Hours into game, and windows crashing now playing on XP

[rjalbert32]

Wow, what a pain in the butt, I am many hours into the game, and it keeps crashing now when I try to go to a new area. I can open doors to rooms and go in no problem, but when trying to go from one location to another, forget it, crashes and gives me the windows errors and asks if I want to report to windows or not. I have tried uninstalling/reinstalling to different spot and that didn't help. I will include my system info below if that will give a hint as to what could be going on. Thanks to all for your help in advance...

Rich J

[SWKotOR]
ReportDateTime=3/25/2011 7:45:51 PM
SysInfoVersion=v1.00.60
GameExists=1
GameVersion=v2.10.427
GameInstallLocation=C:\LucasArts\SWKotOR2\

[OS]
Name=WinXP
Version=Windows XP v5.1 build 2600 Service Pack 3
Service Pack=Service Pack 3
Status=Pass

[SwapFiles]
C:\pagefile.sys=2046

[CPU]
CPUCount=1
CPUSpeed=2161
CPUFamily=6
CPUModel=15
CPUStepping=13
CPUVendor=Intel
CPUName=Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU T5850 @ 2.16GHz
Status=Pass

[Memory]
RAM=2048
Status=Pass

[Disk Free Space]
C: (NTFS), UNICODE=229.61GB
D: (NTFS), UNICODE=14.06GB
F: (FAT32), UNICODE=466MB
Status=Pass

[CD-ROMs]
DriveLetters=E:\
Drives=MAT****A DVD+-RW UJ-875S

[Video]
Video Card Name=NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT
Video Memory=512
Desktop Resolution=1280x800x32 @ 60Hz
DirectX=DirectX 9.0c (4.09.00.0904)
OpenGL Version=3.3.0
OpenGL Vendor=NVIDIA Corporation
OpenGL Renderer=GeForce 8600M GT/PCI/SSE2
NVidia Driver=6.14.12.6099
Vid Card Status=Warning
Vid Card Driver Status=Pass
GL Status=Pass
DX Status=Pass

[Audio]
Sound Card Name=USB Audio Device
Status=Pass


;Game Options from swkotor2.ini

[Display Options]
FullScreen=1
Disable Movies=0
Disable Intro Movies=0
Sort Modules=1
Width=640
Height=480
BitsPerPixels=32
RefreshRate=60

[Sound Options]
Music Volume=85
Voiceover Volume=85
Sound Effects Volume=85
Movie Volume=85
Number 3D Voices=32
Number 2D Voices=32
2D3D Bias=1.00
EAX=0
Sound Init=0
Disable Sound=0
Force Software=0

[Graphics Options]
Disable Vertex Buffer Objects=1
Anisotropy=1
Frame Buffer=0
Grass=0
Soft Shadows=0
Shadows=0
Brightness=57
EnableHardwareMouse=1
FullScreen=0
RefreshRate=60
Width=1024
Height=768
V-Sync=1
Texture Quality=2
Anti Aliasing=0

[Game Options]
UnlockedPlanetSongs=7
Enable Tooltips=1
Keyboard Camera Deceleration=2000.000000
Keyboard Camera Acceleration=500.000000
Keyboard Camera DPS=200.000000
TextureVariation=1
BodyVariation=2
AppearanceType=171
PCGender=0
GameCompleted=0
CurSithLord=0
Hide InGame GUI=0
Use Small Fonts=0
Hide Unequippable=0
Tutorial Popups=1
Subtitles=1
Mini Map=1
Floating Numbers=1
Status Summary=1
Enable Mouse Teleporting To Buttons=1
Mouse Sensitivity=44
Difficulty Level=1
Auto Level Up NPCs=0
Mouse Look=0
AutoSave=1
EnableScreenShot=0
Reverse Mouse Buttons=0
Reverse Ingame YAxis=0
Reverse Minigame YAxis=0
Combat Movement=1
EnableCheats=1
TooltipDelay Sec=1
Disable Movies=0

