frequent CTDs when changing maps

Discussion in 'The Temple of Elemental Evil' started by younes, May 14, 2007.

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  1. younes

    younes Member

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    Hi,

    I'm playing a fully modded/patched version of TOEE using Co8 mod-pack 5.0.0, patch 5.0.3, ToEEFE 4.0 and dllfix16.0.3.
    I'm still very early in the game (roaming around Hommlet) and I have started to experience CTDs when I transition between maps (example from inside a house to main map) after a couple of minutes of play. I thought it might be related to the location flags in the map, so I deleted them but no effect. Also, it does not seem to be Screen resolution linked.
    Any idea waht might be causing the CTDs?. (I never used quicksage, always desabled autosave and the games are lauched through the TOEEFE interface where the cache is cleaned at every startup)
    Thanks

    -Younes
     
  2. maggit

    maggit Zombie RipTorn Wonka

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    Antivirus, file protection and program control components.
    You might want to disable them.
     
  3. younes

    younes Member

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    I know how to desable my antivirus (VirusScan). What should I do to desable "file protection and program control components" ?
    Thanks
     
  4. maggit

    maggit Zombie RipTorn Wonka

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    Well, if you have, let's say Kaspersky or ZoneAlarm internet
    security suites, they are equipped with components which protect
    your computer from all sorts of danger, including those which can
    come from the inside of your hard drives, i.e. some infected files.
    You can disable those components (modules, ah, a better word)
    separately opening the main window of your antivirus software but if
    you turn off the whole program this should also do but I would
    disconnect from the internet if I were you. ;)
     
    Last edited: May 14, 2007
  5. younes

    younes Member

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    Nop, not working. I disabled Virus-Scan and shut down ZoneAlarm, but CTDs still happening.
    The CTDs are strange because they seem to need some time to pass to occur: I can get in/ get out of a house after a fresh savegame load, but if I get in a house, talk to residents for awhile then get out to main map, I can see my 5 characters on the house doorstep for a second than the game freezes and computer shutdows (not CTD actually but complete shutdown). The saved games are not corrupted, I can reload them after a new reboot.
    If this bug is unique, I might consider redoing a full cleanup/intall...
    Also, one more question, my party of 5 characters is imported from a game I played a long time ago (Toika patch 2 at best). Should I redo a new character generation under the Co8 5.0.3 or can I use my old characters to fully beneficiate from the new mods changes (corrected spells, levels, attributes...).
    Thanks
    -Younes
     
  6. maggit

    maggit Zombie RipTorn Wonka

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    Hmmm you might have to redo the characters if they
    have been created before applying some of the dll
    fixes, I believe. This would seem logical, as monks
    get new feats (earlier non-existent in ToEE), druids get
    their armor proficiency right, etc.
     
  7. Shiningted

    Shiningted I want my goat back Administrator

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    My first thought was "those are old characters".

    The CTD is being caused due to some sort of compatability issues. When u first enter a map, all the nearby creatures initialise (euip their weapons, start their waypoints etc): likewise, all the static items (doors, trees etc) get powered up. Something is trying to function, either on the map or in your party, that the game can't handle: eg, if you have a character equipped with a certain weapon, then you patch the game to a version where that weapon has been removed. Or, the .dll fixes as Maggit suggests.

    In a nutshell, start a new game with new characters and you should have no more issues ;)
     
  8. younes

    younes Member

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    Well, still not working...and the game is behaving even worst!.
    I have deleted all my old saves, created a new party, started the game at the "Jade Empress" traveling caravane....everything was fine. But as soon as I left for Hommlet after the Chaotic Good starting vignette, I experienced complete computer crash (power down). This time I did not even see the Hommlet village map.
    So I think I'm going to have to re-intall the game if you guys don't have any other suggestion.
    So, from what I read from the forum post, to do a clean re-install:
    -I have to uninstall Co8 mod pack using the TOEEFE interface.
    -then uninstall ToEE the regular way (uninstall icon)
    -then manually delete the Atari folder

    Do disc cleanup, Win cleanup (following the "how to have an absolutly clean Windows thread") , defrag and reboot.

    Do I have everything in the proper order so far?
    Thanks guys for being so helpful.

    -Younes
     
  9. krunch

    krunch moving on in life

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    Actually, this will do the job.

    1. Add or Remove Programs > uninstall the Co8 5.0.0 MOD
    2. Add or Remove Programs > uninstall the Atari Temple of Elemental Evil
    3. Windows Explorer > delete the ToEE game folder, files and subfolders
    4. Empty the Recycle bin if used on your computer.
    5. Reboot the computer
     
  10. Shiningted

    Shiningted I want my goat back Administrator

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    Surely to goodness not even ToEE, with all its issues, can make the PC switch itself off? :blink:

    This sounds to me like a PC problem that is manifesting itself in ToEE problems: ToEE is just unstable enough to be suscebtable, just as the runt of the litter dies of the plague first :)
     
  11. krunch

    krunch moving on in life

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    1. Turn off the System Restore.
    2. Do these steps to clean up your computer.
    3. Update your motherboard drivers, your audio driver, and your video driver.
     
  12. Cujo

    Cujo Mad Hatter Veteran

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    clean your game disk.
     
  13. younes

    younes Member

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    It's possible, however it is the very first time in 2-3 years of use that I'm experiencing such frequent and repetitive catastrophic system crashes, and I run some pretty hardcore 3D TCAD modeling programs, have previously played plenty of games and also run programs that had all the opportunity of the world to crap-out on me (a heavily modded version of BG + BG2). None of them ever game me such pinpointed trouble, else than the occasional Windows farts (less than once a month vs. ~ 15 since yesterday when playing ToEEFE!.
    I already regularly perform the Windows system maintenace/clean-up described by "Captain Krunch", and my game CD are spotless.
    One question about the Windows' "system restore" option. It was suggested to be turned off. I never used this function before, so I don't know how useful it is and how much can actually be restored if something bad happens. So, should I keep it off permanently?

    I'll keep you guys posted. Thank you so much for being so responsive.

    -Younes
     
  14. krunch

    krunch moving on in life

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    System Restore can be useful if, for example, you are going to upgrade a video driver to a new version or beta version of which you are unsure of the results before you start the software upgrade and you want to be able to roll back the system driver after upgrading without doing an uninstall and reinstall of the video driver. System Restore is good for having a SYSTEM restore point BEFORE making changes to the computer system drivers. It is not good for rolling back programs, just rolling back system drivers. System Restore was never intended for programs, just installed drivers. And, System Restore is not great because it does not always work. It is perfectly okay to leave it disabled all the time.
     
    Last edited: May 14, 2007
  15. krunch

    krunch moving on in life

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    I would suggest you "Update your motherboard drivers, your audio driver, and your video driver.".

    One time, I installed a 32-bit Audio card and ToEE hated every version of audio driver I would install for that sound card. No matter what version of audio driver was installed for that card, it caused problems for the game and, yes, it could also cause the computer to blackscreen shutdown.
     
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