Game Freezes at Contact menu

Hey all...So i had no issues with COX at all up until 3 days ago. For some reason when i enter the game and i go to the contact menu the game freezes up on me. it varies on which tab in the contact menu causes the freeze somteimes its the tips tab, others its the active contacts and one time it was the inactive contacts tab. This is a recurring event and is making the game highly unplayable for me. my computer is only a few months old... i am running Windows 7 64 Bit, ATI RAdeon HD 5800 with 8 GB RAM. I tried updating the graphics driver and did so to no fix thus far... Here is my COH Helper information


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

DxDiag gathered at January 25, 2011 17:23 (-08:00)
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit (6.1, Build 7600) (7600.win7_gdr.100618-1621)
System Manufacturer: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
System Model: GA-890GPA-UD3H
BIOS: Award Modular BIOS v6.00PG
Central Processor: AMD Phenom(tm) II X6 1090T Processor (6 CPUs), ~3.2GHz
Memory: 8192MB
.Net Memory Report: 6759MB out of 8189MB available
Page File: 14315MB (2061MB currently in use)
C Drive: (WDC WD1002FAEX-00Z3A0 ATA Device) 572363MB out of 953766MB (60%) free
Q Drive: () zero-size drive
Windows directory location: C:\Windows
DirectX: DirectX 11
DirectX Diag version: 6.01.7600.16385 (64-bit version)

Display Notes: No problems found.

No problems found.
Sound Notes: No problems found.

No problems found.

No problems found.

No problems found.
Input Notes: No problems found.

Monitor:
Monitor's Max Resolution: (blank)
Video Device Name: ATI Radeon HD 5800 Series
Manufacturer / Chip: ATI Technologies Inc. / ATI display adapter (0x6898)
Video Memory: 4070 MB
Driver Version: 8.801.0.0
Driver Date: 11/25/2010 6:57:08 PM
Driver Language: English

Monitor:
Monitor's Max Resolution: (blank)
Video Device Name: ATI Radeon HD 5800 Series
Manufacturer / Chip: ATI Technologies Inc. / ATI display adapter (0x6898)
Video Memory: 4070 MB
Driver Version: 8.801.0.0
Driver Date: 11/25/2010 6:57:08 PM
Driver Language: English

Sound Device Description: Speakers (Bose USB Audio)
Driver File: USBAUDIO.sys
Driver Version: 6.01.7600.16385
Driver Date: 7/13/2009 4:06:32 PM

Sound Device Description: Realtek Digital Output(Optical) (Realtek High Definition Audio)
Driver File: RTKVHD64.sys
Driver Version: 6.00.0001.5969
Driver Date: 10/28/2009 10:40:58 AM

Sound Device Description: AMD HDMI Output (AMD High Definition Audio Device)
Driver File: AtihdW76.sys
Driver Version: 7.12.0000.7700
Driver Date: 11/17/2010 4:04:32 AM

Sound Device Description: Realtek Digital Output (Realtek High Definition Audio)
Driver File: RTKVHD64.sys
Driver Version: 6.00.0001.5969
Driver Date: 10/28/2009 10:40:58 AM


WMI Information
Motherboard Manufacturer: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
Motherboard Model: (empty)
Motherboard Product: GA-890GPA-UD3H
Motherboard Version: x.x
BIOS Manufacturer: Award Software International, Inc.
BIOS Name: Award Modular BIOS v6.00PG
BIOS Version: GBT - 42302e31
BIOS Release: 20100517000000.000000+000


Registry Information for Current User
Resolution: 1920x1080
3D Resolution: 1920x1080 (Not using renderscale)
Full Screen: Yes
Maximized: No
Screen Position: 0, 0
Refresh Rate: 60Hz
Vertical Sync Enabled: Yes


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


Anti-aliasing: Off
Anisotropic Filtering: 4x
Texture LOD Bias: Smooth
Water Effects: Medium quality
Bloom: 1.000 (turned on)
Depth of Field Enabled: Yes
Desaturation Effects (Sepia) Enabled: Yes
Shader Detail: Medium?


World Texture Level: Very High
Character Texture Level: High
World Detail Level (Vis_Scale): 1.000
Entity Detail Level: 1.000
Shadows Enabled: No
Shadow Mode: Stencil shadows
Shadow Map Shader: Unknown (0)
Environmental Reflections: Disabled
Advanced Occlusion Settings: No
Ambient Occlusion: Off
Occlusion Strength: Off
Blur: Bilateral
Ambient Resolution: Performance


Gamma Correction: 1.000
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: 1.000
Music Sound Volume: 1.000

Show Advanced Graphics Options: No
Overall Graphics Quality: 0.500
Reverse Mouse Buttons: No
Save Login Username: Yes
Transfer Rate: 757550 bytes/second
Current Game Version: 1900.201101180036.0
Installation Directory: C:\COH\City of Heroes

