BF2 using 850MB of ram, then crashes in Vista

[YEN]

Specs:
CPU 4800+ Athlon X2
MOBO Asus A8N32-SLI Deluxe (Current Bios)
GRAPHICS CARD 7800 GT
RAM 2 Gig of recommended 1T ram with A8N32 Board
HD 2 Raid 10,000 RPM OS, 320 GB x2 SATA, 500 GB SATA
Latest Drivers installed 162.22
OS Vista Ultimate 32 (have tried Home Premium 32 and 64)
Sound Card: X-Fi ExtremeMusic (current drivers)
Anti-Virus/firewall AVG/Windows
Internet connection Cable 5 megabit down/ 750 kilobit up (approx)

I've had random crashes with Vista, used to have the memory.dll crash on 64bit. Now, I just crash randomly. I do get lag at the beginning of the round and intermittently during the game.

I set up my rig to run with a second monitor. On the second monitor I've run "resource monitor" and "task manager" When I run "Task Manager" and "processes" BF2 runs at about 50-60 under CPU. "Memory (Private Working Set) starts at about 150 MB, then steadily increases until it hits just over 850 MB then the crash.

My question is, should BF2.exe be taking up 850 MB of memory? Am I looking at the right one? I don't know what the normal is and I know that Vista is a MEMORY user (everything in memory) but I'm thinking if I can work around this (assuming this is an issue) I should be able to play fine.

From time to time, when the crash occurs, I can still hear TS conversations, but it locks up. At other times, it CTD. Also, I'm not doing anything like flying, or running around a lot of people, this has happened while commanding.

Thanks in advance for your support.

[Sniper1432]

Re: BF2 using 850MB of ram, then crashes in Vista

could be a driver issue, have you tried different ones?

[camper.]

Re: BF2 using 850MB of ram, then crashes in Vista

BF2 takes 850MB of RAM, yes. That's how much it takes on all high, usually (depends on the map, I believe).

Vista is NOT a memory hog, this myth has been circulating since the first public beta. It's all to do with Superfetch, read up about it. The actual memory difference is reasonably low, much like going from Win95-Win98/ME. One possible memory hog is the Search Indexing Service, that is easily disabled.


Now, disable as many services and processes as you can (save all the essential/useful ones, just trim off the zillion services and processes on by default on Vista), and check you are not forcing anti-aliasing through the driver control panel (it's been responsible for errors on my side a few times).

If you've changed your RAM timings, slacken them a bit. I can run tighter timings on XP, but if I boot into Vista, it'll crash after a while.

[EasyDelta]

Re: BF2 using 850MB of ram, then crashes in Vista

Doesn't BF2 take like a gig of memory to use? or am I thinking of something else?

[lt_dillweed]

Re: BF2 using 850MB of ram, then crashes in Vista

this sound like my problem...and i have vista and around that much MB...and it crashes and lags

[Stormy{CAN}]

Re: BF2 using 850MB of ram, then crashes in Vista

Have either of you done something stupid like disable or limit the pagefile to a low value (1gb or less)?

[lt_dillweed]

Re: BF2 using 850MB of ram, then crashes in Vista

I wouldnt know how to do that.....

[YEN]

Re: BF2 using 850MB of ram, then crashes in Vista

Thanks for the replies. I just downloaded nTune to be able to see more of the Nvidia controls. The AA settings were difficult to find, but I did note that of the three check boxes, the "Use 3D Program Settings" was not checked.

I haven't had time to play since I found this setting, hopefully I'll get some time in tonight to check that.

As far as the Pagefile, I had read that Windows likes to control the Pagefile on the original drive, but it doesn't hurt to add a second "controlled" pagefile. I've left the original Microsoft Pagefile alone (Despite my better judgement and a history of setting my pagefile to 2.5 x my ram).

I have tried different drivers, yes.

I've monitored my temperature and my GPU gets to about 51 degrees celsius, and the nForce gets up to about 63.

