Aces High Bulletin Board
Help and Support Forums => Technical Support => Topic started by: Duckster on August 13, 2000, 01:35:00 PM
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I've tried everthing. It's just no go. I can't play Aces for more than 1 hour at a time, sometimes not even 5 minutes. Whether it be online or not, I get a hard lockup that completely disables the computer. I have to unplug the thing to get it to restart, no keyboard input or power button will ever bring it back. Very healthy indeed.
I crawled through these message boards for solutions. I found a few answers, but none of them really work.
A list of what I remember doing:
* My computer has no conflicting IRQs. I have checked and written them all down, then looked in the bios to doublecheck. No problems there. I have disabled USB, Com ports, etc. that are not being used. Still screwed.
* I have the lastest drivers for my video card (Detonator for TNT 16mb), sound card (Ensoniq), and modem (USR 56k, yuck).
* I did a complete clean install of win 98 a week ago plus defrag various times.
* I've installed Aces three times, completely cleaning the computer of the program each time.
* Nor the processor (p2 333) or the video card is overclocked.
* I'm running DirectX 7.0a as indicated.
* Joystick with poll interupts is unchecked.
* When I run the game, only explorer and systray are running.
* I'm running the game with the same colour depth and resolution as the desktop (1024x768x16). Makes no difference between 32 and 16 bit, but that shouldn't be the point.
To tell you the bitter truth, it gets to the point that I'm unwilling to continue paying for a game that despite all my attempts, does not run. I really, really like the game, but it takes too much of my time & patience in a bad sort of way to warrant any further input on my part.
I found that there is absolutely no correlation between how long the game plays for and any changes that I make. The time I unchecked poll interupts allowed me to play the game for about 1 hr 15 mins, then locked (hard) up. The next time I played, it was only for 20 minutes, with the same result. Another time, it was about a half hour.
I've never had a problem with a 3d accelerated game that couldn't be fixed. And most of those were known issues, and certainly none of the fixes were any of the ones mentioned above. Logically enough, as and much as I would like to deny it, I think the game is broken.
So, if anybody has anything they would like to add to my list of "fixes" that doesn't involve a new computer, please feel free to post. If there aren't any, then perhaps I should search for an alternative multiplayer experience with less points for frustration.
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well ive been in the same situation and this might explain it look at the links under and try out blackice defender2.1 (antihack program)
well what can explain the time of lockups so diffrent can be an hacking attempt.
ive had 7 attempt of this the last 2 days and as the program said it can lock up and crash youre pc.
hacking report here: http://advice.networkice.com/advice/Intrusions/2000318/?port=1673|1689&flags=FAU&options= (http://advice.networkice.com/advice/Intrusions/2000318/?port=1673|1689&flags=FAU&options=)
blackice main site here: http://www.networkice.com/ (http://www.networkice.com/)
dont know if this is a problem but worth chekcing out
airguard
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I doubt that is the problem. My lock-ups occur both in off-line and on-line modes. I wouldn't claim to know too much about internet attacks, but I believe it would be difficult to do anything without an IP address of a client (of an attack...). That's a seperate incident altogether, and if I really thought that was the problem, I would speak to my service provider. Still, I don't think that's the issue.
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ok ive heard that it cant be the problem too just wanna check cause i have no idea what to do now (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/frown.gif)
airguard
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Well, you might want to try to the list of things that I mentioned. I'm not sure what your setup is, but some of these seem to have worked for a number of people. From what I've read altogether, most of the lockups appeared just after patch 4. I can't really comment on that, as I've just joined. It would be good to try a previous version of the game to see if the problems that I'm having were related to that patch. I'm the first to admit that I wrote the first post under some degree of....stress.
"I just want to play".
Duckster
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Duckster try sliding the hardwar acceleration slider down one knotch once. Its under the advanced option on your video properties.
HiTech
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Hitech,
I just tried that out. Online, I got as far as the hangar after changing fields once, and then it locked up. I guess it was about 3 or 4 minutes. In offline mode, I was moving from the hangar to the plane when it locked up, but I still had audio. Well, by audion I mean a sample of the engine start-up wav repeating itself over and over again. Had to unplug the machine. I thought maybe I would decrease directx audio acceleration notch by notch to see what happened. Also one of the lockups occured when I was offline in external mode and the second I released drop tanks it happened. Could have been purely coincidence though...
