PSA: Fix for common game freeze issue

[vitas]

I have found a workaround for the issue I've seen many have with the game screen freezing.

The Issue:
The screen freezes or goes black but you are still in the world and the game still responds to input commands. This happens more in some zones than others, particularly bad zones are OT, PoM, Skyshrine, and parts of Kael. One place in particular that you are almost guaranteed to freeze is in OT, inside the tunnel to Skyfire.

The issue seems to be correlated with modern nvidia gpus.

Other posts about this issue:
https://www.project1999.com/forums/showthread.php?t=359131
https://www.project1999.com/forums/showthread.php?t=342786
https://www.project1999.com/forums/showthread.php?t=355553

The solutions posted in the threads above are either incomplete(only reduces occurrence for regedit fixes and wineq2), or unreasonable (alt enter can crash the game itself)

The solution:
If your motherboard has an onboard gpu (I'd wager most do nowadays), then you can set windows to use that gpu for everquest only.

Go to control panel > Settings > Display (or windows key > "display settings") and click "Graphics Settings"
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/447523762510888960/733899982599487538/unknown.png
Browse for your eqgame.exe location to set a preference on that application
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/447523762510888960/733900201382903808/unknown.png
On the Graphics specifications dialog look at the Power saving GPU and High performance GPU. If you see a different gpu listed for Power saving, then you likely have an onboard graphics card that you can use (mine shows "Intel(R) UHD Graphics 630). In this case you can simply select the "Power Saving" radio to have everquest run solely on your onboard GPU.
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/447523762510888960/733900346312884275/unknown.png
If you do NOT see a different option for Power saving GPU, you may still have an onboard graphics card and simply need to enable it in BIOS (the steps for this will be specific to your motherboard so I cannot provide a universal guide to doing so)


So far this has been a 100% fix for myself and two others that have tested it with no real game quality difference resulting from not using the main gpu (eq is 20 years old afterall).

I hope this fix can help my friends and adversaries enjoy the game once more as I know this was an extremely debilitating bug to experience on red :D

-Mildew (red)

[guirssane]

Thank you man, I will try that and will update my post if I don't come across freezes again in the next 2 days

[gkmarino]

Does this create huge amounts of lag for you in raids? I remember being in a raid and the particles were starting to look like they do when you ALT-TAB and see the game FPS drop in the background but it was happening as my active window.

[guirssane]

Well my motherboard doesn't have any onboard graphic card so still no solution as of now :(.

[Grimgor]

Another cause of EQ black screen is the User Account Control (UAC) prompt. Which is the yes/no popup when you run or install a program. To prevent this:



Control Panel > Security and Maintenance > Change User Account Control Settings > Change to second lowest "Notify me only when apps try to make changes to my computer (do not dim my desktop)"

[Jamesstone714]

Aww man, I'm not seeing any other option than the RTX 2070 on my machine either, mobo apparently doesn't have an integrated graphics option.

[mcoy]

You might have the integrated card disabled in BIOS.

-Mcoy

[Misanthrope]

im not sure if im having the same issues as everyone else in this thread. my computer fully locks up sometimes, but only when running eq and browsing web at the same time. cursor is always on the web page when it freezes. i havent had a freeze running eq by itself, using my phone to look shit up :P i had already set it to run from the onboard video, power saving whatever, but that didnt help. just changed uac settings, maybe thatll do it.

[digush]

Is there a similar solution for people that do not use on-board (motherboard) GPU?
I have an external GPU i.e. nVidia 1080Ti



The solution:
If your motherboard has an onboard gpu (I'd wager most do nowadays), then you can set windows to use that gpu for everquest only.

[merzcleric]

still happening to me, annnoying as fuck

[Stryker85]

Yeah, sadly this was not really a fix. Tried it and still freeze. Tested on multiple systems with onboard graphics CPUs', didn't stop the freeze on any of them.

[xaix1999]

lol yeah this just sounds like robbing Peter to pay Paul
if your screen goes black you are likely blinded by a mob lol

[Merzenary]

this doesnt work.

