Game Lock-Ups (Since New Patch)

Had no issues with the game till this week. Bought a BFG GTX 285,installed it the same day as the patch and the game started locking up on me. I have only seen problems with City of Heroes,all my other games run fine. Oddly,I can get the game running again by dropping to desktop,waiting till the game minimizes slightly and then maximizing it again.

---System information gathered by
CoH Helper version 0.1.1.8---

DxDiag gathered at March 3, 2010 21:32 (-06:00)
Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_qfe.090804-1435)
System Manufacturer: Dell Inc.
System Model: Dell XPS720
BIOS: Phoenix ROM BIOS PLUS Version 1.10 A06
Central Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Extreme CPU Q6850 @ 3.00GHz (4 CPUs)
Memory: 3070MB
.Net Memory Report: 2644MB out of 3069MB available
Page File: 7605MB (407MB currently in use)
C Drive: (ST3320620AS) 289096MB out of 300442MB (96%) free
D Drive: (Hitachi HDS721010KLA330) 755387MB out of 953867MB (79%) free
E Drive: (TSSTcorp CDRWDVD TS-H493B) zero-size drive
F Drive: (HL-DT-ST DVD+-RW GSA-H73N) zero-size drive
Windows directory location: C:\WINDOWS
DirectX: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DirectX Diag version: 5.03.2600.2180 (32-bit version)

Display Notes: No problems found.
Sound Notes: No problems found.

No problems found.
Input Notes: No problems found.

Monitor: ViewSonic G220fb
Monitor's Max Resolution: 1920,1440
Video Device Name: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 285
Manufacturer / Chip: NVIDIA / GeForce GTX 285
Video Memory: 2048.0 MB
Driver Version: 6.14.0011.9675
Driver Date: 2/21/2010 11:18:39 PM
Driver Language: English

Sound Device Description: SB X-Fi Audio [CCE0]
Driver File: ctaud2k.sys
Driver Version: 5.12.0001.1144
Driver Date: 11/8/2005 8:15:00 PM

Sound Device Description: Roland VSC (emulated)
Driver File:
Driver Version:
Driver Date: 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM


WMI Information
Motherboard Manufacturer: Dell Inc.
Motherboard Model: (empty)
Motherboard Product: 0U723D
Motherboard Version: A00
BIOS Manufacturer: Dell Inc.
BIOS Name: Phoenix ROM BIOS PLUS Version 1.10 A06
BIOS Version: DELL - d
BIOS Release: 20080401000000.000000+000

Registry Information for Current User
Resolution: 1280x1024
3D Resolution: 1280x1024 (Not using renderscale)
Full Screen: Yes
Maximized: No
Screen Position: 0, 0
Refresh Rate: 100Hz
Vertical Sync Enabled: Yes

Physics Quality: High
Maximum Particles: 50000
Max Particle Fill? 10.000
Physics Card Enabled: No

Anti-aliasing: 4x
Anisotropic Filtering: 4x
Texture LOD Bias: Smooth
Water Effects: High Quality
Bloom: 1.000 (turned on)
Depth of Field Enabled: No
Desaturation Effects (Sepia) Enabled: Yes
Shader Detail: High

World Texture Level: Very High
Character Texture Level: Very High
World Detail Level (Vis_Scale): 2.000
Entity Detail Level: 2.000
Shadows Enabled: Yes
Gamma Correction: 1.000
Geometry Buffers (VBOs) Enabled: Yes
Suppression of Extra Player FX Enabled: No
Suppression of FX When Camera Close Enabled: No
Close Suppression Range: 3.000
Show Advertisements: No

Audio Mode: Compatiblity
3D Audio: No
FX Sound Volume: 1.000
Music Sound Volume: 0.600

Show Advanced Graphics Options: Yes
Overall Graphics Quality: 0.600
Reverse Mouse Buttons: No
Save Login Username: Yes
Transfer Rate: 882304 bytes/second
Current Game Version: 1600.20100114.8T
Installation Directory: D:\Game Prime\Online\City of Heroes

Mod files in the Data directory
No modifications found

Please help us improve HijackThis by reporting this error

Click 'Yes' to submit

Error Details:

An unexpected error has occurred at procedure: modRegistry_IniGetString(sFile=win.ini, sSection=windows, sValue=load)
Error #5 - Invalid procedure call or argument

