Weird lockups and error message...

Alright... trying to remember everything and figure out some understandable way to phrase it.

I've been having some strange not-quite-lockups and problems with CoH ever since I came back about a month ago... the first thing I noticed was that often, now, when trying to select my server (Virtue), the game will lock up for about fifty or sixty seconds. This'll be a nasty thing - no mouse response for a bit, then mouse response but jerky... music will stutter, then halt, then stutter, then kinda play right for a bit then stutter again... ctrl-alt-del does nothing until the fifty/sixty seconds are up. It'll load up my character list, finally, but also give me an error... don't have the error on hand but, paraphrased, it says, "The server has not responded for 40 seconds, would you like to disconnect and try again?" If I hit yes, it'll take me back to the login screen and - this is the weird part - if I log through and onto Virtue, it'll connect just hunky-dory. The other major glitch is that the game will lock up in much the same way - except that it'll lock up permanently after the 50-60 seconds instead of giving an error message - if I try to look at the information text for any of the newer enemies, objects, et cetera. So far, I know this is the case for Romulus, Maelstrom, and a few others I can't think of offhand >.< Although strangely, it doesn't happen for any of the minions... It also locked up in the same way in the tip mission with the radio contact you have to speak to at one point. Can't think of the name of it >.< Sorry for the vagueness, I'll start keeping better records after this!

Anyways, I've tried cutting down on graphics, tried turning off everything else on my computer that uses the Internet, run both AVG and MalwareBytes scans... even reinstalled CoH entirely, all to no avail. I'm pretty sure it's not my ISP because my laptop doesn't seem to have any problems (only problem it has is overheating halfway through missions T.T)... and the other weird part is, I've yet to have the lockup on selecting a server happen with any of the other servers.

Frankly... I'm stumped.

EDIT: Phwew, that one was interesting. Was turning my graphics back up in a few places, and decided to throw Bloom on... and my game freaked right out! Locked up with that same jittery sound for about... a minute or two... I hit Ctrl-Alt-Delete about halfway through, no response. Finally, it dropped me onto a black screen for about fifteen seconds before informing me that the logon process had "failed to load security options" (which I presume relates to hitting C-A-D) and when I cancelled out of that error message I was back on my desktop. CoH was minimized, and when I maximized it, I had the good old "Lost connection to server" error message O.o

EDIT2: Not sure if this is related at all, but that was rather interesting... I've taken to keeping my task manager and resource moniter open while I play to see if I can catch anything odd when the game locks up. I was working for Mr. Bocor and just got offered a new contact - and when I clicked "Be Introduced to a New Contact" (the Radio in this case), my game jittered. Locked up for about five seconds, then went back to normal - and glancing at the resource moniter, my memory usage dropped from 40%ish to 18%. Izzat normal?

My shiny system info:

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

DxDiag gathered at February 2, 2011 03:53 (-08:00)
Operating System: Windows Vista™ Home Premium (6.0, Build 6000) (6000.vista_gdr.100218-0019)
System Manufacturer: Gateway
System Model: GT5428
BIOS: Default System BIOS
Central Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU 3.20GHz (2 CPUs), ~3.2GHz
Memory: 3326MB
.Net Memory Report: 2488MB out of 3325MB available
Page File: 5457MB (1364MB currently in use)
C Drive: (ST3250824AS) 28370MB out of 228518MB (12%) free
D Drive: (ST3250824AS) 4435MB out of 9954MB (44%) free
K Drive: (TigerJet CD-ROM USB Device) zero-size drive
E Drive: (TSSTcorp CD/DVDW TS-H652D ATA Device) zero-size drive
Windows directory location: C:\Windows
DirectX: DirectX 10
DirectX Diag version: 6.00.6000.16386 (32-bit version)

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

No problems found.
Input Notes: No problems found.

Monitor: Generic PnP Monitor
Monitor's Max Resolution: (blank)
Video Device Name: NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT
Manufacturer / Chip: NVIDIA / GeForce 8600 GT
Video Memory: 1648 MB
Driver Version: 8.17.0012.6658
Driver Date: 1/7/2011 7:27:00 PM
Driver Language: English

Sound Device Description: Speakers (SigmaTel High Definition Audio CODEC)
Driver File: stwrt.sys
Driver Version: 6.10.5274.0000
Driver Date: 11/2/2006 12:39:42 PM

Sound Device Description: Handset (USB Internet Phone by TigerJet)
Driver File: USBAUDIO.sys
Driver Version: 6.00.6000.16386
Driver Date: 11/2/2006 12:55:04 AM


