Computer Freezes up in POKFollow

I've been playing EQ for about 2 years now and have never had the problem I am now having since the recent patch. Whenever I'm in the POK for more than say 5 minutes, the screen freezes and the system quits responding. I have to turn my computer off and back on just to be able to do anything. I've checked for viruses and have not found any. I've also heard that a few other people have had this problem. Everything works fine in any of the other lands, just in the POK the screen freezes. I appreciate any help.

I've got the same issue, seems to happen most between the Nexus and Shar Vahl stones. However, I can CTRL+ALT+DEL and end the EQ task instead of rebooting. I do not have mouse control during this time so I have to use the TAB key to navigate. Im running windows XP and I've heard its a known issue.

Great....so it's a known problem. The question then becomes is Sony going to do anything about it. It's only happned with me since the last patch from just a few days ago. Maybe they should test their patches better before releasing them to us. Feel like we are the guinea pigs.

I just threw myself on the mercy of Kao in the forum linked above. Until you get it sorted out, run with your head down (F9 for overhead view). This seems to at least keep my from crashing in PoK.

This is hilarious.

Hehe, tried that, sometimes works sometimes doesn't. Was sitting around the Qeynos Stone (F9 mode), waiting to get FO7 and froze. (Got FO7 though, guess he cast while I was going LD).

Then after reloading, tried to leave, by clicking on the Qeynos Stone, never made it, it was maybe 5 steps from where I was, froze.

After reloading, tried to move again, made 2 steps that I could see, froze.

After reloading, found that I had continued to move and was close to the GD Stone. Turned around and made GD Stone, froze while loading.

Then again, there's been times when I've ran from the druid port in, to nexus and back to small bank with no problems. I believe that there were not that many people on in PoK at the time though.

If there is a MGB, I hit the closest stone I'm close to, to get out before the freeze hits.

Thus far I've crashed 5 times in one sitting trying to get through PoK. Its a pain, a hassle, but for some unknown reason a lot of the people are not crashing and are not headed to nexus to cast KEI, Temp, Virtue, etc. So, if you want those buffs you have to dread the freeze in PoK.

LOL, learning to actually play the game without all the extra buffs is really fun again. Gets your blood flowing, knowing that your not as tough as you thought you were anymore. You don't have all the "extra" hp's, Mana, str, sta, etc, etc...

Gets you back to the basics of learning what you can actually do with a character.

I do the same thing, just keep my eyes on the ground. If I'm looking up and things start to hiccup, I look down and that usually fixes it. The other thing I do that helps is just to stop moving once it starts then I just go forward in spurts until I get to the stone... since I started that I haven't locked up. Veeerrrryyyy efficient way to move around too. ;)

Hmm..this post covers a bunch of possible crash fixes etc.

Okay try these things in this order.

1. Run a Virus Scan on Computer System.

2. If you are coming in through AOL or through another isp like Earthlink turn off your anti-blocker software in each of these as these also can cause crashes and slowdowns. These problems are popping up mostly dial-up modem users.

3. Turn off any software you have running in background that is not essential to running EQ. This will save memory thats being eaten up outside what windows and EQ needs to run.

4. Under Everquest Directory:
Delete eqgame.exe file
Delete any file DX8 or DX9.DLL
Disable any firewall you may have up through Software like Mcafee or ZONE ALARM or set it up in those softwares so EQ has ALL ACCESS granted.

5. Upgrade or reload the following in this order on computer:
DirectX 9
Video Drivers (Most Updated) EQ compatible
Sound Drivers (Most Updated) EQ compatible

6. Make sure the resolution and refresh with video is set same for EQ as it is for WINDOWS in general ie 1024 x 768 and 60 mhz and 16 or 32 bit color. If running 512mb or lower RAM memory then tune down your color and resolution to 800 x 600 and use 16 bit color both in game and in windows.

7. Turn Computer Off Completely.
Wait 10 seconds.
Restart Computer.

8. Go to EQ
Let Patcher run.
Then pick ADVANCED and hit COMPLETE FILE CHECK.

9. Under Options after running patcher turn off all character descriptions to save memory. In game turn off Enviromental Particles, Density, turn Sky down to Simple, Turn down Far Clip Plane. Under Filters just turn on filters you normally use. EQ automaically turns on most everything under filters by default.

10. Also DO NOT use /q in game to exit as this will bring up that eqgame.exe message that haunts you as of the last big patch. Also when you exit do it in full csreen mode. Work around is when you get to connect screen do ALT TAB, then put in info and hit connect then ALT TAB again for those pesky firewall freezes listed above. That pesky eqgame.exe message will also appear if you are corrupted zone files (See below for fix).

For pesky "you freeze and can do nothing crashes in full screen mode" do the following: Play EQ in windowed mode by ALT TAB so if you do freeze up you can still access windows outside of EQ if needed so you don't have to do a complete system start up again.

11. If you are getting the error messages after connecting to game and it appears to be only certain zones delete all those zone files (ie bazaar*.whatever extension-these will be in the EQ directory) for those zones and again do a COMPLETE FILE CHECK.

12. If you are getting the error messages when you are trading with someone or using merchants delete everything in your UI folder and any file that has Trade***** in it. Reload a fresh copy of all UI files if they are not EQ default ones. If they were Eq DEFAULT ones then just do a COMPLETE FILE CHECK again after you delete them,. Also another pesky critter that can cause those message are the files in USERDATA directory.

*****LAST RESORT FIXES*****
If all of these fails then it could be your system speed is overclocked and has to be adjusted through your BIOS/CMOS settings or your chipset on motherboard is not compatible to run with EQ. If its one of these 2 then check with EQ tech forum.

All of these suggestions have helped others solve their crashes.

Hope that helps.
_________________
Gigantuous-65 Overlord of Povar
Grandmaster of 7 Tradeskills
178 AA and counting
http://www.magelo.com/eq_view_profile.html?num=627668

Edited, Thu May 6 15:30:36 2004 by Traderblue

Edited, Thu May 6 15:34:36 2004 by Traderblue

All the mentioned possible things to fix your system are great ideas. However, EQ/Sony has readily admitted the lag/freeze is a bug that they haven't figure out. I highly doubt it is everyone's system, though it may be issues for some. The April patch created this issue and as of yet Sony hasn't fixed it. Since they never quite give you decent information on "fixes" just on upgrades working around it is really the only options.

I personally feel opening up POK to all the world has just bombarded the lag problem and enhanced the bugginess of POK. I wish they had fixed the problem before adding to it but I am sure they work on schedules and nothing really interfers in the progress they have mapped out. Most likely one set of developers for upgrades one for fixes, seperate offices and zero communications. That is they way most companies operate even efficeint ones unfortunately.

I also only play EQ in windows mode. When the lag/freeze hits you never regain control of your curser. You also never get an error message from EQ. You simple freeze. Ctrl Alt Del shows your EQ is not responding but 99.9999% of the time a cold hard boot is the only thing that will allow you to recover.

If you want to see the magnitude of this problem go to www.everquest.com and go to the community technical board. It is extremely large and the CSR's are being roasted over the coals daily for the lack of attention it is getting.