16 réponses à ce sujet

[Caralampio]

I used to have this problem before but lately it's gotten worse. The game freezes regularly. It happens at any time- 10 seconds into the game, 30 minutes, one hour, etc. Also at any point in the game, talking, walking, cutscenes, idle, combat, opening a chest, etc. Sometimes it gets stuttery a few seconds before it freezes. Usually I can still hear the sound in the background, but the screen is frozen either in the last image, or a black screen, sometimes a DOS screen with a cursor. I can't get out of it except by turning the computer off.

This problem happens exclusively in ME1. I have ME2, Dragon Age 1 & 2, plus many other graphics-intensive games which never have this problem. I am certain it's only ME1.
 
I have tried lowering the graphics. I can play with everything at max just fine, but I tried lowering everything to medium. I got no performance improvement, and the problem didn't go away.

Windows XP SP3, Nvidia GT 9800 1 GB with latest drivers, which is not overheating, Pentium D 2.8 Ghz, 3 GB memory. 

I was wondering if anyone could suggest a game-specific solution. As I said before I'm certain it's purely a ME1 problem. 

[Moondoggie]

Unless you play a game with the exact same engine,texture rendering,graphics effects etc etc you cannot compare them. Too many variables between engines for it to be a fair comparison.

I guess you want somebody to tell you it's the games fault but if it was the game there would be a more recognisable pattern like it always crashes in the same places. Games don't do what you are describing.

Either something is overheating or it's an issue with your RAM i'm thinking,

[Caralampio]

OK but then only this game causes overheating? And 10 seconds into the game sometimes? And I have checked the card and motherboard temps they're OK. I've had this problem with this game ever since I installed it, I stop playing it for long periods because of that. But before, the freezes were 1 or 2 in a whole evening of playing, now they're 4 or 5 per hour of play. Too bad, it's a fine game but I don't seem to be destined to finish it.

I've even have had a freeze when the game was loading. That is, launch-> game menu-> resume-> loading screen with the mass relay-> freeze.

I forgot to add, I have already tried reinstalling it. Also, sometimes after one of these freezes (the worst ones, that bring up a DOS screen with cursor) after the computer reboots it says that Windows has recovered from a grave error.

Although some freezes seem to happen randomly, others are tied to events. For instance, once I had one when Sheppard stepped into some flames. Other when I tried to make him walk into an area that was not walkable (it looked like you could pass but you couldn't, it was nonplayable). I kept trying anyway-> freeze. Or when I minimize/maximize the game, freeze. Frequently, it happens when rotating the camera. 

Modifié par Caralampio, 28 avril 2011 - 11:20 .

[Moondoggie]

When you say tied to events can you repeat the crash in the exact same spot every single time? game crashes not related to hardware tend to come from a corrupt or missing file which will cause a crash in a certain spot. You can repeat the crash every single time in the same spot and it;s often solved by re installing the game. Sometimes way back you had a dodgy disc in a rare case and you'd need to get a new one but nowadays you can often download the game and get a working version anyways.. But the case of it being unfixable via reinstall is rare in my own experience.

You have a fairly old system so the hardware may be on it's way out somewhere in there.

For testing if your RAM is failing you can use this and see if it comes up with anything:

http://oca.microsoft.../en/windiag.asp

[Caralampio]

I'll test the RAM. Most of the freezes occur anywhere, and not reproducible because I can get through the spot after reloading. However I just had a reproducible one: In the wards, the balcony where Shep & Co. stop in awe at the size of the citadel. They have a short conversation IIRC. But now:
kaidan: Its Huge!
Ashley: That's your profesional opinion, sir?
Then a loading screen like you get when using the fast transit, for a couple of seconds, then black screen, with sounds in the background.

[Moondoggie]

I just had a random thought and i know i'm going off on tangents here but did you try rolling back the video drivers to an older version and testing it to see if the crashes are caused by the latest drivers clashing with the 9800GT card? it's been known to cause some problems with Mass Effect with that combination. I should have asked earlier but slipped my mind. It's probably not that but it's worth eliminating it.

