Crash,Crash,and Crash again - Page 2

frogdog · 04-20-08, 08:07 AM

I have had the same random CTD failures on SH IV and Sniper Elite...but not Microsoft FSX. I therefore suspect it has mainly to do with a MS Windows update. I have a DELL XPS Gen III...fully loaded, Windows XP (home) and run SHIV TMO 1.4, RSRD Campaign and ROW PE2.
I first started noticing problem about 2-3 weeks ago...tried re-installation...no joy.
If it is one of the MS auto updates...does anyone know EXACTLY which one? And what negative effects deletion would have on system security/operation? Is Microsoft aware of problem and, if so, do they care.
I notice the problem about 30-45 minutes into any particular session (inconsistant) and not associated with any particular crew evolution. Current solution: back up Patrol roughly every 20-25 minutes of play...annoying...but apparantly necessary to prevent loss of significant Patrol activity.
Maybe UBI might want to initiate/participate in identifying specific problem and create required patch/fix...lest some players abandon interest in game entirely because of frustration. Shouldn't be too difficult for the computer literate (certainly not me) to correct to my way of thinking.

peabody · 04-20-08, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonTana_Prussian

I did DL an updated driver for the card last week,but it was working until yesterday.

I agree with the comments here that it could be a hardware issue. But there are a couple of things you could try first. In xp you can "rollback" the driver (it doesn't always work- but worth a try.) I don't know your computer knowledge but go to control panel/system/harware/device manager/ find you displlay adaptor click the + and then RIGHT click on your video card and select properties and then the drivers tab. There is a button to rollback to your last driver.
Another thing that happens a lot is the fans and vent hole get plugged with dust and you reach a point where the heat is too much. Check them for dust (of course first as swdw commented make sure your fans are working) Then you could try taking the side panel off and getting a regular house fan and blowing it directly into the case to really get the air moving, if this makes any difference at all then it may be a heat problem, but that usually doesn't happen at the exact same time all the time (but I always check the simple stuff first and the stuff that doesn't mean spending money.)

I tend to agree that it is probably a driver, software or your card is on it's last leg rather than a heat probelm but it doesn't cost anything to try.
Also think real hard you may have added something you don't remember. You commented you didn't add anything, then remembered the auto update and the driver update, you may have added something that you don't remember. It doesn't take much sometimes. My friends sound card called me once, his sound card just quit. Did you add any software, drivers, do anything different to the machine? Nope. Are the speakers plugged in? Yup. So I drive the 5 miles to his house. He plugged the speakers into the computer but didn't plug them into the power strip. That's why i always check the easy stuff first.

Also if you can get that far, try setting the game on it's absolute lowest settings, that won't stress your video card or memory or cpu as much, just as a test to see if it is hardware related.

Peabody

Deimos01 · 04-20-08, 10:10 AM

Theres some good advice here so I will will just chime in and say that if you havent changed anything software wise and none of the afore mentioned solutions help, then that is a good indication that you have a hardware problem. I would crack the case and give the innerds a good cleaning out. Make sure all your heat sinks and fans are clean and dust free, including on your processor. Next thing to try if that doesnt work is to start testing out parts.

I had a bunch of problems on my system and was finally able to trace it to bad RAM and a bad DIMM slot in my mobo. The way I figured this out was by swapping in new parts. Luckily I am still under warranty. I wasnt having the same issues as you, but, my comp was solid for the first 2 months then started going wacky out of the blue. If you are lucky, you have a friend with a comp with compatible hardware and may let you try swapping out their parts for testing.

Its frustrating but keep at it. Youll get it figured out eventually.

MonTana_Prussian · 04-20-08, 02:05 PM

Thanks for all the advice guys,I will give it all a try and hope for the best. The card is brand new,I bought it so I could play SHIV.

gimpy117 · 04-20-08, 10:24 PM

mine crashes coming out of time compression when i go to the outside view...UBI's got at least 10 error reports by now...

Rockin Robbins · 04-21-08, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonTana_Prussian

Thanks for all the advice guys,I will give it all a try and hope for the best. The card is brand new,I bought it so I could play SHIV.

Ouch! I wish you had checked here before you bought that card. It really isn't up to the job. The minimum I would use would be a 7600GT in the nVidia flavor. Others can tell you the minimum in ATI cards. You would be a lot happier if you upgraded at least to that. I'm back to a single 7600GT and doing fine until I go the next round with EVGA

. Such a great company to deal with! Too bad they've had all the problems with electrolytic caps.

