Darwinia Unexplainable Crash

[Liam079]

While playing Darwinia the game freezes my whole computer for no particular reason, I have steam version so the latest patch is installed but this problem still persists. Also since the only way I can get out of darwinia after it has freezed is to press the power button, no blackbox file is created. Any ideas?

[xyzyxx]

could you provide your specs, perhaps?

[Liam079]

Sorry, I should have put them in first post.
Here they are:

OS: Windows XP home edition
CPU: Pentium 4 3.20 GHz
RAM: 512MB
Direct X: 9.0c

edit:
Also the RenderLandscapeMode thing didn't work

[xander]

What are you doing when Darwinia freezes? Does it happen in every level? or only certain levels? Are you controlling any type of unit when Darwinia freezes? Are there any other programs or utilities running that might be conflicting with Darwinia? What settings are you using (preferences.txt)? Is there any other information that might be helpful? In short, read this topic, and pay special attention to the section labeled "How to Make a Good Bug Report." I know you don't have the blackbox information, but the rest will help :)

xander

[Liam079]

I could be doing anything when it crashes, once when I downloading research data on first level, again when I was killing virii on containment level, again while I was simply looking around map on containment and a twice while I was controlling an officer on containment level.

Here are my preferences:

ServerAddress = 127.0.0.1
BypassNetwork = 1
IAmAServer = 1

TextLanguage = english
TextSpeed = 15
HelpEnabled = 1

SoundLibrary = dsound
SoundMixFreq = 22050
SoundMasterVolume = 255
SoundChannels = 32
SoundHW3D = 0
SoundSwapStereo = 0
SoundMemoryUsage = 1
SoundBufferSize = 512
SoundDSP = 1

ScreenWidth = 1024
ScreenHeight = 768
ScreenWindowed = 0
ScreenZDepth = 24
ScreenColourDepth = 32
ScreenRefresh = 60

RenderLandscapeMode = 1
RenderLandscapeDetail = 1
RenderWaterDetail = 1
RenderBuildingDetail = 1
RenderEntityDetail = 1
RenderCloudDetail = 1
RenderPixelShader = 1

ControlMouseButtons = 3
ControlMethod = 0
BootLoader = random
UserProfile = Liam
RenderSpecialLighting = 0
Difficulty = 1
ControlIconsChatLog = key L
ControlChatLog = key TAB
ControlZoom = key Z
ControlDeselect = key SPACE
ControlUp = key E
ControlDown = key Q
ControlIconsTaskManagerEndTask = key C
ControlLeft = key A
ControlBackwards = key S
ControlRight = key D
ControlForwards = key W
ControlSkipMessage = key ENTER
ControlIconsTaskManagerDisplay = key TAB

edit:
Also steam and norton are running while I am playing

[xander]

Hrm... first off, I would turn off Realtime FX (SoundDSP). This isn't the problem that you are having, but it will become a problem later (probably).

NeoThermic, trickfred, other experienced windows users, et al: I am unfamilier with "dsound" for the SoundLibrary setting. Is it possible that this is the problem?

xander

[trickfred]

'dsound' is indicating that the game uses DirectX to process sound on Windows boxen. I'm sure you could switch that to 'software', but I don't see why you would, if your DirectX is up to date.

I have had problems with Hardware3D (It's buggy - just try finishing any of my mods with it on, I dare ya!), but RealtimeFX seems to be okay for me, actually, and I have quite the crappy sound card to boot (Creative's old Audigy 2 Value OEM, Creative doesn't even really support the damn thing this side of China).

[xander]

'dsound' is indicating that the game uses DirectX to process sound on Windows boxen. I'm sure you could switch that to 'software', but I don't see why you would, if your DirectX is up to date.

I have had problems with Hardware3D (It's buggy - just try finishing any of my mods with it on, I dare ya!), but RealtimeFX seems to be okay for me, actually, and I have quite the crappy sound card to boot (Creative's old Audigy 2 Value OEM, Creative doesn't even really support the damn thing this side of China).

Hrm... I though Realtime FX was one of the settings (in addition to Hardware 3D) that contributed to the E_OUTOFMEMORY crash... I guess I was wrong. Okay, I'm fresh out of ideas. Sorry :(

xander

[Liam079]

Is there really no fix? It just doesn't seem fair that I've bought this game but can't actually play it for more than 10 minutes without it crashing my entire computer. I'm sure all this crashing isn't doing much good to my computer either.

Edit:
Is music meant to be playing while on a level because whenever I play all I hear is the game sounds. Just wondering whether this is somehow relevant or helpful.

Edit 2:
Incase it helps norton and steam and possible msn messenger were active with each crash. Also Proshare 360 might have also been running, although I'm sure I closed that before I played.

[xander]

Edit:
Is music meant to be playing while on a level because whenever I play all I hear is the game sounds. Just wondering whether this is somehow relevant or helpful.

Generally speaking, no. There is music only at times where it is appropriate.

Edit 2:
Incase it helps norton and steam and possible msn messenger were active with each crash. Also Proshare 360 might have also been running, although I'm sure I closed that before I played. Also I found some random thing called sekmo running, not sure were that came from. Also Skype was running, not sure were all these programs came from.

Might I suggest that you kill everything that isn't Darwinia? While that may not be the problem, if it is, you have a solution.

xander

[trickfred]

Update your sound card and video card drivers, update directx, defrag your hard drive, update windows, yadda yadda...

Maybe that will catch something.

[Liam079]

This game better be good with all this effort I'm putting in trying to get it to work properly.

[xander]

This game better be good with all this effort I'm putting in trying to get it to work properly.

It is good. ;)

xander

[Liam079]

I think the problem has something to do with me pressing alt and then other keys, is there a way to change the controls for the task manager?

Edit:
Scrap that last idea, it crashed again when I used the icon based system.

Edit 2:
Is there some kind of black box type document for XP so that maybe I can see why it crashed?

[trickfred]

This game better be good with all this effort I'm putting in trying to get it to work properly.

The game works more or less 'properly', as hundreds, nay, thousands of people can attest to.

The effort you're going through is to make your computer work properly.

Make sure you're not using anything that changes the functionality of your keys, such as MS Power Toys, for example - there's one that changes your alt-tab display.

And did you try both RenderLandscapeMode = 0 AND RenderLandscapeMode = 1?