I'm cheesed off with this.

[STEED]

After the last time this happen I loaded up my fully patched SH3 disk but last week the dreaded Kernel.dll issue struck again. I am getting fed up un-installing then re-installing SH3, if there any answer to this damn CTD caused by kernel.dll as I am close to pulling the plug.


SH3, GWX3.0 Gold, SH3C and a number of mods on Win XP

[Reece]

Generally this happens when you run out of memory, just disable one of the big mods and you'll probably be ok, I still have those and have to put up with it till I get Win 7 64 bit. Please list your mods!

[Damo]

As Reece said, it's memory related. On XP 32bit there are options to squeeze more out of your memory for the bigger mods but ultimately you will hit a brick wall. This issue used to drive me crazy until I set up my OS with a /3GB switch, patched my .exe with a 4GB patch and started the game only after a full restart and use of gamebooster. I also had to ditch the FMNewinterior mod as that was just too much for my already heavily modded game.

W7 64 is but a mere few months away though when i upgrade my system.

[STEED]

I still got 110GB free space on the C: Drive.


Apart from GWX as said heres the rest of the small mods...


GWX - Captain America's Officer Icons
GWX - English Nav Map and Grid Refs
GWX - Enhanced Damage Effects
GWX - No Medals on Crew
Blue Menu Screen without pictures
BlueNightMap
GWX 3 St Naz and Schluese V3
GWX3.0 Additional_Ammo
Harbour sound
QueensSkins
Real Depth Charge
RN CV Glorious
SalvageTugboat_MOD
sangiorgio
Searchlights_Removed
Sonar Sounds
Stopwatch and tube touch ups
Stronger Torpedo Mod
Torpedo damage Final
WhaleChaser_MOD
Ultimate Aircraft Soundmod
Wooden_Lifeboats_Mod_1.1
ContactLines_forGWX2.0
GWX - 16km Atmosphere
Conus' Historically Accurate U-boat Emblems 1.0
GWX 3.0 Mission Orders
Binoculars Mod
HurricaneReskin_Dowly
GWX 2.1 Spy Sat
External Cargo from SH5
Type VII No.6
No continuous 'Ship spotted' V1.2 for GWX3

[SeaWolf U-57]

I think you will find the above posters are talking about RAM memory
and not the free space on your hard drive.
The more active Ram memory you have set aside for the game the smoother
and also cooler your computer will run this will reduce the chance of a CTD
or overheat game shutdown.
If you upgrade to windows 7 64bit version it is still a good idea to also use the 4Gb patch.

[STEED]

Half asleep.

Unfortunately I have no capital to buy a new PC, not for a few years.


Just to add what the problem is, yes its CTD but the game load up OK but on the second loading screen the red bar almost gets to the end then CTD.

[SeaWolf U-57]

If you are starting a new patrol the information that has to be generated
to start a modded game is huge.
This requires a lot of free Ram Although saying that if the game crashes very near completion of loading this could also be a Graphic's issue.
The only thing I can suggest to lower the load is to disable the 16Km Atmosphere mod this should help.

[STEED]

I will that ago, I just started a new campaign and I will keep an eye on it.

[Damo]

Steed, I see by your mod list that you are actually running less in memory hungry mods than I am, so I'm sure we can get this sorted for you. First, here are my biggest memory hog active mods:

Wilhelmshaven, St Naz, schleuse and extra ships
MEP v3 20km atmosphere
Sh4 effects
Merchant fleet mod interim
Community Units

That's just 5 of the 32 I have enabled (can't be assed to list them all, can't copy & paste JSGME list) and I'm able to run the game fine providing I do the following:

Have my sh3.exe patched with the 4gb patch, set up a second option on my boot.ini to allow the /3gb switch, always restart the PC before playing the game (necessary with the 3/gb switch anyhow), and use gamebooster to close unneeded processes and free up RAM immediately before starting the game.

Without doing the above, I get kernel.dll or ntdll.dll CTD's so it should work for you.

My system:

AMD Athlon x2 5200+ CPU
2 Gig Crucial Ballistix 800mhz RAM
ASUS 9800GT 1 GB GPU
Windows XP 32bit SP3

[SeaWolf U-57]

That will probably be your ASUS 9800Gt Graphics card helping out with the strain
Great graphics card with it's own memory and not converted system memory.

[Damo]

Yeh, 9800GT is pretty darn good for it's price, one of the best value cards out there as long as you don't expect to run Crysis at full pelt with it. I'll be upgrading my rig soon and rather than buy a new GPU, I might just get another 9800GT and run SLI, although I do prefer the idea of a single high power GPU but it's a question of price over necessity.

STEED needs to tell us his exact spec, see if this is hardware related or fixable through what I previously described.

[SeaWolf U-57]

May I suggest The Zotac GeForce GTS450
at quite a reasonable price in your local PCWorld
it only requires one high power lead.
and can handle almost anything

[Damo]

PCWorld??!! Last time I bought anything there I came within about 30 secs of being banned from every store in the country when I had to continually take a motherboard back because they wouldn't exchange it. AND I was working for Dixons Stores Group (the company that OWNS PCWorld) at the time. Bunch of cowboys, the lot of them with staff that no absolutely nothing about the products they sell and treat customers like dirt if you don't agree to the 'extended warranty' that means sweet naff all when you read the small print (I worked in the Coverplan department so trust me I KNOW). They'll never see a penny or a recomendation out of me again.

/rant



No, I use these guys nowadays:

www.ebuyer.com

Great customer service, great prices and delivery times are very good. Now that's what I highly recommend. And thanks for the GPU suggestion.

[STEED]

I'm now getting this s***!

App Name SH3.exe
App Ver 1.4.0.1
Mod Name SH3.exe
Mod Ver 1.4.0.1


Specs
Dell Inc. Dimension 8400
Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 3 (build 2600)
3.00 gigahertz Intel Pentium 4
16 kilobyte primary memory cache
1024 kilobyte secondary memory cache
NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GS

[STEED]

BTW: SH4 runs ok if that is of any help.