Crash to Desktop

[Ikeren]

I sometimes have random crash to desktop errors where everquest just shuts down,as if I had hit alt-F4 or clicked the little X in the corner. I'm not sure what causes this, but it seems some zones I'm more prone to having it happen.

Anyone suggest a program I could use to even start to try to determine what the problem is, much less fixing it?

[trevius]

Normally random crashes are due to the multi-core CPU known issue. Check that section in the FAQ in my sig and maybe try some solutions from there. Normally you can fix it just by using compatibility mode, but if that doesn't work, updating CPU drivers, making sure your Windows updates are current and maybe a few other tweaks should get that fixed.

[Ikeren]

Thank you. My laptop is a dell inspiron 1501, so no dual core (at least, I don't think there's a dual core)---but it does have an AMD Processor (and Vista), so I'll try your recommended fixes.

[Ikeren]

Alright:

5. Select 'Set Affinity' and then chose CPU 0

I did this, launched EQgame exe, and it wouldn't let me log in; I'd get to Char select and crash every time. When I launched eqgame.exe and went back to restore the affinity to both 0 and 1, it had already automatically done so.

Next, I tried to set compatability to something other than Windows Server 2003 (Service Pack 1). All of them crashed me at character select.

Lastly; I downloaded the AMD Dual-Core Optimizer Version 1.1.4, from the site you linked to, (There wasn't anything entitled "CPU Optimizer" so it might be an out of date link), and now I crash on about 75% of zonelines instead of randomly about once every 2 hours and randomly on ~10% of zonelines.

Not sure what else to do; now it's working way less then it was before. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Ikeren]

Also; I looked into this, but it doesn't work:

Disabling CPU Throttling (AKA Cool N' Quite):
1. Right Click on your Desktop --- Check
2. Select Properties --- No properties, only personalize
3. Click the Screen Saver tab --- Check
4. Click "Power..." in the lower right --- here's where it starts to look different from what you suggest; not really sure where to go with it: http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/7636/bugsc.jpg

5. Select "Always On" from the Power Schemes Drop-Down box
6. Click OK on both windows.

So now I've downloaded Set Affinity 2 and forced eqgame.exe on to Affinity 0, let's see if this works.

And nope; still crashing. Figures I'd try to fix a random crash bug that happens at most once every hour or two and end up unable to log in at all.

[Ikeren]

Alright, spend a couple hours using combinations of Affinity 0, Affinity 1, Affinity 0+1 and various compatability modes. Windows 95 wouldn't even launch EQ, and the only time I was ever able to log into EQ was Affinity 0+1+Windows 2003---and only once in 4 attempts, at which point I crashed while zoning.

I also have Automatically Update enabled, so I'm pretty sure all my windows update stuff is up to date.