Load time and CTD Problem (Memory?)

andqui · 06-19-11, 12:40 PM

I am using Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit, with 4 gigs of RAM. Before starting SH3, the OS is using between 700 and 1000 mb of RAM on its own.

In SH3, I am using GWX3, with several other mods, the main ones being MEP, the Full Interiors mod, open conning towers, the MaGui final, the "GWX 3 Wilhemshafen,St Naz, Schluese and xtra ships v6" with "WB's extra ships for Wilhelmshaven" on top of that, and the Merchant fleet mod. I'm also using the latest version of the SH3.exe tweaks, with the 4gb memory patch applied.

When I use SH3 commander to start a career in March 1941 in an IXB at Lorient in the 2nd flotilla, my load time when I start a career mission is about 10-15 minutes. Should my system be able to do this faster, or is this to be expected given the above mods? The Merchant Fleet Mod especially lengthens the load times.

When I finally load a mission, I'm sitting in the control room of my IXB in Lorient, with no FPS problems. The problem is that within 1-2 minutes of starting, the game seems to "give up" and CTD at the moment I switch to the NavMap or the crew management station. Sometimes I can cycle between all the stations successfully, only to have it CTD after a few minutes of leaving the port when I come back to the nav map, and sometimes I get the CTD immediately. Up until the CTD, everything seems to be working properly, but you can tell my computer is working extremely hard because there's an obvious lag and delay when I try to change the volume via the keyboard speaker buttons.

Does this sound like a mod incompatibility issue that I've overlooked, or does it seem like a memory problem? Should I have any sort of memory issue with w7 64bit and 4 gigs of ram?

sublynx · 06-19-11, 01:34 PM

Sounds like a memory issue to me. That's a whole lot of mods you got running. I guess you could drop them all, add one, the try if it works and then add one mod at a time until it stops working. That's a lot of trying and comparing, so it might be easier if you can add memory to your system and see if that helps.

Bakkels · 06-19-11, 01:40 PM

And sh3 won't be able to use more than 2 Gig if you don't have the '4Gig patch' (or whatever it's called) installed.

FIREWALL · 06-19-11, 01:47 PM

Check your ram sticks the old method. You could have one bad stick. It happens.

Fubar2Niner · 06-19-11, 02:30 PM

@andqui

Try run Memtest, it can be found here:

http://hcidesign.com/memtest/

That will tell you if your ram is bad. Best of luck shipmate. On a side note, as you seem to be getting underway ok before you get CTD, have you checked your temps?

Best regards.

Fubar2Niner

andqui · 06-19-11, 03:05 PM

It was time for a RAM upgrade anyways-

I don't know if the current one is broken but I've been meaning to get 8gigs for a while.

From the responses I'm guessing that those load times are abnormal, especially given a 64 bit system with the 4-gig exe patch.

Are there any other ways to check if this isn't a mod incompatibility? After further testing, the problem only occurs with the GWX 3 Wilhelmshaven, St. Nazaire etc. mod and the Merchant Fleed mod. Since the game (slowly) loads correctly and seems to work correctly until it crashes, and doesn't crash while o right after loading, I would suspect some sort of memory overload or overheat is the culprit. Is this a valid assumption?

Fubar2Niner · 06-19-11, 04:27 PM

@andqui

Graphic card overheat could be the culprit, altho in my experience generally leads to frozen/blank screen, cpu generally a RB. Try a temp monitor, look toward your mobo/graphic card manufacturer ie asus,gigabyte,evga etc. They usually have something in their utils downloads.

Best regards.

Fubr2Niner

Jimbuna · 06-19-11, 05:44 PM

If it was a mod conflict the game wouldn't load...I've experienced what you appear to be experiencing now and my problem was insufficent memory.

irish1958 · 06-19-11, 09:34 PM

Deactivate all mods and run SHIII/GWX without any activated. This could be a memory problem, but perhaps one mod us hogging memory.
I would also use gamebooster or AlacrityPC to free up memory, if your memory is OK.
4Gb of memory is fine. Do you use the 4Gb patch? or h.sei/stabler fix?
(http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=174225)

rik007 · 06-21-11, 01:54 PM

Try to follow the suggestion of Irish1958. Also disable the 4GB mod. When it is running stable add the mods.