[config]
firstrun=0

[Keymapping]
Action286B=8
Action286A=7
Action285B=10
Action285A=9
Action284B=54
Action284A=51
Action283B=54
Action283A=51
Action282B=69
Action282A=73
Action281B=53
Action281A=76
Action280B=69
Action280A=73
Action268=52
Action265=58
Action264=57
Action263=43
Action262=85
Action261=84
Action260=83
Action259=82
Action258=81
Action257=80
Action256=79
Action255=78
Action254=77
Action253=31
Action245=75
Action244=55
Action243=67
Action242=74
Action241=87
Action240=56
Action239=68
Action238=82
Action236=83
Action234=81
Action232=80
Action230=79
Action228=78
Action226=77
Action225=70
Action224=90
Action223=31
Action222=25
Action221=24
Action220=29
Action219=28
Action218=42
Action217=87
Action216=65
Action215=63
Action214=60
Action213=62
Action212=61
Action211=66
Action210=59
Action209=71
Action208=89
Action207=72
Action206=30
Action205=55
Action204=67

[Autopause Options]
End Of Combat Round=0
Mine Sighted=0
Enemy Sighted=1
Party Killed=1
Action Menu=0
New Target Selected=1

[Movies Shown]
Movie10=1
Movie 9=1
Movie 8=1
Movie 7=1
Movie 6=1
Movie 5=1
Movie 4=1
Movie 3=1
Movie 2=1
Movie 1=1
Movie 0=13

[Q]

I know that you're trying to be helpful, and it is appreciated, but editing your post and replacing your dxdiag report with the swconfig report would be far more helpful:
Post your system specs
Sometimes we're just not going to be able to help you if we don't know what kind of hardware you have on your machine. If you don't know what you have on your machine, then follow these steps below:
Bring up the launcher menu for Kotor 1 or 2.
Click on "Configure".
Click the "Scan Hardware" button on the lower center of the window.
Click "Yes" to continue.
Click "Details" to view your system specs.
Click "Save Report" and save the file to your desktop.
Whenever you post your problem, open the file you just saved and copy and paste the contents to your post.

[rjalbert32]

thanks for the info and for responding. Yeah, another site I tried getting help from for this game (lucasarts.com/support) wanted to see my dxdiag file, thats why I included it...

Updated and waiting patiently for response...:thmbup1:

and to make things more difficult, I can "change areas" by going into the Czerka Offices and it doesnt crash, if I go across the hall and try to go to area 81 or whatever it's called, it crashes, it's actually called an elevator I believe to area 81

I went back into game and walked around to different places in area 82, and I could switch areas between 82 east and 82 west, but the minute I try to take the elevator to entertainment area 081, it crashes on me....This is weird, why only in this one area like this?

Apparently this board is monitored much either, greattttttttt.... :-(((

[Q]

I see that you have the Dantooine lag fix, which is good.

Since you have a multi-core CPU and you're using XP, you're going to have set affinity to a single CPU core every time you launch the game. How I do it is to open Task Manager (right-click on the Taskbar at the bottom of Windows' desktop and select "Task Manager") and click on the "Processes" tab. Check the "Show processes for all users" box if it isn't already and then launch the game. Once you get to the game's main menu, hit the Windows key to get back to the desktop and look for the game's executable (swkotor2.exe) in the Task Manager under the "Processes" tab. When you find it, right click on it, select "set affinity" and uncheck every box but "CPU 0" and hit "OK". Once you've done that, just hit the game's icon in the Taskbar and you should be good to go. Remember that you'll have to set CPU affinity like this every time you launch the game. Not doing this can cause the game to randomly crash.

Also, KotOR2 supports 1280x768 natively, but the only way to get this resolution is by changing the width and height values to 1280 and 768 under both [Display Options] and [Graphics Options] in the swkotor2.ini file in the game's main folder.

[rjalbert32]

LOL, I don't know what the dant fix is, so if you see that I have it, great....I will try what you said about the one processor, just weird that the game worked fine for almost 2 wks, then out of nowhere, no mods added, no settings changed, it just decided to not work in this one area...

Strangeeeeeeee indeed, but thanks for your help, I will try it and let ya know.

