Curse

boots559 · Aug 15, 2005, 05:59 AM // 05:59

I've had the problem since day 1, about a week after release and only found a way to REALLY play 2 days ago. It REALLY sucks and i think they need to take a bigger look at what might be causing it.

Offtopic : it's true, that kitty avatar is completely awesome! I WANT THAT KITTY!!!!???!1

buddhafest · Aug 15, 2005, 08:55 PM // 20:55

Okay, so after removing the sound drivers, and updating my ATI drivers back to 5.7 the game locked up again. I will try the command line method to disable sound. Thanks for the tip boot.

I too believe that this is a GW problem and not hardware related. When I first got the game... it only crashed because of my overclocked system. But when I set it back to it's stock speed it ran fine for hours.

I presume it must have been some sort of patch or update to the game that was done since some people seem to have noticed this problem after the update.

I just sent Arena an email in hopes of getting a solution but I doubt I will as many others have alreayd tried with no luck.

Only thing I can thnk of right now for you guys to try is installing the older drivers for your video and chipset.. but try video first.. go back to the 4.XX series of drivers. I am currently in 4.11 and it seems to have made my game more stable.

As well if you guys go into BIOS settings I'd se the AGP Aperture Grille Size to 64 or 128. I had mines at 256 bfore and after lowering it the game seems to last longer as well.

That's all I can think of for now. The lack of attention to solving this problem by ANet/ATI is very fustrating.

What a way to disenchant potential loyal gamers/consumers.

Shaker281 · Aug 16, 2005, 12:53 PM // 12:53

Went back to cat4.7...no help!

Interestingly, I installed Roller Coaster Tycoon 3 and had an almost identical graphics problem. Installed the latest RCT3 update (patch) and went back to cat5.7 w. cat control center and now RCT3 is OK.

For the last week I immediately get the pixelated graphics on GW. The game is completely unplayable. I hope someone at Arenanet is watching this thread cuz they had better get to working on a fix ASAP before their name is mud. I suspect they are already losing revenue for every day these threads continue! I may have to eat $50 but I do not ever have to buy another game with their name on it! Wait until the gaming magazines get a hold of this.

buddhafest · Aug 17, 2005, 03:56 PM // 15:56

ATI has released new drivers but it is currently not up on their site. But www.driverheaven.com has been allowed to host the new drivers.

Maybe these new drivers have assessed the current problems many of us are experiencing with GW

wutdafeezi · Aug 18, 2005, 02:42 AM // 02:42

Catalyst 5.8 is out but nowhere on their release notes does it describe of any problems being fixed related to Guild Wars. But I'll give it a shot and see how it goes

buddhafest · Aug 18, 2005, 04:23 AM // 04:23

Yes the problem has not been fixed. I am still experiencing lockups with the game. This is BS, I even went out and bought a cheapo 9250 in case my 9800Pro was defective. Same problem still...

Tech support is running me around in circles, making me do things i already told them i did. I am not a happy camper right now, wasting enough time with this crap. Only thing I haven't tried is reinstalling windows from a clean format and than installing GW again. But that's BS, why would i need to do that in order to get this game to work.

Argh

ewww... they just censored what I typed... ewww...

wutdafeezi · Aug 18, 2005, 05:08 AM // 05:08

I can concur with buddhafest, the 5.8 drivers didn't help much with Guild Wars and lock up problems. But on other news BF2 plays way better without the corrupted textures!

Shaker281 · Aug 18, 2005, 08:42 AM // 08:42

OK, so now I have at least 3 games, all re-installed since a complete windows re-install that are giving me MAJOR graphis problems. I can no longer be certain I do not have a failed graphics card! They are GW, RCT3 & Deus Ex- Invisible War. Weird thing is Sims 2 works fine and no problems otherwise. Has anyone ever had a problem where a graphics card (MSI Radeon RX9800pro) would complete fail to work, but only on certain games? Immediately pixelates to an unviewable condition. I ran all directX and ATI tests on the videocard and everything passed. I guess I'll try my old ti4800.

Shaker281 · Aug 18, 2005, 02:12 PM // 14:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by buddhafest

Yes the problem has not been fixed. I am still experiencing lockups with the game. This is BS, I even went out and bought a cheapo 9250 in case my 9800Pro was defective. Same problem still...

Tech support is running me around in circles, making me do things i already told them i did. RED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GO I am now a happy camper right now, wasting enough time with this crap. Only thing I haven't tried is reinstalling windows from a clean format and than installing GW again. But that's BS, why would i need to do that in order to get this game to work.