[digush]

Here is THE_FIX!

Thank you dgVoodoo!!


http://dege.freeweb.hu/

don't worry about the dangerous warning

its a legit site

- http://dege.freeweb.hu/dgVoodoo2/dgVoodoo2.html

then

- http://dege.freeweb.hu/dgVoodoo2/dgVoodoo2_64.zip

zip password is "shitgoogle"

look in the zip (notice directx 8 and directx 9) and extract the following files to your to your EQ base directory

- dgVoodoo2_64\MS\x86\D3D8.dll
- dgVoodoo2_64\MS\x86\D3D9.dll
- dgVoodoo2_64\MS\x86\D3Dlmm.dll
- dgVoodoo2_64\MS\x86\DDraw.dll

This fix will prevent those crashes where it says: "ResetDeviceFailed()" :D :D :p
You can even lock (CTRL+ALT+DEL) your computer and un-lock with zero crashes!!


I would say don't use WinEQ with dgVoodoo because you will get crashes at the login screen sometimes ...unless you play on blue and green simultaneously and simply need WinEQ
:D:D:D:D:D
WOOOT:cool:

[Stryker85]

Here is THE_FIX!

Thank you dgVoodoo!!


http://dege.freeweb.hu/

don't worry about the dangerous warning

its a legit site

- http://dege.freeweb.hu/dgVoodoo2/dgVoodoo2.html

then

- http://dege.freeweb.hu/dgVoodoo2/dgVoodoo2_64.zip

zip password is "shitgoogle"

look in the zip (notice directx 8 and directx 9) and extract the following files to your to your EQ base directory

- dgVoodoo2_64\MS\x86\D3D8.dll
- dgVoodoo2_64\MS\x86\D3D9.dll
- dgVoodoo2_64\MS\x86\D3Dlmm.dll
- dgVoodoo2_64\MS\x86\DDraw.dll

This fix will prevent those crashes where it says: "ResetDeviceFailed()" :D :D :p
You can even lock (CTRL+ALT+DEL) your computer and un-lock with zero crashes!!


I would say don't use WinEQ with dgVoodoo because you will get crashes at the login screen sometimes ...unless you play on blue and green simultaneously and simply need WinEQ
:D:D:D:D:D
WOOOT:cool:

Anyone willing to investigate this claim? I'm not generally one to trust random files people suggest on the internet. This sounds like it does have potential though.

[mcoy]

It gets flagged now and then, but if you check the forums on the various AV sites they end up whitelisting it.

-Mcoy

[digush]

Hats off to: Mcoy and dgVoodoo

I was dealing with this ResetDeviceFailed() for 3+ years


Huzzah and Kudos!!

[mcoy]

Oh, don't credit me - that's all Savok:

https://www.project1999.com/forums/showthread.php?t=356196&highlight=dgVoodoo

-Mcoy

[xaix1999]

good thing i run Linux and don't have to worry about any of this

[vitas]

Here is THE_FIX!

Thank you dgVoodoo!!


http://dege.freeweb.hu/

don't worry about the dangerous warning

its a legit site

- http://dege.freeweb.hu/dgVoodoo2/dgVoodoo2.html

then

- http://dege.freeweb.hu/dgVoodoo2/dgVoodoo2_64.zip

zip password is "shitgoogle"

look in the zip (notice directx 8 and directx 9) and extract the following files to your to your EQ base directory

- dgVoodoo2_64\MS\x86\D3D8.dll
- dgVoodoo2_64\MS\x86\D3D9.dll
- dgVoodoo2_64\MS\x86\D3Dlmm.dll
- dgVoodoo2_64\MS\x86\DDraw.dll

This fix will prevent those crashes where it says: "ResetDeviceFailed()" :D :D :p
You can even lock (CTRL+ALT+DEL) your computer and un-lock with zero crashes!!


