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Lanceor's Quest for Stability


Lanceor

Question

Hello all!

 

First of all, a big thanks to TC and everyone involved with STEP. It's brought me a lot closer to a great looking but stable and playable Skyrim!

 

Unfortunately I'm not quite there yet - I'm still chasing down a couple of random, no error CTDs that happen within 5 - 15 minutes of starting the game. I'm at loss to explain. I'm hoping anyone reading could throw some ideas in the air to help me with troubleshooting.

 

The Problem

 

My savegames start to become unstable around 20 - 30 hours into the game so testing a "STEP only" setup will be kind of difficult. (I did get a character to level 81 before I started modding, so that should rule out anything inherently wrong with my system).

 

There seems to be 2 kinds of crash:

  • Combat CTD - It seems to occur at the moment the enemy AI "wakes up" at combat start. Disabling Cerwiden's SmartCast seems to help a little, but not eliminate the problem.
  • Random CTD - I'm walking along, checking inventory or whatever and suddenly I'm looking at my desktop.
Further info for both kinds of crash:

  • Only happens in interiors, usually dungeons.
  • No error messages before crashing to desktop.
  • Nothing in the Papyrus log to indicate problems.
  • Not RAM related - TESV.exe RAM usage is often around the 1.5 GB mark when it happens.
  • Framerates are fine at 60 fps.
  • Temperatures are nominal.
  • Steam is running in Offline mode.
  • Avast! is in gaming mode.
  • Advanced System Care is used to kill unneeded background processes.
The combat CTDs suggest it may be related to AI or a combat mod. Could it be momentarily overloading the CPU?

 

System Details

 

 

Windows 7 64 Bit

Intel Core i7 2600K overclocked to 4.6 GHz

8 GB DDR3 RAM

2 x nVidia GTX 580, 1.5 GB VRAM, SLI, driver version 314.07

Resolution: 1920 x 1080

Corsair Force 3 SSD (Steam and Skyrim are installed in this drive)

 

 

This should be plenty of horsepower for almost anything Skyrim can throw at it. I've had the CPU overclocked that way since day 1, and got a vanilla character to level 81 before I started adding a lot of mods. The GPUs have plenty of horsepower so I've had no need to overclock it, though VRAM is a bit limited. All temperatures are well within normal limits. Stability seems to worsen whenever TESV.exe starts using over 2.1 GB of RAM (as opposed to the 3.1 - 3.3 GB that others report).

 

Skyrim Launcher Options

As recommended by STEP: Ultra Settings, 4X AA, 16 X AF, no FXAA.

 

nVidia Inpector Settings

(only settings that differ from STEP are listed)

 

 

Ambient Occlusion compatibility - 0x00000004 (Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare) - This works MUCH better than 0x00000029 (Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim)

 

Antialiasing - Transparency Multisampling - 8x Supersampling

 

Texture filtering - Quality - High Quality

 

Ambient Occlusion setting - Quality

Ambient Occlusion usage - Enabled

If Ambient Occlusion setting is set to anything other than "Off", then this setting should be set to "0x00000001 (... Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, ...)". If Ambient Occlusion setting is set to "Off" and you plan 

Maximum pre-rendered frames - 4

 

 

 

STEP mods

I'm using Wrye Bash for installing and annealing. The darkened mods are the ones that I'm planning to remove from my next playthrough.

 

 

2.C. Extenders

SKSE

 

2.D. Fixes

Ancient Nord Armor Fix

Argonian Decapitation Fix

Barrow Button Fix

Bowlegged Jump Fix

Brawl Bugs Patch

Consistent Older People

Dead Body Collision

Fast Travel Timescale Fix

Unofficial Skyrim Patch

Unofficial Dawnguard Patch

Unofficial Hearthfire Patch

Unofficial Dragonborn Patch

Unofficial High Resolution Patch

Acquisitive Soul Gems

Distant Decal Fix

 

2.E. Interface

Altar Descriptions

Better Dialogue Controls

Better MessageBox Controls

Categorized Favorites Menu

CFM-Oni Edition

High Quality 3D Map

Lore-Based Loading Screens

No Boring Wait Menu

No Menu & Loading Smoke

Quality World Map

Race Menu

SkyUI

 

