Vista Troubleshooting Thread: The one and only

[blackland 26]

Error by VISTA and Creative Sound?

No - here is the answer:

How Stockduck in the german support-forum found out, causing the Soundmax-openal-Driver adi_oal.dll massive problems when the company sound cards Creative has installed.

The solution is a simple renaming in adi_oal_old.dll (example).

>>Source>> (german/deutsch)

[CameronMcDonald 146]

An interesting find - but sadly, German isn't my first language. Anyone want to translate the jist of the topic, please?

[Hekezu 0]

Ok, so here's my story. I bought a new PC this fall and I decided to move to Vista 64bit as my OS. At first I suffered some stability issues, but after upgrading my drivers on a rapid pace, I managed to get my Vista stable.

Most of the games worked fine, but ArmA was suffering from mysterious random crashes. On top of that I have to run Windows with 3 GB of RAM, because of the full screen / black screen problem. Sometimes I could play 90 minutes without a crash, and sometimes I couldn't play 10 minutes without a crash. I had to begin my investigation.

I managed to track down the cause of errors in the arma.rpt. It said dinput8.dll in Window's System32 folder was causing the trouble. I renamed the file in System32 and in SysWOW64 but then ArmA refused to start. Then I copied the dinput8.dll to ArmA's base folder and behold, I could play two over two hour sessions of Warfare without crashes.

So, if anyone of you are suffering from random crashes, check out the arma.rpt and search for dinput8.dll. If it's there, you could try the trick I did.

I'm running arma in -maxmem=512 switch at 1920x1200, with all settings high. No other problems, except the black screen / memory error, which is kind of sad, because one of the reasons I bought 64bit Vista was the ability use full 4GB of RAM.  

[tuxinator 0]

Hello all,

if u like to use more Memory so try the Ready Boost Thing described somewhere here in the Board.

I had read about it here in the Board and i bought a USB Memory Stick with 4 GB. After i included it into my System (Vista Home Premium 32-Bit) i was able to switch all Visuall Stuff from Normal or Low to the maximum Setting and i have the same Framerate as before under Normal, Low Settings.

Now my ArmA looks realy Real, it's amazing to play now.

So far from my Opinion about more Memory and Arma ...

regards Bier AIG Freak

P.S. :

Found it, was in this Topic and postet by "=ACU=Tech" on the second Page, thanks a lot for that advice, works like a Charm now

[blackland 26]

An interesting find - but sadly, German isn't my first language. Anyone want to translate the jist of the topic, please?

It´s simple:

In folder "C:\Windows\SysWOW64" (for VISTA and "Windows" is the installation folder) renaming adi_oal.dll in adi_oal.dll.old!

@fansadox

Play another game, pls!

[Fansadox 0]

@fansadox

Play another game, pls!

Quote[/b] ]

@fansadox

Play another game, pls!

Im sorry about my frustrated comment. But when you tried everything and this game just doesnt wanna run stable on a topsystem then theres hate in my life. I love the game so much its the best simulation i played ever. Guess this game is the ying/yang in my life

[blackland 26]

Read the thread and ask properly, as others do.

ArmA has no offical VISTA-Support - Users help users is necessary - always remember pls!

An indication of the exact error message and HW/SW-Settings is a beginning.

[SnR 1]

No I haven't tried that actually, I'll go do it now

Edit: Ummm... How do I set it to windowed mode?  

I have the option to run it in 'Normal Window', 'Minimized' or 'Maximized'

EDIT2: OK found it, just add <table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">-window -x=1920 -y=1200

on the end of the shortcut target line (replace x and y values with desired resolution)

It launched, and it worked, but i must say that I'm not very impressed. I was expecting to be able to run it with all details on maximum settings (I can play FSX and Crysis on max detail settings @ 1920*1200 resolution), but it got pretty choppy when I looked around and when i focused on vegetation. I turned off the post processing effects and that seemed to fix the FPS lag, but then after about 2 minutes of playing, the game froze and I wasn't able to exit or do anything, forcing a system reboot, which I don't like one bit

My last resort is now Windowed mode due to 3072mb boot up problems.