WMI Information
Motherboard Manufacturer: Intel Corporation
Motherboard Model: (empty)
Motherboard Product: D945GCL
Motherboard Version: AAD75361-301
BIOS Manufacturer: Intel Corp.
BIOS Name: Default System BIOS
BIOS Version: GATEWA - 26
BIOS Release: 20070226000000.000000+000


Registry Information for Current User
Resolution: 1920x1200
3D Resolution: 1920x1200 (Not using renderscale)
Full Screen: No
Maximized: No
Screen Position: Unknown, Unknown
Refresh Rate: UnknownHz
Vertical Sync Enabled: No


Physics Quality: Unknown (2147483647)
Maximum Particles: Unknown
Max Particle Fill? 10.000
Physics Card Enabled: No


Anti-aliasing: Unknown (2147483647)
Anisotropic Filtering: Unknown (2147483647)
Texture LOD Bias: Unknown (2147483647)
Water Effects: Unknown (2147483647)
Bloom: 1.000 (turned off)
Depth of Field Enabled: No
Desaturation Effects (Sepia) Enabled: No
Shader Detail: Unknown (2147483647)


World Texture Level: Unknown (2147483647)
Character Texture Level: Unknown (2147483647)
World Detail Level (Vis_Scale): 0.500
Entity Detail Level: 0.300
Shadows Enabled: No
Shadow Mode: Unknown (2147483647)
Shadow Map Shader: Unknown (2147483647)
Environmental Reflections: Unknonwn (2147483647)
Advanced Occlusion Settings: No
Ambient Occlusion: Off
Occlusion Strength: Unknonwn (2147483647)
Blur: Unknonwn (2147483647)
Ambient Resolution: Unknonwn (2147483647)


Gamma Correction: 1.000
Geometry Buffers (VBOs) Enabled: No
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: 0.600

