Game freezes within seconds

[Tertisentar]

Whenever I exit Mara's cell into the exterior, what consistently happens is that my screen freezes, though any audio files continue to run. This is consistent regardless of the start-up location chosen, and it varies how long it takes for it to freeze (e.g. 1 sec, 10 seconds, 12 seconds, a minute).

 

I've been troubleshooting a lot lately with my installation, but I cannot seem to figure out what could be the cause of this. Task manager shows about 900.000 K memory with MO another 190.000 K, that feels like a lot, but the system should be able to manage that (i5, 16GB RAM, GTX970).

 

Active load order in MO is as follows. I originally installed STEP Extended and went from there, but since deactivated a large portion of the esp's.

 

Skyrim.esm

Update.esm

Unofficial Skyrim Patch.esp

Dawnguard.esm

Unofficial Dawnguard Patch.esp

HearthFires.esm

Unofficial Hearthfire Patch.esp

Dragonborn.esm

Unofficial Dragonborn Patch.esp

Skyrim Project Optimization - Full Version.esm

Falskaar.esm

Wyrmstooth.esp

MFVM.esm

WinterholdDestruction.esm

CompanionArissa.esm

daymoyl.esm

Guard Dialogue Overhaul.esp

Weapons & Armor Fixes_Remade.esp

Weapons & Armor_TrueOrcish&DaedricWeapons.esp

imp_helm_legend.esp

Clothing & Clutter Fixes.esp

Cutting Room Floor.esp

SkyUI.esp

Appropriately Attired Jarls Redux.esp

TradeBarter.esp

iHUD.esp

Chesko_LoreBasedLoadingScreens.esp

RaceMenu.esp

RaceMenuPlugin.esp

dD - Realistic Ragdoll Force - Realistic.esp

Footprints.esp

Moss Rocks.esp

Moss Rocks_DB.esp

Beards.esp

northern_encounters2.esp

Castle Volkihar Rebuilt.esp

LegacyoftheDragonborn.esp

DBM_WAFR Patch.esp

Rigmor.esp

ExpandedWinterholdRuins.esp

RealisticWaterTwo.esp

RealisticWaterTwo - Waves - Falskaar.esp

RealisticWaterTwo - Falskaar.esp

Brows.esp

ORM-Arvak.esp

WetandCold.esp

Elemental Staves.esp

mintylightningmod.esp

ADS.esp

AOS.esp

Invisibility Eyes Fix.esp

dD - Enhanced Blood Main.esp

IHSS.esp

randomthunder.esp

Improved Combat Sounds v2.2.esp

Auto Unequip Ammo.esp

Convenient Horses.esp

Dual Wield Parrying_SKSE.esp

Lock Overhaul.esp

WetandCold - Ashes.esp

When Vampires Attack.esp

WM Trap Fixes.esp

Dual Sheath Redux.esp

Dragon Combat Overhaul.esp

Extended UI.esp

RaceMenuMorphsCBBE.esp

RealisticHumanoidMovementSpeed.esp

3DNPC.esp

ethereal_elven_overhaul.esp

CollegeOfWinterholdImmersive.esp

Skyrim Immersive Creatures.esp

ImmersiveQuesting.esp

BetterQuestObjectives.esp

aMidianBorn_ContentAddon.esp

RealisticWaterTwo - Wyrmstooth.esp

SkyrimCoinReplacerRedux.esp

Abode Merges.esp

Civil War Overhaul.esp

RealisticNeedsandDiseases.esp

Forsworn Campaign.esp

FCO - Follower Commentary Overhaul.esp

Thunderchild - Epic Shout Package.esp

Skyrim Immersive Creatures - DLC2.esp

MoonAndStar_MAS.esp

Undeath.esp

Hidden Hideouts of Skyrim - Merged - No Map Markers.esp

zMirai.esp

Hebrock_Der Schatten von Meresis - EV.esp

Cloaks.esp

1nivWICCloaksNoGuards.esp

1nivWICSkyCloaksPatch-NoGuards.esp

Hothtrooper44_ArmorCompilation.esp

Immersive Weapons.esp

WeaponsArmorFixes_ImmersiveWeapons_Patch.esp

DBM_IWIA_Patch.esp

Throwing_Weapons_Redux.esp

Complete Crafting Overhaul_Remade.esp

DBM_CCOR_patch.esp

PerkusMaximus_Master.esp

PerMa Expansion 1 - Wintermyst.esp

PerkusMaximus_Mage.esp

PerkusMaximus_Thief.esp

PerMa_USKP master patch.esp

PerkusMaximus_Warrior.esp

Apocalypse - The Spell Package.esp

BCS - ISB - PERMA Patch.esp

BetterQuestObjectives-PerMaPatch.esp

Apocalypse - PerMa Compatibility Patch.esp

