UT2k4 random freezes

[cornelp]

Originally posted by: Speedo
Damned... last nigth I got the freeze again.

I don't understand what the heck is going on. And my friend with similar setup has the same problem. I'm really starting to get frustrated.

Unfortunately I'm running out of ideas of what to test. The only thing I can think of right now is to go back to the older 3339 patch in UT2k4.

One thing I have in this system which I didn't have in the old, is some new codec packs; fddshow and realplayer/quicktime alternative. But I really don't think this could affect UT.

Speedo, I have sort of the same problem. I just upgraded BOTH my systems with the same Board (FoxConn NF4K8MC-ERS). My problem is that once I start to play, the Frame Rates is good for a while (sometimes 10 sec sometimes 1 min). After that, I get short burts of LOW Frame Rates.
All I play on one of the systems is UT2K4 ONLY. There is NO other software installed. Brand new hardware and software installed. I think it may have to do with 2 things.
One, the Chipset could be an issue (or the drivers).
Two, the New 3335 Patch for UT2K4.
This is what actually happens:
I go into an On-Line game. I play for a short time (see above), and then video starts to low down BIG TIME. At this moment, I disconnect from On-Line Game. I bring up the console and type stat FPS. Well this is interesting, the FPS stays still in the main menu at around 150-170 FPS, but every 3-4 seconds the FPS goes down to 10-20 FPS, mind U I am not in the game.

My system is:
Foxconn NF4K8MC-ERS Board
350 MATX Power Supply
2 GB RAM Geil DDR 400 Mhz
200 GB SATA 8 MB 7200 RPM HD
EVGA Nvidia 6600 256 MB Video

Now here is where it got a little interested. I had on the system (just to test and see how it runs), Windows XP 64 Bit Beta installed.
I found the beta drivers from NVidia for 64 Bit Windows, installed them, but before I installed those drivers, I had to install the Regular drivers that came with the Board (gave me a few errors but worked). After I installed the Board drivers and Video Drivers, installed UT2K4.
The video WOULD (not that could not, it would not) NOT go below 80 FPS no matter which map I was in, and i could play for hours on without any crashes or issues. UT2K4 loaded fast as heck, each map I was one of the first ones to be in (loaded the maps VERY FAST).
So, I was happy as pappy. Now, I reformatted the drive, installed Windows XP Pro, some other codec Video Stuff for my Movies, and UT2K4. Well I am not happy with it, I think that somewhere I did what U did, go back and forth between drivers, and did more harm then good.

I just received my second Video Card today along with a new Power Supply, a 450 Micro PS.
I am doing my second system AGAIN, this time with a 6800GT 256 GDDR3 Video. I am going to do a test between the old Patch for UT2K4 and the new one. Also, I am going to test the older Video Drivers VS the new ones.
I really think that your problem is the same as mine in a way, and that lies in the Chipset and/or UT Patch.

I can let U know what I find tonight after I complete the test, cause I really need the FPS to be VERY HIGH.

My UT settings now are 1024X768 32 Bit with Normal everything.

 

[Speedo]

Pr0d1gy: Thanks for your comments, but this is a NEW and CLEAN system. Latest drivers for all hardware. SP2 and all available updates installed. As few background processes as possible. No antivirus/antispyware installed. Gameserver is on the same LAN (gigabit).


cornelp: Yea, actually it does seem that it would be something with UT itself, since everything outside UT works perfectly. Also, a difference I seem to have with my problem compared to you, is that my computer more or less freezes up completely. Not just a framerate drop. Sound starts looping, and graphics freezes totally. But if I am patient, I can get back to the desktop and kill the application, and the computer "wakes up" again.

Another strange thing is that I can leave my computer connected to the server running a few bots, spectating one of them 1-person, all night long without a freeze.

What I find strange is when I search with google, I don't seem to find anyone with the exact same problem, even though me and my friend has the exact same prob. I'm starting to think it's the A8N-SLI that's alergic to UT2k4.