06-19-11, 12:40 PM	#1
andqui Soundman Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 149 Downloads: 195 Uploads: 0	Load time and CTD Problem (Memory?) I am using Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit, with 4 gigs of RAM. Before starting SH3, the OS is using between 700 and 1000 mb of RAM on its own. In SH3, I am using GWX3, with several other mods, the main ones being MEP, the Full Interiors mod, open conning towers, the MaGui final, the "GWX 3 Wilhemshafen,St Naz, Schluese and xtra ships v6" with "WB's extra ships for Wilhelmshaven" on top of that, and the Merchant fleet mod. I'm also using the latest version of the SH3.exe tweaks, with the 4gb memory patch applied. When I use SH3 commander to start a career in March 1941 in an IXB at Lorient in the 2nd flotilla, my load time when I start a career mission is about 10-15 minutes. Should my system be able to do this faster, or is this to be expected given the above mods? The Merchant Fleet Mod especially lengthens the load times. When I finally load a mission, I'm sitting in the control room of my IXB in Lorient, with no FPS problems. The problem is that within 1-2 minutes of starting, the game seems to "give up" and CTD at the moment I switch to the NavMap or the crew management station. Sometimes I can cycle between all the stations successfully, only to have it CTD after a few minutes of leaving the port when I come back to the nav map, and sometimes I get the CTD immediately. Up until the CTD, everything seems to be working properly, but you can tell my computer is working extremely hard because there's an obvious lag and delay when I try to change the volume via the keyboard speaker buttons. Does this sound like a mod incompatibility issue that I've overlooked, or does it seem like a memory problem? Should I have any sort of memory issue with w7 64bit and 4 gigs of ram?

06-19-11, 01:34 PM	#2
sublynx Sea Lord Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: In the conning tower of my VIIC scanning the sea through the periscope Posts: 1,698 Downloads: 173 Uploads: 7	Sounds like a memory issue to me. That's a whole lot of mods you got running. I guess you could drop them all, add one, the try if it works and then add one mod at a time until it stops working. That's a lot of trying and comparing, so it might be easier if you can add memory to your system and see if that helps. __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] NYGM+H.sie v16+Stiebler 4C+MaGui WS

06-19-11, 01:40 PM	#3
Bakkels Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Groningen, The Netherlands Posts: 709 Downloads: 101 Uploads: 6	And sh3 won't be able to use more than 2 Gig if you don't have the '4Gig patch' (or whatever it's called) installed. __________________ My sh3 skins : http://www.gamefront.com/files/user/Bakkels Or go to the sh3 downloads section > skins

06-19-11, 01:47 PM	#4
FIREWALL Eternal Patrol Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: CATALINA IS. SO . CAL USA Posts: 10,108 Downloads: 511 Uploads: 0	Check your ram sticks the old method. You could have one bad stick. It happens. __________________ RIP FIREWALL I Play GWX. Silent Hunter Who ???

06-19-11, 05:44 PM	#8
Jimbuna Chief of the Boat Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 250 metres below the surface Posts: 190,500 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 13	If it was a mod conflict the game wouldn't load...I've experienced what you appear to be experiencing now and my problem was insufficent memory. __________________ Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something. Oh my God, not again!!

06-19-11, 02:30 PM	#5
Fubar2Niner Silent Hunter Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: London. UK Posts: 4,175 Downloads: 279 Uploads: 0	@andqui Try run Memtest, it can be found here: http://hcidesign.com/memtest/ That will tell you if your ram is bad. Best of luck shipmate. On a side note, as you seem to be getting underway ok before you get CTD, have you checked your temps? Best regards. Fubar2Niner

06-19-11, 03:05 PM	#6
andqui Soundman Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 149 Downloads: 195 Uploads: 0	It was time for a RAM upgrade anyways- I don't know if the current one is broken but I've been meaning to get 8gigs for a while. From the responses I'm guessing that those load times are abnormal, especially given a 64 bit system with the 4-gig exe patch. Are there any other ways to check if this isn't a mod incompatibility? After further testing, the problem only occurs with the GWX 3 Wilhelmshaven, St. Nazaire etc. mod and the Merchant Fleed mod. Since the game (slowly) loads correctly and seems to work correctly until it crashes, and doesn't crash while o right after loading, I would suspect some sort of memory overload or overheat is the culprit. Is this a valid assumption?

06-19-11, 04:27 PM	#7
Fubar2Niner Silent Hunter Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: London. UK Posts: 4,175 Downloads: 279 Uploads: 0	@andqui Graphic card overheat could be the culprit, altho in my experience generally leads to frozen/blank screen, cpu generally a RB. Try a temp monitor, look toward your mobo/graphic card manufacturer ie asus,gigabyte,evga etc. They usually have something in their utils downloads. Best regards. Fubr2Niner

06-19-11, 09:34 PM	#9
irish1958 Ocean Warrior Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Carmel, Indiana Posts: 3,250 Downloads: 320 Uploads: 11	Deactivate all mods and run SHIII/GWX without any activated. This could be a memory problem, but perhaps one mod us hogging memory. I would also use gamebooster or AlacrityPC to free up memory, if your memory is OK. 4Gb of memory is fine. Do you use the 4Gb patch? or h.sei/stabler fix? (http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=174225) __________________ Irish1958

06-21-11, 01:54 PM	#10
rik007 Grey Wolf Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Holland Posts: 785 Downloads: 122 Uploads: 0	Try to follow the suggestion of Irish1958. Also disable the 4GB mod. When it is running stable add the mods.