PerMaExtendedPerkDescriptions.esp

Apocalypse-PerMa-DefluffedPerkDescriptions.esp

Thunderchild - PerMa Compatibility Patch.esp

Chesko_Frostfall.esp

PerMa_Survivalism.esp

ForgottenMagic_Redone.esp

ForgottenMagic_Redone_PerMa Patch.esp

3DNPC Followers Perk Addon - PerMa Edition.esp

LockOverhaulandPerma.esp

BCSLL-SKYREorPERMA Patch.esp

Oblivion Gates v3 without Markers - Skyrim + Dawnguard DLC.esp

Inigo.esp

RealisticWaterTwo - Legendary.esp

TheChoiceIsYours.esp

HarvestOverhaul.esp

dD-DG-DB-Immersive Creatures EBT Patch.esp

DragonShoutVoice.esp

Improved Container Names.esp

RND_USKP-Patch.esp

Run For Your Lives.esp

CFTO.esp

Better Stealth AI for Followers.esp

Thieves Guild Requirements.esp

Thunderchild - Wyrmstooth Compatibility Patch.esp

CCF_RND_Patch.esp

BrhuceLegacy.esp

Immersive Patrols II.esp

MatureSkinComplexions.esp

MFVM_Hearthfire_Patch.esp

CompanionValfar.esp

ClimatesOfTamriel-Dawnguard-Patch.esp

AgentOfRighteousMight.esp

HothFollower.esp

RealisticWaterTwo - Waves - Wyrmstooth.esp

WheelsOfLull.esp

Drinking Fountains of Skyrim.esp

RND_DrinkingFountains-Patch.esp

3DNPC Alternative Locations.esp

Skyrim Flora Overhaul.esp

Atvir.esp

daymoyl_DawnguardAddon.esp

CWIDawnDragonPatch.esp

BCS - CCOR Patch.esp

Thorald GreyMane.esp

The Paarthurnax Dilemma.esp

Brevi_MoonlightTales.esp

ESFCompanions.esp

ESFAela.esp

Sabrina.esp

3DNPC - Winterhold Mods Patch.esp

MoonAndStar_Undeath_compat.esp

TheChoiceIsYours_Dawnguard.esp

FireAndIceOverhaul.esp

Apocalypse - Dragonborn Staff Crafting.esp

ClassicClasses.esp

TwoRings.esp

ABT - Merged options.esp

Bound Armory.esp

Cloaks - Dawnguard.esp

Wyrmstooth - PerMa Patch.esp

BloodmoonRising.esp

SeranaDialogEdit.esp

UD_Serana.esp

HelmetToggle2.02b.esp

ComplementaryCompanions.esp

TCIY-BCS Patch.esp

Clothing & Clutter_3DNPC_Patch.esp

Alternate Start - Live Another Life.esp

BetterQuestObjectives-AlternateStartPatch.esp

Pre PaMa WAFR CCF CCOR Wintermyst Patch.esp

Pre PaMa Bound Armory Patch.esp

Pre PaMa SiC Patch.esp

Bashed Patch, 0.esp

ASIS-Dependency.esp

ASIS.esp

PatchusMaximus.esp

Dual Sheath Redux Patch.esp

 

[andr920]

I'm gonna go out on a limb and assume you used LOOT to sort through that.

Did you happen to modify SKSE.ini. If not let me know, you will need to configure skse's memory patch and then make sure that it works
That's a lot of mods so running Wrye Bash to make a bashed patch is a must.

[Tertisentar]

Yeah, LOOT for the overall list, then amended manually for special cases such as the PerMa order. Bashed patch is active.

 

 

SKSE.ini currently reads:

[Memory]

DefaultHeapInitialAllocMB=768

ScrapHeapSizeMB=512

 

[NotPlacebo]

GiveFirstBornToSheson=1

 

The SafetyLoad plugin is active on top of this (was recommended, and did solve an issue).

 

I ended up with a succesful run through Helgen actually, by modifying the enblocal.ini after the recommendations on http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/56894/?. This overrided the STEP settings that it was on previously. STEP had me put VideoMemorySizeMb to somewhere in 7000 based upon my system specs, and I now lowered it to around 4k - suspect that may have been one of the flaws. However, now I'm CTD-ing after leaving the cave, have to see what I can do about that.

Edited September 25, 2015 by Uncl T

[ironbender800]

[General]

ClearInvalidRegistrations=1

EnableDiagnostics=1

[Memory]

DefaultHeapInitialAllocMB=768

ScrapHeapSizeMB=256

Those are the correct skse ini settings. Yours are a little off.