2.F. Conflicting Graphics

HRDLC Optimized - Hybrid (1024 + 2048) + Vanilla NormalMaps

Better Dynamic Snow

No Stretching

Better Rocks & Mountains

Static Mesh Improvement Mod

Skyrim HD - 1024 (LITE)

Serious HD - 1024

HD Miscellaneous Items

Tobe's Hi-Res Textures - 1024

 

2.G. Landscape & Environment

Snow & Rocks HD - 1024

AOF Detailed Mountains - 1024

Skyrim Flora Overhaul

Distant Detail

Enhanced Night Skyrim

HD Enhanced Terrain - 1024

High Quality LODs

Lanterns Of Skyrim

Moon Size Tweaks

Moss Rocks

Real Ice - 1024

Realistic Tundra Moss - 1024

Trees HD - High

Vibrant Auroras

Visible Windows

WATER

Whiterun Trellis Redesigned

Windmills Resized

 

2.H. Characters & Creatures

Bellyache's Creature Pack - Medium

Realistic Hair

AOF Believable Hair

Arvak Reborn - HD

Beards - Normal Resolution

Bellyache's Dragons

Better Beast Races - Lite

Brows - Normal Resolution

Cover Khajiits- 1024

Female Vampires Have Fangs

Footprints

Frost Atronach HD

Ice Wraith

Improved Foot Wraps

Rabbits Plus

Xenius Character Enhancement

XCE-Dawnguard

Better Male Feet

Natural Eyes

 

2.I. Clothing & Equipment

Better Circlets - 1024x512

Accingite Vos

Book of Silence

Daedric Armor & Weapons

Elemental Staffs

Elven Weapons for Silence

Weapon De-LARP Project

Greatsword Sheaths & Scabbards

Improved Closefaced Helmets

Jewels of the Nord

Nightingale Prime

Not Really HD-Mask of Clavicus Vile

Shield of Ysgramor

Ultimate HD Torch

 

2.J. Animations & Effects

Animated Weapon Enchants

Better Turn Animation

Burn Freeze & Shock Effects

Deadly Spell Impacts - Medium

Enhanced Blood - 1024

Enhanced Projectile Soul Trap

Finer Dust

Get Snowy

Improved Weapon Impact Effects

Lightning During Thunder Storms

No Spinning Death Animation

Rainbows

Realistic Smoke & Embers - Medium

Running With Bows

Shooting Stars

Skyrim Performance Plus

Skyrim Sunglare

Ultimate HD Fire Effects

Warmer Magic Lights

 

2.K. Clutter & Miscellaneous

The 418th Step

Better Bones

Designs of the Nords

Destructible Bottles

Detailed Rugs

Enhanced Dragon Bones - 1k

HD Baskets - 512 x 1024

HD Linens

HD Ore & Ingots

HD Sacks

HQ Skyrim Map - 1024

Intricate Spider Webs

New Thinner Torch

Not Really HD-Display Case

Not Really HD-Keys

Pilgrim's Delight

Realistic Paper

Septim HD

Silly Level of Detail-Wine Cellar

Soul Gems Differ

Super Realistic Ore

Sweet Mother

 

2.L. Sound

Better Animal Footsteps

Better Bards

Better Weapon Swings

Clanking Armor

Heart of the Beast

Immersive Thunder

Improved Combat Sounds

Realistic Bow Sounds

Realistic Crossbow Sounds

Smooth Blade Draw & Sheathe

Thundering Shouts

 

2.M. Gameplay

Ars Metallica-Smithing

Clams Drop Pearls

Convenient Horses

Death Cam Duration Options

Disable Thieves Guild Autostart

Drop Lit Torches

Dynamic Fires

Follower Trap Safety

Gildergreen Regrown

Guard Dialogue Overhaul

Move It Dammit

No NPC Greetings

Non-Essential Children

Paarthurnax Dilemma

Realistic Crime Radius

Realistic Ragdolls & Force - Realisitc Force

Run For Your Lives

Skyrim Coin Replacer

Skyrim Uncapper

The Choice is Yours

Traps Make Noise

Wearable Lanterns

When Vampires Attack

 

 

 

Non-STEP mods

Not really that many, but if there's a mod related problem, it could be here. I've intentionally avoided mods that add scripts.

