Lock ups

[rckrzy1]

Ok here goes, amd duron 700, voodoo 3 with 4.12.01.0666 dvr, als4000 sound with 4.05.00.3020 dvr, 192M sys ram,AGP has 16M. And it lock up
every say 5 mins of playing, and it locks hard, needs cpu reset. And why since my system exceeds requirements for "Optimal" operation why didn't it set my res and textures to max? If my system is not able to run smoothly then the min req for optimal must be higher? Like a dual cpu 1.4Gig,
super video card? Seems misleading. I have Tygon
MB with VIA 133 controllers. I bought all these components to run G2 and will not be happy at all
if won't.

Any suggestions?

[Slider]

rckrzy1,
From what I can see, I don't think you mentioned what type of Monitor your using. I'm only guessing here but. I think maybe your monitor is what's causing the problem. Maybe your monitor just can't handle the higher resolutions.
I can only suggest that you try to find out what resolutions your (monitor) is capable of handling.
If you don't know, then maybe try different resolution setting, start from something like 800x600 or maybe a little higher. Then if your G2 sim doesn't lock up with that resolution keep trying higher ones until your system starts locking up again. If your computer locks up with using 800x600 while running G2 then I have no suggestions or guesses at this time.
Good luck,

Adlai

[rckrzy1]

It is a Tyan MB, not tygon, and the monitor is a generic 17" and I am running 800x600 now and I don't see hom my monitor would cause the system to hault, I thought it was a RX only kinda device?

My only other recent thought since last lockup
at lunch break, was it seemed to occur just as
I moved the radio gadget with my USB mouse, maybe
USB ?? Will try some more later, keep the help
coming. Aloha

[Slider]

rckrzy1,
If your monitor can handle the resolutions, the only other guess I have is that maybe your voodoo 3 3D card is what can't handle the high resolutions? Maybe a 32 or 64 MB 3d card instead of a 16 mb card? The requirements written on the G2 box for a 3D card for optimum performance suggest 16MB or MORE of RAM.


:rolleyes:

Adlai

[Slider]

rckrzy1,
Sorry bout saying your 3D card was a voodoo 3. Got that mixed up with another message that I was thinking of. Brrb....
But maybe your 3D card might just be the culprit?
Time to let Jim or Scott help you if your still having problems. Sorry
:(

Adlai

[Slider]

rckrzy1,
My last guess, Try using 800x600x(16bit) for your resolution if you haven't already. If it works, then try higher resolution but keep it at 16 bit.

Adlai

[Scotty740]

It sounds like to me you have a hardware problem. A bad mother board chip or bad hardware card can cause a hard lockup like you are having. Since you mention the USB mouse the USB controller on the motherboard could be the problem. You say it runs for 5 minutes then locks, that could be a heat problem somwhere in the hardware too. If you computer wasn't up to running G2 it wouldn't run well all the time. Not just run fine for 5 min then lock.

I don't think you can run with max res and textures with only a 16 meg video card. I'd think it would take a bit more than that, like at least 32 meg. But, I'm not sure on this. I have a 32 meg TNT2 card and have to turn the textures down to medium.

TSk 46s
Raptor
Advance 40

[Slider]

Rckrzy1
Brrb..... you do have a voodoo 3 card! Man I'm sure getting a lot of brain fade today.
As far as the monitor's, to the best of my understanding, they do have limits as to what resolutions they can handle. If anyone else knows otherwise, could you please set me strait on this?
Thanks, :eek:

Adlai

[Slider]

rckryz1
Before installing and running G2, did you ever have any error messages or lock ups when running any other programs on your computer? If so, maybe hard drive damage? I've run out of guesses, hope you get it working.

Adlai

[Slider]

If you haven't done it for a while, try running both your scandisk and defrag programs, maybe even your disk cleanup program.

Adlai

[rckrzy1]

Been there, done that, HD is OK, and it's only a few months old. And for the hard locks, I maybe would get one a week, not one every single time like when I run G2, RFD ran OK, just G2 doing me in. As for needing more Mem on Graphics to get max, well that's a bitch I have, if you need a 64M video card for High res and textures then the box should say you need 64M for optimal res, not 16M or more like it does. What sound cards are you folks using?
like it does now,