Mod files in the Data directory
.\texture_library\MAPS\city has 1 file
.\texture_library\MAPS\Midnight_Squad has 1 file
.\texture_library\MAPS\Safeguard has 9 files
.\texture_library\MAPS\sewers has 44 files
.\texture_library\MAPS\static has 38 files
.\texture_library\V_MAPS\City has 1 file
.\texture_library\V_MAPS\Outdoor_Missions has 9 files
.\texture_library\V_MAPS\Static has 16 files

and here is my hijack this info

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.4
Scan saved at 5:25:47 PM, on 1/25/2011
Platform: Windows 7 (WinNT 6.00.3504)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v8.00 (8.00.7600.16700)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Lexmark 2600 Series\lxdnmon.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Lexmark 2600 Series\ezprint.exe
C:\Users\CKs New One\AppData\Local\Google\Update\1.2.183.39\GoogleC rashHandler.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\NEC Electronics\USB 3.0 Host Controller Driver\Application\nusb3mon.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Winamp\winampa.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Kaspersky Lab\Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2011\avp.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Titan Network\Mids Hero Designer\Hero Designer.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\Winamp\winamp.exe
C:\Users\CKs New One\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome .exe
C:\Users\CKs New One\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome .exe
C:\Users\CKs New One\Downloads\HijackThis.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
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 =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page = C:\Windows\SysWOW64\blank.htm
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName =
F2 - REG:system.ini: UserInit=userinit.exe
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHelperStub - {18DF081C-E8AD-4283-A596-FA578C2EBDC3} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelperShim.dll
O2 - BHO: IEVkbdBHO - {59273AB4-E7D3-40F9-A1A8-6FA9CCA1862C} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Kaspersky Lab\Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2011\ievkbd.dll
O2 - BHO: Windows Live ID Sign-in Helper - {9030D464-4C02-4ABF-8ECC-5164760863C6} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Windows Live\WindowsLiveLogin.dll
O2 - BHO: Windows Live Messenger Companion Helper - {9FDDE16B-836F-4806-AB1F-1455CBEFF289} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Live\Companion\companioncore.dll
O2 - BHO: link filter bho - {E33CF602-D945-461A-83F0-819F76A199F8} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Kaspersky Lab\Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2011\klwtbbho.dll
O3 - Toolbar: (no name) - {CCC7A320-B3CA-4199-B1A6-9F516DD69829} - (no file)
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NUSB3MON] "C:\Program Files (x86)\NEC Electronics\USB 3.0 Host Controller Driver\Application\nusb3mon.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ATICustomerCare] "C:\Program Files (x86)\ATI\ATICustomerCare\ATICustomerCare.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [WinampAgent] "C:\Program Files (x86)\Winamp\winampa.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adobe Reader Speed Launcher] "C:\Program Files (x86)\Adobe\Reader 9.0\Reader\Reader_sl.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adobe ARM] "C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Adobe\ARM\1.0\AdobeARM.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVP] "C:\Program Files (x86)\Kaspersky Lab\Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2011\avp.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [masqform.exe] C:\Program Files (x86)\PureEdge\Viewer 6.5\masqform.exe -RunOnce
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files (x86)\QuickTime\QTTask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [iTunesHelper] "C:\Program Files (x86)\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [StartCCC] "C:\Program Files (x86)\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\Core-Static\CLIStart.exe" MSRun
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Google Update] "C:\Users\CKs New One\AppData\Local\Google\Update\GoogleUpdate.exe" /c
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /autoRun (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\RunOnce: [mctadmin] C:\Windows\System32\mctadmin.exe (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /autoRun (User 'NETWORK SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\RunOnce: [mctadmin] C:\Windows\System32\mctadmin.exe (User 'NETWORK SERVICE')
O9 - Extra button: @C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Live\Companion\companionlang.dll,-600 - {0000036B-C524-4050-81A0-243669A86B9F} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Live\Companion\companioncore.dll
O9 - Extra button: @C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Live\Writer\WindowsLiveWriterShortcuts.dll,-1004 - {219C3416-8CB2-491a-A3C7-D9FCDDC9D600} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Live\Writer\WriterBrowserExtension.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Live\Writer\WindowsLiveWriterShortcuts.dll,-1003 - {219C3416-8CB2-491a-A3C7-D9FCDDC9D600} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Live\Writer\WriterBrowserExtension.dll
O9 - Extra button: &Virtual Keyboard - {4248FE82-7FCB-46AC-B270-339F08212110} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Kaspersky Lab\Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2011\klwtbbho.dll
O9 - Extra button: URLs c&heck - {CCF151D8-D089-449F-A5A4-D9909053F20F} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Kaspersky Lab\Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2011\klwtbbho.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\program files (x86)\common files\microsoft shared\windows live\wlidnsp.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\program files (x86)\common files\microsoft shared\windows live\wlidnsp.dll
O18 - Protocol: wlpg - {E43EF6CD-A37A-4A9B-9E6F-83F89B8E6324} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Live\Photo Gallery\AlbumDownloadProtocolHandler.dll
O20 - AppInit_DLLs: C:\PROGRA~2\KASPER~1\KASPER~1\mzvkbd3.dll
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\Alg.exe,-112 (ALG) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\alg.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: AMD External Events Utility - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\atiesrxx.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: Apple Mobile Device - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Apple\Mobile Device Support\AppleMobileDeviceService.exe
O23 - Service: Kaspersky Anti-Virus Service (AVP) - Kaspersky Lab ZAO - C:\Program Files (x86)\Kaspersky Lab\Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2011\avp.exe
O23 - Service: Bonjour Service - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files (x86)\Bonjour\mDNSResponder.exe
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\efssvc.dll,-100 (EFS) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\fxsresm.dll,-118 (Fax) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\fxssvc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: iPod Service - Apple Inc. - C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
O23 - Service: @keyiso.dll,-100 (KeyIso) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: lxdn_device - - C:\Windows\system32\lxdncoms.exe
O23 - Service: @comres.dll,-2797 (MSDTC) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\msdtc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\System32\netlogon.dll,-102 (Netlogon) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\psbase.dll,-300 (ProtectedStorage) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\Locator.exe,-2 (RpcLocator) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\locator.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\samsrv.dll,-1 (SamSs) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\snmptrap.exe,-3 (SNMPTRAP) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\snmptrap.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\spoolsv.exe,-1 (Spooler) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\spoolsv.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\sppsvc.exe,-101 (sppsvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\sppsvc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\ui0detect.exe,-101 (UI0Detect) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\UI0Detect.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\vaultsvc.dll,-1003 (VaultSvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\vds.exe,-100 (vds) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\vds.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\vssvc.exe,-102 (VSS) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\vssvc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\Wat\WatUX.exe,-601 (WatAdminSvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\Wat\WatAdminSvc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\wbengine.exe,-104 (wbengine) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\wbengine.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%Systemroot%\system32\wbem\wmiapsrv.exe,-110 (wmiApSrv) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\wbem\WmiApSrv.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%PROGRAMFILES%\Windows Media Player\wmpnetwk.exe,-101 (WMPNetworkSvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Media Player\wmpnetwk.exe (file missing)

