Missing Images in-game

Hello,

Ever since I17 came out, any part of the UI where a character portrait is supposed to show up (easiest examples are the Contacts tab and the Costume change selection interface) show nothing. Just a black box. I've kept hoping this was simply a bug that would get fixed without my having to do anything, but I decided it's time to take action. Can someone tell me what steps I need to start taking to fix this?

* I tried running in safe mode, I get the same thing.
* I updated my video drivers right before I17 came out, with the help of a friend who pays a fantastic amount of detail to how to do something like that the right way.

Any help you can give would really be appreciated.

Later on,
Gatecrasher

If you haven't already you might try clicking on "verify all files" on the updater; I've had odd graphical problems before that were corrected by that. A corrupted file is a common cause.

<edit>
Reading Mandu & Father Xmas' replies I would bet that's the case, although verifying won't hurt anything. I've never played with Intel "graphics" so it didn't occur to me at first glance.

Well you have basically given zero information about your system but I'll take a shot at it anyway and give you the most likely cause.

You don't have a real video card. Instead you have an integrated chipset. That integrated chipset is intel. Intel's drivers are basically broken when it comes to OpenGL which is what CoH uses. They used to work ok because the game code itself was a mess as well. But in order to tremendously upgrade the video quality possibilities of the game the video code had to be mostly rewritten. Now the game code works as intended but the broken intel drivers no longer interact well.

The only real solution is to get an actual video card. If you happen to be playing on a laptop then there is no solution.

If you do have an actual video card then use these two programs

CoHHelper and Hijackthis

And post the results here.

I smell Intel integrated.

No, I've got an actual video card. The info on CohHelper and HijackThis was what I was looking for, thanks. Here are the outputs of the two programs, CohHelper first.

Thanks.

Later on,
Gatecrasher

---System information gathered by CoH Helper version 0.2.0.2---

DxDiag gathered at July 17, 2010 22:34 (-04:00)
Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 3 (2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.100216-1514)
System Manufacturer: Dell Computer Corporation
System Model: Dimension 4600i
BIOS: Phoenix ROM BIOS PLUS Version 1.10 A08
Central Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.80GHz (2 CPUs)
Memory: 2046MB
.Net Memory Report: 1183MB out of 2046MB available
Page File: 2664MB (765MB currently in use)
C Drive: (Maxtor 6B200M0) 110215MB out of 194474MB (56%) free
D Drive: (JLMS DVD-ROM XJ-HD166) zero-size drive
E Drive: (HL-DT-ST CD-RW GCE-8483B) zero-size drive
Windows directory location: C:\WINDOWS
DirectX: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DirectX Diag version: 5.03.2600.5512 (32-bit version)

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

Monitor: Plug and Play Monitor
Monitor's Max Resolution: 1600,1200
Video Device Name: NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GS
Manufacturer / Chip: NVIDIA / GeForce 7600 GS
Video Memory: 512.0 MB
Driver Version: 6.14.0011.9745
Driver Date: 4/3/2010 6:55:31 PM
Driver Language: English

Sound Device Description: SoundMAX Digital Audio
Driver File: smwdm.sys
Driver Version: 5.12.0001.3600
Driver Date: 5/6/2003 9:14:34 AM


WMI Information
Motherboard Manufacturer: Dell Computer Corp.
Motherboard Model: (empty)
Motherboard Product: 0F4491
Motherboard Version:
BIOS Manufacturer: Dell Computer Corporation
BIOS Name: Phoenix ROM BIOS PLUS Version 1.10 A08
BIOS Version: DELL - 7
BIOS Release: 20040115000000.000000+000


Registry Information for Current User
Resolution: 1680x1050
3D Resolution: 1680x1050 (Not using renderscale)
Full Screen: Yes
Maximized: No
Screen Position: 0, 0
Refresh Rate: 60Hz
Vertical Sync Enabled: No


Physics Quality: Medium
Maximum Particles: 25210
Max Particle Fill? 10.000
Physics Card Enabled: No


Anti-aliasing: Off
Anisotropic Filtering: 2x
Texture LOD Bias: Smooth
Water Effects: None
Bloom: 1.000 (turned on)
Depth of Field Enabled: No
Desaturation Effects (Sepia) Enabled: Yes
Shader Detail: Medium?


