Has SH3 ever just "stopped working" for you? (crit

vois2 · 08-06-05, 03:40 PM

For months I have been so happy with my SH3 installation ... never a whisper of a problem, until today.

I use the 'downloadable' version of SH3, and for a couple of months have been running an error-free and remarkably smooth SH3 + v1.4b patch + RuB 1.42 . (no other mods of any sort).

This is on a brand new P4 3.0 with almost nothing but SH3 and Windows XP installed. 1.0 Gb RAM, and 128 MB PCIx graphics card. And the machine is not even connected to the Internet!!

Suddenly today it just would not load up any career save. The game started OK, but during the process of loading my career save it goes "clunk" just as the screen starts its 'Initializing..." notification. Gives me a "Critical error with SH3" Windows notification, and SH3 shuts down.

There was nothing that I did last night when exiting/playing the game that I haven't done for months previously.

I also tried loading previous career save games -- even one in the previous whole patrol! - but the error was persistent.

I tried several things, eventually copying over the entire C:\Program Files\Ubisoft\SilentHunterIII with a 'virgin' copy I kept elsewhere on my hard drive. Patched it to 1.4b, and still the error persisted.

Eventually after some hours of diagnosis and trial and error, I have decided to just Uninstall SH3 altogether, remove all remnants as best I know how, and re-Install SH3 v1.0. I'm going to stop at the v1.4b patch for a couple of days to try out MP while I await the release of the next version of RuB.

Anyone have any idea what could cause this error to suddenly occur and persist? Thanks in advance.

Sawdust · 08-06-05, 03:43 PM

I had this problem appear on a few saved games from a single patrol, but not from multiple patrols like you.

You could check to see if the Naval Academy lessons will load, or if starting a new career will work.

kiwi_2005 · 08-10-05, 12:01 AM

This is a common problem with SH3. I get the load up and she crashes to the desktop. Here are alot of SH3 players with the same problem. One fix for me where i read from another thread was to Cut and paste your campaign files that are kept in "my doc" - SH3 folder and paste them to the desktop. Then copy them back again and start up SH3. The crashing stopped. a few saves later it happened again when i went back in. So i did the above again and the crashing on loading stopped. Its a bug with your save files. The CUT and PASTE worked for me. Try and see what happens.

08-06-05, 03:40 PM	#1
vois2 Engineer Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Southwestern Ohio Posts: 213 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Has SH3 ever just "stopped working" for you? (crit For months I have been so happy with my SH3 installation ... never a whisper of a problem, until today. I use the 'downloadable' version of SH3, and for a couple of months have been running an error-free and remarkably smooth SH3 + v1.4b patch + RuB 1.42 . (no other mods of any sort). This is on a brand new P4 3.0 with almost nothing but SH3 and Windows XP installed. 1.0 Gb RAM, and 128 MB PCIx graphics card. And the machine is not even connected to the Internet!! Suddenly today it just would not load up any career save. The game started OK, but during the process of loading my career save it goes "clunk" just as the screen starts its 'Initializing..." notification. Gives me a "Critical error with SH3" Windows notification, and SH3 shuts down. There was nothing that I did last night when exiting/playing the game that I haven't done for months previously. I also tried loading previous career save games -- even one in the previous whole patrol! - but the error was persistent. I tried several things, eventually copying over the entire C:\Program Files\Ubisoft\SilentHunterIII with a 'virgin' copy I kept elsewhere on my hard drive. Patched it to 1.4b, and still the error persisted. Eventually after some hours of diagnosis and trial and error, I have decided to just Uninstall SH3 altogether, remove all remnants as best I know how, and re-Install SH3 v1.0. I'm going to stop at the v1.4b patch for a couple of days to try out MP while I await the release of the next version of RuB. Anyone have any idea what could cause this error to suddenly occur and persist? Thanks in advance. __________________ I donate to Subsim because it is one of the best communities on the Interwebs. Stick around a couple of years, and you will see. You're never far from a friend here. Sunk at location vois22 [at] gmail . com

08-06-05, 03:43 PM	#2
Sawdust Planesman Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Quadrant DB22 Posts: 198 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I had this problem appear on a few saved games from a single patrol, but not from multiple patrols like you. You could check to see if the Naval Academy lessons will load, or if starting a new career will work. __________________ .-. --- ..- --. .... ... . .- ... .- .... . .- -..

08-10-05, 12:01 AM	#3
kiwi_2005 Eternal Patrol Join Date: May 2004 Location: Aeoteroa Posts: 7,382 Downloads: 223 Uploads: 1	This is a common problem with SH3. I get the load up and she crashes to the desktop. Here are alot of SH3 players with the same problem. One fix for me where i read from another thread was to Cut and paste your campaign files that are kept in "my doc" - SH3 folder and paste them to the desktop. Then copy them back again and start up SH3. The crashing stopped. a few saves later it happened again when i went back in. So i did the above again and the crashing on loading stopped. Its a bug with your save files. The CUT and PASTE worked for me. Try and see what happens. __________________ RIP kiwi_2005 Those who can't laugh at themselves leave the job to others.