[Tertisentar]

Thx again, hope that these make it perform better. (Tomorrow, actually, as it's late now :P)

[Tertisentar]

Well, those settings did make a world of difference. I fixed the ini file, removed a couple more cluttermods that were from STEP which I don't really care about, and now the game is playable. The screen still freezes after a certain time, so it's not done away with, but I do think the reduction is at least play-manageable with frequent saving. Guess I'll just put autosaves on again and see what else I run into.

 

After my first bandit encounter it also turned out that my PerMa install only put in the bare esp's and not any of the scripts, meshes etc, so I took care of that as well.

Edited September 26, 2015 by Uncl T

[Tertisentar]

So, workable or not, I still encounter both freezes and CTD's with some measure of consistency. The freezes happen in exterior cells or when magic effects are in use (not the instant when magic effects are in use, but e.g. when fighting multiple dragons I've needed to look away from their shouts). The CTD happens when switching cells or when browsing merchant/crafting inventories.

 

Does anyone have a *must-be-it* feeling regarding these events with the mod list from the opening post?

[ironbender800]

You have two new world mods....heavy scripts and who knows how many textures. You are gonna have to either eliminate things one by one or just start over.

 

You are probably overloading skyrims engine. Modding skyrim is all about balance.

[andr920]

Freezing usually = memory leak or too much stress on your system.

READ AND FOLLOW THIS CAREFULLY
[Memory]
DefaultHeapInitialAllocMB=768
ScrapHeapSizeMB=512 -> this means the first stack only gets 256/768 and thats pretty bad for modding

 

Either change to what ironbender recommended or try to bump it up a bit (you do have 16gig of ram, you can spare some)

 

[Memory]

DefaultHeapInitialAllocMB=1024
ScrapHeapSizeMB=256 -> this means the first stack gets 768/1024 and this should cover pretty much everything. The 2nd/scrap stack rarely reaches more than 200 so you're fine

NOW before you do this

 

You have two new world mods....heavy scripts and who knows how many textures. You are gonna have to either eliminate things one by one or just start over.

 

You are probably overloading skyrims engine. Modding skyrim is all about balance.

To iron : I disagree based on the fact that his system can probably handle it if my i3 could)
To verify that it can handle the scripts and texture packs I would like you to get Memory Block Logs and Performance Monitor

• For Memory Blocks you will enable it the run the game till you crash. Afterwards check MO's overwrite folder for the log file (inside SKSE plugins folder)
• For Skyrim Performance Monitor, run it and configure to launch MO but still the main app textbox should lead to TESV.exe. Launch MO through it and then launch skse. Run till you crash and check back. You're looking for any instance where your VRAM maxed out.

Report back with both pieces of information. If your memory logs or your VRAM usage show that you're close to the max the you should definitely follow iron's suggestion.

Edited September 27, 2015 by andr920

[Tertisentar]

First I did MBL only

Ran one game, when it CTD'd running through the worldspace the first Memory Block Log gave values until

256 243

 

A second one which CTD upon entering an interior after maybe 15 minutes of play

256 246

 

Then when going through the Performance Monitor, the screen froze aand it didn't save the monitoring, but the freeze happened straight upon the first scene (autosave into vampire attack at Ivarstead). Values were

256 242

 

A replay was identical, same values, and then I screenshotted the monitor: http://i.imgur.com/Evaw92c.jpg

 

It looks to me as if for some reason my game does not want to allocate more than 256 MB to the first block besides the SKSE ini allowing 768 and (bumped to 1024 right before doing these tests). Is there some value in the original ini's or ENB that could prevent this? I'm a tad curious about the second heap reaching 240 as well, but it's not the bottleneck as of yet.

 

To add, Ialso have a hard time believing these two most-used-of-all worldspaces+legacy are the cause, given their popularity, intercompatibility, and which all should well be within my system range. A ton of people run these. Same for Frostfall+RND+WaC, which I've ran on 10yo comps without issues in conjunction with a lot of other content/script-adding mods. Yes the current install is a bit denser, but from what I understand it's still far away from the achievable, and few other things make a consistent impact. (e.g. horses and throwing weapons are simply not part of the current playthrough, or the next few planned ones).

As far as texture mods go the HD texture packs are still on, but I disabled most other exterior retexturing mods, SMIM, and similar performance impacters before seeking help here or in the previous thread. Other texture mods are interior or individual retexturing things like Pilgrim's Delight which for the most part haven't even been part of the game yet.

 

(Until my next free moment somewhere during the week)

Edited September 27, 2015 by Uncl T