2-3 Minute Client Freeze after Character Select

[Dworkin_of_Amber]

Had this problem for a while, but it's getting more and more annoying, so I figured I'd ask around.

I can launch DDO fine, and login... but when I get to the Character Select Screen and choose my character, it immediately goes to the Loading Page (with the Hints & wide-screen view of Stormreach), with 0% on the Loading bar. At that point the DDO Client hangs/freezes for 2-3 minutes. During this time, and other windows leave their graphics overtop the DDO client, and the DDO Client is completely unresponsive. After 2-3 minutes, it will unfreeze, and load normally. In-game, friends/guildmates see that my character has logged in immediately, but I cannot, of course, respond until the freeze and load is done.

I have reinstalled Windows XP fresh. I have also re-installed DDO from the original CD and reapplied all 12,015 updates (and yes, I've done both together just yesterday).

Computer Specs:
AMD Athlon 64 4000+
Asus A8N SLI Premium Motherboard
2Gb PC3200 RAM
eVga GeForce 7900GT OC SLI (and yes, I have removed the 2nd card, and it still does it)
Windows XP Service Pack 2 (Professional)
Latest Forceware & Motherboard Chipset Drivers from nVidia

DDO Specs:
1280x1024 windowed (it also does it full-screen)
Ultra High - Graphics Detail
All other graphics options set to maximum possible
Usually running 60+ Fps in most all quests... occasionally 150+

[Altumus]

Do you have a router or other network? Have you tried bypassing it?

[binnsr]

I also have nearly the same issue, but it's been that way since the 'optimizations' for mod5 for me.

My system specs are very similar to yours:
Opteron 170 (o/c'd to 2.5ghz - default is 2.0ghz)
Asus A7N32-SLI Premium Mobo
2GB PC3200 OCZ Gold Memory
EVGA geForce 7800GTX (single)
250gb SATA3 harddisk (one for OS and one for games - both autodefragged nightly)


I had just presumed that it was a byproduct of the excessive graphics being loaded with the newer engine on my 2yr old video card and usually go get a drink while my character loads in. (that and my XP installation is nearly 2yrs old, so that could very easily be part of things)

One thing to note, however, and I hadn't noticed this until thinking about it right now, is that this pause only happens with the first character I load after starting the game.

edit: this happens when my pc is in DMZ mode for my router (multiple people in my home using the computers at any given time, so taking the router completely out of the mix isn't a very popular decision).

[Frodo_Lives]

This same thing is happening to me, just started last night. Will not let me log onto any characters. I can load the game fine but once I select a character to load it basically freezes and tells me that DDO is not responding.

The same rig has been performing fairly well for almost 2 years and it is not doing this with any other game or application.

Any suggestions and/or input would be most welcome.

[Altumus]

Did you try bypassing the router and see if you experienced the same issue?

[Dworkin_of_Amber]

Did you try bypassing the router and see if you experienced the same issue?

Hrmm, No, I didn't think about that, and I can surely try it... but I am a little sceptical, as my wife and 2 brother-in-laws who live with me all play DDO as well (so DDO is installed on 4 different computers in the house, all using the same Router), and no other machine exhibits this problem.

I will try it though.


This started a few months ago, and has just become more and more annoying. I thought about the "older" video card issue, but I bought my 7900GT right after DDO went live (Mar 2006), and have been running the same installation of DDO (actually my original Beta Install) on the same basic hardware ever since. And yes, I have noticed that gradually my FPS have decrease as this game has progressed. When I first got this 7900GT, I used to rarely drop below 80 fps, now it rarely gets above 80.

I just recently added a 2nd 7900GT, but these problems started BEFORE I went to SLI. And yes, I have tried dropping back to 1 card, and this past weekend I completely reinstalled Windows XP SP2, .Net 1.1 (and 2.0 and 3.0), DirectX 9.0c, and DDO...

But I will try the router. My router is a Dlink DGL-4300 (4-port gigabit switch) connected to Time Warner Cable Modem (Surfboard, can't remember the model), and a Vonage Router that hangs off the Dlink. So it's Cable Modem --> Dlink --> My Computer/Wife Computer/Vonage/Uplink --> Hub --> 2x other computers.