I would say don't use WinEQ with dgVoodoo because you will get crashes at the login screen sometimes ...unless you play on blue and green simultaneously and simply need WinEQ
:D:D:D:D:D
WOOOT:cool:

Should there be any worry about running third party dlls in your eq directory as far as p99's restriction on 3rd party software is concerned?

Further what exactly are these dlls doing? The above quoted user suggests that this prevents the ResetDeviceFailed() error (to my understanding this occurs when you use alt-enter to change window mode), but the original poster of the fix suggests the opposite, that changing resolutions will cause your game to crash.

Does this simply allow a laptop to use a different gpu or is this a more universal fix?

[xaix1999]

to all your questions no no no no

its not part of the 3rd paryt software section as it doesnt interact with the game
it doesnt fix the reset device
alt+enter or alt+tabbing isnt being fixed by this
this doesnt help a laptop use a different gpu

if you goto the website you can read that the dgvoodoo drivers are a wrapper for direct x 8/9 api calls to your gpu to display anything on your screen in a modern and more gpu friendly direct x 11/12 api calls

eq is direct x 8
your nvidia geforce 900s are built around direct x 12 based
amd gpus back to the r5/r7/r9 200s are direct x 12 based

[mcoy]

These files basically intercept the direct3d calls for d3d 8 and 9 and translate them so dx10 and 11 can handle them instead, thereby allowing newer OS's to handle them much better.

It's not just EQ; I use these for numerous older windows games as well that either plain wouldn't run or would crash often in x64 Windows 10.

-Mcoy

[xaix1999]

i need to buy you a beer mcoy

[khofuswiftclaw]

Can someone provide an updated link to dgvoodoo2? Or upload it somewhere for download. For whatever reason, the previous link is gone and unavailable. I have a feeling it will do a lot for my EQ experience on my new computer. Been crashing like mad since i got it -- mostly video card issues similar to those described above where you stay in the game despite the screen freezing and going black on min/mazimize or alt+enter. Sound keeps going, can type, /q, sit and camp etc. Would love a chance to use this fix.

[mcoy]

Site seems fine to me. In fact there's a new version as of last week:

http://dege.freeweb.hu/dgVoodoo2/dgVoodoo2/

-Mcoy

[Merzenary]

nothing fucken works, it keeps getting worse and worse

freezing in ww and sk now

[Aprisle]

God bless you... I can't believe I haven't done this sooner. I think my shaders (despite my eqclient configuration) are working now, vision as well... no more resetdevice failed error. I could cry right now

[Victorylap]

I know this post is old, but I've been struggling with:

1) When I first came to P99, I had nonstop blackscreens in the middle of fighting/walking. I could still hear the movement around me, but I couldn't type or use commands or anything. Only Alt+Enter force closing worked. So, per the advice on the forums, I got WinEQ2. ---->#2

2) I ran WinEQ2, and I had less crashes, but tonight, I started having crashes in Frontier Mountains, galore. I died once, and I should have died more times. I couldn't break invis, so I realized either I couldn't play in this zone or I had to investigate. After nonstop searching for a while, I randomly came to this post.

I did exactly as was written on the front page about x86 and all that jazz and made sure it worked and after removed the watermark. Well, amazingly, the crashes stopped immediately (I could no longer use WinEQ2 after this, which is fine by me). So, an issue that was literally affecting me so badly I wasn't sure I could continue playing was fixed because of this issue. I know I'm not the only one suffering here. Please, get this fixed if you have this issue.

[digush]

instead of hitting alt-enter and getting deviceFailed() crash

Hit alt+O and use the in-game menu to switch between windowed mode and full screen.
You'll be amazed how often you won't crash by doing this versus the alt+enter trick.


I'm getting a weird crash lately. maybe someone out there has experienced this..it seems sometimes when i first log in for the day i will crash on character load in and get the submit feedback[yes/no] window crash...after that initial crash i am always able to get in on the 2nd try
Weird? it's been happening for quite a while, maybe video drivers version or dg_voodoo version?

