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Game freezes up, what's happening?

I just got a new computer and installed Steam on it, but Timelines no longer works. I can install it, start to load it, but the game freezes on the Priming Spore Drive part of the initialisation, and the computer reboots. Does anyone have any ideas what's happening? The new computer runs Windows 10, the old computer ran Windows 7 if that helps.
Level 99. Latest Immortal (957): Chancellor Gowron - October 2023.
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Comments

  • ShanShan ✭✭✭✭✭
    Windows 10 is much more restrictive about apps, internet access etc
    So you might need to check if the game is not being blocked by some settings in the firewall and other security features present in Windows 10.
  • Knight RangerKnight Ranger ✭✭✭✭
    Timelines is ticked in Windows Defender Firewall, what else do I need to check? This is the first time I've had Windows 10 so I'm not sure what's different.
    Level 99. Latest Immortal (957): Chancellor Gowron - October 2023.
  • Odo MarmarosaOdo Marmarosa ✭✭✭✭✭
    It may have been a network issue; I'm using Android; had the game freeze while travelling and after a restart had the same issue the OP mentioned at about the same time. It seems to be working fine now.
  • Knight RangerKnight Ranger ✭✭✭✭
    edited July 2018
    Connection seems to be okay, other things like websites are loading. I've just tried another game in Steam and that's okay too and everything looks okay in Defender :\
    Level 99. Latest Immortal (957): Chancellor Gowron - October 2023.
  • Knight RangerKnight Ranger ✭✭✭✭
    Does resolution make a difference? It's on 1600x900.
    Level 99. Latest Immortal (957): Chancellor Gowron - October 2023.
  • [7TW] UnkieB[7TW] UnkieB ✭✭✭✭✭
    Depends on if your graphics card can handle it, among other things.
  • Knight RangerKnight Ranger ✭✭✭✭
    Looked up what graphics it has. AMD Radeon HD 6970. Is that good? The bloke in the computer shop said it would be good for gaming.
    Level 99. Latest Immortal (957): Chancellor Gowron - October 2023.
  • Knight RangerKnight Ranger ✭✭✭✭
    edited July 2018
    If someone can help me get the game up and running again somehow, that'd be great. I've missed all this week's event so far. I was trying to work out myself what was happening last night, but couldn't, hence posting here this afternoon. I've missed 24hrs of the event so far and want to FF Herbert.
    Level 99. Latest Immortal (957): Chancellor Gowron - October 2023.
  • Knight RangerKnight Ranger ✭✭✭✭
    edited July 2018
    Latest attempt: Priming Spore Drive has been onscreen for almost five minutes, the bar just suddenly shot up to a notch near the end and paused again.
    Level 99. Latest Immortal (957): Chancellor Gowron - October 2023.
  • <TGE> Clifford<TGE> Clifford ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 2018
    Latest attempt: Priming Spore Drive has been onscreen for almost five minutes, the bar just suddenly shot up to a notch near the end and paused again.

    It's an issue with your drivers. You'll have to update them, I believe.

    I had the same thing for a month.

    Edit: The blue screen should give you an error code for a second before it restarts, which you can then google. When I proceeded to google it, I learned it was a drivers issue.

    AMD makes good stuff. I actually think I have a similar graphics card? That might actually have something to do with it.
  • FutureImperfectaFutureImperfecta ✭✭✭✭✭
    Is there a Windows 7 mode in Windows 10 ?
    Maybe try that if there is ?
  • Knight RangerKnight Ranger ✭✭✭✭
    Which drivers do I need? I literally know nothing about Windows 10. Only got it because it was impossible to get the shop to put 7 on it.
    Level 99. Latest Immortal (957): Chancellor Gowron - October 2023.
  • <TGE> Clifford<TGE> Clifford ✭✭✭✭✭
    Which drivers do I need? I literally know nothing about Windows 10. Only got it because it was impossible to get the shop to put 7 on it.

    I found a link to a help article by Microsoft that might help you update them:
    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4028443/windows-update-drivers-in-windows-10
  • [7TW] UnkieB[7TW] UnkieB ✭✭✭✭✭
    Another alternative is to install and Android emulator and run the game on that at least until you can get the Steam version sorted. I use MEmu, I know some use Nox or Bluestacks.
  • Knight RangerKnight Ranger ✭✭✭✭
    Before I checked the forum again, the progress bar jumped again (after about 20 minutes stalled) and the rest of the game loaded. Great! Did a few things, then went to do a cadet mission and it froze and crashed again during the warp journey.

    Time to check that article out.
    Level 99. Latest Immortal (957): Chancellor Gowron - October 2023.
  • Data1001Data1001 ✭✭✭✭✭
    It could be just all the stuff it needed to download. First time I ran STT on Steam it took a little while. Maybe you just had bandwidth issues at the time.


    Could you please continue the petty bickering? I find it most intriguing.
    ~ Data, ST:TNG "Haven"
  • Knight RangerKnight Ranger ✭✭✭✭
    edited July 2018
    Would that reboot the computer? It literally bluescreened and then Windows said it had found an error, was sending information and rebooting. I haven't seen a bluescreen in years.
    Level 99. Latest Immortal (957): Chancellor Gowron - October 2023.
  • Data1001Data1001 ✭✭✭✭✭
    No that's something else, then. Ugh, Windows 10. Maybe you should try to find an OEM copy of Windows 7 on eBay or something and install that on your computer instead. ;)


    Could you please continue the petty bickering? I find it most intriguing.
    ~ Data, ST:TNG "Haven"
  • Knight RangerKnight Ranger ✭✭✭✭
    I'm tempted, believe me. Not very impressed with Windows 10 so far. It's better than 8 but that's a pretty low bar to clear.
    Level 99. Latest Immortal (957): Chancellor Gowron - October 2023.
  • <TGE> Clifford<TGE> Clifford ✭✭✭✭✭
    Would that reboot the computer? It literally bluescreened and then Windows said it had found an error, was sending information and rebooting. I haven't seen a bluescreen in years.

