New Laptop, Black Screen when playing

[Morlaeth]

Just got a new laptop, went through the eqemu set up and p99 setup just fine.

I logged in, things are fine for a few seconds, then the screen goes black,but i can still hear my character cast, jump, etc (and no I'm in a city so I'm not getting hit with blind).

I tried some of the quad core fixes on the eqemu page, but the issue persists.

My system specs are as follows:

intel core i7 cpu, q740 @ 1.73 ghz
4gb ram
64 bit windows 7
nvidia geforce 310M vid card (current driver!)

All windows updates current

[Itchybottom]

Start disabling shaders and lighting effects.

[Morlaeth]

I did, it ran a bit better, but still crashing or going black.

[KilyenaMage]

Make sure you don't have Hardware-level Anti-aliasing, V-Sync etc on. Make sure all "3D Settings" are marked as "Use Application Settings." New cards don't like to play nice with the Titanium Client.

You should be able access these options by right-clicking on the desktop ----> personalize ---> display settings ---> advanced settings. Then enter the Nvidia Control Panel from one of the tabs on top.


Also try:

CNTRL-ALT-DELETE -----> Processes

Right click on EQ.exe (or Everquest.exe) and manually "set affinity" to to a single CPU core and see if that helps.

[Itchybottom]

CNTRL-ALT-DELETE -----> Processes

Right click on EQ.exe (or Everquest.exe) and manually "set affinity" to to a single CPU core and see if that helps.

Preferably before the user logs into the login server. Also, CTRL+SHIFT+ESC instead of CTRL+ALT+DEL saves you a click or an ALT+T.

I still think is likely VertexShaders, 20PixelShaders, 14PixelShaders, 1xPixelShaders, ShowDynamicLights and MultiPassLighting (with the last two being the most likely) settings in eqclient.ini

If the shaders and lighting being turned off don't fix the problem, next step is to ensure its at a resolution and refresh your display supports (Fullscreenrefreshrate is set to 0 by default) that is the old "standard" aspect ratio (5:4 or 16:10) and try windowed mode. If this workaround works, you can then set the resolution to anything you desire in game.

If the entire machine is locking or doing a driver reset, and not just eqgame.exe blacking out it could be a number of things, starting with video card temperature.

[Morlaeth]

OK, now I'm getting this error when I select and enter the server.

http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/5236/errordi.jpg
http://img139.imageshack.us/img139/5236/errordi.jpg (http://img139.imageshack.us/i/errordi.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

@ Itchybottom, Do I change those values to false?

[Morlaeth]

I set up WinEQ 2.0 and did all the changes you two suggested.

I'm getting in, it runs fine for about a minute, then locks up and lags. Requests to the server (/who, etc) take a while, too. Moving the scroller on my chat window lags me out. When this happens, I get a small taskbar pop-up that says a video kernal stalled then recovered...

[Itchybottom]

I set up WinEQ 2.0 and did all the changes you two suggested.

I'm getting in, it runs fine for about a minute, then locks up and lags. Requests to the server (/who, etc) take a while, too. Moving the scroller on my chat window lags me out. When this happens, I get a small taskbar pop-up that says a video kernal stalled then recovered...

That kind of sounds like either the GPU is overheating, or there is a problem with the driver in question on your notebook. Is this driver a WHQL driver, or is it some INF hacked driver based off of a recent release?

[Morlaeth]

I get my drivers straight from the Nvidia webpage...Don't know what that technical stuff means =X

Here's what one of the lag-outs do:

http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/1152/badgraphics.jpg (http://img254.imageshack.us/i/badgraphics.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

[Itchybottom]

That is definitely a dynamic lighting issue which should be solved by disabling it (the screen shot you posted with the models, and some of the textures showing.) As for the "technical" reply; did you download nVidia drivers from nVidia, your notebook manufacturer, Windows Update or some site like Guru3D?

[Morlaeth]

Downloaded the drivers right from nvidia's webpage.

ShowDynamicLights=FALSE in my .ini file.

What about DirectX? Should I update that?

Edit: I even went through the steps of the in msconfig to force my computer to only run 1 core.

[Itchybottom]

Downloaded the drivers right from nvidia's webpage.

ShowDynamicLights=FALSE in my .ini file.

What about DirectX? Should I update that?

Doesn't hurt to have the latest DirectX applied, since it's just one EXE that web downloads everything. I'd try the drivers from your actual notebook manufacturer, too. Never know if there has been an overlooked timing or clock setting in the bulk release.

[Morlaeth]

Edit: Found it.

[Morlaeth]

I downloaded the intel display drivers right from toshiba. no change in gameplay.

Are there other drivers you're talking about?

[Itchybottom]

I downloaded the intel display drivers right from toshiba. no change in gameplay.

Are there other drivers you're talking about?

http://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/tais/support/jsp/download.jsp?ct=DL&soid=2585724&ref=EV something like that. Maybe roll back the driver to the factory installed driver and see if it makes a difference? Notebook manufacturers are notorious for changing the spec of the dedicated video to make it within thermal limits of the chassis construction and chip operation. More times than not, if you use the bulk nVidia driver, or a hacked driver you end up with different fan profiles and timings.

[Morlaeth]

Ok. Downloading that now.

I thought this was interesting, the game only slows when I ask for output, like a /who command.

In this screenshot, you'll notice that text and formatting is missing.

http://img697.imageshack.us/img697/4444/whoe.jpg (http://img697.imageshack.us/i/whoe.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

[Morlaeth]

http://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/tais/support/jsp/download.jsp?ct=DL&soid=2585724&ref=EV something like that. Maybe roll back the driver to the factory installed driver and see if it makes a difference? Notebook manufacturers are notorious for changing the spec of the dedicated video to make it within thermal limits of the chassis construction and chip operation. More times than not, if you use the bulk nVidia driver, or a hacked driver you end up with different fan profiles and timings.

Think this may have worked!

/who commands are returning instantaneously and without formatting errors. Zoning works and there's no graphical errors.

Running on 1 core, wineq 2.0, pixel/shading stuff in the ini are disabled, and XP Service Pack 2 compatibility.

Think I should start re-enabling some of the ini file variables to see if my notebook will accept it?

At any rate, thanks so much for all your time on this thread Itchy!

[Itchybottom]

Think I should start re-enabling some of the ini file variables to see if my notebook will accept it?

Keep dynamic lighting disabled if you want to keep your sanity. nVidia cards since 8800 GTX are notorious for messing with textures with the Titanium client. That rock on the path away from Qeynos Hills in the Karanas for example, has a tendency to turn black. After you zone when an error like that happens, the entire screen except models will go black until dynamic lighting and lit batches are disabled. As far as shaders go, you should be able to turn them all on with a 310m if the drivers are fine. Also, I don't think XP compatibility mode is needed AT ALL.

Glad you got it working, good luck!

[Morlaeth]

Thanks, I'll try that out with the shaders and the compatibility.