Anyways, I appreciate your help. I will keep trying. I did get this from a fellow gamer that I thought could be useful:
"I had exactly the same thing happening to me in game and out of game.
I switched to a Cable Modem this week....no lock-ups yet. I haven't really done anything different or tried to track it down since.
What I did find out...
is that an ABIT BH6 <my MB> is picky about high IRQ request items in some slots. So, for that MB, they suggest slot 2&3 for the modem and other high IRQ stuff.
Just so happens I have a USR modem too. Haven't checked what slot it's in since the Cable Modem and this new info sort of all arrived at once.
Something to check for though, with your particular MB.
Good Luck!
Toad"
Duckster
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I disabled DirectX sound acceleration altogether and I was able to play online for about 45 minutes. Just as I was on my 3rd b17 run on an airfield, it locked up, but without audio. I really thought I had it then.
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Ok, I may be out to lunch here... but try this:
1. Open case... make sure all fans are turning and air is moving for CPU cooler and power supply fan.
2. Test it by leaving case open, and with a big huge fan blowing on it if you have one.
When nothing else seems to be a problem, sometimes heat can be the culprit. It's worth a shot anyway.
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Lephturn - Chief Trainer
A member of The Flying Pigs http://www.flyingpigs.com (http://www.flyingpigs.com)
(http://tuweb.ucis.dal.ca/~dconrad/ahf/lepht.gif)
"My P-47 is a pretty good ship, she took a round coming 'cross the Channel last trip.
Just thinking 'bout my baby and lettin' her rip, always got me through so far."
- Steve Earl
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I might try that. Surely if that was the problem it would have happened with other cpu/graphics intensive games as well. I've run Falcon and EAW (can I say that here?) with no problems. This is a Gateway that I've had for a long time now; I would have thought that they'd take care of that.
I will check though. Thanks for your help Lephturn.
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Go fish.
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Have you checked your system for viruses, etc?
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Doug "Pyro" Balmos
HiTech Creations
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I did one with Norton about a week ago but I uninstalled it because I understood from a thread in this message board that it could cause problems with the game. I just ran one of the Mcaffee ones and it turned out ok.
Actually, today I ran the game for 45 minutes without a problem online, but I had checked poll with interupts this time. Again, not sure if they're related but I will try again tonight to see if I can run it for longer.
Thanks again all.
Duckster
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I know that I have to run my system with the side of the case off. Each one of my video cards has a fan but I just can't pull enough air through my system. On alot of things it is just fine but when I start getting huge grahpics work outs like AH it will lockup tight in no time.
I do wish ya luck with the problem and hope ya pass along
S!
Rocket
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My puter freezes/locksup in AH when the cpu gets too hot. AH is quite sensitive to it for some reason.
I suspect that the prob is heat.
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StSanta
JG54 "Grünherz"
"If you died a stones throw from your wingie; you did no wrong". - Hangtime
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I would suspect either heat (power supply fan running slowly?) or a problem with your Ensoniq sound card. You didn't mention DX in your post. Do you have DX7a? If not, make SURE you get it. I've seen this simple update solve MANY problems.
I once took apart a Gateway G6 233 PII. There was no fan on the processor, just a big heatsink. If this is the case with your system fan/heatsink combos for PII Slot 1 start at about $15. If running with the case off helps, I'd try one. (You can always take it back.)
If it's not DX7a, then I really point the finger at a heat problem. (BTW: Hold the power button in for 4 seconds instead of unplugging your computer. ATX boards have a "soft" power switch. Holding the switch in for 4 seconds will turn it off for sure.)
Edit: OOPS (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/redface.gif) I see now you said you have DX7a. Probably heat related then....
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bloom25
THUNDERBIRDS
[This message has been edited by bloom25 (edited 08-17-2000).]
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Wardog posted this in the Bug Reports forum. It may apply to you. Good Luck!
Ive had the same problem since v1.03 and up!
Screen locks up & sound loops over & over. Have to cold boot to get out.
I did every thing from changing back to old drivers ( TNT Hercules ) to reinstalling DX. some days i could fly 3 hours strait & not lock up,some days would lockup after 5 minutes.