World Texture Level: High
Character Texture Level: High
World Detail Level (Vis_Scale): 1.000
Entity Detail Level: 1.000
Shadows Enabled: No
Shadow Mode: Disabled
Shadow Map Shader: Unknown (0)
Environmental Reflections: Disabled
Advanced Occlusion Settings: No
Ambient Occlusion: High performance
Occlusion Strength: Slight
Blur: Fast
Ambient Resolution: High performance


Gamma Correction: 0.899
Geometry Buffers (VBOs) Enabled: Yes
Suppression of FX When Camera Close Enabled: No
Close Suppression Range: 3.000
Show Advertisements: Yes

Audio Mode: Performance
3D Audio: No
FX Sound Volume: 0.805
Music Sound Volume: 0.295

Show Advanced Graphics Options: Yes
Overall Graphics Quality: 0.500
Reverse Mouse Buttons: No
Save Login Username: Yes
Transfer Rate: 2153297 bytes/second
Current Game Version: 1800.201006040036.8T
Installation Directory: C:\Program Files\City of Heroes

Mod files in the Data directory
No modifications found

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.4
Scan saved at 10:37:00 PM, on 7/17/2010
Platform: Windows XP SP3 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v8.00 (8.00.6001.18702)
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:\Program Files\AVG\AVG9\avgchsvx.exe
C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG9\avgrsx.exe
C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG9\avgcsrvx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\Stardock\SDMCP.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\BCMSMMSG.exe
C:\Program Files\HP\HP Software Update\HPWuSchd2.exe
C:\Program Files\Portrait Displays\Pivot Software\wpctrl.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG9\avgtray.exe
C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Java\Java Update\jusched.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\RUNDLL32.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\program files\steam\steam.exe
C:\Program Files\HP\Digital Imaging\bin\hpqtra08.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Portrait Displays\Shared\HookManager.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\bin\AppleMobileDeviceService.exe
C:\Program Files\Symantec\LiveUpdate\ALUSchedulerSvc.exe
C:\Program Files\HP\Digital Imaging\bin\hpqimzone.exe
C:\Program Files\Portrait Displays\Pivot Software\floater.exe
C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG9\avgwdsvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Bonjour\mDNSResponder.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Portrait Displays\Shared\DTSRVC.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jqs.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Portrait Displays\Drivers\pdisrvc.exe
C:\Program Files\HP\Digital Imaging\bin\hpqnrs08.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG9\avgnsx.exe
C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
C:\Program Files\HP\Digital Imaging\bin\hpqSTE08.exe
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\Program Files\Wizards of the Coast\Character Builder\CharacterBuilder.exe
C:\Documents and Settings\Felix\Desktop\Depot\HijackThis.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\HPZinw12.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.nytimes.com/
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
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Int ernet Settings,ProxyOverride = *.local
O1 - Hosts: HP00226446CB78 HP00226446CB78
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHelperStub - {18DF081C-E8AD-4283-A596-FA578C2EBDC3} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelperShim.dll
O2 - BHO: WormRadar.com IESiteBlocker.NavFilter - {3CA2F312-6F6E-4B53-A66E-4E65E497C8C0} - C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG9\avgssie.dll
O2 - BHO: Java(tm) Plug-In 2 SSV Helper - {DBC80044-A445-435b-BC74-9C25C1C588A9} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jp2ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: JQSIEStartDetectorImpl - {E7E6F031-17CE-4C07-BC86-EABFE594F69C} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\lib\deploy\jqs\ie\jqs_plugin.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [BCMSMMSG] BCMSMMSG.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HP Software Update] C:\Program Files\HP\HP Software Update\HPWuSchd2.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PivotSoftware] "C:\Program Files\Portrait Displays\Pivot Software\wpctrl.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [DT GWY] C:\Program Files\Common Files\Portrait Displays\Shared\DT_startup.exe -GWY
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG9_TRAY] C:\PROGRA~1\AVG\AVG9\avgtray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\QTTask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [iTunesHelper] "C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adobe Reader Speed Launcher] "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader 9.0\Reader\Reader_sl.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adobe ARM] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\ARM\1.0\AdobeARM.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Java\Java Update\jusched.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [nwiz] nwiz.exe /installquiet
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: [KernelFaultCheck] %systemroot%\system32\dumprep 0 -k
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Steam] "c:\program files\steam\steam.exe" -silent
O4 - Global Startup: HP Digital Imaging Monitor.lnk = C:\Program Files\HP\Digital Imaging\bin\hpqtra08.exe
O4 - Global Startup: HP Photosmart Premier Fast Start.lnk = C:\Program Files\HP\Digital Imaging\bin\hpqthb08.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\REFIEBAR.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
O18 - Protocol: linkscanner - {F274614C-63F8-47D5-A4D1-FBDDE494F8D1} - C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG9\avgpp.dll
O20 - Winlogon Notify: avgrsstarter - avgrsstx.dll (file missing)
O22 - SharedTaskScheduler: Browseui preloader - {438755C2-A8BA-11D1-B96B-00A0C90312E1} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\browseui.dll
O22 - SharedTaskScheduler: Component Categories cache daemon - {8C7461EF-2B13-11d2-BE35-3078302C2030} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\browseui.dll
O23 - Service: Apple Mobile Device - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\bin\AppleMobileDeviceService.exe
O23 - Service: Automatic LiveUpdate Scheduler - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Symantec\LiveUpdate\ALUSchedulerSvc.exe
O23 - Service: AVG Free WatchDog (avg9wd) - AVG Technologies CZ, s.r.o. - C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG9\avgwdsvc.exe
O23 - Service: Bonjour Service - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files\Bonjour\mDNSResponder.exe
O23 - Service: Portrait Displays Display Tune Service (DTSRVC) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Portrait Displays\Shared\DTSRVC.exe
O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\11\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe
O23 - Service: iPod Service - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
O23 - Service: Java Quick Starter (JavaQuickStarterService) - Sun Microsystems, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jqs.exe
O23 - Service: LiveUpdate - Symantec Corporation - C:\PROGRA~1\Symantec\LIVEUP~1\LUCOMS~1.EXE
O23 - Service: NVIDIA Display Driver Service (nvsvc) - NVIDIA Corporation - C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe
O23 - Service: Portrait Displays SDK Service (PdiService) - Portrait Displays, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Portrait Displays\Drivers\pdisrvc.exe
O23 - Service: Pml Driver HPZ12 - HP - C:\WINDOWS\system32\HPZipm12.exe
O23 - Service: SymWMI Service (SymWSC) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\Security Center\SymWSC.exe