[Caralampio]

That's an idea. I've been having some unrelated issues that seem to originate in the drivers. I wonder how far back I would have to go.

However, I must add that this issue existed from long ago with older drivers, although not so frequent as it is now.

[Moondoggie]

You could also eliminate it being any problem with the game if it's a retail disc copy by trying it on another computer. It's worth eliminating everything computer issues are generally trial and error until you narrow it down to the problem, You can guess the problem usually from specific symptoms but now and again they suprise you with something random.

[Caralampio]

I rolled back to 258.96 drivers, which are recommended as more stable for older cards and XP. The cutscenes seem to be less stuttery, the game "feels" more stable (well this is a little subjective) and no freezes so far, although I have only played a couple of hours in my new campaign. Let's hope...

[Moondoggie]

Ah good. Let me know how it goes hopefully no more random crashes

[Caralampio]

OK 20+ hours into the game, NO freezes. I have had one BSOD related to nv4_disp.dll while playing ME, but this is a more general problem (it is the "unrelated issues with drivers" I mentioned above.) However, I must add that the frequency of nv4_disp.dll BSOD's seems to have reduced appreciably since I rolled back (in fact that one BSOD is the only one I've had since rolling back).

I have had 4 general protection faults, a problem I had not had before. But these are simple CTD's where all I have to do is start the game again. 4 CTD's in 20 hours of play doens't bother me much. It's less than I get playing DAO.

So generally speaking, I think rolling back the drivers solved the problem. many thanks, Moondoggie.

[Roman0]

I've got the EXACT same problem. And it seems, I have the same GFX card. Palit GeForce 9800GT 1GB Green. Got the current drivers for this card (270.61), and it randomly freezes the game (cutscenes, while opening containers, while fighting etc.) for a few seconds. I also noticed (like Caralampio) that the game stutters between freezes. And it can't possibly be overheating, because the first freeze I noticed was in the opening cutscene, just a few seconds after it loaded.

[Bogsnot1]

258.96 are the last known stable drivers to work with ME2. Anything newer will cause problems.

[Caralampio]

Roman0 wrote...

I've got the EXACT same problem. And it seems, I have the same GFX card. Palit GeForce 9800GT 1GB Green. Got the current drivers for this card (270.61), and it randomly freezes the game (cutscenes, while opening containers, while fighting etc.) for a few seconds. I also noticed (like Caralampio) that the game stutters between freezes. And it can't possibly be overheating, because the first freeze I noticed was in the opening cutscene, just a few seconds after it loaded.

Yeah my card is also the "green" one. Probably a bad choice, I bought it because I wanted a smaller energy consumption and not to worry with a dedicated connection between the card and the power source. It must be defective somehow. Maybe it acts like overheating even if the recorded temp is in acceptable limits?

It seems my elation was a bit premature as I have had a couple of freezes since my last post. However, it still is an improvement. Seeing that I still had freezes with the 258 drivers, I installed the newer ones again, to check how it went. The game became unplayable as before, due to much more frequent freezes and stutters. I rolled back again, and it returned to be more stable. (I.e. the freezes and CTD's are much less frequent). So, in conclusion although the problem is not totally resolved by using the 258 drivers, it is much improved.

Another "side" effect. With the newer drivers, shadows and lighting in DAO looked great. By rolling back to 258, DAO looks dull again. *sigh* Either be able to play ME1, or have a pretty-looking DAO...

Permanent solution: Change computer, video card and everything. But not until Christmas, I'm afraid.

[Moondoggie]

Have you considered getting hold of another graphics card just to test if the problem lies with the card? It's interesting you both have the same problem with the same card it may be a pattern.

[Caralampio]

Bogsnot1 wrote...

258.96 are the last known stable drivers to work with ME2. Anything newer will cause problems.

You mean ME1? Or also for ME2? I'm planning on playing that game next.

[Bogsnot1]

Both games. Some of the later ones will also work with ME2, but 258.96 are the most stable version which runs with both games.