When I load the game, it seems to crescendo at 850 and then crash... the game plays and that memory just grows and grows, that's what led me to think it might be the culperit (given the former memory.dll errors).

[sava700]

Re: BF2 using 850MB of ram, then crashes in Vista

Vista is NOT a memory hog, this myth has been circulating since the first public beta. It's all to do with Superfetch, read up about it. The actual memory difference is reasonably low, much like going from Win95-Win98/ME. One possible memory hog is the Search Indexing Service, that is easily disabled.

This isn't a Myth... Vista does run twice as much ram than XP did even on Desktop. I tested this to see what the requirements were and it seems after sticking a watt meter between my powersupply and the outlet that the power consumption doubled from a XPPro machine sitting idle on desktop and with Vista Ultimate sitting idle on desktop as well. The ram usage is way to high regardless of Superfetch and how it uses Ram to search files out faster. Vista however does back off on the Ram to the OS to give to the Apps but when your using that much power and resources to just sit on desktop its really not needed and something that needs to be addressed I hope in SP1. It seems some of the Compatability and Reliablity packs that are released Beta now have addressed some..but mostly focused on GFX ram than anything which should help out this guys problem the most. But really, after watching the diagnostics on two 1gig Ram chips (high dollar chips now) from a Month running on XPpro and a Month running on Vista I could clearly see the wear and tear under the covers vs those that may never see when you mearly take off the case to a computer. Also I might add in that my electric usage from the meter's showing amount was really high for a Vista machine vs the XP machine both with the same components.

[camper.]

Re: BF2 using 850MB of ram, then crashes in Vista

Minus all the services I said? It releases everything when you go to do something memory intensive, simple as that. Of course, it hogs on the desktop, but I'm not denying that (should have clarified).

As for electricity usage, that's a given.

[sava700]

Re: BF2 using 850MB of ram, then crashes in Vista

Minus all the services I said? It releases everything when you go to do something memory intensive, simple as that. Of course, it hogs on the desktop, but I'm not denying that (should have clarified).

As for electricity usage, that's a given.

Its not releasing it fast enough that seems to be the problem with alocated memory that Vista is using just to sit idle. But electric use is a major thing most people look at, I run 5 different machines 24/7 in my home one of which is a server for files and the requirements on power are very important..so when I look at consumption with Vista its a givin that they need to fix the issue. Wait till you have schools, colleges, businesses turn over to Vista..you don't see it yet cause they are waiting on SP1 and the memory fixes and power usage cause power is something all of them and myself look at.

[camper.]

Re: BF2 using 850MB of ram, then crashes in Vista

Hey, not everybody runs 5 machines. I'm going to boot back into Vista, from what I've seen it should be tweakable to the extent that it runs marginally slower than XP.

You do have a point with all the volume licencees...

[YEN]

Re: BF2 using 850MB of ram, then crashes in Vista

Well, I made the changes to the 3d software use in game and had crashes today. While I was out of the game I downloaded the Alchemy project for the X-fi and installed that (will have no purpose in this game). I also downloaded the most recent forceware drivers because I'm not sure if I installed those, or the ones before.... I just want to make sure I'm covering my bases.

I know that my video driver is up to date. Will keep plugging along.

Still crashing...

You mentioned disabling services... I've been looking for a good list of Vista Services that can be disabled, any link to one, or a list here?

[EasyDelta]

Re: BF2 using 850MB of ram, then crashes in Vista

This has become a Vista vs XP thread. lawl.


VISTA ROCKS. Thats all.

[Stormy{CAN}]

Re: BF2 using 850MB of ram, then crashes in Vista

You mentioned disabling services... I've been looking for a good list of Vista Services that can be disabled, any link to one, or a list here?

http://www.tweakhound.com/vista/tweakguide/index.htm

and

http://www.blackviper.com/WinVista/servicecfg.htm