imarobot 10 Posted June 28, 2009 I've been reading the forums trying to find a solution to the problem I'm having, but have not had any luck. The problem I'm having is with the game hanging or freezing for about 1-3 seconds about every 2 or 3 minutes. My FPS is fine with normal settings and I've even tried playing on all very low settings and it does the same thing. I have the latest drivers and am playing on a HP dv7t laptop. specs: Vista 32bit Intel Core Duo 2 2.16Mhz 3GB RAM ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4530 If anyone has any suggestions please please please let me know what I should try. I've never played ARMA, but this game total kicks ass and I and I want to play it so bad. I was even thinking about trying to install Windows XP and get rid of Vista.. what do you think? Thanks. ---------- Post added at 09:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:32 PM ---------- Okay so I have ran the benchmark a few times and get 31-28 average FPS with the settings normal and a low res. During the benchmark it doesn't hang or freeze at all, but as soon as I get back to the main menu or load a mission it starts doing again. Do you think it could be a issue with the Demo? I downloaded it from Steam. If I were to get the full verison would it run better and not do this? I want to get it so bad, but I can't waste my money on a game that I can't run. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
imarobot 10 Posted June 29, 2009 Bump... I still need help with this. I did happen to get it working once.. I had no slow downs or freezes, but the next time I loaded it up it started happening again.. 51 views and no replies.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dedas 10 Posted June 29, 2009 I have the exact same issue, the game is slowing down greatly every minute or two, and that is whatever settings I use. I've downloaded the demo from a link in this forum. My computer specs: Athlon x2 5600+ ATI HD4850 4GB Ram Vista x64 and XP x64 (I've tried it on both) I also used HWMonitor to look for overheating but the CPU never goes over 49C and the GPU never over 60C. The northbridge stays at 39C and the Harddrive at 29C. So no overheating there. Also, one time I could play flawlessly for a long time and then I shut down the game and restarted it just to have the issue coming back. It makes the game unplayable for me as the slowdowns comes so frequently. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
imarobot 10 Posted June 29, 2009 With so many other people having problems I have a hard time believing it's a hard ware issue. I know my system specs are not great by any means, but I feel like I should be able to still play it on low settings. It's funny because I also had it working just once without any problems at all. I even upped the graphics while it was working and ran a benchmark and got 28fps avg. After that one time though it went back to the same problem. Anyone have some idea to try? I'd love to get this game working :D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bulldogs 10 Posted June 29, 2009 Several people fixed the issue with full Windows reinstall, which is a little extreme, but if worse comes to worse.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dedas 10 Posted June 29, 2009 I finally got rid of it! I first ruled out overheating as I monitor my system and nothing passed any historic overheating thresholds for my system. Every other game (even CrysisW) runs flawless with the temperature I was getting on Northbridge, CPU, GPU and Harddrive. But still it sure looked like overheating in Arma 2. Weird. So I opened up the case and pointed a big fan at "everything" (even memory) and what do you know, no stuttering or fps spikes at all. But this didn't satisfy me, as I still suspected Arma 2 to be the culprit. So I monitored my CPU's two cores separately and found out that Arma 2 is very poor at distributing the load between them. Instead it taxes one core and overheats it, making it slow down, and suddenly finds itself in need of CPU cycles so it starts grabbing from the other core making the first cool down some. Then it starts taxing the still very warm first core again making it overheat in notime and so on in an endless loop. No other game does this so poorly so that is why I can run other games without overheating with the same temperatures. So the temporary cure is to REALLY cool down your CPU like you never needed before. Still, that wouldn't be needed if the game distributed the load more effectively so to not let one core run 100% and overheat. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bulldogs 10 Posted June 29, 2009 I had a theory that that may be the case, and noticed in another thread about it that someone posted a screenie of Temps while running Arma 2 and the GPU was at 83 deg C, but everytime I mentioned it to someone they laughed in my face. Glad someone finally found a solution and reason. I should also note that I've never had the crash and I never over clock. My CPU under heavy load barely breaks 40 deg C. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dedas 10 Posted June 29, 2009 You are most welcome Bulldogs! I'm holding my thumbs for you. :) As for your last sentence - so is mine, but still, cooling was what solved it for me. So that is why I figured it must be how the game distributes the load. It is a very old engine one must remember, built long before multi cores. Still it should be possible to update and optimize it more one can hope. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HHawk 0 Posted June 29, 2009 I finally got rid of it!I first ruled out overheating as I monitor my system and nothing passed any historic overheating thresholds for my system. Every other game (even CrysisW) runs flawless with the temperature I was getting on Northbridge, CPU, GPU and Harddrive. But still it sure looked like overheating in Arma 2. Weird. So I opened up the case and pointed a big fan at "everything" (even memory) and what do you know, no stuttering or fps spikes at all. But this didn't satisfy me, as I still suspected Arma 2 to be the culprit. So I monitored my CPU's two cores separately and found out that Arma 2 is very poor at distributing the load between them. Instead it taxes one core and overheats it, making it slow down, and suddenly finds itself in need of CPU cycles so it starts grabbing from the other core making the first cool down some. Then it starts taxing the still very warm first core again making it overheat in notime and so on in an endless loop. No other game does this so poorly so that is why I can run other games without overheating with the same temperatures. So the temporary cure is to REALLY cool down your CPU like you never needed before. Still, that wouldn't be needed if the game distributed the load more effectively so to not let one core run 100% and overheat. Yup... The game has been poorly developed. I wonder why we put up with these unfinished and badly developed games. Sigh. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wormsby 10 Posted June 29, 2009 Same issue. Demo ran fine on high/highest settings. Arma2 itself ran fine on day one on near-max settings (I think I turned shadows down slightly just to be safe). Then, last night (day 2 of play) even ratcheting down the settings to minimum, every 3-5 seconds the game would hang, making it impossible to move or even type messages to my co-op buddy. Stats: Vista 64 4GB RAM nVIDIA GeForce 9800M GTS with 1GB video memory Intel Core Duo 2.26GhZ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
imarobot 10 Posted June 29, 2009 I also assumed it was over heating but I monitored my HW and it was only alittle above average. I'm glad you got it working and I'll trying cooling my computer as much as possible and test it again. Maybe I should try playing in a freeze haha :D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HHawk 0 Posted June 29, 2009 Same issue. Demo ran fine on high/highest settings. Arma2 itself ran fine on day one on near-max settings (I think I turned shadows down slightly just to be safe). Then, last night (day 2 of play) even ratcheting down the settings to minimum, every 3-5 seconds the game would hang, making it impossible to move or even type messages to my co-op buddy. Stats: Vista 64 4GB RAM nVIDIA GeForce 9800M GTS with 1GB video memory Intel Core Duo 2.26GhZ Not only it crashes / hangs / freezes, but the game also: - has problems with textures flashing - poor AI; even with the latest patch 1.02.5xxx-something the AI (your teammates) still stay back. Sigh... - did I mention the game crashes often? Man, I am starting to wish I never had bought this game. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
imarobot 10 Posted June 29, 2009 Well I tried lifting the laptop off the table and got it to cool down about 4-5 degress from just doing that. It seemed to work on the training levels but as soon as I loaded a mission it started doing it again. The avg temp for CPU is around 65-70 in-game the GPU stays cooler at about 55-60. Is that running too hot? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dedas 10 Posted June 29, 2009 Yes, if you experience stutter then it is too hot (in this game). And as it is very hard to cool down a laptop you will need to play in a freezer until they optimize the game. :) I'm sorry. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
imarobot 10 Posted June 29, 2009 Well this is the part I don't get. That one time I got it working.. I had the graphics at normal settings w/ 1024x768. Ran the benchmark and got a 28FPS avg. Right now it's hanging/freezing so I put the graphics as low as they can go even the res. and ran the benchmark and got 19fps avg. WTF?! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dedas 10 Posted June 30, 2009 Yes that is weird indeed and I got it as well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Arre 10 Posted June 30, 2009 have this problem too, though the temperatures isnt a problem for me :/, so it isnt a fix... my rig: Vista x64 e6750 2,66Ghz Ati 4870 1Gb 4Gb ram temps: cpu; idle: 34c / load: 53c gfx; idle: 50c / load 85c regards Arre Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dedas 10 Posted June 30, 2009 Hi Arre, I thought the temperatures weren't a problem for me too, having similar figures as you, but I was proven wrong the problem disappeared when I cooled my rig. You should give it a try. It will cost you nothing if you just take the lid of. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
no use for a name 0 Posted June 30, 2009 Not only it crashes / hangs / freezes, but the game also:- has problems with textures flashing - poor AI; even with the latest patch 1.02.5xxx-something the AI (your teammates) still stay back. Sigh... - did I mention the game crashes often? Man, I am starting to wish I never had bought this game. have you posted a thread about it? it doesn't do much good to bitch about the game if you haven't asked for help. IIRC the texture flickering can be fixed by using the 182.50's As for the AI, what combat mode are you using? If they're set to 'danger', they will find cover and cover you as you move, like bounding overwatch. as for you 3rd complaint we need more info Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Arre 10 Posted June 30, 2009 Hi Arre, I thought the temperatures weren't a problem for me too, having similar figures as you, but I was proven wrong the problem disappeared when I cooled my rig.You should give it a try. It will cost you nothing if you just take the lid of. tried that without with no luck... even made all fans go at 100%. Both cpu, gfx, and case fans hopefully Bohemia can fix this in a patch :) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sjaba 19 Posted July 2, 2009 First of all to send some cred back to the BIS guys.. thx for yet another awsome game.. However i am also experiencing som of the freeze issues that have been mentioned here. I never had a single CTD and after som tweaking the game is now running nicely except for the small 2 -3 second freezes from time to time. I have not done a methodical testing of this problem, but it seems like it happens in every aspect of the game,menus, editor , sp, mp etc. I have brought this issue up with my clan m8's and it seems like its not a common issue. Hope some of the dev's or community figures this one out. My system MB: Asus P5E3 DELUXE Gpu: Asus Ati 4890 Cpu: Intel Core 2 Duo E6850 Memory: DIMM1: Corsair XMS3 CM3X1024-1066C7 1 Gb DDR3-1066 DDR3 SDRAM (7-7-7-20 @ 533 MHz) (6-6-6-18 @ 457 MHz) DIMM2: Kingston 9905402-006.B00LF 1 Gb DDR3-1066 DDR3 SDRAM (7-7-7-20 @ 533 MHz) (6-6-6-18 @ 457 MHz) DIMM1: Corsair XMS3 CM3X1024-1066C7 1 Gb DDR3-1066 DDR3 SDRAM (7-7-7-20 @ 533 MHz) (6-6-6-18 @ 457 MHz) OS:Xp Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
