So, everything works fine on my computer besides this game. I've got the newest display drivers for my geforce, i'm on windows 7, and i've also tried "run as administrator".
As far as the options screen goes, before you click "engage", i've tried safe mode, non-full screen, force verify, etc.....ive tried all the different combinations with and without using "run as administrator".
The game is installed in it's default directory of:
C:\Users\Public\Games\Cryptic Studios
It didn't work before or after i updated video drivers.
I've sent cryptic a message, but of course they haven't replied.....furthering the theory that they aren't even human.
This seems to be fairly common, from what i have read/researched, and it seems like the devs have literally not spent a single word in affirmation or acknowledgement. Though, this is cryptic we are talking about....n00bs.
I'm assuming the only people who could help would be the people who don't work there.
Any ideas, friends? I would love to at least log in ONCE before my 5 day friend pass is up......i'm sure my friend would enjoy playing with me and not seeing his friend pass used in vain.
THANKS!
Here is my pertinent dxdiag info (not able to attach the file, sorry):
System Information
Time of this report: 6/11/2010, 12:34:20
Machine name: CALIGULA
Operating System: Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit (6.1, Build 7600) (7600.win7_gdr.100226-1909)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: System Manufacter
System Model: System Product Name
BIOS: Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 5200+ (2 CPUs), ~2.6GHz
Memory: 2048MB RAM
Available OS Memory: 2048MB RAM
Page File: 885MB used, 3209MB available
Windows Dir: C:\Windows
DirectX Version: DirectX 11
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
User DPI Setting: Using System DPI
System DPI Setting: 96 DPI (100 percent)
DWM DPI Scaling: Disabled
DxDiag Version: 6.01.7600.16385 32bit Unicode
Display Devices
Card name: NVIDIA GeForce GTS 250
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip type: GeForce GTS 250
DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0615&SUBSYS_0593196E&REV_A2
Display Memory: 1777 MB
Dedicated Memory: 1009 MB
Shared Memory: 767 MB
Current Mode: 1280 x 1024 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor Name: Generic PnP Monitor
Monitor Model: SyncMaster
Monitor Id: SAM0115
Native Mode: 1280 x 1024(p) (60.020Hz)
Output Type: HD15
Driver Name: nvd3dum.dll,nvwgf2um.dll,nvwgf2um.dll
Driver File Version: 8.17.0011.9745 (English)
Driver Version: 8.17.11.9745
DDI Version: 10
Driver Model: WDDM 1.1
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 4/3/2010 15:55:31, 9386600 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
WHQL Date Stamp:
Device Identifier: {D7B71E3E-4555-11CF-CF5C-98251CC2C535}
Vendor ID: 0x10DE
Device ID: 0x0615
SubSys ID: 0x0593196E
Revision ID: 0x00A2
Disk & DVD/CD-ROM Drives
Drive: C:
Free Space: 13.4 GB
Total Space: 238.5 GB
File System: NTFS
Model: WDC WD2500JB-00REA0 ATA Device
Drive: E:
Model: MagicISO Virtual DVD-ROM0000
Driver: c:\windows\system32\drivers\cdrom.sys, 6.01.7600.16385 (English), 7/13/2009 16:11:26, 108544 bytes
Drive:

Model: SONY DVD RW DRU-842A ATA Device
Driver: c:\windows\system32\drivers\cdrom.sys, 6.01.7600.16385 (English), 7/13/2009 16:11:26, 108544 bytes
Comments
Well you did submit a ticket about an hour ago so you should be getting a response soon. As for your issue are you getting any type of error like a Cryptic error reporter? Have you tried running the game in safe mode? If you haven't tried it you can go to the launcher and click on the options link. In these options you can select "run in safemode". If this works then there maybe a graphical setting that's giving you issues.
If it doesn't work then you can try running the force verify option in the launcher and this will check all the files to make sure they are in a good state.
As you can see, i've already mentioned trying this.
also, i retract my statement of calling cryptic n00bs....that won't help anything, lol. I'm just frustrated.
The error i am getting is:
"Fatal Error: Error decompressing data. Verifying files in the launcher may fix this issue.
Technical details: ./piggs/bins.hogg: Bin/Commandaliases.Bin Error decompressing data. Verifying Files in the launcher may fix the issue."
