Graphics hanging/freezing, but music and game keeps playing...requires physical reboot.

from Sins Forums


I'm running/specs WINXP 32, Service pack 2, Nvidia 7600GT APG8x 512MB, Althon Xp2000+ proc, 2GB DDR PC3200, Sound Blaster Audigy 4, Western Digital 500GB HD and I have a Razer Copperhead mouse. All drivers are updated.  I've tried installing mini-port agp drivers in hopes to solve this problem without success btw too. DirectX 9c updated too.  I've also just re-installed WinXp so its a "fresh system".

Basically I'm suffering from frequent game freezing that usually/only occurs after the opening movies play and Sins loads into 3d.  The game screen will freeze but the music continues to play.  I can move the mouse but it "jumps" across the screen.  If I click many times my computer makes an internal beep.

Sins crashes A LOT and VERY randomly - but always early on in gameplay and always in "the same way", which I believe has to do with loading 3d images after the game boots.  It NEVER crashes to the desktop or reboots the computer however.  It ALWAYS happens usually within the first 2 minutes of gameplay.  I've it doesn't crash within the first 2 minutes the game plays fine. 

The only way out of this problem, is to hit the reboot button on my tower, as my keyboard appears to freeze too and I cannot return to the desktop.

I've noticed now these game crashes happen when focusing on a new 3D object.  Example: on the setup screen when it goes planet to planet during play settings.  Or early in game when new units, planets, ect appear first appear.  The games graphics just hang but music keeps playing.

At first I thought it had to something to do with the AA setting after a little tinkering, but I'm very uncertain.  It does seem to crash less with it off but only when I load the game.  More on this later... 

I thought maybe it was my graphic card itself so I ran 3DMark2001SE as a benchmark test for any problems at different settings.  All ran fine (no freezing, ect)

Interesting to note AFTER I run 3DMark2001SE, Sins plays fine 70% afterwords.  It usually always loads okay afterwords and doesn't crash oddly enough.  Its like 3dmark2001se fixes the problem some how - sometimes.

So now before I play Sins, I first run 3DMark2001SE then try to play then game.  Sometimes it works and othertimes not.

This is not a new problem however to me.

When Hereos of Might and Magic 5 first game out, it did this too, however (whatever the problem was) was eventually patched and stopped happening.  Heroes 5 plays fine now as long as all patches are applied.

So basically Sins randomly crashes (early on) usually as I'm setting up a new game or just after the game loads into 3d.  I can still hear music and the game is playing but the graphics freeze.  My keyboard locks and my mouse "jumps" across screen.

NOW If it doesn't crash within the first 10minutes I can bump up (or down) all the graphics settings to max and the game still plays without freezing (although it slows at higher settings obviously) but it won't freeze.

Thats my problem, its obviously a 3d software problem and its been fixed before in other software - specifically Heroes of Might and Magic 5 so I know it can be fixed for Sins too.

4,237 views 4 replies
Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top
I had the same exact problem using a x1950pro agp card. I switched my catalyst version from 8.12 to 7.11 and now I can play for hours (my FPS at company of heroes is also much better).
The game used to freeze right off the bat at the option screen. Now it works fine. Sometimes it still hangs but after a few hours play.
Reply #2 from Sins Forums Top

I'm thinking the specs on the box are a little optimistic. They recommend 256 MB 7800 or better, but don't say anything about PCI-E or AGP. Not sure if there is a real performance difference in the PCI-E and AGP of the 7600, but I have 2 7600 GT, in SLI and though I run into other issues, I get lag if I go solo GPU and can run decent in SLI on most settings. You are running pretty thin on the minimum requirements aspect as far as processor and maybe even GPU if AGP and PCI-E makes a difference, so I can imagine that is why you are running into issues, sorry to say. With patches, they could streamline some things and make it work for your specs, but only they'd know that. This game is definitely 3D intensive, some pretty ground breaking graphics, and I can only imagine what they would have accomplished if they made the game only to work on the latest and greatest PC specs. Good luck.
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Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top
Hmmm, it might be performance driven but I doubt it somehow.

See when I DO get the game to work (without crashing) then it plays VERY smoothly graphically and I do mean smooth as long - as I don't set the settings/effects above "high". If I set the game settings to "highest" then it gets choppy.

Otherwise no slow down, no crashes, nothing and trust me I've played games in the past that "played" choppy (back in the good 486 days) - this isn't the problem here.

Again if the game doesn't crash within the first 5 minutes it won't crash at all and plays fine.

Also my video card has 512MB, not 256, sorry should have made that clear before. I've updated the specs in my original post above.

Anyway this is just my bug report. Hope it helps. I can't think of anything else to add.
Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top
You've done well with that hardware playing such demanding games, I'm impressed. Your CPU is 1.67 GHZ, 2000+, single core and you are on DDR 3200? It really looks like your graphics card is what is keeping you in business and maybe you're RAM is high quality, 2-2 latency, and 2 GB is a plus. Since they state minimum CPU is 1.8 GHZ and it works once it gets going, seems to me once it gets loaded and more in the hands of your RAM and GPU, the processor may not have to work as hard, so you are good to go. They'd probably know the technical terms for all this better than that half-a$$ answer. As far as using 3D Mark first and that helps things, I'm wondering if it has more to do with your CPU being clear of any behind the scenes processing by that point and that is what gets you past the first 5 mins. Check all your processes prior to loading, end some things if they're running and you don't need them. You know Microsoft likes to do things in the background while you're not looking (Win Update, sometimes Adobe and IExplorer will stay running for a while even if you just got out), and then see if that may help. Maybe you'll get someone with more techincal experience to help you out if it is a 3D thing, I'm just a tech wannabe. Nice job though, seems like you've had that rig for a while.