--
End of file - 7635 bytes

definately try to update your sound drivers. try verifying files and do a defrag and disc clean up.

Hmmmmmm... Ok, so not intel. And I'm not seeing anything bad in your hijackthis although I don't know what effect Portrait Displays might have on it so you might try disabling that.

It's possible Call Me Awesome might have made the right call from the start. Two steps to this. Try verifying files when you first start the game. If that doesn't do the trick then go into your game directory and delete coh.checksum then run the game.

Gatecrasher, I have the Nvidia 7900GS (AGP) card and I had the same problem during open beta for I17. (Looks like you have the 197.45 driver, but the newest one is the 277.21, and is compatable with your card.)
257.21 whql driver
I d/l the driver, deleted the coh.checksum and let it rebuild, did a defrag and started the game. All is well now. I sure hope this works for you...if not come back and hopefully someone can help you.

Healix, the new driver install did the trick. I updated drivers maybe the week I17 came out, so I would have never suspected that to be the issue. Thanks a ton!

Also, props to marqaha for the thorough how-to on the driver update.

Later on,
Gatecrasher

YAYYYYYYYYYY! /em clap (And I noticed yet another update for the driver..the 258.96 that just came out a couple of days ago.) I d/l it and I noticed a better framerate and crisper picture.
Latest Nvidia driver