Curse

Snograt · Mar 26, 2008, 11:14 PM // 23:14

Heh, I'm seeing Gaile pop up in the oddest of places in here recently. Bugs and Tech - whatever next, Off-Top?

Saraphim · Mar 27, 2008, 09:26 AM // 09:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azagoth

There is a dual-core issue with Guild Wars. I've been in contact with suport, as have many others experiencing the lock-ups, and it has not been rectified yet. The only way to avoid the system locking up is to set the affinity to single core when running Guild Wars.

Yesterday I received a PM from Gaile Gray about this issue, so hopefully now that I've also explained the situation to her she may be able to light a fire under someone's desk and have them look into it in more detail.

It is not a system problem, this system is hand-built by me and suffers no problems at all in any applications, games or anything else that I decide to run, In fact it's only Guild Wars that ever crashes at all, and like I said above putting it onto a single core cures the problem. So, it's got to be something in the way Guild Wars handles multiple-cores that's causing it. Temps are all low, the memory is fine, the HDD is fine and it isn't a dodgy PSU either.

Good to know Gaile is aware of this. I'm running a Quad core intel, with an 8800GT card and it still get's that looping sound issue and crashes now and then when I forget to set the affinity to one core. When it does run it blows my mind it looks so good.

I need the quadcore, I run multiple apps all the time, including memory intensive 3d and 2d stuff like Maya and Photoshop. Heat is also not an issue, I've got seven fans in my case and the side of it feels like a refridgerator...

DaGGeR · Mar 27, 2008, 11:42 AM // 11:42

Intel quad core + X38 chipset + nVIDIA graphics no probs at all in WinXP Win Vista 32/64. I don't assign affinity to a single core or use any other method to run the game on single core.

Many many factors come into play when the game stops running smoothly. Could be related to multi-core cpu in certain configs or with certain cpu brands/models or could be related to any of the system's hardware components or softaware configs. It's not that easy to point the finger at one component without first checking to see if all the other software/hardware configs/components of the each individual's PC experiencing problems are working ok. That is what tech support will go through with you step by step.

Off the top of my head this came to my mind figured I'd sate it here might help a few since a few percentage of hardware lags are related to this. There was a guide here somewhere about defragging the gw.dat file alone. iirc if that file gets fragmented too much it will cause problems such as stutters etc. Also simply defragging the partition your gw installation is in helps and worth a shot. Defragging your hard drives every two weeks is a good idea, might even need to do it more often if you copy/download/move many files into your hard drive.

Quaker · Mar 27, 2008, 08:08 PM // 20:08

This topic seems to keep coming up now and then.

What amuses me most are the people who say things like "I have a dual-core processor and GW has never locked up for me" as if to suggest the problem, therefore, does not exist. Well, I've never had cancer, so it doesn't exist either

But anyway - on topic - no-one seems to know exactly what causes the problem, but it does exist. It may be a combination of many factors, even down to the timings and frequencies of the cpu, RAM, etc.. There seems to be no definitive combination of components or conditions that can be shown to cause it. However, setting the affinity of GW to use only 1 core does cure the problem.

Up until recently, my system had an AMD 64 X2 3800+ dual-core cpu (winXP). My experience was typical. I had no problems for quite a while, but when the lock-ups started to happen, they happened more and more frequently until I started using ForceCore. They may have been reduced some after I did an -image, but I can`t say for sure since the only time I didn`t run ForeCore was when running TexMod to do cartography titles.

Since then I have upgraded to a Q6600 quad-core (& Vista). I haven`t been using ForceCore (yet), but GW still randomly locks-up - not anywhere near as often though - not often enough to get me to get around to trying ForceCore with Vista.

Oops, gotta run......

Wenspire · Mar 28, 2008, 02:01 PM // 14:01

I've run WinXPpro with two overclocked C2Ds (E4300/E4500) and my current C2Q with no issues while playing this game using the same Gigabyte 965 Intel motherboard. I also have it running on an older P4-D setup, as well as an AMD64x2 5000BE system with no problems. I use ATi graphics cards on all my systems.

I can't help but wonder if the problems people are having have to do with another issue rather something related to running on a multi-core CPU. Perhaps an OS, motherboard BIOS or graphics card settngs?

Brianna · Mar 28, 2008, 04:53 PM // 16:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quaker

This topic seems to keep coming up now and then.

What amuses me most are the people who say things like "I have a dual-core processor and GW has never locked up for me" as if to suggest the problem, therefore, does not exist. Well, I've never had cancer, so it doesn't exist either

But anyway - on topic - no-one seems to know exactly what causes the problem, but it does exist. It may be a combination of many factors, even down to the timings and frequencies of the cpu, RAM, etc.. There seems to be no definitive combination of components or conditions that can be shown to cause it. However, setting the affinity of GW to use only 1 core does cure the problem.

Up until recently, my system had an AMD 64 X2 3800+ dual-core cpu (winXP). My experience was typical. I had no problems for quite a while, but when the lock-ups started to happen, they happened more and more frequently until I started using ForceCore. They may have been reduced some after I did an -image, but I can`t say for sure since the only time I didn`t run ForeCore was when running TexMod to do cartography titles.

