...so here goes a theory....

The Vista users use a different Nvidia driver for their video cards correct. I just went to guru3d and there is a seperate download section for the Vista users. Could it be that the Nvidia driver is at fault here. Or maybe a little of both, 1.5 plus Vista/Nvidia driver.

So if the above is correct then a HotFix is needed. There was a similar circumstance with another title that is rather "long in the tooth" but this manifested itself with strange rendering issues, not the BSOD type stuff. As the newer versions of Nvidia drivers progress they are more apt not to support older titles and cause issues. In this case the developer stepped in and corrected the issue and that was that. Being that SH4 1.5 UBM is a new release this needs to be addressed from their end.

That is if the theory can be proven. For us XP users, we really cannot help aside from supporting the idea that something needs to be looked at and then a solution needs to be come up with......

Thats all.....

What "hotfix"...? Can you provide a link? I've searched but can't find. Do you mean a VISTA hotfix? Or SH4 1.4 'hotfix' (if there is such a thing).

Well I'm satisfied you guys have the problem identified. Now if we can get a dev to notice and be interested in the problem we might be on the way to a solution.

Yes it was a vista (but also part designed by nvidia) hotfix. I belive it is now an official part of Service Pack 1... as the hotfix is no longer available.

I have also shown this thread to technical support at UBI.COM.

Excellent. If they fix it you will have eliminated trouble for hundreds of people. Good job!:up:

I strongly advise this confrontation to move to PM. I dont want to have to close this one.

Here is my theory; everything in your syst uses power and will need to take that into account. That does include DVD, all flavors, CD, all flavors, MB, all expansion cards, HDDs, the amount of RAM, etc. I personally burned out a p/s not having enough jiuce to power everything in my syst. With the more up to date rigs, you will need to buy a large enough p/s to run everything.

I forgot to add fans also need juice. :D
This will also include water cooling also.

Your friendly neighborhood pc tech.:D

I have absolutely no idea what Skyhawk is complaining about...his post came out of the blue! This thread is VERY valuable and participants has been working a major known problem, possibly narrowing in on an answer or at least an approach to a resolution of the issue.

Please do not close this thread simply because there might be a hijacking attempt by someone with personal rants unrelated to the technical issue being addressed here.

Meanwhile, hopefully someone of authority (Moderatopr/Admin) might be able to draw the SH4 Romanian developers attention to this issue related to SH4 1.5.

Thanks.

While I agree that excess heat and/or power supply issues can be the cause of many problems, specifically CTD's and BSOD's, I will point out again that I have an 850W PSU and I have no heating problems.....and also that I can switch back and forth between SH4 1.4 and SH4 1.5 (both with PE3), and only the latter results in the immediate BSOD. (...and I have NO CTD's or BSODs with any other applications/games)

Thank you Doolittle. I just leave you with the following blast from the past from Skyhawk:

Folks, judge for yourself who stuck around to help people and who violated his word, letting us know what value to put in his opinion. I don't even have to chime in on that one, do I?

If the problem, isolated to my satisfaction, comes to the attention of the devs and they can find a way to fix it, this thread will make the difference for hundreds of people, determining that they can play SH4 instead of being frustrated by a vista/SH4/8800 series graphics card incompatibility.

I stand by my original opinion that solutions start when we stop trying to blame others and work on the problem. I'll take whatever blame comes my way as the legitimate price of progress. It's a price I'm proud to pay.

I think we had ruled out the hardware malfunction issues. I think now at issue is the 8800 series videocards, the Nvidia driver, Vista in how it handles the API graphics and SH4 1.5.

As I posted before not an "unseen" problem with other sims on other platforms. A problem that crops up with new hardware and the software driver and OS. Of course the outcome may not be a BSOD but some other strange rendering or artifact.

Here we have the worst case scenario for folks running Vista+8800+Nvidia+SH4 1.5 = BSOD. Unacceptable in my opinion. I would be screaming also! :nope: If someone can pull a string and have someone look at this...it would be great!

Other than that who needs a drink? I am buying.:up:

Arrrrr!:arrgh!: Just let me buy the first one for icecold for hanging in there for the good of everybody. I'll fight with him, for him, or over him any time.:()1:

Ok, here is what I would do to isolate the problem. Look at Vista first, the registry, then the drivers. Then SH4.

I will tell you guys that I dont have Vista handy to give you guys any help. Just suggestions.

I agree that Isolating the problem is the goal. I only differ with regard to what is logically the First component/parameter to look at...let's call it the primary 'suspect' of 'person of interest' in a criminal investigation. Unfortunately, pretty much everyone in the PC world is quick to blame VISTA for any/all problems experienced by anyone using VISTA, overlooking simpler solutions and tossing aside proven investigatory methodology.

Again:

VISTA + 8800GTX + NVidia Driver of choice + Pacific Environment MOD + SH4 1.4 = Smooth running of SH4

VISTA + 8800GTX + NVidia Driver of choice + Pacific Environment MOD + SH4 1.5 = BSOD

Logically, the parameter which changed was, by definition, SH4 1.5. That is why the Romanian developers are best positioned to compare SH4 1.5 to 1.4 to identify/know what files or engine 'code' was changed. It would seem to me that the developers/programmers could, therefore, very likely isolate the probable cause of the BSODs in a matter of merely a few hours.