9 is not compatible with windows 10 and will not let me install them.

I am going to have to delete everything and start all back from square one again. Which I don't mind doing, but I still don't know what the problem is.

[ValoWay]

the direct x files are part of the widescreen mod. When you open the folder '_LSH3-2015_GUI__WIDESCREEN' in C:\SilentHunter3\MODS\_LSH3-2015_GUI_OLC_WIDESCREEN you will find a file called 'd3d9.dll' which was the one you were missing, right? Before you delete everything try to deactivate '_LSH3-2015_GUI__WIDESCREEN' and reactivate via JSGME. The 'd3d9.dll' should then be in your silenthunter3 folder.

If that still doesn't work, yeah, complete wipe would definitely be what I would do! Make sure you delete 'V15' in your documents, too. You wanna install via steam. Then find the silent hunter folder. Copy+paste to C: and rename to 'SilentHunter3'. Then start the LSH 2015 installer. Once installation of LSH 2015 has finished, activate one by one:

_LSH3-2015___FULLVERSION
_LSH3-2015_GUI__WIDESCREEN
_LSH3-2015___Patch_HSIE-V16B1

[applesthecat]

Okay thanks

I will do that.

But I have done that process twice now so I am hoping third time's a charm.

[applesthecat]

I just re downloaded SH3 from steam. And after launching it, it too is only in low resolution. So it looks like it is not specific to LSH3. So I have to find the problem at this point before going any further.

[applesthecat]

I made sure the cfg files all say 1920 x 1080 in the basic game alone. And even in that basic unmodified game, I can not get back to the full screen like I had originally.

Stranger, when I launch the game, I get two prompts that asks me if I want to make changes to my system. One is the familiar blue one that says that STEAM is the publisher, and a second one, a yellow one saying UNKNOWN publisher.

I have no other SH3 files on my computer. I deleted all of them and downloaded a clean copy of SH3 from Steam.

[applesthecat]

Well, I installed the LSH3. I activated the JSMGE mods. But now the game won't start at all. Same problem as before with the missing dll file. The file that is in the GUI_widescreen directory is not what I need. That is the same one that is already here which is D3D9.dll. The one the computer is calling for is d3Dx9_42 dll.

So I am at a complete loss now.

[ValoWay]

Ok, go here:

C:\SilentHunter3\DirectX

and try 'dxsetup.exe'.

[applesthecat]

HI, I did that and I get an error message telling me that directX is not compatible with Windows 10.

[ValoWay]

ok, you can try this download. Run the file as admin, though:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=35

If that doesn't work it will get complicated.. Win 10 has apparently issues with direct X 9 software. Couldn't say that I ever had that issue, though. I roll with win10 64 home.

Here's a video regarding the download:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmTQ5dEQXPc

[applesthecat]

I downloaded that and now when I try to launch the game it says it can't initialize 3D engine.,

[ValoWay]

Try to run the sh3.exe in compatibility mode like Windows XP (Service Pack 2).

There are several suggestions in these threads:
http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=226714

&

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=217658&highlight=cannot+initialize+3d+engine

[applesthecat]

Yes, it was already set to that.

[ValoWay]

Maybe changes which you previously made to nvidia control panel interfere with your current sh3 installation? Since I obviously cannot look myself at your computer I would probably reinstall sh3 vanilla and leave it inside steam's original folder which should be in C:\...STEAM\steamapps\common. Then I would try to run the game via steam's shortcut on desktop. If it doesn't work I would try to verify the integrity of the game's cache in order to let steam fix whatever has gone wrong with your copy:

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=2037-QEUH-3335

I'm sorry but it is getting more and more difficult to keep track of the things you have tried so far.

It is very odd that even when the game worked in the first place it suddenly complains about missing directX files when the only thing you have done was uninstalling silent hunter 3 and now that you have installed directX 9 the game suddenly gives you an error msg saying that it failed to initialize 3d engine.

If I wouldn't know better I would say that you have changed something outside of silent hunter and forgot about it like something in nvidia control panel, for example. :06:

An annoying method could be to make use of win10's system restore. It would load the last save of your operating system. Windows makes saves of the OS whenever it installs an update:

Here is how you do it:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12415/windows-10-recovery-options (there: 'Restore from a system restore point')

This method may or may not help getting rid off any changes which you made to your OS. It's in my opinion more of a last resort method, though. Keep in mind that, for example, software which you installed on your hard disk after the last windows update won't be on your hard disk anymore!

[THEBERBSTER]

One of the problems with downloads whether it is Steam or from elsewhere is the higher risk of the downloaded files being corrupted.
This not a problem when installing from a dvd which can also repair the game.
There is such a lot of changes happened I agree that it would be better to start again and note what changes are being made.
The problem as I see it is either in the Nvidia settings or Direct X.
Could it be to do with Antialiasing?
The game needs the Direct X that comes with the game.
My Nvidia settings for SHIII
https://s13.postimg.org/vm9dxdxqf/image.jpg

https://s11.postimg.org/5pie4wnib/image.jpg

https://s15.postimg.org/sffypjlnf/image.jpg

Peter

[ValoWay]

yup, like you see in THEBERBSTER's pictures there's also the 'Restore Defaults' option in the upper right corner which doesn't apply to every task but most of the nivida control panel.