Since then I have upgraded to a Q6600 quad-core (& Vista). I haven`t been using ForceCore (yet), but GW still randomly locks-up - not anywhere near as often though - not often enough to get me to get around to trying ForceCore with Vista.

Oops, gotta run......

I got ForceCore to work on Vista 32bit. Tried it for Silent Hill.

At least in Guild Wars 2 we shouldn't have these problems.

kinda doubt this will ever get fixed.

Numa Pompilius · Mar 28, 2008, 05:11 PM // 17:11

Could the problem be something along these lines?
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;896256

Quaker · Mar 28, 2008, 07:57 PM // 19:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brianna

I got ForceCore to work on Vista 32bit. Tried it for Silent Hill.

Which brings up a point I meant to make. This problem is not limited to GW. There are other games which also exhibit this type of problem. Can't remember which other ones off hand (Silent Hill, I guess, may be one), but a search on the net could turn them up. (ForceCore wasn't developed just for GW

)

I also meant to point out that just because using ForceCore seems to keep the lockups from happening, doesn't mean that multi-core cpu's are the main or only problem.

Molock · Mar 28, 2008, 08:05 PM // 20:05

I have had no problems so far with my old AMD dual-core 3800+... can't say the same for my Intel core 2 duo

(aweful experience). About quad-core, well there might be some problems, but you will be able to set up affinity and have GW run on one core.

Brianna · Mar 28, 2008, 08:07 PM // 20:07

Yeah, one game I can tell you for sure doesn't work on my Dual Core is Thief: Deadly Shadows.

But I don't see why ForceCore wouldn't work on Vista, I mean all it really does is change the affinity of which an application runs on, doesn't even need to install.

I think it's just some old games in general have problems with Dual Cores, and like you mentioned above I have no idea why, some systems get problems and others don't.

Admael · Mar 28, 2008, 11:50 PM // 23:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Numa Pompilius

Could the problem be something along these lines?
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;896256

It probably is something that can be dealt with a simple hotfix/patch update. It's probably no coincidence that people that try to maintain a rock solid stable system have no problems with it--ever.

Snograt · Mar 29, 2008, 01:54 AM // 01:54

...like, possibly SP3?

Woop Shotty · Mar 29, 2008, 01:55 PM // 13:55

GW won't be playable without 8-core. Go 8-core and thank me later

/.

Aera · Mar 29, 2008, 03:26 PM // 15:26

I must say that updating my BIOS and flashing it safely has really made my PC more stable. I might actually try to run GW without ForceCore now

Numa Pompilius · Mar 29, 2008, 04:22 PM // 16:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Admael

It probably is something that can be dealt with a simple hotfix/patch update.

Yes, I suspect so. I found that link because I remember having to install a driver from AMD for my dualcore before SP2 was released, and was actually searching for that.

You guys with problems, don't miss the follow-up link from the page I linked to:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/909944/

Also, check for BIOS update from your motherboard manufacturer, and use the Windows Update feature. Like Admael I think the problem is fixable.

Quaker · Mar 30, 2008, 03:38 PM // 15:38

Brianna - I didn't mean to imply that I couldn't get ForceCore to work in Vista (32bit), I just haven't gotten around to it yet. There's lots of other Vista glitches/annoyances/bugs to work out first. (plus, it may not be necessary - see below)

Numa Pompilius - I would have tried the Windows Update feature with XP, but all I would have gotten was a message warning me my "Windows may not be genuine".

But, come to think of it, my GW hasn't locked up (knock wood) since Vista did the auto-update to SP1. (My Vista is Genuine.

)

So, in answer to the OPs original question - don't worry about GW locking up with a multi-core cpu. At the very worst you may want to run ForceCore, but that's all.

Snograt · Mar 30, 2008, 03:52 PM // 15:52

Hmm, you should have had that nasty Windows Genuine Advantage Validator (yuk) downloaded at some stage.

Check this out: http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/downloads/faq.aspx

Numa Pompilius · Mar 30, 2008, 05:45 PM // 17:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quaker

Numa Pompilius - I would have tried the Windows Update feature with XP, but all I would have gotten was a message warning me my "Windows may not be genuine".

Aha. Yeah, that's a problem. There are in fact guides on the web how to bypass the WPA check by modifying a registry entry, and even ready .REG files which one can just doubleclick on, but I of course would not suggest anyone search for or use anything like that in order to be able to use windows update with their non-original windows.

If someone was reckless enough to try, I would however advice that person to make sure he downloads from a tech site which seems legit, and that whatever he downloads should not be an EXE file.

However, as you've got a legit copy a much better solution is of course to simply contact Microsoft support.

Snograt · Mar 31, 2008, 12:02 AM // 00:02

It would be a sad day if we need to resort to WPA bypass hacks just to run a Genuine Windows install.

Wouldn't bloody surprise me, though

Admael · Mar 31, 2008, 12:13 AM // 00:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woop Shotty

GW won't be playable without 8-core. Go 8-core and thank me later

/.

I'm going 8-core pretty soon, I'm really disappointed with Intel tho; FBDIMM bottleneck FTL.

With a killing machine like Skulltrail (I know it's not called Skulltrail anymore, but it sounds a hell of a lot cooler than what Intel's calling it) I'd expect more.

I'll have to break my bank for this one, tho

QX9770 X2 + QX9775 Skulltrail, that's enough to buy a small island.