[TEC] Sound.act CTD debug help

[castorp345]

I'm looking for a little help here please in debugging a CTD issue I'm experiencing...

Issue: when taking "heavy damage" (ie exceeding crush depth, DC direct hit, hitting bottom at flank speed, etc) in any boat in any scenario, SH4 CTD's with (usually) an error in the sound.act module, though sometimes ntdll.dll is reported instead. Specifically, what I see happening is the damage sequence starts normally--lights flickering, steam pipes bursting, etc--but then some critical point is reached and the CTD occurs.

Mods installed (though not via JSGME... I like casting myself as Dr. Frankenstein, what can I say): RFB for ROW, ROW with "#10 addon" and Kriller's latest Pacific Env mod, RSRD for ROW P3 with latest patch (#3), ROW sounds for RSRDC patch, TRM's subsound update, NSM4 for RFB (such as it is, but with 3.3 HC torp mod), other misc minor graphical/interface mods... in other words, everything's up-to-date.

Video drivers and sound drivers are current and functional. HD is defragged. OS (x64) is up-to-date.

Now, I only noticed this because in my latest campaign (where otherwise everything was running smoothly with the sim engine et al) I took damage in a DC attack for the first time in a long time... so I'm not at all sure when, where, and with which mod addition the conflict crept into my build.

At first I thought the culprit was the TRM subsound mod, so I backed that out of my install and replaced the sub interior files with those from both stock and the latest TM... to no avail. 'still CTD-ing. Then I tried out the TRM subsound mod in a stock install, and everything worked just fine, so I'm happy to report that it's not an issue with Steve's fine work or, conversely (and apparently), with the sub interior files.

I have run Radiostation Manager and that all comes up clean, so the usual culprit of sound.act CTD's doesn't seem to be at work here (especially since it happens regardless of date/time/scenario/boat).

As well, I checked out sh.sdl in S3D and the file calls all match with their sound directory files (except 'Glass Break 3' which was aliased to 'Glass Break 2' in the ROW sounds for RSRDC patch sh.sdl... 'fixed that, but with no effect on the CTD condition).

I've tried lowering the in-game settings and turning off "realistic sound travel", as well as progressively lowering the hardware acceleration in dxdiag... still no joy.

The only thing that's "worked" so far has been to disable my sound hardware--everything runs smoothly then, albeit without any sound at all--obviously not a desirable solution. Perhaps I just need a beefier sound card to handle the load placed on the machine by the damage sequence? (or maybe my MB's northbridge is on the fritz? gad i hope not!) But then why would everything work fine under stock, even with the TRM subsound mod's "additional" damage sounds, but not under the modded setup? And why wouldn't other users with equivalent or less hardware be experiencing the same problem(s)?

Additionally, this doesn't happen in a stock install, so it's most likely not a hardware issue but rather a conflict created somewhere in my mod setup... although the fact that disabling the sound hardware "fixes" things may indicate some sort of a hardware conflict (?)

'not sure where to look next...


I'll obviously rebuild my install if I have to, but would really like to know before I do what's the culprit and would (of course) rather be able to fix things with my current build...

>>Das Fehler muss 'raus!<<

So, do any of the shader effects make sound calls? Is it possible that, even though sound.act is being reported, the error lies elsewhere (especially since sometimes it'll appear as a ntdll.dll error)? Has anyone else with a similar mod installation setup tried-out the interior heavy damage effects?

Any helpful suggestions would be most welcome and appreciated!

thanks in advance,
hc

[DrBeast]

Hm...so I'm not alone in this. I've had CTDs cause from that .act file since patch 1.3, but I always attributed it to my coffee-grinder that calls itself a PC :p. Exactly the same conditions that you describe. Using ROW Sounds, too. I *think* I remember my problem got aggravated after I incorporated nvdrifter's Depth Charge Shake mod (now integrated in ROW Cameras, at least part of it), but I'm not too sure.

[castorp345]

Originally Posted by DrBeast

Hm...so I'm not alone in this. I've had CTDs cause from that .act file since patch 1.3, but I always attributed it to my coffee-grinder that calls itself a PC :p. Exactly the same conditions that you describe. Using ROW Sounds, too. I *think* I remember my problem got aggravated after I incorporated nvdrifter's Depth Charge Shake mod (now integrated in ROW Cameras, at least part of it), but I'm not too sure.

While I'm certainly sorry to hear that you're having the same difficulty, it is reassuring to know that I'm not just going crazy here...

