System crash and speaker issues under Windows 10

[Expack3]

I recently tried running the latest stable version of The Dark Mod (v. 2.03) with EAX support enabled and Stereo selected from the in-game options menu under Windows 10 Pro x64, only to discover certain missions install and let me get all the way to the "Mission Loading" screen, but cause portcls.sys to experience an unrecoverable crash; furthermore, the crash always renders the front two speakers (those used by a Stereo setup) to be permanently muted until I reinstall my soundcard drivers. The only way to resolve this issue is to turn EAX off.

 

My system specifications are as follows:

 

• Operating system (OS): Windows 10 Pro 64-bit

• Processor (CPU): Intel Core i7 4770 @ 3.40GHz

• System memory (RAM): 24.00 GB Dual-Channel DDR3 @ 793.1MHz

• Hard drives:

  • ​Hard disk drive (HDD): 2TB Dell

  • Hard disk drive (HDD): 1TB Western Digital

  • Solid State Drive (SS): 256GB Dell

• Video card (GPU): AMD Radeon R9 270 w/2GB memory

• Sound Card: Creative SoundBlaster X-Fi Titanium Fata1lity Professional

Edited August 1, 2015 by Expack3

[stumpy]

turn off EAX, as its likely thats whats causing the crash, most of the maps are not setup to actually benefit from EAX cause most can't get EAX to work to put the reverb into the location settings.

[Expack3]

turn off EAX, as its likely thats whats causing the crash

I see I didn't add that key detail into my report, as that's the first thing I did after discovering this issue - which, of course, fixed it.

 

most of the maps are not setup to actually benefit from EAX cause most can't get EAX to work to put the reverb into the location settings.

Unless EAX support is actually being phased out, my issue is still an issue - the game shouldn't be causing a core OS file to fail with an option available from the in-game menu.

Edited August 1, 2015 by Expack3

[Bikerdude]

Unless EAX support is actually being phased out, my issue is still an issue - the game shouldn't be causing a core OS file to fail with an option available from the in-game menu.

It is, at 'some point' we will be implmenting openAL.

[Expack3]

It is, at 'some point' we will be implmenting openAL.

Good to know. It would be nice, though, to have the feature disabled so people don't enable it and run into similar problems.

 

It's also good to know that the game uses DirectSound for EAX support. For me, that's as simple as using Creative's ALchemy DirectSound wrapper utility to add support...which actually causes another issue which I had previously encountered on Windows 8, strangely without the need to utilize ALchemy, and am now able to replicate under Windows 10. Same settings as for this issue, but instead of the severe problem I encountered previously, the missions just go back to their difficulty selection screen instead (except for A Score to Settle, which just goes back to the main menu).

 

Also, by OpenAL you wouldn't happen to be referring to OpenAL Soft, which only has a partial software implementation of OpenAL's EAX implementation (referred to within OpenAL itself as EFX)?

[Bikerdude]

(referred to within OpenAL itself as EFX)?yes#

Yes.

[HMart]

Good to know. It would be nice, though, to have the feature disabled so people don't enable it and run into similar problems.

 

It's also good to know that the game uses DirectSound for EAX support. For me, that's as simple as using Creative's ALchemy DirectSound wrapper utility to add support...which actually causes another issue which I had previously encountered on Windows 8, strangely without the need to utilize ALchemy, and am now able to replicate under Windows 10. Same settings as for this issue, but instead of the severe problem I encountered previously, the missions just go back to their difficulty selection screen instead (except for A Score to Settle, which just goes back to the main menu).

 

Also, by OpenAL you wouldn't happen to be referring to OpenAL Soft, which only has a partial software implementation of OpenAL's EAX implementation (referred to within OpenAL itself as EFX)?

No need to use Alchemy on TDM it already uses OpenAL (the Creative one not the OpenAL soft one) is just a matter of enabling it on the Darkmod.cfg BUT there's no reason to, like said above none of the TDM missions use EAX, there was a demo map back then, was awesome on EAX, but none used it to make EAX for their missions (because many players don't have creative sound cards) and right now after many engine modifications it is just unstable so forget it.

 

BTW why is that option still visible on the menu? If is very unstable and do not work then imo it should be removed also for the sake of TDM reputation, we don't want people think it crashed because of bad programing on TDM team part do we?

 

 

p.s - I remembered You can enable OpenAL separated from EAX it's good if you want to use it instead of the OS sound system, i use it to make Rapture3D work on TDM, for people that don't know is a software that makes sound using HRTF on headphones (search on google) for a fantastic Virtual surround sound.

Edited August 2, 2015 by HMart

[Bikerdude]

there was a demo map back then, was awesome on EAX, but none used it to make EAX for their missions (because many players don't have creative sound cards)

EAX stopped working after version 1.2 I think, and thats another reason why a lot of mappers didnt include it in ther maps.

[HMart]

EAX stopped working after version 1.2 I think, and thats another reason why a lot of mappers didnt include it in ther maps.

Ah ok, but Bikerdude why let that option be there for so long? It doesn't do anything and just crashes the game, imo you guys should remove the EAX menu option and instead use something like "Enable OpenAL" for the ones that want it, at least that is somewhat useful.

[Bikerdude]

imo you guys should remove the EAX menu option and instead use something like "Enable OpenAL" for the ones that want it, at least that is somewhat useful.

Good point,

 

@SteveL how hard would it be to remove the option for the time being..?

[SteveL]

Probably not hard at all (I've never changed a menu, but it can't be hard to do).

[lowenz]

It's a known problem of X-Fi and Win10. Try these drivers and DON'T disable the fast boot/hybernation (or you'll lose settings)

 

http://forums.creative.com/showthread.php?t=720562

Edited August 4, 2015 by lowenz

[Bikerdude]

1. It's a known problem of X-Fi and Win10. Try these drivers http://forums.creative.com/showthread.php?t=720562

2. and DON'T disable the fast boot/hybernation (or you'll lose settings)

1. Thanks for the heads up.

In the OS (where is that setting located) or in the bios..?

[lowenz]

OS

 

[Expack3]

It's a known problem of X-Fi and Win10. Try these drivers and DON'T disable the fast boot/hybernation (or you'll lose settings)

 

http://forums.creative.com/showthread.php?t=720562

I didn't realize Daniel_K'd released a newer version of the drivers today. Thanks for the heads-up!

 

Also, why the heck would I disable the new fast boot system? It makes my computer boot as fast as my smartphone (my OS files are on my SSD)!

[HMart]

Is really maddening to me that a third party not in anyway supported by Creative (even one time threatened with litigation by them) is the one that gives better driver support for Creative sound cards, including making old sound cards work on new OS's, why people still buy Creative sound cards is beyond me.

[lowenz]

Yeah, my X-Fi is working on Win10 flawlessy. And the old Audigy 2 ZS on Win7 too. 10 years of life

Edited August 4, 2015 by lowenz

[Expack3]

The updated Daniel_k drivers fixed the crashing issues. Now, the affected missions, while they'll only load with EAX off, they now gracefully crash to the difficulty select screen or, in the case of A Score to Settle, to the main menu with EAX on; when this occurs, all audio is muted within the game - and only within the game - until it is restarted.

[Bikerdude]

Well I installed the D_k driver and Im geting no sound from my Xfi... :-/

[lowenz]

It the card supported? Check the support list!

[Bikerdude]

It the card supported? Check the support list!

There is a fix for it untill MS/Creative get thier act together -

 

- http://forums.thedarkmod.com/topic/17310-windows-10-support-thread/