Argh

Reinstalling Windows...

Been there! Done that! Did not help me.

Old Dood · Aug 18, 2005, 02:19 PM // 14:19

For anyone thta is having overheating problems with their video card this is what I do.

I have a Dell 4600. I have a ATI 9800 pro 128meg installed. The PCI slot next to the AGP slot I leave open. I even leave the slot cover on the back of the computer open. This has really helped dissapate the heat from inside the Box.

And of course periodicaly using a shop vac to the guts of your computer will help with heat too. (I know that is a no brainer)

buddhafest · Aug 19, 2005, 04:30 PM // 16:30

Shaker I have no idea why you would have those three games not work anymore after the clean reinstall of windows.

Have you tried running 3DMark 2003 or 2001 or 2005? I doubt there is something wrong with your video card if there are other games that you can run.

I think i might have to try this FX5200 my friend lent me to see if the game will run. If This cheese vcard can run the game stable then I am afraid ATI will have lost a customer.

Shaker281 · Aug 20, 2005, 08:49 PM // 20:49

I got around to moving my old GeForce4 ti4800se from my other machine and it now appears my problems are solved! Apparently my MSI Radeon RX9800pro was slowly deteriorating. First, it would occasionally cause bad graphics on boot. Then the drivers would not load (that is when I reloaded windows). Finally, most of my games went crazy when I started them! I checked my receipt, darn thing is 1 month out of warranty! My apologies to Arenanet. If I am still having Guild Wars problems I have not played enough to detect them. I only suspected the card after I had tried everything else! Good luck to you others with your probs!

Buddhafest, I had not thought of running 3Dmark, but it would be a darn good idea!

Me Burn U · Aug 20, 2005, 09:11 PM // 21:11

I have had many lockups happen to me lately where you can still move... but to other players to appear stationary. Your chat is disabled as well and if you press your skill bottons they will flash (like when your casting). If anyone can tell me whats wrong please do. Here are my system specs:

Intel(R)
Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.40GHz
1.00 GB of RAM
NVIDIA GeForce4 MX 440 with AGP8X (Dell)

That's all i can find right now.. if you need more information just ask me

Vincent · Aug 21, 2005, 05:16 AM // 05:16

This is really pissing me off, It's almost impossible for me to run a Pug group or even complete a long mission.

Symptoms:

- After a period of game play (It ranges between 30min and 3hrs) my screen locks up, and it all I can see is a black screen. Keyboard controls don’t function, and a forced restart (button or power cord) is the only option.

This has happened while I've been in voice chat, and without voice. I've tried disabling Zone Alarm and Norton (and everything else except a single IM program) and it still occurs.

--
System
--

Graphics Card - Radeon 9800 AIOW
Graphics Driver - Catalyst 5.3 (driver version 6.14.10.6517)
OP System - Windows XP Home Edition sp1
Processor - AMD Athalon XP 2000+ 1.67GHz
RAM - 1024Mb

------
I hope they fix this soon, this has been one reason I haven’t been in game more then I have. Good luck on finding the cause.

(on a side note this also happens after about 15min of play in RCT3, this it the ONLY other game this has ever happend with)

- Vin

Kaldor Meshekal · Aug 21, 2005, 09:14 AM // 09:14

Could some of these black-screen lockups be caused by your display? This thought sttruck me as i get these problems, but my monitor also says 'Mode Not Supported' occassionaly. Could it be Gw is throwing your display into a mode it cannot support, so it blacks out or the graphics card goes wrong?

Anyone know any programs or utilities that can force my computer to remain at the same Mode all the time?

Old Dood · Aug 21, 2005, 09:25 AM // 09:25

Vincent,
What arethe specs of your PSU? I believe with a 9800 pro you need a 300w power supply. It seems like you are having PSU issues. Also could be heat as well. My little Dell 4600 has a 250w PSU however, Dell power supplies are rated low. It is actually a 300w. I was taught this on Dell forums before I purchased my 9800. Also as I stated earier in this thread I for example keep the PCI slot next to my AGP slot open. I do not put anything in there so there is enough room for air.

I also just the other day heard my system sound louder. I just cleaned it 6 months ago, so I thought better to check again. I was shocked to see dust and FUZZ built up at every intake for air on my little black box. (I am a smoker) I think I was only days away from frying my system due to no air and then heat.

boots559 · Aug 21, 2005, 10:18 AM // 10:18

I'm running 6600gt agp, with a vf700-cu straped on it, and a fan card blowing air up 2 slots under the agp port(case always open, tryed that house fan blowing air info it about a month after i started having the problem, didn't help at all) A 420w. PSU with a athlon xp 2600+ @ 2.1ghz. It stoped doing it so much in guild wars now for some reason, but now it's black screen crashing in other games (RCT3, HL: Source)
my cpu runs no hotter than 53C, I've been told thats pretty hot for a cpu, but never had any problems in hl2 or cs:s, i may end up buying a new cpu heatsink on tomorrow but i duno.

