Save function is fucked up Created 16 years ago2007-08-27 08:53:27 UTC by Taylor

I just installed HL2 on my laptop, it started and ran well (actually not too well, because the laptop is for office use, but ok) until I got to an autosave point. In that moment, when the loading was done, and the game made an autosave, HL2 exited, and dropped me back to the desktop, with no error message. What seems even more strange, is that if I don't move, while the save is being made, just wait and stand still for that few seconds - it doesn't exit. This is just pissing me off, and I never had an error like this on my desktop machine.

So, does anyone know, why this is happening?

Just do the regular Source/Steam fixes first.

Did all of the updates (steam, HL2, HL2DM, SDK), verified the integrity of cache, and defragged the cache files, but still have the problem. Is there anything else I can do?

Delete clientregistry.blob in the main Steam folder and let Steam rebuild it. Probably won't do anything, but it can't hurt to try.

I have save error then make more then ~55 saves. Delete some savegames from SAVE folder, may be it helps.

Deleted that .blob file, and still nothing...but thanks for the help. About the amount of save files...well, I just installed it, and have like 4-5 saves, so that's out of the question.

What graphics card does your laptop have?

Do you have the latest drivers for it?

How much RAM does it have? Is it sharing RAM with the rest of the system?

The crash that happens when HL2 exits for no apparent reason and gives no error message is caused by running out of video RAM and your drivers not being able to compensate for it properly with paging. This happens more often when the video card is using main system memory instead of its own on-board RAM.

Or so I've been told anyway.

Sounds good to me.

Yeah, sounds like the solution. I have an Intel 950 (I know it's crap), and yes, it shares the system RAM of 512 MB. I've installed the driver for it from the driver CD, which came with the laptop. As I looked around in the properties, it says that the minimum amount of memory it shares is 10 MB, with a maximum of 224 MB, but I didn't find anything about paging...

Ok, I'll try to download new drivers for it, hopefully that's gonna fix it.

EDIT: Found this on Intel's website at the 82945GM Express Chipset Family's game comatibility list:

"Half-Life* 2 game installs successfully, but crashes during game play.

Intel is not aware of a fix or workaround for this issue. Contact the game manufacturer † for further updates, patches or support."

FUUUUUUUCK!!!!!

Try running it in 640x480, in DirectX7 mode, with all the detail settings off.

As I think the crashes happen literally because you're running out of VRAM, you can maybe avoid them by reducing your display settings to the point that you simply just don't overstep your graphics cards memory allotment.

Unless the Intel chipset really has some sort of fundamental incompatibility with HL2 (which would be shit) - it might work.

Well, tried everything, even running in windowed mode, in 640x480, with everything set to the lowest possible value, and the desktop color depth reduced to 16-bit - where HL2 looks worse, than HL1 - and still the same problem. I think HL2 does something during the save process, that this thing can't handle. When I started the game, the train station was slow as hell, and there was lots of swapping going around everywhere, but it was still running, until I got to an autosave point, or did a quicksave myself. This is just insane...I run games on this thing like Max Payne 2 and Doom 3 - and Doom 3 eats up more of the system resources, than HL2 - but a simple HL2 savegame is lethal. Wtf.

TIME FOR A NEW PC!
a entire new pc that plays HL2 at high settings will cost you less than US$800

I think he already has one Penguinboy.

I think the point is that he's trying to get it to work on his laptop.

Y'know, just for fun.

I have a desktop, which runs HL2 fine, I just wanted to have HL2 working on my laptop aswell. Just to kick some combine ass, and perhaps map, when I'm fed up with the german texts on the uni

EDIT: 'Cos I don't want to drag my desktop with me 80 miles away to the college, and drag it back, when I need to do something on a computer, like I did last year.

Lowering the resolution will really help cut down memory usage, but windowed mode will cause more problems.

Can't Half-Life 2 be run in DirectX 6 mode? http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/DirectX_Versions

Damn, I thought I had it bad with a DX7/ 64MB card. This 8600GT mobile is pretty nice though.

I tried it in fullscreen 640x480, and in windowed mode also, with the same effect. And yeah, this integreated intel piece of shit is pretty useless - especially with the source engine.

This 8600GT mobile is pretty nice though.

Dunno. You were only getting 20-30fps on a HL1 map recently, by your own admission. That's farking terrible.

My non-GT 6800 is better. Disagree? How well can you play Bioshock with your mobile 8600GT?

That was with my MX440 desktop

I don't have Bioshock.

Errrr...

Hmmm, my laptop's 8600GT mobile dips to a jerky 20-30fps. 1280x1024, 8xAA/16xAF. I get a rock solid 60 almost all the time.

That was with my MX440 desktop

Oh ok then, I'll let you off

cough*8800*cough

I looked up the difference between the 8800's and the 8600's, and my -- it's pretty big. The top end cards are more than twice as powerful

with the latest nvidia beta drivers it runs bioshock at full settings 60fps (50 minimum) at 1680x1050, with the 8800GTS 320mb.

Errrr...

New drivers & DirectX build (isn't CS an OpenGL game?)

That 20-30 fps was on a map that runs slower than average CS maps. I was using my 1280x1024 monitor instead of the built in 1280x800.