TheUrit
Game Owner
 Mass Effect PC
Joined: 28 May 2008 |
 Posted: Thursday, 29 May 2008 03:35AM |
Mass Effect is hanging when I start it. That's the gist of my problem.
Subjective:
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When starting the game, it hangs with a black screen and moderately high processor use.
Objective (Environment):
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Vista x64
- 8GB RAM
- Intel Q6600
- Radeon 3870HD (Catalyst 8.5, just updated)
- Creative X-Fi (Current drivers according to autoupdate, 2.15.6)
Anti-malware:
AVG Antivirus 8.0 (Disabled)
Windows Vista firewall
Windows Defender
Assessment:
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When starting the game, processor goes to Core3: 100%, then after a few seconds, the game window appears. Core3 stays at 100%, core2 jumps to about half. Cores 0 and 1 sit around 10% utilization. RAM utilization sits about 412MB private bytes used.
At this point, the game window title says Mass Effect (Not responding)
I've set the config to low everything, 1440x900 windowed mode, software sound.
- Issue persists.
Set compatibility mode to XP SP2.
- Issue persists.
Disabled daemon tools, AVG antivirus.
- Issue persists.
Checked background services/programs.
- None available that could be terminated, all are essential windows programs/services and/or hardware helpers, such as Logitech Setpoint.
Waited for approx. 15 minutes.
- Game did not start.
Plan:
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Engage EA support/forums to see if there are any solutions available. |
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cdefazio
Game Owner
 Mass Effect PC
Joined: 28 May 2008 |
Posted: Thursday, 29 May 2008 03:44AM |
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I'm having the same problem on Vista 32 bit |
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TheUrit
Game Owner
Mass Effect PC
Joined: 28 May 2008 |
Posted: Thursday, 29 May 2008 03:57AM |
Looks like I can't even open a ticket with EA support - 500 internal server error when I try to submit the ticket. Nice.
So, any ideas on this? I'll call tomorrow morning, but if someone can assist via forum overnight, that'd be awesomesauce. |
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TheUrit
Game Owner
Mass Effect PC
Joined: 28 May 2008 |
Posted: Thursday, 29 May 2008 04:06AM |
Hmm, found an interesting log under C:\Users\profile\Documents
\BioWare\Mass Effect\Logs
[0.053] Log: Log file open, 05/28/08 22:49:57
[0.053] Init: BioWare Final Build Version: 1.0.14184.0
[0.053] Init: Command line:
[0.053] Init: Base directory: C:\Program Files (x86)\Mass Effect\Binaries\
[0.105] Init: CPU Page size=4096, Processors=4
[0.105] Init: High frequency timer resolution =14.318180 MHz
[0.105] Init: Memory total: Phys=4194303K Pagef=4194303K Virt=2097024K
[3.435] Log: Failed to load 'Material None.': Failed to find object 'Material None.'
[3.435] Log: Failed to load 'Material None.': Failed to find object 'Material None.'
[3.435] Log: Failed to load 'Material None.': Failed to find object 'Material None.'
[3.435] Log: Failed to load 'Material None.': Failed to find object 'Material None.'
[3.435] Log: Failed to load 'Material None.': Failed to find object 'Material None.'
[3.437] Log: Failed to load 'Material None.': Failed to find object 'Material None.' |
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cdefazio
Game Owner
Mass Effect PC
Joined: 28 May 2008 |
Posted: Thursday, 29 May 2008 04:58AM |
Same for me:
[0.005] Log: Log file open, 05/29/08 00:42:21
[0.005] Init: BioWare Final Build Version: 1.0.14184.0
[0.005] Init: Command line:
[0.005] Init: Base directory: C:\Program Files\Mass Effect\Binaries\
[0.066] Init: CPU Page size=4096, Processors=2
[0.066] Init: High frequency timer resolution =14.318180 MHz
[0.066] Init: Memory total: Phys=1048575K Pagef=2097151K Virt=2097024K
[10.160] Log: Failed to load 'Material None.': Failed to find object 'Material None.'
[10.160] Log: Failed to load 'Material None.': Failed to find object 'Material None.'
[10.160] Log: Failed to load 'Material None.': Failed to find object 'Material None.'
[10.160] Log: Failed to load 'Material None.': Failed to find object 'Material None.'
[10.160] Log: Failed to load 'Material None.': Failed to find object 'Material None.'
[10.163] Log: Failed to load 'Material None.': Failed to find object 'Material None.' |
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mjeaton
Game Owner
Mass Effect PC
Joined: 29 May 2008 |
Posted: Thursday, 29 May 2008 07:45AM |
I have the same problem, Screen goes to black, and then nothing. I've also got an addage about an unrecognizable sound driver:
[0.020] Log: Log file open, 05/29/08 00:28:09
[0.020] Init: BioWare Final Build Version: 1.0.14184.0
[0.020] Init: Command line:
[0.020] Init: Base directory: C:\Mass Effect\Binaries\
[0.277] Init: CPU Page size=4096, Processors=2
[0.277] Init: High frequency timer resolution =3.579545 MHz
[0.277] Init: Memory total: Phys=2079216K Pagef=4017376K Virt=2097024K
[10.331] Log: Failed to load 'Material None.': Failed to find object 'Material None.'