Rich :-)

[rjalbert32]

Bummer dude, it still crashes when I enter the entertainment area 081

I set the affinity like you said and it still crashes. I am inside the czerka offices when I load the game, and I exit and go across the hall to the elevator to area 081, and that's where it crashes....Any more ideas about this issue?

[Qui-Gon Glenn]

Mods installed?

[rjalbert32]

Yes, mods are installed now, just the "enablecheats=1" codes I used.

BUT, when this issue started, I had not loaded any mods and did NOT change any settings what so ever, it just started out of the blue....

[Qui-Gon Glenn]

So, you installed mods AFTER the problem reared it's ugly head? Can't be helping the situation, although mods are rarely the source of this type of glitch.

Have you tried lowering your graphical settings, temporarily, to see if you can get over the hurdle? Seems silly, but it might be helpful, setting your res to 800x600 might squeeze you through.

Another thought: have you looked at your game disk? Is it dirty or scratched? Just cleaning off the disk properly may be quite helpful.

Citadel Station has never been problematic for me before... there is not a ton of graphical wizardry going on in that portion of the game. What quests are open in your journal right now? Have you done your business with the Ithorians yet?

I would think that you either have a disk issue or a hardware issue... your PC with those specs should be able to handle the game rather nicely.

[rjalbert32]

I had lowered it to 800x600 and cleaned disk also. I have to deliver the droid safely for the ithorians, but if I can't get to 081, I can't complete that...

[rjalbert32]

the things I have for missions now are to get the girl bought back out of the cantina (in area 081, which I can't get to) and I am still under arrest and I have to escort the droid safely for the ithorians....

[Qui-Gon Glenn]

Very early on into the game, the game disk is clean. Played fine up until this point.

I suggest you do a GPU memory test, see if your card is behaving correctly. Download a free system monitor like CPU-Z and GPU-Z to see how your temps are looking... I am thinking hardware issue, although it may be a situation where you just need to re-install the game. I hope that your save is good - make sure to save often and in different slots, as this game can be iffy at times.

I think you will, if all your hardware is nominal, need to do a complete uninstall/reinstall of TSL. For sureness sake, when you reinstall it, do an analysis log and send it in to SecuRom and have them provide a new .exe for you. Make sure you save your save folder in another location, and your override folder since you did install some mods.

[rjalbert32]

Yeah, I had already uninstalled and reinstalled in different area and that didn't help. I even started a new game and it crashed very early on when trying to change areas...

[Qui-Gon Glenn]

Yeah, I had already uninstalled and reinstalled in different area and that didn't help. I even started a new game and it crashed very early on when trying to change areas...
Which makes it more apparent that you are having a hardware issue :(

What about other games that have been reliable in the past? Have you tested any of those to see if you are having new problems playing those (formerly playable) games?

The mobile 8xxx cards from nVidia seem to be balky... for what reason I cannot say.

I am sorry to be stumped... Q might have other ideas... Let us know if problems are persistent through other games, to confirm or deny the existence of a hardware issue.

[Q]

Try going into the advanced sound options menu and checking "Force Software".

If you're in the Residential module that I think you're in (right outside Czerka's office), that module has always had problems running smoothly due to the large number of people walking around in it and stretching the game engine to its limits.

[rjalbert32]

I tried the sound thing and that didn't help. I got a workaround from the lucasarts website that allows me to play further. The person told me to use the warp command in the EnableCheats=1 command list and I was able to warp to 081 and bypass the elevator. And I also installed the game on another computer I have with XP on it and it worked fine, I also took my save games from this computer that wouldn't work on here, but worked fine on the other, so it wasn't saved game issues....

Thanks guys/gals for all your help, much appreciated
:thmbup1:

[Qui-Gon Glenn]

I am curious as to how different the two XP machines are, spec-wise?

I suspect the other, more stable XP machine, is a desktop?

Either way, glad you got something working! Still would like to know what the root cause of your issue was on the lappie...

[rjalbert32]

Yes, the other is a desktop high end setup. And I would like to know also why it only crashes going into one area and not others. Weird...