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FSO jittery, lagging, then crashing - UPDATE

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DR_C2:
Hello all,

I am having an issue with FSO, and would really appreciate your help . First, let me say that all of you that have worked on the FSO product have done an amazing job. The incredible improvement in the environment inside the game is stunning. However, that very improvement may be what is causing my difficulty.

Here is some background.

1. Downloaded Turey's installer on 8/28/07 (Ver 3.6.9).
2. used jr's walkthough and followed the recommendations on setup.
3. downloaded an updated OpenAL

System specs:
HP Pavillion a522n
Intel 1.6Ghz P4
512 MB DDRAM
on board video card (845G chipset)
Realtek AC97 sound card (also on board)

FS2 retail (from Turey's install) runs perfectly, no glitches, when launched from the launcher or the EXE. I own retail FS1 as well and it runs just fine.

FSO however, allows me to initiate, get through the briefing, launch and will allow me to get into the mission., BUT.. the first time I  get too close to a cap ship or near to an explosion of anything larger than a cargo container, the game will lag (screen freezes, but the game keeps running) and eventually go black (crash). At this point after about 15-20 seconds, the FS screen will minimize, (1/4 of the screen) and the ubiquitous "Freespace has encountered an error and must close" box pops up. This occurs in the FS2 main campaign, FS Port running a mission from FS1, Derelict, and Awakenings. I have been able to get three or four missions in, but the first time a look at an explosion funny, it goes down.

I have been looking at your boards over the weekend, and have been trying to make sense of the various fixes, as this doesn't seem to be that unique of a problem, so here is the latest of what I tried

1. downloaded latest drivers for the Intel chipset.
2. downloaded the latest sound card drivers.
3. in the launcher, tried at various times doing the following to get the mission to play through;
    a. chose NO MOD
    b. moved the mediavps folder out of the Freespace 2 directory (to prevent the program accessing it)
    c. in the launcher, set the graphics to low
    d. in the launcher, chose  default FS2 in the features 'easy setup'
    e. in the launcher, selected disable vertical sync
    f.  tried switching from openGL to D38, and back (open GL runs longer into the mission, but there are strange streaks emanating form the ships and objects, and the game still eventually stutters to a stop and crashes)

In desperation I even trashed the install and re-downloaded the whole thing again today, still getting the same results.
I realize the video card is a piece of junk, but is there anything else I need to try before I spend an evening with my hands inside my computer???

I really appreciate your assistance.

Thanks

06 Sep 07
Success!

Nvidia 5200 256MB PCI adapter and 512MB additional RAM - VA cost me $30 from a co worker that builds computers for fun (card had never been used), and he threw in the RAM from a unit he was cannibalizing. anyway, lots cheaper than retail and replacing the computer right now.

Ran the setup CD (after telling windows 'found new hardware' to take a hike), setup the launcher again with open GL, 1024X768, etc. etc. ran an FSPORT mission in FS2 default settings just to make sure,  Have since gone back in and am adding effects as i go , have most of them turned on now, and it runs like a champ!! Have run missions from Derelict, FS2 main, Cardinal Spear, Awakenings and a couple of others , screen didn't stutter once.

Thanks a lot for your help folks. Time to go kill some Shivans. Except now I want a BIGGER monitor,. Can't get over what a job all of you have done on the graphics!!!!

Turey:
You've already done everything I can think of.

jr2:
Get new graphics card drivers... from HP's website for your computer if that doesn't work, get a better graphics card (uninstall the drivers for your old GFX card, disable it in the BIOS, and shut down, put the new one in).  Should take you 30 mins - 1 hr. ;)  It's actually pretty easy IMHO.  Just make sure your new GFX card is the right type (AGP, PCI, or PCI-E, none of which are compatible with each other).  Actually, I just checked, you'd have to go with PCI (not PCI-E, which is way more common).  Sucks that you can't at least upgrade to AGP... :ick:

karajorma:
That on board card should run in D3D if not in OpenGL. Run the debug build in D3D and tell us what happens.

taylor:
The problems that you described are known issues with older Intel video drivers.  Please make sure that you actually have the newest ones, and grab them from Intel's website rather than HP's (in case that's what you did).

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