The crypticerror box pops up after i click 'OK' on the error screen, and then the game closes when i hit okay or cancel on the crypticerror thing.
Everything has been reinstalled, verified, fullscreened/non-fullscreened, admin/non-admin, safe mode/non safe mode, etc......
Yes DX 11 and DX 9c will co-exist, yes DX 9c will run under Vista or Win 7, 32 or 64 bit.
DirectX 9c info and DL, should work for you
There should be a 2-7 digit error code in the bottom left hand corner of that cryptic error window. If you can provide that error we should be able to zero in on your issue.
:0
thank you for being so hasty in your response. I appreciate it more than you know. Both of you!
here is the code:
9340142
DirectX 9c is included with the installation files. Did you try running Force Verify?
I've actually mentioned this twice already. I'm not sure if what i'm typing is not showing up or what, but again:
also:
the game has been installed correctly. I am very handy with software and computers. I have verified it a lot of different times. I have reinstalled the game multiple times in different directories. I have now manually installed directx9c, i've tried full and non full screen, safe and non safe mode......i've ran it as admin and not as admin. I have rebooted between steps to verify that that wasn't the issue, and it is not.
No prob I am sending the error upstairs to see what information I can get for you.
Is there something about STO that differs from every other program offered to PC users?
Because, literally, every other program offered to me, as a PC user, works. EVERY single one of them.
It seems weird that something about STO would recognize a faulty ram stick, when newer, more powerful programs work fine and don't require new hardware.
As far as logic is concerned, it isn't logical for my hardware to be the case. Simply for the fact that everything else is fine. If my ram is bad.....then my ram is bad. It wouldn't just be okay every other time, but then decide to show its true broken colors to STO *only*.....you see what i'm saying?
Regardless, i will run the mentioned tests.
It only seems natural for 0 errors to show up, considering my machine is above average, and in incredible shape. Also, everything works fine everywhere else.
I don't see why the programmer thought it to be hardware....
One of the things to keep in mind is that the engine behind STO is very taxing. Even to the point where other games don't. The game engine does use portions of your system hardware that most other games do not, that's the developers here trying new things. If you remember a few years ago when Crysis came out there were very few systems that would even run it near full spec. Now I am not trying to compare the Cryengine to the Cryptic engine, but it is an example of an engine wanting more power than other applications at the time.
Though, you should run a dedicated memory tester. I'm not convinced prime tests with the detailed patterns memtest does.
Try memtest86+, let it run through at least a couple cycles of it's standard testing (you could do extended tests overnight or something too, up to you). Standard testing doesn't take too long... 10-15 minutes or so will probably yield a fault if there is one.
It only takes 1 bad block....... Speaking of which, you have tested your disk surface, too, right? Try running an HD Tune benchmark, and then probably a detailed health scan (check the box).
It sucks most people run into problems with games. It tends to point the finger at the developers. But the truth is, your system is never quite as taxed as it is while gaming.
Stress testers can miss problems if you don't use a full range of them that are specifically designed to test certain subsystems. As inclusive as Furmark may seem, it doesn't do a constant read/write from a hard disk, prime/ortho doesn't test a GPU... etc...etc.
Because 99.9% of us can load the game?
haha touche
I have seen a lot of similar problems listed in these forums and throughout the internet, for this game, though....so i know im not alone!!
I will try your suggestions.
Also, Implausible, i know what you mean about crysis. The thing is, i've been playing mass effect 2, every MMORPG out there, and i run very hefty expensive music software, which takes over 80% of my resources most of the time (when its open).
If STO is seriously THAT different than EVERY other program.....then i accept that. You have to realize, from my position, that this seems to be unlikely. I am always open to being wrong though. Like you said, if they really are trying out stuff that NO OTHER devs are trying, it would make sense that this program is the only one giving me this issue. It seems curious that STO's devs would be so far ahead of every other program team though
Though, if there were super devs anywhere, i'm glad they're working on the star trek universe!!!!!!
I can empathize here, I really can. I had this exact issue on WOW when it was in open beta/shortly after post release.
I played everything else at the time, and WoW kept crashing at random points during play. I was convinced it was their problem. Low and behold, a very length run of memtest86 showed I had ONE faulty sector on my memory. One.
Replaced it, no issues ever again.
