Garbled loading screen

[alanB 0]

Hi,

I've got an intermittent problem that seems to be getting worse. Sometimes after the securom check I get a garbled loading screen instead of the silhouetted soldier. The hard drive keeps being accessed and ArmA keeps at 90%+ cpu use. This keeps up untill I run out of patience and kill ArmA with the task manager and retry.

I'm patched up to 1.08 and this problem occurred with earlier versions also.

Any ideas?

I have a laptop:

Pentium M 1.7Ghz

1024Mb ram

64Mb ATI Mobility Radeon 9600 (Driver 6.14.10.6430)

Here's a screen grab (it's always the same AFAIK)

[mmd 0]

This happens to me sometimes, but not in ArmA. I think it is due to either badly installed video drivers or a malfunctioning video card. Try reinstalling the latest ATI drivers, and make sure you follow the proper steps to the process.

[alanB 0]

Try reinstalling the latest ATI drivers, and make sure you follow the proper steps to the process.

I'd love to try that but unfortunately having a laptop means I can't just get hold of the latest catalyst drivers, I have to contact my manufacturer - but systemax stopped producing computers in the UK and took down there support sight

[Balschoiw 0]

Your labtop isn´t meeting the minimal requirenments for Arma. That´s why it goes frenzy.

Requirenments:

Quote[/b] ]Minimum Specification:

* CPU: 2 Ghz

* RAM: 512 MB

* Nvidia Geforce FX with 128 MB RAM & pixel shader 2.0, ATI Radeon 9500 with 128 MB of RAM

& pixel shader 2.0

* Software: Windows XP or Windows 2000 and DirectX 9

Recommended Specification:

* CPU: 3 Ghz

* RAM: 1 GB

* Video Card: Nvidia 6800 and above or Ati x800 and above with at least 256 MB RAM

* Free HD Space: 3 GB (or more as needed for

[alanB 0]

Your labtop isn´t meeting the minimal requirenments for Arma. That´s why it goes frenzy.

I am well aware that my laptop is below minimum spec BUT that only means I get low fps it shouldn't be, and I say isn't, responsible for the above problem.

I have played many hours of ArmA so far with no problems once I get the game loaded - I originally had major problems wuth securom and now this, which as I said above was a very intermittent problem that is becoming more regular.

Thanks anyway.

[skypine27 0]

You have to download newer ATI drivers, even though they are not specific to your machine.

Google ATI Mobility drivers

I'm not sure how easy they are to install, as I do not have an ATI card in my laptop.

http://ati.amd.com/products/catalyst/mobility/index.html

They are similar to nvidia Forceware.

[max power 21]

Your labtop isn´t meeting the minimal requirenments for Arma. That´s why it goes frenzy.

I am well aware that my laptop is below minimum spec BUT that only means I get low fps it shouldn't be, and I say isn't, responsible for the above problem.

I have played many hours of ArmA so far with no problems once I get the game loaded - I originally had major problems wuth securom and now this, which as I said above was a very intermittent problem that is becoming more regular.

Thanks anyway.

If your video card doesn't have the ram that the graphics engine requires then you're hooped. If it doesn't support pixel shaders, then the game won't be able to load at all. Having specs below the minimum is more complicated than you think, I'm afraid. I am not saying that it is contributing to your problem, but I'm not saying it's not. Simply, the fact that your computer is below the minimum specs can be quite a problem.

[alanB 0]

You have to download newer ATI drivers, even though they are not specific to your machine.

Thanks but that doesn't work, as I stated in my earlier post the generic mobility drivers DO NOT work for my laptop.

What you download from your link is a little utility that checks compatibility and then downloads the drivers if they will work. In my case the utility tells me to contact my manufacturer - which I can't because they've shut up shop in the UK.

I have the last drivers that where done for my laptop which are from 2005.

If your video card doesn't have the ram that the graphics engine requires then you're hooped. If it doesn't support pixel shaders, then the game won't be able to load at all. Having specs below the minimum is more complicated than you think, I'm afraid. I am not saying that it is contributing to your problem, but I'm not saying it's not. Simply, the fact that your computer is below the minimum specs can be quite a problem.

I don't dispute that having below minimum spec for a game can be problematic BUT have you noticed that I said I have and do play the game fine, with no problems bar low fps when it loads - which used to be 95%+ of the time. Therefore I cannot see how this issue (which is intermittant) can be caused by lack of VRAM etc.

mmd's point about driver corruption is more likely the issue here I think.

[skypine27 0]

Alan:

This definately works:

I tested it installing ATI drviers for an x1900 in my m5550 that I modded.

http://www.driverheaven.net/modtool/

Follow the instructions at the bottom of the page, step by step.

[alanB 0]

This definately works:

I tested it installing ATI drviers for an x1900 in my m5550 that I modded.

Thanks that worked for installing the latest drivers, game has loaded fine first time, just have to hope that it stays that way.

At least now I know I can get updated mobility drivers from now on - muchly appreciated

[alanB 0]

So.....

now the game loads - 6/6 times so far but I've lost some textures with the new drivers

I particularly like the trees lack of needles

Can this be a driver issue (7.8) or the fact that I'm modding the "full" catalyst drivers? Should I try an earlier release? Or is this due to below minimum specs even though I had no problems with textures previously with the ancient "correct" drivers for my laptop?

Although after alt-tab'ing to paste the above picture into photoshop I regained some ground textures thus:

Who knows what'll happen next

[skypine27 0]

Sorry bro, I dont have any other ideas.

But glad you now know where to get new video drivers as they are released.

[sickboy 13]

try adding -maxmem=256 or -maxmem=512 in ur arma shortcut.

or fiddle around with shading and texture details, either higher or lower than current.

[alanB 0]

try adding -maxmem=256 or -maxmem=512 in ur arma shortcut.

or fiddle around with shading and texture details, either higher or lower than current.

I've got all settings on minimum due to my laptop spec but the first thing I tried was higher settings but with no change to the missing textures.

I've not tried the maxmem setting since I thought that was mainly for CTD's (which I get with my desktop, and maxmem doesn't help there).

However I just installed the oldest catalyst drivers I could download (6.9) and that's fixed the textures - go figure