[digush]

good thing i run Linux and don't have to worry about any of this

Lucky!

[KohakuIto]

You need to assemble a good PC so that games do not freeze and you also don’t need to forget about drivers

[digush]

I know this post is old, but I've been struggling with:

1) When I first came to P99, I had nonstop blackscreens in the middle of fighting/walking. I could still hear the movement around me, but I couldn't type or use commands or anything. Only Alt+Enter force closing worked. So, per the advice on the forums, I got WinEQ2. ---->#2

2) I ran WinEQ2, and I had less crashes, but tonight, I started having crashes in Frontier Mountains, galore. I died once, and I should have died more times. I couldn't break invis, so I realized either I couldn't play in this zone or I had to investigate. After nonstop searching for a while, I randomly came to this post.

I did exactly as was written on the front page about x86 and all that jazz and made sure it worked and after removed the watermark. Well, amazingly, the crashes stopped immediately (I could no longer use WinEQ2 after this, which is fine by me). So, an issue that was literally affecting me so badly I wasn't sure I could continue playing was fixed because of this issue. I know I'm not the only one suffering here. Please, get this fixed if you have this issue.


did you try the dgVoodoo wrapper. you could be running a 3080Ti with a 10-core CPU and EQ could still be crashing because it was written for direct X8 or 9?
Try the dgVoodoo. its in this post

HTH

[Vormotus]

You need to assemble a good PC so that games do not freeze and you also don’t need to forget about drivers

Some people cant afford to do that or are unable due to a myriad reasons. :o

I really like threads with people finding solutions, it helps a lot , specially due to how weird eq can be sometimes hehe

[Scriptio]

Here is THE_FIX!

Thank you dgVoodoo!!


http://dege.freeweb.hu/

don't worry about the dangerous warning

its a legit site

- http://dege.freeweb.hu/dgVoodoo2/dgVoodoo2.html

then

- http://dege.freeweb.hu/dgVoodoo2/dgVoodoo2_64.zip

zip password is "shitgoogle"

look in the zip (notice directx 8 and directx 9) and extract the following files to your to your EQ base directory

- dgVoodoo2_64\MS\x86\D3D8.dll
- dgVoodoo2_64\MS\x86\D3D9.dll
- dgVoodoo2_64\MS\x86\D3Dlmm.dll
- dgVoodoo2_64\MS\x86\DDraw.dll

This fix will prevent those crashes where it says: "ResetDeviceFailed()" :D :D :p
You can even lock (CTRL+ALT+DEL) your computer and un-lock with zero crashes!!


I would say don't use WinEQ with dgVoodoo because you will get crashes at the login screen sometimes ...unless you play on blue and green simultaneously and simply need WinEQ
:D:D:D:D:D
WOOOT:cool:

For what it is worth, for others having this problem, all my issues were solved by this.

Video here (https://youtu.be/hgFuYs-okjY)

[forks]

Looks like the link is down, anyone have an alternative?

[mcoy]

Looks like the link is down, anyone have an alternative?

For dgvoodoo? It's up:

http://dege.freeweb.hu/dgVoodoo/dgVoodoo/

-Mcoy

[Shourty]

I am a geezer with little geekosity. I followed the steps on the voodoo dodad and McKafee wouldn't let it work.
In the end after trying over and over with hints from other posters now I can only play in windowz mode. full screen drops the game but leaves my character still running in game.
But, I'm not being booted from the game like before.
Snot fun to play in windowz mode. too dark and the items that give light, like the bone key for Paineel, don't.

[Xer0]

I am a geezer with little geekosity. I followed the steps on the voodoo dodad and McKafee wouldn't let it work.
In the end after trying over and over with hints from other posters now I can only play in windowz mode. full screen drops the game but leaves my character still running in game.
But, I'm not being booted from the game like before.
Snot fun to play in windowz mode. too dark and the items that give light, like the bone key for Paineel, don't.

well your problem is you're using mcafee.

Windows has a built in anti virus that is more than sufficient for the average user.