Show Advanced Graphics Options: No
Overall Graphics Quality: 0.000
Reverse Mouse Buttons: No
Save Login Username: Yes
Transfer Rate: Unknown bytes/second
Current Game Version: 1950.201101250108.0
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 3:59:47 AM, on 2/2/2011
Platform: Windows Vista (WinNT 6.00.1904)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.6000.17037)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\Windows\system32\Dwm.exe
C:\Windows\Explorer.EXE
C:\Windows\system32\taskeng.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Intel\IntelDH\NMS\Support\IntelHCTAgent.exe
C:\Windows\zHotkey.exe
C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG10\avgtray.exe
C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG10\Identity Protection\agent\bin\avgidsmonitor.exe
C:\Users\Elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\mjusbsp\magicJa ck.exe
C:\Windows\system32\taskeng.exe
C:\Windows\System32\notepad.exe
C:\Windows\system32\wuauclt.exe
C:\Windows\system32\SearchFilterHost.exe
C:\Program Files\HJT\Trend Micro\HiJackThis\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 =
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://www.gateway.com/g/startpage.h...s=DTP&M=GT5428
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://www.gateway.com/g/startpage.h...s=DTP&M=GT5428
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant = http://www.gateway.com/g/sidepanel.h...s=DTP&M=GT5428
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch =
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Int ernet Settings,ProxyServer = http=127.0.0.1:50370
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName =
R3 - URLSearchHook: AIM Toolbar Search Class - {03402f96-3dc7-4285-bc50-9e81fefafe43} - C:\Program Files\AIM Toolbar\aimtb.dll
R3 - URLSearchHook: Zynga Toolbar - {7b13ec3e-999a-4b70-b9cb-2617b8323822} - C:\Program Files\Zynga\tbZyng.dll
F3 - REG:win.ini: load=C:\Users\ELISAB~1\AppData\Local\Temp\dwm.exe
O1 - Hosts: ::1 localhost
O2 - BHO: (no name) - MRI_DISABLED - (no file)
O2 - BHO: &Yahoo! Toolbar Helper - {02478D38-C3F9-4efb-9B51-7695ECA05670} - C:\PROGRA~1\Yahoo!\Companion\Installs\cpn\yt.dll
O2 - BHO: Adobe PDF Reader Link Helper - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: Skype add-on (mastermind) - {22BF413B-C6D2-4d91-82A9-A0F997BA588C} - C:\Program Files\Skype\Toolbars\Internet Explorer\SkypeIEPlugin.dll
O2 - BHO: WormRadar.com IESiteBlocker.NavFilter - {3CA2F312-6F6E-4B53-A66E-4E65E497C8C0} - C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG10\avgssie.dll
O2 - BHO: AT&&T Toolbar - {4E7BD74F-2B8D-469E-94BE-FD60BB9AAE29} - C:\PROGRA~1\ATTTOO~1\ATTTOO~1.DLL (file missing)
O2 - BHO: Yahoo! IE Services Button - {5BAB4B5B-68BC-4B02-94D6-2FC0DE4A7897} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Common\yiesrvc.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {724d43a9-0d85-11d4-9908-00400523e39a} - C:\Program Files\Siber Systems\AI RoboForm\roboform.dll
O2 - BHO: Zynga Toolbar - {7b13ec3e-999a-4b70-b9cb-2617b8323822} - C:\Program Files\Zynga\tbZyng.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {7E853D72-626A-48EC-A868-BA8D5E23E045} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: Windows Live ID Sign-in Helper - {9030D464-4C02-4ABF-8ECC-5164760863C6} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Windows Live\WindowsLiveLogin.dll
O2 - BHO: AIM Toolbar Loader - {b0cda128-b425-4eef-a174-61a11ac5dbf8} - C:\Program Files\AIM Toolbar\aimtb.dll
O2 - BHO: Java(tm) Plug-In 2 SSV Helper - {DBC80044-A445-435b-BC74-9C25C1C588A9} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jp2ssv.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Google - {2318C2B1-4965-11d4-9B18-009027A5CD4F} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar2.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Yahoo! Toolbar - {EF99BD32-C1FB-11D2-892F-0090271D4F88} - C:\PROGRA~1\Yahoo!\Companion\Installs\cpn\yt.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &RoboForm - {724d43a0-0d85-11d4-9908-00400523e39a} - C:\Program Files\Siber Systems\AI RoboForm\roboform.dll
O3 - Toolbar: AT&&T Toolbar - {4E7BD74F-2B8D-469E-94BE-FD60BB9AAE29} - C:\PROGRA~1\ATTTOO~1\ATTTOO~1.DLL (file missing)
O3 - Toolbar: (no name) - {CCC7A320-B3CA-4199-B1A6-9F516DD69829} - (no file)
O3 - Toolbar: Zynga Toolbar - {7b13ec3e-999a-4b70-b9cb-2617b8323822} - C:\Program Files\Zynga\tbZyng.dll
O3 - Toolbar: AIM Toolbar - {61539ecd-cc67-4437-a03c-9aaccbd14326} - C:\Program Files\AIM Toolbar\aimtb.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Windows Defender] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Defender\MSASCui.exe -hide
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CCUTRAYICON] C:\Program Files\Intel\IntelDH\CCU\CCU_TrayIcon.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NMSSupport] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Intel\IntelDH\NMS\Support\IntelHCTAgent.exe" /startup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CHotkey] zHotkey.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IgfxTray] C:\Windows\system32\igfxtray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HotKeysCmds] C:\Windows\system32\hkcmd.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Persistence] C:\Windows\system32\igfxpers.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MSConfig] "C:\Windows\System32\msconfig.exe" /auto
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (reboot)] "C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbam.exe" /runcleanupscript
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG_TRAY] C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG10\avgtray.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ehTray.exe] C:\Windows\ehome\ehTray.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [cdloader] "C:\Users\Elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\mjusbsp\cdload er2.exe" MAGICJACK