Crazy. Quake didn't hit that memory, Neverwinter Nights didn't... nothing did. Only WoW, because if you understand how WOW pages it's game data, it starts to make sense. It was different than other games in that regard.
Though simply from what you've said, it's a crapshoot at this point -- likely you'd experience other problems at some point. Some programs react differently though, too, you just never know. STO is simply the unfortunate program that is causing things to act up for you.
I've got energy credits on a bad sector of memory or a bad block on your HD. Let us know how memtest and HD tune do!
46% of the way through, it began making a siren error noise from inside my computer.
.5 -1 sec long beep boop beep boop's
It would appear as though you were right? It never said anything like, "this sector is bad" or "your ram is dumb", but it stopping and the noise going off would seem to be proof enough, right? haha.
So, i just replace the ram? This sucks. So, with whichever sector it is being faulty, it would leave me in a position where sometimes things would work and sometimes things wouldn't? and for some programs, that they would either never work or work just fine?
It's starting to make sense. I just want to make sure i am understanding correctly.
If this is the case, than i retract any dev-dumping i did.
I am glad that you were able to zero in on the problem, and I hope you can get it fixed soon.
Ah, that sucks, but you have found your issue.
If memory serves (nyuck nyuck, puns are fun), I can't recall memtest ever making audible beeps at me, usually it lists the error-sector block information in red in the status area informing you there's a problem. But of course, it's likely you're using a newer-ish version that's more alertive!
Yes, you could absolutely use bad RAM and not know it, until you get a game or program that will really put it to test.
I suppose there's a miniscule chance it's your sockets or front side bus, but I'd say replacing the memory is your next step, for sure.
If you want help or anything on picking modules, let me know.
This identifies it as a hardware issue, but doesn't conclusively prove it is bad memory - temperature and power issues are also still candidates, as both will give this kind of behaviour (overheated memory will randomly flip bits; underpowered memory will do the same).
Once you have a repeatable test that fails each time (whatever you just ran is fine, if it'll do that more than once) then you commence traditional hardware debugging: remove or swap out components, or change environmental conditions, until the problem goes away. Whatever made it go away was a cause of the problem. If multiple things make it go away then you have multiple problems, which is not so unusual (power issues tend to fry multiple components at once).
She already ortho'd it.
Memtest isn't too taxing, really. The only thing I was unclear on is if the computer froze during the test or not, or if it just hit a fatal memory error and stopped. Of course, it's a good idea to pull modules until you isolate which one is actually defective...
Meh, it's not easy debugging on this end.
Based on all other observations, it's most likely the memory. A loaded system would have demonstrated power/heat issues. Running memtest... probably not so much. Based on everything she's said she's done, and never observed the issue before, it's simply a bad RAM module.
Even if it's overheating memory, unless she's OCing it (not stated to be the case), there's no reason to think it might overheat -- in which case, new modules would probably be the solution anyway.
(@OP: sorry if you're not a she, based on the screen name, I have to pick some kind of pronoun).
The usual cause of memory overheating is poor case ventilation. If the ambient temperature in there gets up to 50 degrees or so, the chips can't shed heat fast enough - and most people don't have a heatsink on their memory, so it's usually the first component to fail due to ambient temperature (things with fans and heatsinks are a lot less sensitive to ambient temperature). I usually start with a contact thermometer on all the major parts to make sure there's no heat problems; it takes less than a minute and saves a lot of effort.
Power is vastly trickier because it's not limited to things going on inside this unit. Fluctuations in the power supply itself will also do the trick, so all devices on the same mains ring are also variables. The PSU is supposed to smooth those out, but cheap PSUs don't, and neither do overloaded or broken ones. After I've swapped out the "obvious" part and the problem hasn't gone away, the PSU is always the next thing I reach for.
I suppose I take obvious things like that for granted...? Although, even in extremely poor ventilation situations, I rarely see overheating memory. Usually other things are catalysts for problems at that point. But hey, that's me, and I'm certainly not interested in mincing words or comparing horror stories.
Unfortunately we do not have the luxury of seeing what it is we're trying to address. We don't even know what kind of computer she has. So we can speculate on the forums all day long
I was just trying to get her pointed in the right direction without overly complicating all the potential issues there COULD be... It's all you can really do on a forum..