[Dworkin_of_Amber]

Ok, I put my machine outside the router (directly connected to the cable modem), and got the exact same results.

Any other ideas?

[Yeti]

Are you using any sort of internet security such as something that would exhibit parental controls or something similar, like a NetNanny or even IE's Content Adviser? I've seen cases of these types of software causing this issue in the past.

[GreenGurgler]

I noticed this as well. For me, it started immedietly with Mod 6. The game load bar Fly's by now but when I select my character to laod, it seems to take 2-3 minutes (with the load bar at zero) before it starts. Also, my friends and guildies say they see me right away.

I am not running any blocking software and always disable my antivirus befor loading game. I noticed this the very first time I loaded up after Mod 6. My suspicion is that it is something that the game is doing or loading. I do not have a similar problem with any other games or programs. Only DDO and olny post MOD6.

[Dworkin_of_Amber]

Are you using any sort of internet security such as something that would exhibit parental controls or something similar, like a NetNanny or even IE's Content Adviser? I've seen cases of these types of software causing this issue in the past.

Nothing like that. I run my connection clean.

Windows XP SP 2
*ALL* updates from Windows Update
Symantec Antivirus 10.2 (Corporate)
Windows Defender
And all drivers for hardware (nVidia nForce 4 Motherboard, nVidia GeForce 7900 GT, Soundblaster X-Fi)


I have 3 other computers on the same network with similar hardware/software (2x AMD Athlon 64 939-pins, 1x Core Duo... all nVidia Motherboards & nVidial 7000 or 8000 video cards), all running Symantec AV, Defender.

No other "background" applications, other than MSN Messenger 8.5 and Power ISO (but these also run on all the other machines).

The only really "different" hardware, is that I run a SB X-Fi, where the others are SB Live or SB Audigy 2...

Router is a D-link DGL-4300. Gamefuel is enabled, but not configured. Routed ports are only setup for RDP to my box from the outside, and for Vonage phone router. Cable Modem --> D-link Router --> My Computer/Other Computers/Vonage Router

[Sibyl]

Nothing like that. I run my connection clean.

Windows XP SP 2
*ALL* updates from Windows Update
Symantec Antivirus 10.2 (Corporate)
Windows Defender
And all drivers for hardware (nVidia nForce 4 Motherboard, nVidia GeForce 7900 GT, Soundblaster X-Fi)


Try this:

Disable Symantec Antivirus and Windows Defender before loading DDO (or create exceptions so that they do not scan the files in your DDO directory). DDO uses data files that are >1GB large. If your virus scanner tries to scan the data files completely every time DDO wishes to read from them, your game performance is going to be terrible.

You should also consider the possibility of file fragmentation and defragment your hard drive.

Good luck!

[Dworkin_of_Amber]

Try this:

Disable Symantec Antivirus and Windows Defender before loading DDO (or create exceptions so that they do not scan the files in your DDO directory). DDO uses data files that are >1GB large. If your virus scanner tries to scan the data files completely every time DDO wishes to read from them, your game performance is going to be terrible.

You should also consider the possibility of file fragmentation and defragment your hard drive.

Good luck!

You know, I never even thought about that... and I just tried it and it cut the freeze down to 15-20 seconds... MUCH more managable. THANKS!

[Sibyl]

You know, I never even thought about that... and I just tried it and it cut the freeze down to 15-20 seconds... MUCH more managable. THANKS!

Sorry to reply to this so late... but you're welcome. :)

I agree that 15-20 seconds is way more manageable. My computer usually takes that long to load DDO when I've chosen "Super Duper Ultra High" as the settings. All those enormous textures have to be loaded from disk and sent to a memory cache or the video card when you first start the game.

Don't forget to turn those security programs back on when you're done with DDO. The latest AVG Free let me set an exception for my DDO directory, so I can leave it running now while I play games.

[Altumus]

Another thing to remember, with most security programs you can get the game to work you just have to add exceptions and REmove and REadd them when we update (the file sizes change and often they will see it as a malicious change)