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [WMPNSCFG] C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\WMPNSCFG.exe
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /detectMem (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [WindowsWelcomeCenter] rundll32.exe oobefldr.dll,ShowWelcomeCenter (User 'LOCAL SERVICE')
O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\Run: [Sidebar] %ProgramFiles%\Windows Sidebar\Sidebar.exe /detectMem (User 'NETWORK SERVICE')
O8 - Extra context menu item: Add to Google Photos Screensa&ver - res://C:\Windows\system32\GPhotos.scr/200
O9 - Extra button: Send to OneNote - {2670000A-7350-4f3c-8081-5663EE0C6C49} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office12\ONBttnIE.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: S&end to OneNote - {2670000A-7350-4f3c-8081-5663EE0C6C49} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office12\ONBttnIE.dll
O9 - Extra button: Fill Forms - {320AF880-6646-11D3-ABEE-C5DBF3571F46} - file://C:\Program Files\Siber Systems\AI RoboForm\RoboFormComFillForms.html
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Fill Forms - {320AF880-6646-11D3-ABEE-C5DBF3571F46} - file://C:\Program Files\Siber Systems\AI RoboForm\RoboFormComFillForms.html
O9 - Extra button: Save - {320AF880-6646-11D3-ABEE-C5DBF3571F49} - file://C:\Program Files\Siber Systems\AI RoboForm\RoboFormComSavePass.html
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Save Forms - {320AF880-6646-11D3-ABEE-C5DBF3571F49} - file://C:\Program Files\Siber Systems\AI RoboForm\RoboFormComSavePass.html
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {5067A26B-1337-4436-8AFE-EE169C2DA79F} - C:\Program Files\Skype\Toolbars\Internet Explorer\SkypeIEPlugin.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Skype add-on for Internet Explorer - {5067A26B-1337-4436-8AFE-EE169C2DA79F} - C:\Program Files\Skype\Toolbars\Internet Explorer\SkypeIEPlugin.dll
O9 - Extra button: Yahoo! Services - {5BAB4B5B-68BC-4B02-94D6-2FC0DE4A7897} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Common\yiesrvc.dll
O9 - Extra button: RoboForm - {724d43aa-0d85-11d4-9908-00400523e39a} - file://C:\Program Files\Siber Systems\AI RoboForm\RoboFormComShowToolbar.html
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: RoboForm Toolbar - {724d43aa-0d85-11d4-9908-00400523e39a} - file://C:\Program Files\Siber Systems\AI RoboForm\RoboFormComShowToolbar.html
O9 - Extra button: Skype - {77BF5300-1474-4EC7-9980-D32B190E9B07} - C:\Program Files\Skype\Toolbars\Internet Explorer\SkypeIEPlugin.dll
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office12\REFIEBAR.DLL
O9 - Extra button: Run IMVU - {d9288080-1baa-4bc4-9cf8-a92d743db949} - C:\Users\Elisabeth\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windo ws\Start Menu\Programs\IMVU\Run IMVU.lnk
O16 - DPF: {463ED66E-431B-11D2-ADB0-0080C83DA4EB} (AcceptWM Class) - https://w3s.webmoney.ru/WMAcceptor.dll
O16 - DPF: {6C7CAD20-85AA-475A-AC0D-303C4A9A69CE} (CPlayFirstGreatChocoControl Object) - http://games.bigfishgames.com/en_gre...b.1.0.0.12.cab
O16 - DPF: {8100D56A-5661-482C-BEE8-AFECE305D968} (Facebook Photo Uploader 5 Control) - http://upload.facebook.com/controls/...Uploader55.cab
O16 - DPF: {C8AEB218-8B7A-4E15-AC17-0EE8D99B80EB} (GameTap Web Updater) - http://archives.gametap.com/static/c...WebUpdater.cab
O16 - DPF: {D40F5876-A494-4124-8161-82625BB28C06} (CPlayFirstChocolatieControl Object) - http://games.bigfishgames.com/en_cho...b.1.0.0.10.cab
O18 - Protocol: linkscanner - {F274614C-63F8-47D5-A4D1-FBDDE494F8D1} - C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG10\avgpp.dll
O18 - Protocol: skype4com - {FFC8B962-9B40-4DFF-9458-1830C7DD7F5D} - C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\Skype\SKYPE4~1.DLL
O22 - SharedTaskScheduler: Component Categories cache daemon - {8C7461EF-2B13-11d2-BE35-3078302C2030} - C:\Windows\system32\browseui.dll
O23 - Service: AVGIDSAgent - AVG Technologies CZ, s.r.o. - C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG10\Identity Protection\Agent\Bin\AVGIDSAgent.exe
O23 - Service: AVG WatchDog (avgwd) - AVG Technologies CZ, s.r.o. - C:\Program Files\AVG\AVG10\avgwdsvc.exe
O23 - Service: Google Updater Service (gusvc) - Google - C:\Program Files\Google\Common\Google Updater\GoogleUpdaterService.exe
O23 - Service: McAfee Real-time Scanner (McShield) - Unknown owner - C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee\VIRUSS~1\mcshield.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: McAfee SystemGuards (McSysmon) - Unknown owner - C:\PROGRA~1\McAfee\VIRUSS~1\mcsysmon.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: NVIDIA Stereoscopic 3D Driver Service (Stereo Service) - NVIDIA Corporation - C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\3D Vision\nvSCPAPISvr.exe

--
End of file - 10058 bytes

Try to free up some space on your C drive and then defrag it - low levels of free space can cause considerable problems with Windows.

It may also be worthwhile trying running full screen as Aero can hit performance in windowed mode depending on your settings.

Aero -should- be off. I haaaate most of the services and tweaked the nonessentials off

But thanks for the advice - I've been planning on formatting and starting over with Windows 7 at some point anyways, just need to check with my wife about what on the computer is required to hang onto.

I should have said "reinstalling" instead of formatting. Sorry for the misinformation.

Then again, I had nothing but problems with Vista. 7 pro has been smooth sailing.