Ok, to break it down... there are 2... main.cfg files created for SH4.
#1, resides in the \Cfg folder, in \Data, inside your SH4 install.
# 2, is created... in documents, when you run SH4. This 1, is a basic (or what is supposed to be, a carbon copy of #1, just shortened down to basics for the simplicity of ease, when you go to load up a game save.
Now... Windows, in either its idiocy, or stupidity... take your pick here.... for some ungodly reason... takes a diarrhetic logic dump, & will some times... invariably, mangle that saved copy there in documents. No rhyme or reason behind it...
Now... when that happens, after you boot up SH4, the sign that Windows has wiped the save folders copy, clean of
[TIME COMPRESSION]
TimeStop=0
RealTime=1
LandProximity=4
CriticalDamage=1
CrewEfficiency=128;1
AirEnemyDetected=1
SoundEffects=2
CharacterAnim=4
EnemyDetected=8
RadioReport=8
Particles=8
PrayState=8
HunterState=32
3DRender=32
Maximum=8192
from it, is... in getting a complete, black screen. Sometimes, BUT... NOT always, that black screen, will host "Game Paused" dead smack in the middle.
Which, was what you reported seeing.... before you had to do a Cntrl+Alt+Delete reboot... yeah...
Which is why I asked for you, to go to the save folder for SH4, located there in documents, scroll through that folder until you located the main.cfg file there... open it & read through it to see if the [TIME COMPRESSION] section, was there.. or was it entirely missing.
All that pertains to that 1 particular copy of main.cfg, copy #2.... NOT copy #1.
Copy #1, is going to be all there. Without fail.