[Slider]

rckrzy1,
What exactly happens when your computer locks up? Do you have to run the scandisk. I ask this because shortly after I purchased my computer and with running RF and other sims, my computer would once in a while lock up, then I would have to run the scandisk program to get my computer working again. I thought it might have been something that I did wrong, like installing my 3D card incorrectly etc. Anyway I then purchased the RF Deluxe upgrade just a little after the warranty on my computer ended. After running RFD for a few times my hard drive finally met the ghost and just wouldn't work at all, it couldn't get past the scandisk program like it did before. I then purchased and installed a new hard drive and had no problems with either RF or RFD or any other sims freezing up again. That was about a year ago.
So maybe there just might be a chance that something is wrong with your computer even though its fairly new.
As far as the 3D card. I myself will be picking up either a 3Dfx voodoo4 4500 32mb AGP or a voodoo5 5500 64mb AGP if either is compatable with my computer. My computer is basically a dinosaur, a pentium II 266. If I can get one of these cards to work with my computer, it won't really to my understanding, really make to much difference from the card I have now because my computer is just not fast enough. But I'm hoping that I will be able to at least run the G2 after I install one of these cards. If after I install one of these new cards and G2 still won't work with my computer. I'm not going to sweat it. I will just keep myself busy with the RF Deluxe and the ton of other sims that I have to play around with. Then hopefully within about a year I'll be able to shell out the money for a new computer that can handle RF G2 and I'll take the 3D card that I installed and put it in my new computer and just put my old one back in the one I'm using now. For me, having to get a new 3D card and having to eventually get a new computer to be able to run RF G2, doesn't bug me. If I never heard of RF before, I still would be planning to purchase one of the 3D cards I mentioned and would still be planning to pick up a new computer in about a year or so. The cards I was talking about are now $ 150 and $ 200 and the $ 200 one was $ 300 just a short while ago and I just saw a another company selling it for $ 300 just two days ago. With any luck, they both might go down another 50 bucks in another month or so. There are a bunch of other cards out there that you might like better but I prefer the ones I just mentioned for personal reasons. Maybe you still can get G2 to work correctly and the way you prefer with the hardware you now have. But personally to me, the voodoo 3 is to slow and I already new that. But who knows, maybe its not.
Guess you need to talk to either Scott or Jim if your still having problems or your not satistied. Sorry.

Adlai

[Slider]

rckrzy1,
If you eventually find out that your computer is not the problem and you are still having the same problems you have now and it's caused by your 3D card not being fast enough. Then you probably might have a good point concerning the OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE information for a 3D card that is given for G2. I really hope you can get it to work correctly with the setup you have now.
:confused:

Adlai

[flyboy]

rckrzy1,

As neither Scott or Jim seem to be answering your query (I'm sure they're just very busy as they're usually very quick to respond and very helpful) why not try emailing Scott directly:

scott_kemp@knifeedge.com

[ChefJeff]

rckrzy1,

Please say more about your lockup problem. For example, after it locks up can you still move the cursor with your mouse? And does the keyboard still work so you can do a Ctl/Alt/Del? Is there any pattern evident yet as to what you're doing just before/when it locks? If, as you've suggested, you're using your USB mouse, can you beg or borrow a PS2 or serial mouse for a short time? Which operating system are you using? And do you get a blue screen of death or any error messages?

And most importantly, are you sure you have the latest DirectX 8.0 compatible video drivers and that they're correctly installled? IMHO, graphics card and driver incompatibility will probably prove to be the number one cause of problems with this program.

Email direct if you want.

ChefJeff

PS - Just to answer one of your questions, G2 runs fine on my (aging) system with a Celeron 366 at 550 MHz in an ABIT BM6, 128 Mb PC100, GeForce 32 Mb graphics card and Monster Sound.

CJ

[rckrzy1]

when it locks it freezes video and audio, ie,same frame and same sound and nothing works short of reset, kybrd, mouse, power button (atx supply), become inop. Thorough scandisk shows no errors. On reboot it usually runs scandisk and finds a file or two blown. I tried reinstalling G2, no change. Tried windowed and not, When running billboard DX test that came with real flight, it runs pretty smooth at 30fps in 1024 res.Driver
is dated 11-10-2000 from 3dfx and now that they have been sold to Nvidia I guess there probably
will be crap for support for Voodoo cards now, seems like a time to buy Nvidia stock.

[jpconfino]

rckrzy1,

I've also had stability problems with G2 (although I have a different video and sound card). Here's 2 things that helped me:

1) If you haven't run the online update, do that. Upgrading from minor version .214 to .230 reduced the frequency of lockups a lot for me.

2) I had to turn off hardware acceleration on my sound card (you can do this through the DirectX setup or from the Windows control panel). That also provided major stability improvements.

You may want to try turning off hardware acceleration on your video card just to see if that is the problem (obviously that wouldn't be a permanent solution, because without hardware acceleration the video will be really choppy).

I have a PIII 500 with 128 MB RAM a 32 MB video card and an ATA/66 hard drive, and I can't run G2 on the highest texture setting. While that is annoying (the software should be more efficient), the graphics are very good even at a reduced texture setting.