 

 

DIMONIZED UNP female body (no esp)

UNP Blessed Body (no esp)

UNP Female Armors (no esp)

UNP Dawnguard Armors (no esp)

UNP Dragonborn Armors (no esp)

A Sexy Little Apparel Replacer (meshes, textures and one esp - no scripts)

 

Immersive Armors (Levelled Lists)

Immersive Weapons (Levelled Lists)

Isilmeriel LOTR Weapons Collection (esp to add items and constructables)

Grace Darkling's Ranger Armor(esp to add items and constructables)

Nomo's Ranger Armour (esp to add items and constructables)

Nordic Ranger Outfit (esp to add items and constructables)

Triss Armor - Craftable and Upgradeable (esp to add items and constructables)

Cloaks of Skyrim (Levelled Lists)

JaySuS Swords (Levelled Lists)

 

Companion Vilja (Scripts and custom AI)

Cerwiden -SMART Healer (Scripts and custom AI)

 

Better Stealth AI for Followers_Dawnguard (Scripts! AI!)

Sneaky Serana (AI Sneak Changes Only - no scripts)

 

Enhanced Follower Framework (Scripts! AI!)

 

ACE - Archery

ACE - Armor

ACE - Enchanting

ACE - Magic

ACE - Melee

ACE - Smithing

ACE - Speech

ACE - Synergy Bonuses

 

ACE Compatibility patch for Dawnguard

ACE Compatibility patch for Dragonborn

ACE Compatibility patch for Immersive Armors

ACE Compatibility patch for Immersive Weapons

ACE Compatibility patch for Isilmeriel LOTR Weapons Collection

 

Duel - Combat Realism

 

 

 

Load Order

Sorry I can't post the exact load order - I deleted the lot out of frustration yesterday! :wallbash: Needless to say, all dirty mods were cleaned, BSA's unpacked into loose files, sorted by BOSS and rules were created for unrecognised mods.

 

I haven't uninstalled any mods that have scripts, though Skyrim Patch 1.9 was stealth installed during my playthrough (necessitating an upgrade to USKP and SKSE). I kept esp removals and load order changes to a minimum.

 

Things I'll try next

  • I'll unpack the HiRes Texture pack into loose files to be overwritten by mods (previously, I disabled the esps and added HighResTexturePack01.bsa, HighResTexturePack02.bsa and HighResTexturePack03.bsa to Skyrim.ini).
  • Remove all the Z-Fighting ini tweaks that were recommended by STEP.
  • Attempt to change the power plan on my CPU to keep it running at a constant clock speed.
Does anyone have any feedback on EFF, ACE Combat or Duel - Combat Realism? They seem to be the logical places to look for problems but everything I've read suggests that they're quite stable. I can switch to different mods, but I'd rather not play with vanilla combat or follower commands. ;) Hopefully you guys can suggest something else that I can try or offer other nuggets of wisdom!
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Companion mods are the bane of stability.... they may work nice with vanilla, but they always seems to cause issues for heavily modded skyrim installs.

 

As for the memory errors... if one can even call them that... I am a bit skeptical. If you reduce "all" textures to vanilla then they should go away! If they do not.. then it is almost certainly not a memory issue.

(All here relates to texture mods without and .esp)

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I had the same issue with baseline STEP and the crash with the dragon flying over out of the cave. This is on a fully stock non oc'd system. Surprisingly setting iMaxAllocatedMemoryBytes to the recommended value from an RCRN article eliminated all the crashes. 

 

Specs in case you care: 

Mobo: Gigabyte z77x-up5-th

Proc: Intel Core i5 3570K @ 3.2 Ghz (stock clocks)

Ram: 8GB @ 1.6ghz (stock clocks)

GPU: AMD Radeon HD 5870 1GB (stock clocks)

SSD: Samsung 840 Pro 256GB

 

Now the only issue I have is apparently SkyUI doesn't like this setting and will spam you with popups just because. 

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