Windows version: Windows NT 5.01.2600
MSIE version: 7.0.5730.13
HijackThis version: 2.0.2Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 9:44:53 PM, on 3/3/2010
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.6000.16981)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\CTHELPER.EXE
C:\Program Files\Creative\Sound Blaster X-Fi\DVDAudio\CTDVDDET.EXE
C:\Program Files\Creative\Sound Blaster X-Fi\Volume Panel\VolPanel.exe
C:\Program Files\Roland\VSC32\vsc32cnf.exe
C:\Program Files\Roland\VSC32\vscvol.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\CTXFIHLP.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\RUNDLL32.EXE
C:\Program Files\Spyware Doctor\pctsTray.exe
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CTXFISPI.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\Cloudmark\SpamNet\OE\snoe.exe
C:\Program Files\Spyware Doctor\BDT\BDTUpdateService.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\PnkBstrA.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\PnkBstrB.exe
C:\Program Files\Spyware Doctor\pctsAuxs.exe
C:\Program Files\Spyware Doctor\pctsSvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Documents and Settings\Joe\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\D8E6SA14\HijackThis[1].exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch =
O2 - BHO: Adobe PDF Reader Link Helper - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: Browser Defender BHO - {2A0F3D1B-0909-4FF4-B272-609CCE6054E7} - C:\Program Files\Spyware Doctor\BDT\PCTBrowserDefender.dll
O3 - Toolbar: PC Tools Browser Guard - {472734EA-242A-422B-ADF8-83D1E48CC825} - C:\Program Files\Spyware Doctor\BDT\PCTBrowserDefender.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [KernelFaultCheck] %systemroot%\system32\dumprep 0 -k
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CTHelper] CTHELPER.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CTDVDDET] "C:\Program Files\Creative\Sound Blaster X-Fi\DVDAudio\CTDVDDET.EXE"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [VolPanel] "C:\Program Files\Creative\Sound Blaster X-Fi\Volume Panel\VolPanel.exe" /r
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [vsc32cnf.exe] C:\Program Files\Roland\VSC32\vsc32cnf.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [vscvol.exe] C:\Program Files\Roland\VSC32\vscvol.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CTxfiHlp] CTXFIHLP.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvMediaCenter] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\NvMcTray.dll,NvTaskbarInit
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ISTray] "C:\Program Files\Spyware Doctor\pctsTray.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-18\..\RunOnce: [SetDefaultMIDI] MIDIDEF.EXE /s:'Creative SoundFont Synthesizer' /w:'SB Audigy' (User 'SYSTEM')
O4 - HKUS\.DEFAULT\..\RunOnce: [SetDefaultMIDI] MIDIDEF.EXE /s:'Creative SoundFont Synthesizer' /w:'SB Audigy' (User 'Default user')
O4 - Global Startup: Cloudmark Desktop for Outlook Express.lnk = ?
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_07\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_07\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @xpsp3res.dll,-20001 - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O16 - DPF: {1E54D648-B804-468d-BC78-4AFFED8E262F} (System Requirements Lab) - http://www.nvidia.com/content/Driver...reqlab_nvd.cab
O16 - DPF: {6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) - http://update.microsoft.com/windowsu...?1267656692437
O16 - DPF: {74DBCB52-F298-4110-951D-AD2FF67BC8AB} (NVIDIA Smart Scan) - http://www.nvidia.com/content/Driver...aSmartScan.cab
O16 - DPF: {8AD9C840-044E-11D1-B3E9-00805F499D93} (Java Runtime Environment 1.6.0) - http://dl8-cdn-01.sun.com/s/ESD44/JS...ws-i586-jc.cab
O20 - Winlogon Notify: GoToAssist - C:\Program Files\Citrix\GoToAssist\514\G2AWinLogon.dll
O23 - Service: Browser Defender Update Service - Threat Expert Ltd. - C:\Program Files\Spyware Doctor\BDT\BDTUpdateService.exe
O23 - Service: GoToAssist - Citrix Online, a division of Citrix Systems, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Citrix\GoToAssist\514\g2aservice.exe
O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\1050\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe
O23 - Service: NVIDIA Display Driver Service (nvsvc) - NVIDIA Corporation - C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe
O23 - Service: PnkBstrA - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\system32\PnkBstrA.exe
O23 - Service: PnkBstrB - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\system32\PnkBstrB.exe
O23 - Service: PC Tools Auxiliary Service (sdAuxService) - PC Tools - C:\Program Files\Spyware Doctor\pctsAuxs.exe
O23 - Service: PC Tools Security Service (sdCoreService) - PC Tools - C:\Program Files\Spyware Doctor\pctsSvc.exe
O23 - Service: stllssvr - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Common Files\SureThing Shared\stllssvr.exe (file missing)

--
End of file - 6372 bytes

---

Both of the CoH Helper logs I've see from people reporting these lockups since the patch are using the 196.75 nVidia drivers. I'd be curious to see if going back to an older driver would fix it.

I saw no problem reports with the 196.21 drivers from January, or with the 195.62 drivers from November.

Download these two sets of drivers but don't install them. Download and install DriverSweeper but don't run it yet. Uninstall the video card from Device Manager and uninstall any nVidia video software (or display software) from Add/Remove Programs. Boot into Safe Mode, run DriverSweeper and have it remove any residual nVidia display stuff. Reboot into normal mode, cancel the Found New Hardware windows that come up and then install the 196.21 drivers you downloaded earlier. Test it out to see if it resolves it. If it does, let us know and stick with those drivers until the issues are fixed. If not, use the same steps but this time install the 195.62 drivers instead. Test those. If it's still not resolved, there is something else going on that I'm not seeing.

Your Roland driver installation appears to be corrupted by the way. That's one of the reasons that the dates show up funky like that one. Since the other driver dates are showing up right, I don't think you are using a Non-US version of Windows.

---

If the game spit out 20 dollar bills people would complain that they weren't sequentially numbered. If they were sequentially numbered people would complain that they weren't random enough.

Black Pebble is my new hero.

I'll try a driver roll-back and see if that helps. (Thankfully,I keep the most recent releases on hand for stuff like this.) The Roland software is a old Virtual SoundCanvas program that I use with my Doom/Duke source ports-decent midi and better than what Creative can do. I think the patch I found for it may be the culprit here.
As far as my BFG card goes-I found something interesting on the Net last night. One of the forums I looked through had a thread about BFG way way WAY overclocking their products and sending them out that way. They recommended using Evga's Precision tool to check the clockspeed/etc of your card. I just finished running it this morning.Core clock was set to 700,the shader clock was running at 1700. Looking at the details in my docs,it says it should be 666/1512,respectively. I set both speeds down to what the docs say and am going to try that,too. Thank you for the reply,by the way.

---

Ok,after a full evening of play-NO lockups! I was running the 196.21s AND I had my vid card set to what the documentation said it should be. Now the question is-was it the driver or the wrong card settings causing the problem? Was it both?? On the one hand,I am tempted to try the new drivers again and see what happens. On the other...the thing is fixed,I should leave well enough alone....arrrrg.

---