[10.331] Log: Failed to load 'Material None.': Failed to find object 'Material None.'
[10.331] Log: Failed to load 'Material None.': Failed to find object 'Material None.'
[10.331] Log: Failed to load 'Material None.': Failed to find object 'Material None.'
[10.331] Log: Failed to load 'Material None.': Failed to find object 'Material None.'
[10.335] Log: Failed to load 'Material None.': Failed to find object 'Material None.'
[39.123] Log: Unsupported Audio Device: Realtek HD Audio output
[39.123] Init: Audio Driver: Realtek HD Audio output (RtkHDAud.sys)
[39.146] Init: Audio Device: Generic Software
[39.269] Init: 64 Free Sources, 2 Reserved
[41.750] Log: >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Initial startup: 41.75s <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
[42.281] Log: Bio2DA.cpp::CheckedGetIntEntry(): Failed to read row(1902, isNum=0), column(4) in Bio2DA(Talent_TalentEffectLevels)
[42.281] Log: Bio2DA.cpp::CheckedGetFloatEntry(): Failed to read row(1918, isNum=0), column(4) in Bio2DA(Talent_TalentEffectLevels)
Specs: dual 2.6, 2g ram, 8600gt 256vram |
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justinf12000
Game Owner
 NWN
NWN: SoU
NWN: HotU
SW: KotOR PC
NWN 2
NWN 2: MotB
Mass Effect PC
Joined: 01 May 2003 |
Posted: Thursday, 29 May 2008 08:01AM |
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That's interesting... I also have a Realtek HD Audio Output listed in my configuration and I have the same problem as you guys. Could our sound setup be the problem? |
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Invizz
Game Owner
Mass Effect PC
Joined: 29 May 2008 |
Posted: Thursday, 29 May 2008 08:16AM |
Well, the problem I had was the mass effect starting screen popped up, them maximized the game and it became black. It then could not start.
Then I updated to the newest nvidia drivers and it fixed it.
So see if the general troubleshoot tips work
Update Video card drivers
Update Windows
Update DirectX
End task unnecessary processes in CTRL+ALT+DEL
I have realtek and the game works fine.
Hope this actually helped if not, ignore it. |
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TheUrit
Game Owner
Mass Effect PC
Joined: 28 May 2008 |
Posted: Thursday, 29 May 2008 01:32PM |
Aha, I got it working!
Here's what I did:
I use Process Explorer as my task manager, so this helps a lot.
What you do is as follows:
Open PE, find the svchost.exe process that's running audioDG.exe. Kill that svchost. At this point you no longer have sound.
However, when you start mass effect, it reloads it (after where the crash would occur) to provide sound. You now have sound again, and a working mass effect.
Don't forget to exit PE before starting Mass Effect or you get a SecureRom error.Edited By TheUrit on 05/29/08 13:33 |
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cdefazio
Game Owner
Mass Effect PC
Joined: 28 May 2008 |
Posted: Thursday, 29 May 2008 01:42PM |
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I'll try that tonight. |
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TheUrit
Game Owner
Mass Effect PC
Joined: 28 May 2008 |
Posted: Thursday, 29 May 2008 02:21PM |
I actually take that above statement back.
It does let you load the game and you get sound in the movies like the bioware logo, but you get no sound whatsoever in game. |
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yotigereye
Game Owner
Mass Effect PC
Joined: 28 May 2008 |
Posted: Thursday, 29 May 2008 03:10PM |
okay how do you run process explorer because i have no idea.
When i control-alt-delete and go to processes, i see 2 of the file you were talking about, 1 is from LOCAL SERVICE and the other is SYSTEM.
which one am i supposed to kill?Edited By yotigereye on 05/29/08 15:18 |
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TheUrit
Game Owner
Mass Effect PC
Joined: 28 May 2008 |
Posted: Thursday, 29 May 2008 04:23PM |
Again, this only helps if you want to run the game with NO SOUND AT ALL. No sound SUCKS massively.
Steps:
1. Download Process Explorer from Click Here
2. Run Process Explorer.
3. Kill the svchost that is hosting audiodg.exe. Audiodg is a bright pink/magenta color on my system.
4. Exit Process Explorer (this is important, otherwise SecuRom hates you and won't start the game)
5. Run Mass Effect (With no sound, which sucks). |
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cdefazio
Game Owner
Mass Effect PC
Joined: 28 May 2008 |
Posted: Thursday, 29 May 2008 04:33PM |
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I wonder if our particular Realtek isn't supported by the game? |
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mjeaton
Game Owner
Mass Effect PC
Joined: 29 May 2008 |
Posted: Thursday, 29 May 2008 05:33PM |
I downloaded and ran ProcessExplorer but I didn't get any audio specific handle on an svchost.exe process.
I'm curious if uninstalling my audio drivers would allow me to play.
I wonder what the Devs think of this issue. |
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