Oblivion freezes when music changes Help!

[BlackLodgeBob]

Hello! This is my first post on this forum. Ive been a longtime Oblivion addict. Recently, my game has started freezing up whenever the music transitions (ie when a battle happen, zone changes etc). I uninstalled and reinstalled the official patched version, deleted all my mods folders etc out of my oblivion program files and it still does it!

The only thing I noticed that had remained from my previous install was about 140 save games. Should I go in and delete those? I just cant figure this out... Ive got a pretty over the top gaming pc so it runs smooth as silk with the settings maxed before the music changes.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! :0)

 

*update:

Game freezes on music track change

 

Problem

Game freezes for a few seconds when the music track changes within the game.

Cause

Audio codecs that are handling the mp3 rendering on your pc.

Solution

Remove or disable the conflicting codecs. These codecs include, but might not be limited to, Nero, Vodei, Moonlight codecs, as well as the ffdshow media decode

 

I found this online. I have 2 audio codecs (a XFI and a lagacy HD), I disabled the legacy and no change. do I need to fully delete the legacy codec? the only other stuff listed there in the system hardware list are drivers. what should i do?

[dezdimona]

this is from bben a moderator here

 

When you uninstall Oblivion it doesn't really uninstall everything. Then when you start adding mods before you have started the game, some things may not get initialized properly. Here is my recommended procedure for uninstalling and reinstalling.

 

It does not remove your mods, save games or Oblivion.ini or the entries that the original installation of Oblivion placed in your Windows registry. It also does not remove helper programs such as OBSE, OBMM, Wrye Bash, The construction set or any other programs you have installed in the \Oblivion folder or the save game folder. I recommend that you go ahead and delete them, then re download and install the latest version of them again later. After you have verified that the game works.

 

I would appreciate any feedback on this as it is something I expect to post often and I hate to give bogus or useless information.

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Uninstalling Oblivion

 

My instructions assume you are using Windows XP and have installed Oblivion into the default location. If you are using Vista or Linux, the file locations may be different, however, the procedure will be thae same.

 

For a full reinstall, first you can try to preserve your mods and save games. I recommend that you save them in a new folder with a new name. Create the new folder in C:\Program files\Bethesda Softeworks. Name it Old Files. So it will be C:\Program Files\Bethesda softworks\Old files.

 

Then copy the data folder where your mods are to the new folder - do not erase them, copy them. And in the new folder, rename the \data folder to \olddata. Then copy and rename the folder that has your saved games and Oblivion.ini, C:\documents and settings\your user name\my documents\My Games\oblivion to something like \My games\Old Oblivion - this saves your saved games and the oblivion.ini file.

 

Then, using the original CD, NOT the Launcher on your Hard drive. Select uninstall.

 

After it completes the uninstall, reboot your computer - this is important as it allows Windows to remove some references to the original Oblivion.

 

This would be the time to erase all of the helper programs you have in the \Oblivion folder. Such as OBMM, OBSE and some others. The simplest way is to delete the folder completely. The new install will re create the folder for you along with a fresh oblivion.ini and when you start the game and make a save, a new save folder and new \data folder.

 

This would also be a good time to do a file clean up.

 

To remove the registry entries that were left behind. There are several good programs for removing left behind entries. The one I use is ccleaner. Be sure to reboot before using it, and again after. It is free and available here: http://majorgeeks.com/download4191.html

 

Now that everything is cleaned up, do a full defrag on your hard drive to leave a large uncluttered area to reinstall to. This prevents your game from installing in a fragmented way, with parts scattered all over the drive. It also will speed up the install a little.

 

 

 

Now to Reinstall.

 

Again using the original CD, install Oblivion.

 

NOTE: If you are using Vista, DO NOT install to the default directory. Instead make a new directory I recommend C:\Games. Install Oblivion there to avoid the hassle with Vista UAC blocking mods.

 

Before adding any mods, patches, helper programs, Shivering Isles or anything else, start the game and make a save. This initializes some stuff that needs to be initialized.

 

If you are using the Game of the Year version of Oblivion you should not need any patches, skip the patching part.

 

Now, If you DO NOT use Shivering Isles, patch the game using ONLY the latest Oblivion patch. All of the stuff from the earlier patches is included.