Joel

[Slider]

rckrzy1,
Going back to hard drive. If you had the same lock up problems ( BEFORE ) you installed G2. Something's got to be wrong with your system. Trying the advice that ChefJeff gave, trying a ps2 mouse sounds like a good idea before trying anything else. And, when MY system locked up, I did have messages in scandisk saying something like, Scandisk has found one or more errors on your hard drive, scandisk then ran, errors were fixed. Eventually, day of reckonning, errors couldn't be fixed, hard drive was a gonner. From what youv'e explained about when you have to run scandisk, doesn't sound the same as what was happening when I ran scandisk, so maybe your hard drive is ok.
Also, are you absolutely certain about 3dfx being sold to Nvidia? If so, very interesting. Also everyone is giving some pretty darn good information here.
Lastly, I hope the information that everyone has given so far does the trick.

Adlai

[NigelR]

I had a similar problem after I upgraded my sound card drivers (motherboard with onboard sound). It would lock at more or less the same place each time. I went back to the previous drivers and now its fine.

[tomwatson]

have you got latest directX 8.0?
mine is 4.80.00.0400
i have a voodoo 3 3000 agp 16m
runs fine

[Jim Coleman]

I'd really examine your sound card driver. What is G2 typically doing when it locks?

[rckrzy1]

OK I think I got it. I yanked out my 128M sdram leaving just the 64M and it seemed to cure it,don't know if the mem is bad or just some weird mismatch or compatibility problem. I used to see this with UNIX pc's, I guess DX 8 is memory
intensive like unix, where most memory will work with dos all day but hit it with unix and poo poo
happens. Thanks for all the suggestions and sorry Knife edge, it appears it's not SW, BUT don't let that go to your heads (says the HW guy). I'll find a bug or too sooner or later.

[Slider]

rckrzy1,
As far as 3dfx, looks like its true. Nvidia bought them out. Finally saw the info on a gamesite. From what I gather, 3dfx is still responsible for cards they sold though, or something like that.
Thanks,

Adlai

[Slider]

Hey rckrzy1, what the heck does ( HW ) stand for?
And did you also use tomwatson's suggestion for the latest upgrade to help you get things working, just curious.

Adlai

[Slider]

OK since you didn't answer yet, my guesses.
HW stands for either Hard Working guy? or Hard Way guy? or Have to Wonder guy? or?
Anyway glad you got G2 to work rckrzy1.
:D

Adlai

[Slider]

Or Hard Ware guy? or?
PS, After checking into it again. I can definately say that the kinds of resolution and refresh rates (Hz) that a monitor is capable of,
determines what resolution and speed that any sim can be run with. And, if you don't pay attention to what your monitor is capable of handling, you could DAMAGE your monitor.
Happy Holidays,

Adlai

[Slider]

Just letting everyone know that I picked up the 3Dfx voodoo4 45oo 16MB AGP card and a decent 19" monitor. Card was $ 150, monitor was $350. Had to get the monitor because 17" one finally went south because I probably was running at the wrong refresh rates for to long. 17" monitor was 2yrs 3 month's old when it passed away.
Anyway after installing the new 3D card and monitor and with the 2nd addition Windows 98 and with the G2 version which includes the controller.
G2 works! It is beautiful! Again since my computer is only a pentium II 266, I can't use all the new features in G2. But man, the smoke and smoke exhaust from the aircraft are just TO REAL, also the way the planes look and the way the control surfaces move, the way the aircraft work and look and the scenery and the sound of the engines totally kewl!!!!!
I can record flights but can't play them, again probably because my computer is just to slow. I can make use of placing objects where I like though. I am totally satisfied with G2, can't wait to get a fast enough computer to handle the flight recording playback so that I can race against myself and also connect on the internet with other G2 owner's. To me, this sim ROCKS!
:p

Adlai

[Slider]

PS: The 17" monitor that passed away, I had picked up for $ 200 on sale from the original price of $ 250. The new 19" monitor can handle being set at higher Hz or refresh rates and higher resolution setting compared to my late 17" monitor. Viva la difference!
:rolleyes:

Adlai

[Slider]

Correction, for the 3DFX voodoo4 4500 AGP 3D card that I mentioned that I installed in my computer.
I said it was a 16MB card, IT's a ( 32MB ) card,
Sorry bout that!
Adlai :eek:

Adlai

[FlybyEar]

rckrzy1,
I didn't notice if your problem happened full screen or not, but I have a similar problem if I run G2 in a window the programs runs for a very short time then locks. The only way out is to power down, CTRL,ALT,DEL will not work. However if I go to full screen no lock ups at all.

I'm running DX8, voodoo 5500, SB live drive, 98se

[rckrzy1]

My problems occurred in window or full screen, and every time i started the Heli flight instructor. But with new Memory my G2 has run pretty good, i also upped to a Nvidia Geforce 2
and that made it look alot better.