[AA, EL] Crash causes and solutions...

For help with SW3DG game related technical issues.
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[AA, EL] Crash causes and solutions...

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Crash Symptoms, Causes, and Solutions:
Click on links below to display solutions for their related symptoms.

Symptom(s) #1:
- CTD (crash to desktop) with no error message, may be more common when on/near planets
- or -
- Error: Failed to open file for writing
- or -
- [Game Name] has stopped responding or freezes
- or -
- Game is unable to start/launch
- or -
- Miscellaneous File error




Symptom #2:
- Error: vkQueueSubmit error: -4 in main.agc at line #



Symptom #3:
- The game closes with a 'vkCreateBuffer', 'vkCreateImage', or other 'vk' error message



Symptom #4:
- Error: Surface Size: #x# in main.agc at line #





____________________Symptom(s) #1___________________

- CTD (crash to desktop) with no error message, may be more common when on/near planets
- or -
- Error: Failed to open file for writing
- or -
- [Game Name] has stopped responding or freezes
- or -
- Game is unable to start/launch
- or -
- Miscellaneous File error



When the game encounters one of the issues above, it indicates that your system blocked the game from being able to load or create required media in memory. This can mean your system either lacks sufficient memory or something else running on your computer has blocked the game from loading or creating the media/file in memory. When something blocks memory or disk/file access the game needs, the game can usually detect the interference and simply display an error message. The game may also just close, returning you to the desktop. The point at which the system blocks the game from accessing memory/disk space it needs may be consistent or it may vary depending on the cause and level of the interference.

These issues can occur if your system lacks sufficient available physical memory for the game. To check the available physical memory on your system, click on Start > Run/Search > type in MSINFO32 and press enter. On the system summary screen, note the value next to 'Available physical memory'. If that value is less than around 2 GB, your system may not have enough memory to run the game reliably. If it is close to that value, you can often get the game to work by reducing detail settings in the Options menu, which can significantly lower the memory required. If changing detail settings doesn't work, you may need to stop any non-essential background tasks to free up more memory for the game.

Your system may also be running other software in the background, such as a web browser or other potentially memory hungry program. Such software may consume so much memory that there isn't enough left for the game. Programs that deplete your display device's dedicated video memory can also cause problems for the game. Generally speaking, at least 2 GB of available video memory is also needed, preferably more if using above minimum detail settings. So be sure to shut down any background software that may consume too much of your system's memory.

Since a game generally requires a lot of your computer's resources, it often takes a game to bring a restriction problem on your system to the surface. You may not know your system's resources and/or performance is being restricted until you encounter a problem with a game that needs those resources and performance. Small programs and small games that require few system resources can often run fine, but games that require a lot of memory, CPU, GPU, and/or hard drive resources can run into problems on systems with restricted resources caused by background/residual programs running on the computer at the same time.

Some programs, particularly security related, can block/restrict certain portions of your system's memory and/or hard drive space from being available to other programs and games. This can result in a limitation caused by a running security program that may prevent a game or application from using even just a small portion of that memory or disk space, even though the system may have plenty of installed memory and/or disk space. So it isn't necessarily just how much memory/disk space is used up or available, but whether enough consecutive memory/disk space is available.

If a security program blocks or otherwise interferes with a game trying to access and load a media file, the result can be a crash or error message. A security program may also decide to begin a scanning or updating process in the middle of when you are playing the game, so the problem can occur intermittently and at different points in the game. Solutions for various resource related causes are available below.

If you have ruled out insufficient/unavailable/blocked memory as being the cause, then the error is likely caused by another program running on your system at the same time that is interfering with a game's ability to load critical media files it needs into memory and/or perform certain video or audio operations. Games can have unique requirements and dependencies that may conflict with other software. Solutions for interference related issues are also available below.


> Solution(s):

Review available system memory
- Review your system's available physical memory, not just installed memory which may be used up or blocked. Launch MSINFO32 and on the System Summary page, review the available physical memory listed there. It should be 2GB or higher. If that checks out, analyze other software you are running in the background via the task manager and stop any non-essential tasks that may be using up or blocking memory the game needs (see below for more information).