Out of curiosity, DrBeast, what kind of sound hardware are you running on? I had a SB Audigy Live! installed, so I tried removing that and running off my MB's integrated sound (Realtek AC97), but still had the same problems... I'm thinking that I might just use this as an excuse with the wife to upgrade to some better sound hardware, regardless of whether that actually will/would solve the issue (though I certainly hope that it does!).

In the meantime, I'll try backing out the ROW cameras to stock and see if that does anything... 'will report back... but while I do, is there anyone else who has experienced this? For those of you who have the same (or similar) mod setup, have you tried putting things to the test under heavy damage situations? I'd be very curious/eager to get other users feedback on this.

many thanks!
hc

[castorp345]

Originally Posted by castorp345

I'll try backing out the ROW cameras to stock and see if that does anything...

no go.

all's well with the ROW cameras...
CTD's occuring as before with both ROW and stock camera files...

[skwasjer]

Try adding a mod at a time until you run into the same crashes again. I don't know your system specs but the big mods do add extra weight so the system is more stressed, which may cause the game to crash at some point. Don't know if you tried but it may help to reduce the max number of sound channels in the ingame settings.

Anyway, you should really use JSGME. This allows you to track back to stock and find the offending mod (if any). Probably something got borked down the line...

[castorp345]

Originally Posted by skwasjer

Try adding a mod at a time until you run into the same crashes again.

that's certainly the game-plan (rebuilding over stock 1.4) if all else fails, though i'm kinda hoping to avoid that...

I don't know your system specs but the big mods do add extra weight so the system is more stressed, which may cause the game to crash at some point.

that's certainly true so, "when in doubt", i'm going to try a hardware upgrade (maybe a ht omega striker 7.1... should be a nice step-up from the on-board integrated ac97 in any event) and hope that that takes care of things prior to having to rebuild... unless anyone has a clue as to what a mod-related conflict might be that would cause this sort of CTD with the sound.act module?

Don't know if you tried but it may help to reduce the max number of sound channels in the ingame settings.

yep, tried that... no joy. the only thing that's "worked" so far has been to disable my sound hardware... then everything runs fine, albeit without sound... of course stock install (1.4) works fine with sound enabled, but i'd really like to figure out where I "borked" things in the mod configuration, if possible, before hassling over reinstalling, especially as i've no guarantee that it won't happen again, jsgme or no jsgme (ie if it is, in fact, a hardware issue)...

Anyway, you should really use JSGME. This allows you to track back to stock and find the offending mod (if any).

i know, i know...


what can i say? i'm a masochist, so i suppose i should quit my whining and take what i've got coming to me for being so obstinate in my inefficient ways...

Probably something got borked down the line...

most definitely! the question is: what?
it doesn't seem as though it's the sub interior files, and sh.sdl seem to be in order...
what else makes calls to the sound.act module that could cause a conflict? or might it be just that the sound buffer is being overloaded by the modded configuration entries? new hardware should tell there i suppose...

who needs the hardy boys and nancy drew when one can debug a convoluted sh4 mod installation?

cheers
hc

[Digital_Trucker]

Originally Posted by castorp345

who needs the hardy boys and nancy drew when one can debug a convoluted sh4 mod installation?

cheers
hc

Tom Swift is who you need:rotfl:

[DrBeast]

Originally Posted by skwasjer

Try adding a mod at a time until you run into the same crashes again. I don't know your system specs but the big mods do add extra weight so the system is more stressed, which may cause the game to crash at some point. Don't know if you tried but it may help to reduce the max number of sound channels in the ingame settings.

Like I said, my machine is pretty low-spec, that's why I thought it was a matter of hardware overstress and never mentioned it. I'm playing with sound channels almost all the way down (one before the end) anyway, helps with FPS a bit, so that probably ain't it either.

@castorp345: I have a SB Audigy Live.

I think our next step will be to ask: what would Brian Boitano do? :rotfl:

[castorp345]

well, 'just installed a brand new ht omega striker 7.1...
it produces some pretty amazing sound, but unfortunately the new hardware doesn't resolve the sound.act ctd issue...

'guess it's time to reinstall and diagnose along the way, though i think i'll hold off on doing so until the new rfb is released.

[DrBeast]

Forgot to mention: prior to installing patch 1.4 I did a complete uninstall of the game and built it up from scratch. So far, I've only had CTD attributed to sound.act only once or twice, though I get CTDs regularly (probably because of hardware overstress; on top of everything else, I think my PSU is dying a slow, painful death ).