I have attempted the above to no avail, i need it to fill up my screen. of course unable to drag with mouse

Could some one help out this Vista 64 POW

[gonk 0]

arrggg!!!! Just been happy with the 8800 finally being fixed... So this time I decided to upgrade to an ATI 4870x2.... Now I have the black screen!!!!!!  Have to run in window mode... which catalyst throttles back in this mode .   just can not win   . Yes I have Vista 64 with 8 gig of ram. Which finally worked fine on Nvidia after months and months of fog!!!!

[SnR 1]

No I haven't tried that actually, I'll go do it now

Edit: Ummm... How do I set it to windowed mode?  

I have the option to run it in 'Normal Window', 'Minimized' or 'Maximized'

EDIT2: OK found it, just add <table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td>Code Sample </td></tr><tr><td id="CODE">-window -x=1920 -y=1200

on the end of the shortcut target line (replace x and y values with desired resolution)

It launched, and it worked, but i must say that I'm not very impressed. I was expecting to be able to run it with all details on maximum settings (I can play FSX and Crysis on max detail settings @ 1920*1200 resolution), but it got pretty choppy when I looked around and when i focused on vegetation. I turned off the post processing effects and that seemed to fix the FPS lag, but then after about 2 minutes of playing, the game froze and I wasn't able to exit or do anything, forcing a system reboot, which I don't like one bit

My last resort is now Windowed mode due to 3072mb boot up problems.

I have attempted the above to no avail, i need it to fill up my screen. of course unable to drag with mouse

Could some one help out this Vista 64 POW

Ok fixed

the correct way is -window -x=800 -y=600 this aloud me to drag the edge over and still keep my 1280x960 res

this vista 64 POW just got chow time

[jeza 5415]

Hi guys not sure if you adressed this problem before (sorry if you have). Got my new comp and this is what comes up when i run ArmA patched fully using ArmA Launcher. The same also happend when It was not patched and i was not using the launcher. I have no idea what is wrong, I got Vista 64 Premium, here are my specs  maybe that will help:

QuadCore 2.8

8gb Ram

1.5 terrabite hardrive

ATI crossfire 4870x2

24inch HD/Bluray resolution set at 1600x1200

Edit Update: ArmA doesnt pick up 8gb ram on Vista , so just used MSConfig and put it down to 3gb whenever i play ArmA

[gunny1987 0]

I have the same problem of RCB Jeza.

My specs:

Q6600

8GB RAM

2xSCSI MAU 15000 rpm

ATI Radeon 4870 512mb

O.S: Windows 2008 Server Trial x64 (similar to Vista x64)

But if I try to run ArmA windowed, it runs well ( I love playing with 10000 meter of visibility ).

Is there any possibility to see in the future a x64 exe of ArmA?

Sorry for my english and thanks in advance for any answer.

[ck-claw 1]

Jeza solved his problem!

I did tell him to post what he did!

I'll double check but im sure he ran 'msconfig' and disabled 4 gig of ram!

[gunny1987 0]

Has XP x64 the same problem of Vista x64 with ATI Graphic card and 4GB Ram+?

[jeza 5415]

Has XP x64 the same problem of Vista x64 with ATI Graphic card and 4GB Ram+?

Mate Run MSCongfig, then run only 3gb of ram, i have to disable 5gb every time i play but it does work. Just because Vista is not supported i think. Not sure about ati issue, i have 4870x2, but people had same problem as me who were using Nvidia, but when the 1.14 patch came out it solved it apperently.

Regardless run msconfig matey and disable ram so it only picks up 3gb and you should be fine

[Nemesis_wales 0]

i have vista 64 bit with 4870x2 card an im getting same problem, looked in msconfig but didnt see anything about changing the RAM usage. i have 4GB

[Nemesis_wales 0]

wow i managed to sort it and im a complete noob, just had to drop 2 3Gb of RAM. thanks all

[gunny1987 0]

Has XP x64 the same problem of Vista x64 with ATI Graphic card and 4GB Ram+?