Adjust or Change Running Security Programs
- If your antivirus/antispyware software has a 'gaming mode', try that first. If the software has an exception list, add the game's install folder and save data folder (if different, default is \Documents\GameName or c:\sw3dg\GameName for older titles) to the list. If the problem persists, you can try temporarily disabling one or more of its residual services. Some programs may still have interference issues left behind even when disabled, in which case, you may want to try uninstalling the program entirely (using something else in the meantime for protection as desired), then test the game. Not every antivirus/antispyware program may interfere in the same ways with the same games, some may have far fewer interference problems with certain games than others. There are several free options available that have few or no reported issues with the games available here. Some gamers also use Microsoft Security Essentials.

Stop Unnecessary Background Programs and Services
- Click on the Startup tab in the task manager (press Control-Shift-Escape to open). You can uncheck/disable any programs you want to test disabled to try and locate which one might be causing interference. After making changes, restart your computer. You can recheck them later to enable them as desired. If you discover a specific program that was causing the interference, please send an e-mail to the address at starwraith.com > contact with the file/service names so they can be kept on record for future reference.

Several archived issues are available below related to old/abandoned software and/or are issues that generally no longer apply. Click on the 'Show Hidden Text' link below to view.
[Show Hidden Text]
BitDefender - Adjust Settings
- BitDefender may block games from starting. A game's executable will start, but will be blocked from fully launching by BitDefender and left as a running background task. As of this writing, the only known way to get a game to launch with Bitdefender running is to open the ‘Advanced Threat Defense’ option in ‘Protection Features’, then select the ‘Settings’ tab, then ‘Manage Exceptions’, then add the game’s EXE to the exception list. The game will then launch and run normally. Edit: 3-17-2021 - Both BitDefender and a component of the game's development framework have been updated to work better in conjunction with each other. As of this writing, any startup problems related to to BitDefender specifically should now be resolved, including with BitDefender's ATD mode active.

Check for AMD Gaming Evolved (aka Raptr, abandoned software as of 2017)
- The offending module in an error report is generally 'ltc_game32-90652.dll', which has nothing to do with any developer's software that it causes crashes in. The (now old abandoned) gaming evolved program appears to be trying to hook into games with its own code to perform its operations via that module. And it would appear that by doing so, it interferes with games in ways that can cause them to crash. It's something that could be reported to AMD here: http://www.amd.com/report or here: http://support.amd.com/en-us/contact/email-form

AMD apparently knows their software has crash issues with games (per their own changelog notes) and generally just suggest disabling it when playing as a solution. So as AMD themselves recommend, to solve issues with their software, simply uninstall and/or disable it to remedy any crash issues it causes with games. If you google 'amd gaming evolved game crash', you can read around the net about various crash issues in a variety of games and perhaps other solutions for other games.

Check for Asus Xonar (Sound Card) Software
- The failing module in an error report can be 'HsSrv.dll', which is a module that is not associated with any game the software causes crashes in. The root cause of why this intercepting/interfering software causes crashes in games is unknown as of this writing. The first step to try is disabling the 'GX Mode' in the software's configuration options. If that fails, uninstalling/removing the software should solve any remaining problems. If you google 'hssrv.dll crash', you can read around the net about various crash issues in a variety of games.

Check for ByteFence Software
- This program (task name rtop_bg.exe and may be located in c:\program files\bytefence\rtop\bin\) appears to come bundled with other, unrelated software (possibly freeware downloads) and has been reported as an interference problem for a variety of games and programs. From recent reports, it tends to block the initial loading from hard drive operations the game needs to access its own files. So error reports tend to display 'File Error: *.png/*.x/*.ogg' or other media filename(s). The only solution so far appears to be removing the program.

