Skyrim only uses 1.7GB - 1.8GB memory ram

[Tok84]

I can't get skyrim running the 2.3GB of my free Ram. 1.8GB is the limit. I found this number (~1800MB) displayed in a tool called ram booster as the 'free virtual memory'. Here's a screenshot.

 

 

 

I think this is related to each other and not just coincedential.

 

Someone please help, as I been unable to find something by googling. I'm totally confused and clueless about that. And i think my Skyrim crashes/freezes are due to insufficient memory...They just appear in very resource expensive areas. (A wide look in the distance seems to be the common thing in these areas/cells)

 

I have vista 32-bit. I tried to increase the virtual memory padding file. Doesn't matter which size, if it's 9GB, 20GB, or 0 GB, if I disable it or set it to automatic, I still get the same information as shown in the screenshot. (Of course I reboot after i change the padding file)

I thought the padding file size determines the virtual memory. :huh:

In my task-manager i get displayed the correct size of my padding file, though...

 

Please SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS on this issue!

[blitzen]

32-bit versions of Windows are limited to using 2 GB of RAM for applications unless you enable the 3GB switch, which is not enabled by default. Try an internet search for "windows vista 3gb switch"

[Yagho]

32-bit versions of Windows are limited to using 2 GB of RAM for applications unless you enable the 3GB switch, which is not enabled by default. Try an internet search for "windows vista /gb switch"

 

But why is my 64-bit Win only using 1 GB RAM ??

[Tok84]

:thumbsup: THANK YOU; THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm so happy, the 3GB Switch did it!! :dance:

 

WHAT I DID:

execute the Command prompt as administrator

type: "bcdedit /set IncreaseUserVa 3072" (type it without quot.marks and there a 3 spaces in total!! missed the one after bcdedit first...)

 

All of my CTD's ARE GONE!!!

I mean ALL OF THEM! I played for an hour and checked all the places, that was giving me the most CTD's (mostly after fasttravelling to them, right after the loading screen. sometimes in combat in the outside world.) It's all good now. Loading times have increased slightly but still totally acceptable. I even increased my shadow resolution back to 2048.

 

I was so frustrated already and scared it's due to my mod-messed-up savegame, but i was heading in the right direction with the Virtual memory. :D the ram booster application still shows 2048MB but i guess it's the LAA in the TESV.exe what's doin the trick to let the additional 1GB kick in.

 

What happens if I set it to 4096 btw? I really don't want to mess around with my windows, especially not now when it's all working as it should. But would that be possible?

 

 

Blitzen really flashed my skyrim world! :laugh:

 

Thank you again, man! I owe you big time. This is THE most important thing I've done to improve my skyrim experience. Can't believe I didn't come across it myself. Really searched a lot

[Tok84]

@yagho

 

Is it using 1GB all the time? best get an app to monitor your ressource usage. or one that displays it ingame. Most of the time it doesn't need much more than 1GB with my configuration. but like i said, especially fast travel, a distant view over a large area and/or dragon encounters let it crash before on my PC.

And if it's running without CTD's or lags, "Don't try to fix what's working!" ;)

[blitzen]

@Tok84 If you are trying to optimize shadows, take a look at this mod:

 

http://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/283

 

The author also has mods for low and high-end hardware setups.

[Tok84]

Thanks for the tip, I'll try that soon. But to be honest, these shadows don't look much different to mine. I have shadow blur set to 7 and the biasscale to 0.2. and now from 1024 to 2048 rsolution. That doesn't look bad at all. But it's hard to tell from screenshots, I'll try it! I wasn't adding any more mods because i didn't want to give my memory even more to load up. But now it's fun as it was and should be. :dance:

 

btw: It's amazing what Skyrim can look like on a medium range PC. I mean i only have less than 4GB RAM i can use, crappy windows-32, a geforce 9600gt and a 2.33ghz processor and still it looks astonishing by now! A buddy of mine comes over later, he's only playin on XBox and he will be sooo jelous! LOL

 

i like the more dynamic shadows mod very much. and RL of course. To me it's more important that the overall look and atmosphere.

 

ah BTW! ok I'm so apart from the subject here, but wtf. Maybe you could give me some more knowledge about this bug, pretty annoying one:

Light sources pop on and of. (think in relation to range and angle )because of shadowbiasscale?

 

 

[Tok84]

Ah, i see. tried it. well I'm not a fan of shadows popping up. I actually like my settings better:

 

iBlurDeferredShadowMask=8

fInteriorShadowDistance=4500.0000

fShadowDistance=4500.0000

iShadowMapResolutionSecondary=2048

iShadowMapResolutionPrimary=2048

fShadowLODStartFade=2800.0000

iShadowMode=4

bTreesReceiveShadows=1

bDrawLandShadows=1

bShadowMaskZPrepass=0

iShadowMapResolution=2048

fShadowBiasScale=0.2000

iShadowMaskQuarter=4

iShadowFilter=3

 

That's the mod's settings:

 

iBlurDeferredShadowMask=20

fInteriorShadowDistance=2000.0000

fShadowDistance=2000.0000

iShadowMapResolutionSecondary=2048

iShadowMapResolutionPrimary=2048

fShadowLODStartFade=200.0000

iShadowMode=4

bTreesReceiveShadows=1

bDrawLandShadows=1

bShadowMaskZPrepass=1

iShadowMapResolution=2048

fShadowBiasScale=0.2400

iShadowMaskQuarter=4

iShadowFilter=4

 

But thanks anyways, I'll keep experimenting with that to find my personal optimum.

[blitzen]

Try messing with these settings for Skyrim.ini

 

[Display]

fFlickeringLightDistance=4096.0

fSpecularLODStartFade=2500.0000

fSpecularLODMaxStartFade=3000.0

fLightLODStartFade=15000.0000

fLightLODMaxStartFade=20000.0

 

I don't have any issues with lights going on and off. I'm using the Ultra settings published by the modder I mentioned in the previous post. You may want to reduce these a little. I have relatively powerful hardware and don't notice any performance loss, but I'm not sure how it would affect performance for your hardware.

[Tok84]

skyrim.ini? not skyrimprefs? Because i only have the maxsettings in the skyrim.ini., the startfade entries are all in the prefs. with the max settings again... bit confusing... Won't hurt to copy the entries to both i guess...

 

I thought i had added the flickering thing, but apparently not... it's either that or light LOD, because my speculary start fade is at 13000. :)) and i don't think that the light lod fade would decrease performance, too.

 

Try to increase specularity max and fade if you have enough vram. my gc can handle 15000 (didn't try more), but i only have 8x anistrophic filter enabled though. yours is probably at 16 so the specular map textures might increase even more in resource usage. in the nvidia panel theres a tab for filter optimization (freely translated). so it will filter only bilinear (actual texture) and not trilenear(specualarity texture map) if possible and no need to. Which probably decreases the costs. Specularity really made a big deal for me. especially without ambient occlusion which make my game lag a little bit. Try to watch the effect at stone walls or houses. the surfaces look much more 3D from a distance. Would be nice if that helps you, since you really made my day with your tips and suggestions!