Mate Run MSCongfig, then run only 3gb of ram, i have to disable 5gb every time i play but it does work. Just because Vista is not supported i think. Not sure about ati issue, i have 4870x2, but people had same problem as me who were using Nvidia, but when the 1.14 patch came out it solved it apperently.

Regardless run msconfig matey and disable ram so it only picks up 3gb and you should be fine  

Thanks Jeza. But until 1.15 i will continue to play in -window mode. It crashes very rarely (for the moment). If the number of crash will grow up, I will disable ram by running msconfig.

[ubascouser 0]

Please help since installing my new 4870 1 gig on my machine arma takes ages to load then when it does its all corrupt ive tried the msconfig trick ive, tried max mem, ive even tried just 3 gig in my machine and I tried to get it into window mode but still no joy,my specs are vista 32

AMD 6000x2 3.1 Ghz

powercolor 4870 1 gig

4 gig of ocz 6400 800 mhz platinum

GA-MA74GM-S2H mobo

120 gb hdd

jeantech storm 700w psu

jeantech thong 2 case

Samsung syncmaster 19 inch

[ubascouser 0]

Problem now sorted game running great i think it was that in the shortcut i didnt switch it to window mode i only did the config part anyway im happy now my beloved arma is running. And after upgrading from my ageing 8800gts 320mb to my new 4870 1gig powercolor im now able to run it at very high except post process which is very low and atf whish is high.I also did a few tests on the battlfield single player and averaged a fps of 34 with a low of 19 in the forest big citys averaged 47 with a fly past of sahrani at a steady 75 now i cant wait for arma 2.

[IceAxe18 0]

Steam Version

Windows Vista 64bit

When I start Arma I see the Atari loading screen, and then it stops loading and gives me a message to close the program.

[sailindawg 0]

I know this is a VISTA thread.  I do not mean to hijack, but I'm running Windows 7 64 bit beta build 7000.  ARMA plays very well without having to resort to the -maxmem tweak or removing RAM via msconfig.

I'm running a Q6600, 4x1G DDR3 RAM, a GTX 260 and a 8800 GT for PhysX (I doubt it's used with ARMA).  I patched up to 1.15 beta and all is well.  Reading the BIS WIKI, 1.15 had some fixes for 4G RAM. Looks like BIS got it right with 1.15 beta patch.

Overall ARMA performance is on par with XP 32 bit.  I was surprised to see how well ARMA performs with the beta OS given how it runs with VISTA 32 bit & 64 bit.

[M.Andersson(SWE) 4]

Just a sidenote...

Running VISTA32

AMD Phenom 9500Quad 2.2

3Gb ram

GF8800GT 1Gb

Flying over N Sahrani with more then 2000VD was a pain

befor i updated the Gfs. The latest drivers let me up the

VD to above 3500 and still its a dream to fly there...

[PRiME 1]

Just wondering if anyone has ever had or knows of a problem when you click on multiplayer button it just APPCRASH to desktop. I have ATI-32bitVista-2GB Mem umm All latest drivers and stuff.

I figured it must be a vista service? I have disabled firewall and sec center.. still no luck, I have also looked into avast but thats not the issue.

Really need help as it affects OFP196 as well. Help?

[Nemesis_wales 0]

ok, i did have 4GB ram an resorted to using msconfig fix and dropping to 3, however 1.15beta fixed it so i just played beta with 4gb ram, now im runing 8GB of all matching corsair dominator 1066mhz, and neither the 1.14 or 1.15 version will run will beta only work up to 4gb max? i have a friend who plays with 12gb on his new alien ware machine both versions no problem. if i want to use the maxmem method how do i do it? ive searched but not found anything to talk me through all steps, do u add maxmem=3072 in exe or do u have to edit config files? i dont wanna keep booting my pc in 3 gb just to have to re adjust and boot with max ram 2 play other stuff