If You Are Using an HP System, Check for the Cyberlink Media Service Program
- One apparent culprit of causing interference with a number of games is a program called Cyberlink Media Library Service (background task filename is CLMLSvc.exe). This program is apparently pre-installed on some HP computers and has been confirmed as being a cause for some error code related problems. Stopping this process has solved the problem as reported by several users so far.
Check for SteelSeries Software
- File errors may surface on systems running a third party program named 'SteelSeries' in the background. The program appears to interfere with or otherwise block certain operations the game requires to handle its own files. Software by the same third party developer appears to cause similar issues in other games (google 'steelseries game crash'). As of this writing, the only solution appears to be shutting down the offending program, then launching the game.

Check for DS4Windows Software
- This program may cause a game to freeze at a black screen when attempting to launch. Freezing and/or crashing has been reported by some DS4Windows users in a variety of games. It appears that the program may block or otherwise interfere with a game's attempt to initialize a game controller due to how it attempts to interact with the Windows input system. The result may freeze a game, freeze the entire system, or crash a game.

As of this writing, the only solutions appear to be either changing the checked status of the 'Hide DS4 Controller' option in the DS4Windows menu or if that fails, shutting down the DS4Windows program entirely. For Evochron Legacy SE and Arvoch Alliance SE at least, both games should be able to pick up any game control device detected by Windows that is directly plugged in to the system without needing any third party software.

Try Launching the Game as Administrator
- Right click on the game's desktop icon, then left click on the 'Run as administrator' option and test for changes.

Remove Mods/Custom Media Files and Test With the Default Game
- The game is designed to work within certain memory conditions using its default built-in media. Applying mods/custom media files can change the amount of memory the game uses, potentially exceeding what may be available on your system. Removing the mods/custom media files allows the game to load its built-in media and may resolve such memory related issues. If this step corrects the problem, you can either re-apply the mods/custom media files you are using one at a time until you find the limit, or adjust them to use less memory consuming media.

Reinstall the Game to Repair Possible File Damage
- If the game runs fine, then later encounters a media error, it may be caused by interference resulting in file/data corruption. If something on your system interrupts the game when it attempts to load media (such as scanning a file the game is trying to access), it may damage the file and prevent the game from loading what it needs. Uninstall the game, then reinstall it. As an additional troubleshooting step, you can also optionally rename the game's save data folder (default location is \Documents\GameName or c:\sw3dg\GameName for older titles) to something like 'GameName-bak' or temporarily move it to another location before launching the game for the first time after reinstalling it. Once the reinstall is finished, relaunch the game to test for changes. You can then copy over your pilot profiles, flight logs, map logs, etc., from the backed up save data folder as desired.

Check for Possible Windows System File Damage
- This or similar problems may occur on systems that have residual damage from virus/malware infections or other system corruption/damage. You can perform a system file scan to check for missing or damaged system files. Click on Start > Run/Search > type in SFC /SCANNOW and press enter. The scan will generally take several minutes. If the screen just flashes a bit and returns to the desktop, then the program didn't run and you'll either need to run it with an admin account or in safe mode.

Check for Defective Hardware
- Although somewhat rare, bad memory and/or a bad hard drive can cause such problems. It can be consistent or intermittent. Microsoft offers a memory diagnosis tool here: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/maga ... px?pr=blog If you suspect defective memory might be a factor, follow the instructions carefully to run the test, then replace any defective memory as needed. If the hard drive is the problem, be sure to back up the save data you want to keep for the game (located by default in the Users\[UserName]\Documents\[GameName] folder) before replacing the hard drive.


____________________Symptom #2___________________

- Error: vkQueueSubmit error: -4 in main.agc at line #


This error indicates that the game lost access to the display device. It occurs when the game is no longer able to communicate with the display device and this error will appear at whatever point the device is lost. As a result, the line number provided in the error message may vary or be consistent, depending on the cause. It may happen if the display device itself resets, is defective, a conflict occurs, or resources run out (ie video memory). It may also possibly occur due to display driver flaws. So the issue could be on either the hardware or software side of the equation.