    That's precisely what happened to me. I had once it loaded all the way, let me open up the Time Portal, then crashed my computer. It's a drivers issue.
  • <TGE> Clifford<TGE> Clifford ✭✭✭✭✭
    trvhghb3ru8y.jpeg
    zfms7q9sxcos.jpeg

    These were the error messages I received.
  • WaldoMagWaldoMag ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited July 2018
    I am not familiar with windows 10 either.

    I would suggest going to AMD site. Go to support and download latest graphic drivers for your graphic card.
  • Sybok MKIISybok MKII ✭✭
    edited July 2018
    If the PC reboots itself it couldn't be a game's nor a Steam's issue.
    Firstly I would recommend checking Windows update, then your graphic card manufacturer for latest drivers, then as a last hope try to change the location of the game files, if you have multiple local drives (just to exclude disk inconsistencies).
    Also, check if you have enough space available (at least a couple of GB), may be obvious but it's tricky to notice sometimes.
    My two cents 🙂
  • PenguinJimPenguinJim ✭✭✭✭✭
    Looked up what graphics it has. AMD Radeon HD 6970. Is that good? The bloke in the computer shop said it would be good for gaming.

    Are you sure that's your card? It was very good seven years ago, but today it gets outperformed by $100 graphics cards.

    But it was a reasonably high-end card with an enormous power draw! I wonder if the bloke in the computer shop connected both of its extra power connectors and made sure the PC had a PSU capable of supplying it with 250W..? Because fluctuating power from an over-taxed power supply can cause blue screens and PC resets.

    Without knowing the rest of your new PC specs (I assume it's only 'new' to you - it must be a second-hand PC, right?), it's difficult to comment further. Was the other game you tried a 3D game? Have you tried running other games for 30+ minutes?

    If all other games are running fine, then it points to a software issue. 2011 was not a great time for AMD drivers (although they've improved a lot since then), and AMD don't even officially support the 6970 for Windows 10 as far as I can see. Their "legacy" support goes back as far as the 7000 series.

    Sapphire still has links to the Catalyst 15.7.1 drivers for Windows 10, which support your 6970. You could give those a go: http://www.sapphiretech.com/productdetial.asp?Pid=3BC7709B-A457-40C1-A654-D65FE576065F&tag=download&lang=eng

    It's exactly the same driver installation process as Windows 7: download the correct executable for your Windows (i.e. 32-bit or 64 bit) and then run the executable when it has downloaded.

    In the meantime, you can also run Timelines on PC via Facebook.
  • trvhghb3ru8y.jpeg
    zfms7q9sxcos.jpeg

    These were the error messages I received.

    Based on that error you should probably check this out:
    tomshardware.com/faq/id-3128566/fix-windows-error-dpc-watchdog-violation.html
  • <TGE> Clifford<TGE> Clifford ✭✭✭✭✭
    are_dub wrote: »
    trvhghb3ru8y.jpeg
    zfms7q9sxcos.jpeg

    These were the error messages I received.

    Based on that error you should probably check this out:
    tomshardware.com/faq/id-3128566/fix-windows-error-dpc-watchdog-violation.html

    I did, at the time, and now everything's fixed, I was just trying to show OP why I think he's having the same problem, and why he needs to update his drivers.
  • Knight RangerKnight Ranger ✭✭✭✭
    trvhghb3ru8y.jpeg
    zfms7q9sxcos.jpeg

    These were the error messages I received.

    Those were the exact two errors I got too.
    PenguinJim wrote: »
    Are you sure that's your card? It was very good seven years ago, but today it gets outperformed by $100 graphics cards.

    But it was a reasonably high-end card with an enormous power draw! I wonder if the bloke in the computer shop connected both of its extra power connectors and made sure the PC had a PSU capable of supplying it with 250W..? Because fluctuating power from an over-taxed power supply can cause blue screens and PC resets.

    Without knowing the rest of your new PC specs (I assume it's only 'new' to you - it must be a second-hand PC, right?), it's difficult to comment further. Was the other game you tried a 3D game? Have you tried running other games for 30+ minutes?

    Yes, that's right. It's new to me, but it's a refurbished custom-build the shop made for itself however long ago. I'm on social security and can't afford to buy brand-new off the factory line, so tend to buy older tech when they come down in price enough. This was £220 and for what I wanted to use it for, seemed sufficient. The other game was Crusader Kings 2, a strategy game.

    I got this solved in the end. Took the system back in, they anticipated only keeping it a day but it was about four days before I heard from them again. The techie said he put it through every fix he knew but couldn't get it to work with Win10 no matter what he did, so ended up wiping the O/S and installing Windows 7 on it. Worked first time.
    Level 99. Latest Immortal (957): Chancellor Gowron - October 2023.
  • WaldoMagWaldoMag ✭✭✭✭✭
    I prefer windows 7 too.
    My old system still has windows xp. I was thinking about upgrading to windows 7. But I was more concerned about my hardware being incompatible so I did not. Also if I did it was a two step process vista first than 7.
  • Knight RangerKnight Ranger ✭✭✭✭
    edited August 2018
    Vista seemed like it was a step down from XP and was just something they released as a stopgap until they finished 7. I don't know much about the coding, but from an ease of use/features/performance stance, 7 is good, I'd recommend it.
    Level 99. Latest Immortal (957): Chancellor Gowron - October 2023.
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