[Resolved] Arma 2 does freeze on some events

[Curry 10]

Hey there,

lately my ArmA2 freezes for approximately 5 seconds when I open the gear menu and when I close it, this also happens with the map and the game menu. This occured the first time a few days ago, before I haven't had this problem.

What could caused that? I already defragmented my hard disk and deinstalled all useless apps on my computer. I installed my new graphics card (Geforce 260) but could that be the reason?

System specs:

AMD X2 6000+ 3.0GHz

Gigabyte GA-M61P-S3 Motherboard

2GB DDR2 800 RAM OCZ

Geforce N260GTX Lightning 1792GB DDR3 RAM Nvidia Nforce driver 190.38

Windows XP Home Edition SP3

Arma 2 version 58834 beta

Edited November 24, 2010 by Dwarden

[DeadMeat123 10]

I had the same issue occur for me. I have not completely isolated the offending program or service, but I have fixed the problem for my system running vista 64 bit.

There was a conflict from service that was running in the background so I went in to msconfig and did a custom startup in which I disabled all services except those from microsoft from loading. With this clean boot the problem disappeared immediately. I have been slowly adding back services one at a time to the selective startup menu until I find the offending one. It has been a while since I did this in XP, but I seem to recall that the msconfig utility is present in XP as well, so it should work for you in that OS as well.

Proceedure I followed is the following:

1. open msconfig
   
2. On the General tab, click selective startup.
   
3. Under selective startup click to clear the Load Startup Items check box
   
4. Click the Services tab, click to select the Hide All Microsoft Services check box, and then click Disable All
   
5. Click OK
   
6. When prompted click restart
   
7. After the computer restarts, open the program and see whether the problem is fixed
   

To return the computer to a normal startup mode

1. open msconfig
   
2. clidk the General tab
   
3. Click Normal Startup - load all device drivers and services, and then click OK
   
4. Wehn prompted, restart the computer
   

[Curry 10]

Hi DeadMeat,

I will try your possible fix now. I will post back if it works.

Thanks!

EDIT: I now disabled all non Microsoft related services and ArmA2 runs smooth again! It worked!

Have to find out which program caused this trouble. I think I got already an antivirus program in mind...

EDIT2: It has something to do with the "Load Start up Items". I can disable all programs but enable "Load Start up Items" and the game will freeze again. Curious...

I will let it unchecked, until I figured out completely. Thanks for your help mate.

Edited August 25, 2009 by Curry

[Marmach 10]

For Win XP SP3:

1. I unchecked "load start up items" and restarted. Problem disappeared.

2. All items at the tab-next-to-the-services-tab (I don't know the english name for it - running? autostart? ;) ) became unchecked as well after reboot. I left this box unchanged after rebooting.

3. I actived some elements in this tab again, checking whether anyone is responsible for the bug, but I turned on all I need and bug didn't reoccur. It's definitely not:

dumprep

jushed (java)

AVG Anti-Virus or Comodo firewall ;)

Still it can be:

nvmctray (or other nvidia useless memory eaters... but not nvcpl on the other hand, I have it running now)

...or any other app which I turned off by unchecking the box decribed above and I don't know about. I have many services turned off, but only after unchecking the "start up" box I got rid of bug.

This issue should be patched, it's a long time since it's been reported for the first time and it doesn't seem to be complicated.

[Curry 10]

I finally found out what caused the problem. i re-installed my Windows XP a few weeks ago and yesterday I intalled the DVD software called "PowerDVD" made by CyperLink and guess what, Arma 2 begun stuttering again when I opened the map or went into the gear menu.

I need to look for another DVD software now.

[Marmach 10]

Not exactly. I use Power DVD, but I have PDVDServ disabled (pdvdserv.exe) at msconfig. If any part of this player - pdvdserv of another - is responsible for the bug, it can be turned off somehow, because I don't have lagging after doing what I described above.

[Curry 10]

Not exactly. I use Power DVD, but I have PDVDServ disabled (pdvdserv.exe) at msconfig. If any part of this player - pdvdserv of another - is responsible for the bug, it can be turned off somehow, because I don't have lagging after doing what I described above.

I don't want to fiddle around with software. Either it is working right away or not.

[no use for a name 0]

you don't have to "fiddle" with anything; just open task manager and close down pdvdsev.exe

I run PowerDVD (an older version) and the game runs fine with or without it disabled

[Marmach 10]

That's the option, too ;)

But as far as I know, this process is everything but essential to run PowerDVD, so - for me - it goes out. Besides, killing this process is not a big sacrifice to have PDVD as a DVD Player. Of course if this is the source of trouble.

[-ctr-gladius 10]

Could be! I have the same freezes since I installed Power DVD too ! I'll try uninstalling it tonight and hope it works fine again !!

EDIT: I uninstalled POwerDVD only, and the game is now running perfectly !

Edited December 10, 2009 by [ctr]gladius

[hbien 0]

I can confirm this behavior is due to PDVDSrv.exe process - there is an older thread hiding somewhere on this forum where I described the exact situation you had and also the solution. Alas, I recently changed computers and ran into the same problem, but now forgot the solution. A quick search here finally got me the answer. Funny, the problem didn't arise immediately - PowerDVD DX was automatically installed on the Dell machine but I've been running ArmA2 and ArmA2:OA without problems until recently, so it's some weird interaction with some software update and PowerDVD that seems to cause this issue.

Whatever - I'm happy, too, that ArmA is playable once I kill PDVDSrv

[Dwarden 1125]

thanks, this is interesting info about the cause of the freeze issue