Vincent · Aug 21, 2005, 04:20 PM // 16:20

Quote:

Vincent,
What arethe specs of your PSU? I believe with a 9800 pro you need a 300w power supply. It seems like you are having PSU issues.

Ahhh! That could be it, I just checked to see exactly what this little (older) machine had under the hood. It has a very small 250w max output rating on it. As for cooling there is plenty of space between all the vital parts (we're talking about 2inches between the graphics card and heat sink/fan combo for the CPU. I'll look into larger power supplies and see if that will solve the problem.

- Thanks,
-Vin

Elvarg · Aug 22, 2005, 01:27 AM // 01:27

Well, I'll add my own bit:

Very recently, about a week ago, my Guild Wars has started randomly freezing while playing. This has never happened before, and I have played it on my computer for the last several months without any problems. When it freezes, the computer is not responsive AT ALL, not even through CtrlAltDel; only reset can fix it.

The freezing sequence seems to be completely random, not in any particular area. As well, the freezing happens regardless of what graphics I set (I tried setting it to the absolute lowest at 800x600, then at absolute highest at 1600x1200 (including AA and post-proc), and the game still was randomly freezing. Windowed or Full Screen made no difference either.

My specs are:

AMD Athlon 2.2 3500
1GB 1 stick Kingston RAM
GeForce 6800GT
250GB Maxtor SATA HDD
Windows XP SP2

NOTHING IS OVERCLOCKED. I'm also using the very latest NVIDIA drivers for my card. I tried using an older version of the drivers once the problem started, but it did not fix the problem, so I went back to the newest ones.

The system is just 4 months old, and flawlessly runs games like Half-Life 2 or Battlefield 2 with no freezing problems.

My PSU is a brand-name 480 Watt power supply, and I have an anti-surge socket system. The CPU and Videocard have working heatsinks, and the case has 6 fans. The air coming out of these fans is not excessively hot, and I don't think overheating is likely. On-board temp for the processor does not rise above 65C.

I tried completely reinstalling the game (between the uninstall and install I also defragged my HDD), and it didn't solve the problem.

I also suspected it was my RAM (RAM failure would almost certainly lead to a freeze), so I did several full scans with MemTest86, and my RAM turned out fine (0 errors). Virtual memory is set at 1.5MB (I tried increasing or decreasing it, and it didn't solve the problem either).

Needless to say, I have an operational Antivirus and Firewall (although I tried turning the Firewall off in an attempt to fix the problem, which it didn't); I have made a full system scan with the Antivirus, Ad-Aware, and HJT, and my system came out clean.

Once again, the most bizzare thing is that is completely randomly started happening 1-2 weeks ago, and I have not made ANY changes to my system during that time. (I didn't even install any games or graphics software, that could replace DLL's or something).

Looking forward for helpful advice.

zixaq · Aug 25, 2005, 12:52 AM // 00:52

First, my machine (about 6mo old):

MSI Neo4 Platinum
Athlon 64 +3000
Leadtek Geforce 6600 gt-tdh extreme (pcie)
2x 120gb WDs in a RAID 0
5 case fans, including 1 120mm plus a slot cooler and a side duct to the cpu
Temperature anywhere in the case never goes much above 30-31C.
Coolermaster RealPower PSU 450 watt
no sound card (AC'97 crap)
2x 512MB sticks of low-latency patriot memory in dual channel

Since I got the game it has randomly frozen (requiring a hard reboot). Usually not the first time playing after a reboot, and fairly irregularly. Lately it's started to happen more often. I'm no longer a reliable enough player to join gvg or hoh teams because I might crash. GW support has been positively useless. I've replaced my drivers several times, nforce and vid card, reinstalled direct x, all that bs. Tried shutting off all nonessential programs in msconfig, doesn't help.

I've ruled out cooling and drivers as issues, my only idea left is the PSU, but the machine never seems to draw more than 100W or so unless the power meter is busted, plus, other games run fine (including battlefield 2).

Any ideas?????

oh, and I run Win2kpro

edit:
Yeah, I have the same issue as the guy above actually, only it's always happened rarely, and just got really frequent in the last week or so.