--
End of file - 9062 bytes

This is happening to me as well. It seems to be tied to certain contacts, specifically Television. Some people have had success lowering their graphic settings and others have said reverting back to the ATI driver 10.9 helps. Neither is an option for me so I am waiting for a fix on either CoX's side or ATI.

Why isn't lowering the ATI driver version to 10.9 an option for you Hy-Beams? That is the solution.

Does anyone have a good link to get ATI Radeon 5800 10.9 I did a google for it and thought i had downloaded it and did express install and it apparently did nothing.... so if someone could point me in the right direction, i am not the most computer saavy guy these days....i appreciate it and if this works then cheers!!

Gentlemen..I thank you all that did the trick...a simple uninstall, reboot, install 10.9 and bam i am back on track....i do hope in the near future ATI or COH comes out with a fix for this so we can use updated drivers...but whatever..thanks for the help....back to gaming!!!

This is happening now to me as well. Redside characters, level 25+. Won't be rolling back my drivers as that is also not an option for me due to other software.

Edit to add: textures on bulldozers redside seem to have gone missing as well. not sure if this is at all related.

I spoke to soon. while the character I had that was affected worked yesterday. Today he crashed.

Currently happening to me as well, but wasn't happening earlier today on the same character. I have 0 new contacts since I last logged in/opened the contact window, so something else may be causing it. The character in question is level 19. Going to try rolling back, but it's odd that this didn't happen earlier, but is happening now.

Contact list: Newspaper, Golden Roller, Dean John Yu, Father Time

Verified freezing: 10.12, 11.1

Rolling back to 10.9 appears to have fixed the problem (for now at least). Annoying that I have to lose auto-Overscan just to play City of Heroes.....

So I've tried reducing my graphics settings and tried several resolutions. None of these options get the characters to work.

The two characters in question crashed when I opened the contacts menu. They are now logged in the servers as having their contact menus open, so when I log in, they are still open--so these two characters have become effectively unplayable until a fix is available. (As stated in my prior post, I will not be rolling back my drivers as they were needed for other software related issues.)

The two characters in question are level 25+. As I now play with xp off at each level interval to do all the legacy content, they have ALL the contacts in their list between their inactive and active, including ones requiring badges to unlock. So can't provide a list that narrows down if it is any specific contact.

I've not opened the contact list now on any of my other villains for fear of making them effectively unplayable now too.

This stinks. I hope a fix is forthcoming and soon.

Update to my situation: Got brave and opened the contact menu of all my other villains. Only those that are level 25+ are freezing out. They have all the contacts at that level range in Sharkshead unlocked, including the hidden ones.

Also can confirm that the texture on the bulldozers is not registering for me redside. This seems to coincide with when I got hit by this driver related freeze on the contact menu.

Still waiting for an official fix to this so driver rollbacks aren't required.

In the meantime, did a full reinstall of the game from my CoV disks with the long download time (unrelated issue but what is with the update server's crazy slow speeds these days?). This resolved the missing textures on the bulldozers redside.

Still crashing on those level 25+ characters. Can speak with most contacts unlocked at that level. But I crash out when speaking to the i19 arc contact: Vincent Ross

Shouldn't have to rollback drivers to play the game. Would like to know if a fix is in the works for this or not as this crash makes several characters essentially unplayable at the moment for me.