> Solution(s):

First, verify your system meets the minimum system requirements, particular for display device capability. If you're able to play the game for a while, then the error occurs later, it could indicate your system is running out of needed video memory resources during the course of gameplay. You can try lowering the detail settings (particularly texture detail) to see if reducing the memory overhead needed for the game resolves the issue. If that doesn't help and/or the minimum display device conditions are met, you can try updating the driver for your display device. If you are using a multi-monitor configuration, see if using a single monitor resolves the issue. If so, check for an updated driver for your monitor and/or display device that may help resolve the issue. Lastly, check for other software that may be running in the background, particularly video/display related (ie streaming, screen capture, video recording, video chat, etc). Shut down other such software running in the background, then launch and test the game for changes. If you discover a particular video/display related program causing the issue, check with the author to see if an updated version might be available with fewer interference issues.


____________________Symptom #3___________________

- The game closes with a 'vkCreateBuffer', 'vkCreateImage', or other 'vk' error message


This error indicates that your system was unable to load an object, image, or other rendering element into memory, generally because there wasn't enough memory available to perform the loading operation. This can happen on devices with multiple graphics systems, typically laptops where there is an integrated graphics component as well as a dedicated/discreet graphics component. The computer may not properly detect that the dedicated graphics system needs to be enabled for the game, leaving the integrated graphics system to try and run the game. Some integrated graphics systems won't be able to handle the game due to insufficient video memory that is below the minimum requirements, so a 'vk' error can occur when it runs out of memory. The problem can also occur on systems that simply lack sufficient available video memory to load the game's required media.


> Solution(s):

If the problem is related to the display device not being enabled, the solution is to activate the system's dedicated graphics system for the game, as long as it meets the game's minimum requirements. This usually involves setting a 'performance' mode in the display device's control panel, or optionally enabling the dedicated graphics component globally in BIOS. With Windows 10/11, you can also set the preferred graphics adaptor for a game by typing 'graphics settings' in the search box, launching the app by the same name, then browse for the game's executable and select it, then click on 'Options', then select the graphics device you want to use with the game.

If the problem is insufficient video memory, then verify the display device meets the minimum requirement (2GB for AA and EL). If the display device meets the minimum video memory requirement, turn off all other running background apps/programs that may be depleting its memory. Then launch and run the game by itself with nothing else running. If your system continues to run into video memory limitation issues and/or doesn't meet the minimum requirement, you can try to lower detail settings (shadow, texture, star, and effect detail) to lower the amount of memory the game needs to try and stay within the confines of what your system has available.


____________________Symptom #4___________________

- Error: Surface Size: #x# in main.agc at line #


If this error message appears, it indicates that the system running the game lacks Vulkan libraries entirely. An improper/incomplete display driver installation is usually the cause. Nvidia has been the only reported manufacturer that has encountered such an installation condition. Reinstalling a full driver package may solve the issue. Here is the link to downloading display drivers from Nvidia:

https://www.nvidia.com/download/index.aspx

If installing a full driver package does not solve the issue, then the system may be lacking certain runtime dependencies required to install the Vulkan libraries from the display driver installer. At least in the case of Nvidia, this may mean installing a VC++ runtime (2015) from Microsoft before installing the display driver. Here is the download link for the needed runtimes:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/downloa ... x?id=48145

Download and install both the x86 and x64 versions. Once that is done, reboot your system and reinstall the Nvidia display driver. Any missing Vulkan libraries should be in place at that point.


_________________________________________________


If a Problem Continues
One or more of these steps will generally solve any crash or error problems. But if you try all of these steps and the problem continues, you can follow the steps listed here: http://www.starwraith.com/evochronlegacy/faq.htm#208 And I can review your system configuration for possible causes.


_________________________________________________

Steam Users
Steam offers an article on their site that lists the types of programs that are known to cause interference problems with Steam as well as games themselves. While some on the list may work fine with SW3DG games on their own, when used in conjunction with Steam, you may encounter interference problems as your system's resources are blocked and/or used up by security or other programs running in the background. The article may help you determine which program(s) may be causing interference issues with games as well as Steam itself. Click this link to view the article: https://support.steampowered.com/kb_art ... -SFLZ-9289
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