 

Be sure you use the proper language patch. If you use the wrong one it may work, but with a strange mixture of languages. (Germanglish?) Or it may crash.

 

NOTE: there are two English Patches UK & US and they are different. (Some people actually think we speak the same language) Use the one that matches your original disk.

 

If you use Shivering Isles, Install it now. DO NOT install the Oblivion patch. Install Shivering Isles, then ONLY the latest Shivering Isles patch. All of the updates for Oblivion are included. There is only one Shivering Isles patch for both US & UK English (Maybe sometimes we do speak the same language.)

 

Now, again start the game, make sure it looks right, move around a little to test it, and make a save. Test to be sure everything is working right (No purple objects or yellow blocks)

 

Before adding any mods, back up both your \data folder and the save game folder. Copy them, don't move or rename them, to a different folder - such as \Bethesda\Clean Oblivion\data and \Bethesda\clean Oblivion\saves. Note that this is a different folder than the one used for your old data and saves.

 

Note, Your Oblivion.ini file is in the same folder, but separate from, the save game folder.

 

Now, if you want to try to run with your old mods, first rename the original folders. The \data folder to \newdata and the \oldata back to \data. this restores all of your mods. You should now have 2 data folders \data, and \newdata in your \oblivion folder

 

To restore your original saves and ini file, rename the new My Games\Oblivion to something like \New Oblivion. and the \Old oblivion to \oblivion - this restores all of your saved games and your original Oblivion.ini file.

 

DO NOT erase the files you renamed. These are your backup files in case the original mods do not work or give you the same problem.

 

If you have the same problem, it is most likely caused by a mod. However, you now have a clean install to fall back on. You can rename the files back to what they were and be back to your clean install without having to reinstall again.

 

Sounds like lots of work, but you will have a clean install and a back up clean install when you are finished.

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If you look in the Oblivion/data folder and see a bunch of .dds files, .nif files, .mp3 files they are in the wrong place. You need to MOVE them to the proper folders.

.dds to the textures folder

.nif to the meshes folder

.mp3 to the sounds folder

.wav to the sounds folder

 

[BlackLodgeBob]

thanks for the advice! i actually got my version of oblivion from direct 2 drive so I cant do the CD boot thing. either way, when I uninstalled I made sure to go in and delete everything out of my oblivion folders and i moved my save games to preserve them. after uninstalling I ran CCleaner and its registry cleaner (just like a restart) when I reinstalled i just dropped them save games back in after i installed shivering isles. my game load up time is very fast, and I only used a couple mods for gameplay. i updated the X-FI audio codec and disabled the legaxcy codec and its still doing it...

[dezdimona]

ok I know D2D has some specific problems, but I'm not familiar with them...sorry :confused:

[BlackLodgeBob]

ok I know D2D has some specific problems, but I'm not familiar with them...sorry :confused:

 

well the game worked properly for a long time from the D2D oblivion. It comes in the patched version when you download it.

[Qwaxalot]

ok I know D2D has some specific problems, but I'm not familiar with them...sorry :confused:

 

well the game worked properly for a long time from the D2D oblivion. It comes in the patched version when you download it.

 

After you reinstall, and before you reactivate any mods, you should start a new game, test it, and save it.

 

If it works correctly, that rules out issues with the game.

 

If the audio problem persists with vanilla Oblivion, it points to a hardware issue.

 

Updated sound card drivers?

 

Codecs? Google Nightmare's Codec reset utility

 

:wallbash:

[BlackLodgeBob]

For shits and giggles I went and ran Morrowind. It is having the same problem!! I unistalled GOTY eidition from CD and its still doing it.... Its got to be something with my audio drivers or something but now both Oblivion and Morrowind are doing the same problem freezing when music changes!!! PLEASE HELP

[BlackLodgeBob]

Codecs? Google Nightmare's Codec reset utility

 

:wallbash:

 

 

 

THAT FIXED MORROWIND!!! I BET IT FIXED OBLIVION TOO! (ill know when oblivion finished downloading again from D2D thanks soooooo much

[Qwaxalot]

I am glad that worked for Morrowind, I'd like to know if it worked for Oblivion as well. Thanks