So i went back 3 or 4 versions with the Herc TNT drivers and found that my card was O/C by about 25mhz. I put all hardware setting back to default speeds and have had no problems since.
Now i had an Diamond Banshee card and i could O/C that as well with the Diamond software. So, does the Diamond TNT2 card alow you to overclock the card? If so,have you? Suggest you look and see then knock all setting to default for memory & bus clock speeds.
BTW the Banshee card came outa the factor O/C. Loved that card.
Dog out...
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bloom25
THUNDERBIRDS
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Thanks bloom,
You're right about my computer just having a heat sink. I have run it with the case off, but still ran the game for max 30 minutes, somtimes not even 5. I think the video drivers might be the culprit. I'll try going back a few versions and see what happens. Don't you think other games would respond in a similar way if it was a heat problem? It is possible for one game to be more 'delicate' than another?
Thanks again.
Duckster
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I went back a few versions of my video card but I can't find any evidence of it being overclocked. By that I mean I don't have a settings menu that allows me to custmize the clock speed of the card. Ho hum...
Duckster
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Duckster do you have a hadware monitor on your M/B if so thn check and see if the power supply is not dropping voltages mine does and it stutters but does lock up im running a PIII 800EB so could be difference. Are running win98se or just win 98? What video card are you running is it agp or not?
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Tommy (INDIAN) Toon
Indians Home page were links to help pages can be found.
Indian's Homepage (http://www.geocities.com/~tltoon)
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My Bios won't let me view that information. I'm running win98 1st edition but with all the critical updates and bug patches found on windows update. My video card is the STB (now 3dfx, huh) Velocity 4400 AGB retail (tnt).
Duckster
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That is the original TNT is it not? you might try to get a Voodoo 2 from somewhere to help it out it might be maxed out in this game. Also you might think about getting a newer vid card Best Data TNT2 can be had for around 75 bucks (onsale.com had them). But heat does look like it is the main problem. you might try if you can to assign a IRQ to your vid card I know it says it dont need one but I found on older cards it helps, do this in bios. Also try moving your cards around especially if you have a PCI and ISA slot close to each other they share the same resources. I allways try to put the modem all the way to the bottom or as far away from the pci slots as possible. If you have cable now remove the modem its not needed any more. These are some old fixes that worked long ago on older systems your is kinda border line now it sounds so I think some may help. Another thing if you had the modem in the computer when you installed win98 then you might go to 3com's web site and see if you can find the remove file they have USRobotics leaves little traces of its files in the registry that need to be removed, what happens is that win98 tries to use the 2 modems when only one is installed, if you have the store bought and not oem you have this file on CD. Make sure if you try this you remove the modem and reboot atleast once with it out if you plan to put it back in. Trying to think of everything that can lock up a computer theres alot of things Ill try again if none of this helps.
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Tommy (INDIAN) Toon
Indians Home page were links to help pages can be found.
Indian's Homepage (http://www.geocities.com/~tltoon)
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Yes, that is the original tnt. Still, I'm getting 23-32 fps online in 800 x 600 with it. I hope it's maxxed out, I don't want the thing working less than it should be, just like any video card. Anyways, I've given up, I will await the public beta of ww2online and see what happens there. Thanks for your efforts all.
Cheers,
Duckster
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Duckster.....
ABIT BH6 MB stability......
Unfortunately, not much you can do about it.
Unpredictable behavior in many of our lab tests resulting in system lock-ups with no apparent pattern behind them.
Installed Intel 440BX-2's in same systems with all the same peripherals and all problems on every test system disappeared.
Sorry I can't be of more help.
Regards,
Badger
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As far as I know, the motherboard is an atx intel OEM LX(!!) for Gateway. Also, this is a huge full tower case...
Duckster
[This message has been edited by Duckster (edited 08-22-2000).]
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Originally posted by Duckster:
What I did find out...is that an ABIT BH6 <my MB> is picky about high IRQ request items in some slots. So, for that MB, they suggest slot 2&3 for the modem and other high IRQ stuff.
Sorry duckster, based upon this in a previous message, I thought you were using an ABIT motherboard, not an Intel. My apologies.
Regards,
Badger