Server Causing users to Crash to Desktop.

[n_icomach 312]

Since the newest ArmA 3 update (changing around the sound configs) we've been experiencing issues of our server crashing users to desktop for sometimes no reason. It can happen on loading, or it can happen a hour in.

The launch properties are using TADST and look like this.

-port=2308 "-config=C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Arma 3\TADST\default\TADST_config.cfg" "-cfg=C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Arma 3\TADST\default\TADST_basic.cfg" "-profiles=C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Arma 3\TADST\default" -name=default "-mod=@72ndGear;@A3MP;@A3MP-AP;@AGM;@ALiVE;@ASDG_JR;@ASR_AI3;@AT4;@CAF_AG1.5;@CBA_A3;@CHO_F35B;@CHO_LHD;@CRAM;@CSE;@cTab;@EBU_Mods;@EMP_Pack;@fhq_accessories;@fhq_m4_a3;@galz_wind_ballistics;@hafm_arma2_helis_fix;@Hmmwv;@ImprovedFatigueSystem;@JS_JC_SU35;@mcc_sandbox;@mikes;@mrb_a3_voicestop;@NoIdle;@Raid_M1A1_Abrams;@RDS;@st_stamina_bar;@STI;@stv_Warrior;@SUPER_flash;@task_force_radio;@TFA;@trixie_britishweapons;@trixie_launchers;@trixie_recon;@VTS_Weaponresting"

Here is a link to the Server RPT. https://www.dropbox.com/s/1gtl2n3cdsv9vf7/Server%20RPT.txt

Does anyone have any idea what could be causing this? I will be having a server test later on and will get the rpt from the crashed clients.

[Zeppelin33 10]

Im from another community and we've been having exactly the same crashes. It also started round about the same time. We are about 25 players and the mods we have in common are:

@A3MP;

@AGM;

@ALiVE;

@ASDG_JR;

@ASR_AI3;

@AT4;

@CBA_A3;

@cTab;

@fhq_accessories;

@fhq_m4_a3;

@Hmmwv;

@@SUPER_flash;

@task_f orce_radio;

Its totally random who crashes, so its not the same people all the time. Sometimes you wont crash at all and sometimes you will crash often. we have tried: 1.checking game cache on steam 2. deleting content of DLL folder. 3. deleting MP mission cache. Even reinstalled the server and re-downloaded mods. One person that was crashing often, reinstalled windows, arma and the mods and he still crashes.

How it happens is, you'll get a very short pause, then a second later, another pause and then it crashes and tells you: Arma.exe has stopped working.

We ran a vanilla server and even still had crashes, but that was inconclusive.

My RPT where there was a crash at the end https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/83517991/arma3_2014-07-29_20-47-00.rpt

and the minidump : https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/83517991/arma3_2014-07-29_20-47-00.mdmp

I hope this helps in finding a solution. we have ran out of ideas.

Edited July 29, 2014 by Zeppelin33

[terox 316]

you need to start with 0 addons and add a few at a time until you find which addon or combination of addons is conflicting.

There is no quality audit done on addons, they are all 3rd party content varying in quality.

I for one would not run the mix of addons you are running.

My adivce is to Strip out the superfluous rubbish and minimise this pack to something more manageable

@72ndGear;

@A3MP;

@A3MP-AP;

@AGM;

@ALiVE;

@ASDG_JR;

@ASR_AI3;

@AT4;

@CAF_AG1.5;

@CBA_A3;

@CHO_F35B;

@CHO_LHD;

@CRAM;

@CSE;

@cTab;

@EBU_Mo ds;

@EMP_Pack;

@fhq_accessories;

@fhq_m4_a3;

@galz_wind_ballistics;

@hafm_arma2_helis_fix;

@Hmmwv;

@ImprovedFatigueSystem;

@JS_JC_SU35;

@mcc_sandbox;

@mikes;

@mrb_a3_voicestop;

@NoIdle;

@Raid_M1A1_Abrams;

