Game freezing/occasional crash/graphics issues (Edited for update)

[KingAirDriver]

Hello,

After searching recent threads, my issue sounds similar to those others have encountered, but I 1) do not have Steam installed on this computer and 2) do not, or should not, have PrecisionX, which appears to have been causing similar issues.

Before I begin, know this: I'm not incredibly computer savvy. If suggestions are made to tinker with things (changing CPU affinity, which I read in another thread, for example) I'll probably need some hand holding, lol.

Computer/Game information:

- Game is a fresh, NO-mod version 1.0.4

- Win 7 Home Premium, 64 bit

- AMD FX 8120 8-core @ 3.10 GHz

- 16GB Ram

- GeForce GTX 560SE

**My computer just came back from the shop. It was having a lot of issues (probably due to my kids) and had to have a fresh Windows install. The ONLY thing I've put on the computer since coming back was KSP...no Steam, other games. Nothing. I have checked Java/DirectX and all appears updated. I have updated my video card driver to the latest available.

Issues:

First, I have never had a problem playing KSP on my machine, which I always play at max settings. Now, with KSP 1.0.4, I'm having a LOT of freezing going on. I first noticed it in the VAB. The screen would get very glitchy, would freeze, and have a lot of transparency to the KSP environment outside the VAB (sky, ground, etc.). While freezing the music/mouse continue to operate normally. I have had a couple of crashes here.

When I get a ship to the launch pad and/or launch, the game freezes and is unplayable. I got a couple of ships to orbit by slewing the camera to a chase view and avoiding having the terrain in the picture. That doesn't seem to help now. I have not (IIRC) had a crash while in-flight, but it is unplayable until I'm in orbit. Then it behaves a bit, more-or-less.

I have tried dropping the visuals and FPS down a bit, but doesn't seem to help. I'm including a picture from the VAB and am attempting to leave a dropbox to my Output Log.

Hope this helps! I tried to follow the tacked "Before Posting" threads as best I could, but will be happy to try to provide whatever else is required.

Thanks!!

Also, after looking at the picture, it may have been taken when I had a couple of mods added in. However, my issues are occurring still with a clean (deleted game, re-installed), unmodded version.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/fyzf8wdx3c96xex/Oct14OutputLog.txt?dl=0

_________________________________________________________

***Update***

So I kept reading more info on possible issues. I read where it was suggested to locate the game in the Games folder vs on the desktop, which is where I've always had my files (and ran fine) in the past. I just launched the game, a fresh copy again, and had a crash in the VAB. It's weird tho because I now cannot find an output log anywhere... ????

Edited October 14, 2015 by KingAirDriver
Update

[sal_vager]

Hi KingAirDriver, if you run KSP from a protected Windows folder it may not be able to write files, and this can break things, that is why C:\Games is recommended for non-Steam installs, as C:\Games is a folder you create outside the Windows file structure.

Your issue looks very much like a faulty graphics card or incorrectly installed drivers, I'm assuming an appropriate Nvidia driver was installed and that the PC was rebooted after driver installation.

I don't know if it is the card though, so I recommend you first reboot the PC to ensure the driver can activate properly if this hasn't already been done, then reinstall a fresh copy of KSP to C:\Games and run that copy, do not move your current install as it can already be flagged by Windows as potentially unsafe software and will not work properly as it will be forbidden from writing files.

Look up data execution prevention if you're curious.

Also your log is full of this:

NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object

at ModuleParachute.SetConvectiveStats () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0

at ModuleParachute.FixedUpdate () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0

Which suggests KSP was unable to properly compile the parachute on first run, again this can happen if KSP is run from a protected folder.

TheClaw also has a parachute fix in his stock bugfix modules.

If the above does not help, please run dxdiag from the applications menu (type dxdiag to find it), save the report and upload it.

[KingAirDriver]

Thank you, sal. This will give me something to fiddle with.

Will post back once I've looked into it, which may be a few days due to work.

[KingAirDriver]

Had a little time just now to play with it.

I removed the old installation and downloaded a new copy from the Store, and extracted all into my C:\Games folder.

I also confirmed my graphics driver is current from nVidia. (My computer has been restarted since then.)

I still had the freezing/glitch issues, unfortunately. I was able to get a smaller ship up, to orbit, and back to Kerbin without it locking up completely tho! The VAB had the worst issues, once with a freeze over several minutes. Once it woke up, I was able to launch. The terrain and ship displayed a lot of glitchiness/flashing at times during flight. The altimeter was slightly glitchy as well, with one digit (the 10s of Km) not displaying. During orbit and in Map view, my blue orbit ring disappeared at times.

I will say that my issues were less dramatic with this smaller ship. The larger ships over the last couple of days had more prominent display/glitch issues. Once SRBs are jettisoned it tends to run more smoothly.

I ran a Dxdiag as requested: https://www.dropbox.com/s/go5srbm5xswv2zk/DxDiag.txt?dl=0 I hope that's what you're looking for.

I suppose it could be as simple as my graphics card just going out. It is ~4 yrs old, and my case innards were VERY dusty (oops).

Thanks again for the assistance!

[sal_vager]

Hi again KingAirDriver, sorry to hear you are still having trouble, but also congrats on getting to orbit and back

There's not much in the dxdiag to indicate a problem however, your PC specs look fine but your graphics driver could be updated, a newer version was released on Wednesday the 7th of this month.

Can you please upload a new output_log.txt from when the game glitches out, and if you can get one where the game doesn't crash that could be useful too, it may show new information but be aware it's overwritten every time you start KSP, so needs to be manually renamed to prevent this.

Also if you can take screenshots of the glitches I might see something I recognize.

The dust is a worry, the graphics card may have over heated at some point, unfortunately it's very hard to tell.

[KingAirDriver]

Okay, sal. Will work on that, thanks!

I was planning to upgrade my graphics card as it is, so I may go ahead and do that, lol. Will see if I can talk the Ministress of Lovin' and Finance into it, haha.

Oh, weird that it's showing my driver isn't updated. I just installed the latest from nVidia yesterday and just checked again about 30 minutes ago. Will check it out again tho, thanks!

ETA: Just checked and yes, the latest (358.50) is what is showing as installed on my machine. Where are you seeing a different one?

Edited October 15, 2015 by KingAirDriver

[sal_vager]

Hmm, okay I'm just going off the numbers in the dxdiag, it's not easy as they don't actually match up to the numbers shown on the Nvidia website, for example the dxdiag will say you have driver....

Derp now I see it, I was going off the dates, the dxdiag says this:

Driver Date/Size: 10/3/2015

So I thought it was from the 3rd, while the site has a driver dated the 7th, but if I open my eyes I see this:

Driver Version: 10.18.13.5850

The last 5 digits match the driver on the site:

Version 358.50 - WHQL

So it's me being daft, the driver is fine.

Replacing the card is an idea, I don't know if it's that though so I am reluctant to cause you to spend any cash, if you have any friends with a spare card lying around you could offer them a few bottles in exchange for a loan of their graphics card.

That way you can at least verify it's your card, without worrying the missus

[KingAirDriver]

Not sure that I know anyone that has a spare card (I don't have many friends into computers), but I will check around. Good idea, thanks!