MonTana_Prussian · 04-21-08, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockin Robbins

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonTana_Prussian

Thanks for all the advice guys,I will give it all a try and hope for the best. The card is brand new,I bought it so I could play SHIV.

Ouch! I wish you had checked here before you bought that card. It really isn't up to the job. The minimum I would use would be a 7600GT in the nVidia flavor. Others can tell you the minimum in ATI cards. You would be a lot happier if you upgraded at least to that. I'm back to a single 7600GT and doing fine until I go the next round with EVGA

. Such a great company to deal with! Too bad they've had all the problems with electrolytic caps.

It was working just fine,and,the game is now running fine again

And I don't know why. I just decided to give it another try with a fresh install,defrag,and driver rollback.

Sheesh! Computers!

Rockin Robbins · 04-21-08, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonTana_Prussian

Sheesh! Computers!

Computers are not only stranger than we imagine, but stranger than we CAN imagine.

MonTana_Prussian · 04-21-08, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockin Robbins

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonTana_Prussian

Sheesh! Computers!

Computers are not only stranger than we imagine, but stranger than we CAN imagine.

And I had managed to save my new Asiatic Fleet career too,so now I'm happy

Soundman · 04-21-08, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gimpy117

mine crashes coming out of time compression when i go to the outside view...UBI's got at least 10 error reports by now...

I remember reading a thread sometime back where Leo Vampire (Creator of "ROW") said to take a short pause after coming out of time compression, before going to the 3D screen to allow the rendering time to catch up.

Deimos01 · 04-21-08, 05:20 PM

Glad you got it working again.

The only good thing about a problem with your rig is how happy you feel when you get it solved.

04-20-08, 10:10 AM	#18
Deimos01 Frogman Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: St louis Posts: 304 Downloads: 18 Uploads: 0	Theres some good advice here so I will will just chime in and say that if you havent changed anything software wise and none of the afore mentioned solutions help, then that is a good indication that you have a hardware problem. I would crack the case and give the innerds a good cleaning out. Make sure all your heat sinks and fans are clean and dust free, including on your processor. Next thing to try if that doesnt work is to start testing out parts. I had a bunch of problems on my system and was finally able to trace it to bad RAM and a bad DIMM slot in my mobo. The way I figured this out was by swapping in new parts. Luckily I am still under warranty. I wasnt having the same issues as you, but, my comp was solid for the first 2 months then started going wacky out of the blue. If you are lucky, you have a friend with a comp with compatible hardware and may let you try swapping out their parts for testing. Its frustrating but keep at it. Youll get it figured out eventually. __________________ "No matter where you go... there you are" - Buckaroo Banzai

04-20-08, 10:24 PM	#20
gimpy117 Ocean Warrior Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Kalamazoo, MI Posts: 3,243 Downloads: 108 Uploads: 0	mine crashes coming out of time compression when i go to the outside view...UBI's got at least 10 error reports by now... __________________ Member of the Subsim Zombie Army

04-21-08, 05:20 PM	#26
Deimos01 Frogman Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: St louis Posts: 304 Downloads: 18 Uploads: 0	Glad you got it working again. The only good thing about a problem with your rig is how happy you feel when you get it solved. __________________ "No matter where you go... there you are" - Buckaroo Banzai

04-20-08, 08:07 AM	#16
frogdog Torpedoman Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 116 Downloads: 56 Uploads: 0	I have had the same random CTD failures on SH IV and Sniper Elite...but not Microsoft FSX. I therefore suspect it has mainly to do with a MS Windows update. I have a DELL XPS Gen III...fully loaded, Windows XP (home) and run SHIV TMO 1.4, RSRD Campaign and ROW PE2. I first started noticing problem about 2-3 weeks ago...tried re-installation...no joy. If it is one of the MS auto updates...does anyone know EXACTLY which one? And what negative effects deletion would have on system security/operation? Is Microsoft aware of problem and, if so, do they care. I notice the problem about 30-45 minutes into any particular session (inconsistant) and not associated with any particular crew evolution. Current solution: back up Patrol roughly every 20-25 minutes of play...annoying...but apparantly necessary to prevent loss of significant Patrol activity. Maybe UBI might want to initiate/participate in identifying specific problem and create required patch/fix...lest some players abandon interest in game entirely because of frustration. Shouldn't be too difficult for the computer literate (certainly not me) to correct to my way of thinking.

04-20-08, 02:05 PM	#19
MonTana_Prussian Ensign Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Helena,Montana Posts: 234 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Thanks for all the advice guys,I will give it all a try and hope for the best. The card is brand new,I bought it so I could play SHIV.