The other thing which is quite far-fetched, is the codecs. They use directx (directshow?) in some way I believe? Could they mess something up, causing conflicts with the UT engine? Maybe I should try reinstalling XP and leave out the codecs...?

 

[cornelp]

Originally posted by: Speedo
Pr0d1gy: Thanks for your comments, but this is a NEW and CLEAN system. Latest drivers for all hardware. SP2 and all available updates installed. As few background processes as possible. No antivirus/antispyware installed. Gameserver is on the same LAN (gigabit).


cornelp: Yea, actually it does seem that it would be something with UT itself, since everything outside UT works perfectly. Also, a difference I seem to have with my problem compared to you, is that my computer more or less freezes up completely. Not just a framerate drop. Sound starts looping, and graphics freezes totally. But if I am patient, I can get back to the desktop and kill the application, and the computer "wakes up" again.

Another strange thing is that I can leave my computer connected to the server running a few bots, spectating one of them 1-person, all night long without a freeze.

What I find strange is when I search with google, I don't seem to find anyone with the exact same problem, even though me and my friend has the exact same prob. I'm starting to think it's the A8N-SLI that's alergic to UT2k4.

The other thing which is quite far-fetched, is the codecs. They use directx (directshow?) in some way I believe? Could they mess something up, causing conflicts with the UT engine? Maybe I should try reinstalling XP and leave out the codecs...?

Well I am sorry to say but I could not do a test last night with the 6800GT. When I tried to boot the system with the 6800GT video, the system would not give any video, I tried all kinds of things, and seems that the Video Card is DOA, which really bites cause I been waiting for like 2 months to build my puter and was looking towards a good online fight in UT, lol.

But I did install new fresh everything with my other video (Nvidia 6600 EVGA). All I can say is that the UT2K4 patch is not the problem. Before I updated and after I updated I have the same thing. I do not get that FPS problem anymore as I did before, where it would slow down the system every 3 seconds for no reason, but I did something different this time.
I did NOT install any Windows Video Codecs, and I did not install any Windows Directx. I installed Windows 71.xx Nvidia 64 bit drivers, and after that i did a UT2K4 install, and nothing else. UT2K4 comes with Directx 9.0B, not 9.0C, so I am not sure if that makes a difference in the game.

One more thing I would suggest, but this is just my system. Maybe try to do an install of Windows XP 64 bit. I know its Beta, but late i installed it I ran quite a few programs to test it and there were no problems, no BSODs, no errors, everything worked fine. I did a fresh install of windows XP 64 last night too, and while the video runs much better, I dont believe its cause of Windows 64 VS Windows XP 32 bit. I think that when I installed the windows XP 32 bit I installed all kinds of other stuff as I mentioned before and I started having problems. This time no other installation of anything except UT2K4. But UT was loading much much faster between maps, going into the game, I saw a difference.

Sorry I could not help more. I will have to RMA this card now, and wait for god knows how long, but when i get the new one in, I will do a test again and see what I get an let U know, if U want to.

Sorry, this is all I can help U with at this time. (I hate DOA stuff).

Thank You...

 

[Speedo]

Hmm... I just started thinking about the combination of TeamSpeak and UT2k4...
Actually, I forgot to mention that we always run TS while playing UT2k4. Could that be of importance?

 

[cornelp]

Originally posted by: Speedo
Hmm... I just started thinking about the combination of TeamSpeak and UT2k4...
Actually, I forgot to mention that we always run TS while playing UT2k4. Could that be of importance?

There is only one way to find out. Try it. Dont use TS while playing UT, and see what happens. I never used TS, so sorry cant help there, but from what I remember UT has a build in Team Talk by pressing the F Key whenver U want to speak. Thats what I do anyways, and usually works OK, but it all depends on your INet Speeds and the Server Speeds.

 

[Speedo]

Yes, I will try to play without TS and see what happens. However, I don't like the built in talk function which also lacks threshold auto trigger AFAIK.