@RDS;

@st_ stamina_bar;

@STI;

@stv_Warrior;

@SUPER_flash;

@task_force_radio;

@TFA;

@trixie_britishweapons;

@trixie_lau nchers;

@trixie_recon;

@VTS_Weaponresting"

the last one @VTS_Weaponresting afaik is clientside

Initially start with

@CBA_A3

@AGM;

@ALiVE;

@task_force_radio;

and then start adding from there

Edited July 30, 2014 by Terox

[Zeppelin33 10]

Thx Terox

We have tried it. We only loaded with Tfar AGM and CBA. There were still crashes. we have also ran the server vanilla, but the reason I said it was inconclusive is, we later realized, because the majority of our group loads up with Play With Six and all though the server mite be vanilla, some players still had mods loaded. getting people to troubleshoot a server is like herding cats XD

Ill try better vanilla tests and reply with result, but if theres maby someone that can give us an idea what the crash in the RPT means, it'll be great

[SavageCDN 231]

You can fix this by using verifySignatures = 2 option in your server config file. If you have this enabled players can only join with mods you have allowed - done by adding the mod's .bikey file to your server's \Keys folder. So to test your vanilla setup remove all .bikey files from that folder (except the BIS ones) that will prevent players from having mods loaded when joining.

[n_icomach 312]

Thanks for the tip. Were starting bare ones again and going from there. Fingers crossed it works.

[terox 316]

Kudos to Sickboy for the effort he has put into Six, we even host as part of the Six Network, but from a community support perspective for our members I only support launching mods via a desktop shortcut and only support downloading mods via our ArmA3sync repo

If folks use this, they have exactly what the server requires from them and it really cuts down on user support.

I have always found this approach to be the least troublesome and as Savage stated, VerifySigs=2 all the way

You could always create a test mission that runs every addon you support at the start of your gaming sessions, this will soon sort out those running the correct mods and those who arent

Edited July 30, 2014 by Terox

[n_icomach 312]

We do use A3sync and love it for that reason. We are doing another test tomorrow, I'll post results once its complete.

[Zeppelin33 10]

Are these maby related ?

http://feedback.arma3.com/view.php?id=19937

http://feedback.arma3.com/view.php?id=19396

[Zeppelin33 10]

It seems we have found our reason for crashing. A fellow member had a corrupt squad xml. We removed all squad xmls and the server ran the whole night sofar with no one crashing.

[SavageCDN 231]

^ yeah it's crazy that a corrupt .xml can cause a CTD!! Glad you found the issue.

[Zeppelin33 10]

thx, I hope this will helps someone :)

[Bamse 223]

Could you please elaborate on this? I'm playing on a Altis Life server that has this problem, suddenly and very sporadically like 50%+ of all the players CTD with "ArmA 3 has stopped working".

The server is running no mods at all (altho CBA and JSRS are allowed, but optional) and it's a giant ~20MB custom mission. I really suspect this might be the error.

Have you found a way to replicate the error? Do you know what malformed data that actually makes ppl crash?

More importantly; is there a way to stop ppl from using squad xml's? In this case there's no way to tell ppl to stop using it (quite a big community and public access) :(

[Zeppelin33 10]

An easy way to test (all though for altis life im not sure) would be to have everyone in the map screen before missions start and then to click on everyones name, til you crash. If the persons XML is corrupt, everyone will crash clicking on him, or being in his vicinity in game.

in our case the one persons .paa image was corrupt, i have no idea why or how it happened. We are a smaller controlled group so it was easy to fix.

I have no idea how to make ppl stop using xml's but Ill ask around abit and definitly let you know if i find something.

You could try setting the allowed image size to 0 on the server? https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/basic.cfg

MaxCustomFileSize=<size_in_bits>;

Users with custom face or custom sound larger than this size are kicked when trying to connect.

Edited August 28, 2014 by Zeppelin33

[Bamse 223]

Thanks a bunch!

[Zeppelin33 10]

Cool i hope it helped