4500MHD (GM45): Full on freezes when running older games (KOTOR, CS:Source in DX8 mode)

[JDoe10]

Hi there!

There seems to be something wrong with my 4500MHD: Newer games run quite well, but some older ones cause the machine to full-on freeze - the picture freezes and the sound loops the last few milliseconds. The system no longer responds to any keypresses at all...

The most glaring example is Counter-Strike Source: On regular settings it runs perfectly fine for hours on end, but if I run it in DX8 mode (via the command line switch) for higher FPS, it freezes after an hour or so.

I'm running the latest driver version according to Lenovo System Update... are non-Lenovo (i.e. straight from Intel) drivers better/more stable in this regard? Any other ideas as to fixing the issue? Maybe it's as simple as a setting somewhere...?

Thanks in advance...

-edit- Found another one: Command&Conquer Generals: Zero Hour does exactly the same thing. Downloading the original Intel drivers to try out now...

Also: The freezes occur on my XP installation (dual boot) too

[idata]

There are many possible reasons for the problem you are having, the most likely being a compatibility problem with the older technologies required by those games. You can find a list of all supported games here:

http://www.intel.com/support/graphics/sb/CS-029450.htm http://www.intel.com/support/graphics/sb/CS-029450.htm

If you are running Windows* XP, you can attempt disabling hardware acceleration by Right Clicking the Desktop > Properties > Settigns> Advanced > Troubleshoot.

You can also try editing the 3D option on the Graphics Control Panel. (Ctrl+Alt+F12).

[JDoe10]

Hi Jose,

I've been testing the latest straight-from-Intel version of the GMA driver, and the problem seems to have disappeared. Looks like the Lenovo OEM version of the display driver may have been causing the problems.

Unfortunately the Intel driver won't allow me to change my display brightness outside of the system control panel (hotkeys are disabled without the Lenovo driver), but I suppose that's better than freeezs

Thanks for the help... I'll be back if I have another freeze

[JDoe10]

After some testing: The newer drivers seem to have helped, but the freezes still occur - just nowhere near as often. I'm assuming a driver problem, because the system is:

-100% Prime stable

-Very cool - rarely over 60°C at full load

-RAM tests fine with Memtest

-Newer games run flawlessly unless they're set to run with older DirectX versions

Can nobody confirm?

[JDoe10]

No ideas? I just downloaded the newest version of the driver (x.x.2555) and will be testing it, but my hopes aren't particularly high due to there being no mention of my issue being resolved in the release notes.

On the other hand, the automatic refresh rate switching is finally fixed...

-edit- No dice with the 2555 drivers... just froze up again. Refresh rate's also still flipping to 50 Hz, contrary to the release notes.

[JDoe10]

Looks like it isn't just older games after all - just reproduced on Starcraft II... only happens on the map "Debris Field". Any idea as to what the cause might be?

Sure, some glitches are to be expected, but a complete freeze with no other option than a hard reboot is a bit much

[JDoe10]

Well, looks like I'm more or less being ignored - but is there any possibility that this issue is related to my RAM (as the graphics use shared system memory)?

It's been tested with memtest86+ before, but only a few passes...

-edit- It's definitely not the memory - Memtest ran all night without errors. Also tried a clean install of Win7 64-bit (only barebones drivers) and was able to reproduce in Starcraft II, and it occurs on XP as well. If the system wasn't so damned stable in every other respect (PRIME for hours on end, other games both less and more taxing), I'd think it was a hardware problem.

Doesn't anyone have *any* ideas?

[idata]

Try an older driver. I'm having similar issues with Mass Effect (1 & 2) on the latest drivers. The one that works well for me is 8.15.10.2361 (the latest one I tried - and which failed on Mass Effect - is 8.15.10.2559).

[JDoe10]

So not hardware, just a driver issue, huh?

I'll give it a shot - thanks!

@Intel: Get on the fix!

[JDoe10]

I've been trying to find the 2361 version of the driver for a few days now - no luck. Is there an FTP server with old driver versions or something?

[idata]

Google is your friend (even though they're turning evil these days). Try http://goo.gl/AkRO6 http://goo.gl/AkRO6.

[JDoe10]

Thanks, I've already used Google and found a bunch of pages like that one - that doesn't look like the correct driver though - looks like it's only for "Intel HD Graphics". Not to mention that site looks more than shady... even after scanning with 5 different antivirus suites, I'm not sure I'd be comfortable actually installing a file from there.

Isn't there an official channel for "back issues" of drivers?

-edit- Just tried downloading, the page links to Intel Download Center (this exact link: http://downloadmirror.intel.com/20037/a08/Win7Vista_64_15221.exe http://downloadmirror.intel.com/20037/a08/Win7Vista_64_15221.exe), and that doesn't exist ("The file that you are trying to download has been moved, renamed or archived.").

[idata]

There are a few threads here on ME 2. User Jurassic posted in one of them (http://communities.intel.com/thread/27079?tstart=0😞 http://communities.intel.com/thread/27079?tstart=0😞

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3. 27.12.2011 20:52 in response to: Arathor09Re: Intel HD 3000 and Mass Effect 2I am having the same problem with Mass Effect 2 using the new drivers. Here are some links I found for the .2361 drivers. http://www.wikidrivers.com/wiki/Intel_GMA_15.22.1.2361 http://www.wikidrivers.com/wiki/Intel_GMA_15.22.1.2361http://www.uloz.to/9075924/win7vista-64-15221-exe http://www.uloz.to/9075924/win7vista-64-15221-exehttp://www.mediafire.com/?abbarwxbc2f68iu http://www.mediafire.com/?abbarwxbc2f68iuhttp://filetram.com/download/mediafire/8822962083/wikidrivers-com-win7vista-64-15221-zip http://filetram.com/download/mediafire/8822962083/wikidrivers-com-win7vista-64-15221-zip You can find these by googling for win7vista-15221 or win7vista-64-15221 for the 32-bit or 64-bit version respectively, the driver's filename.

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Try installing them. Afaik your card should be covered by the drivers. If they're not, the installer will let you know.

[JDoe10]

That Wikidrivers site is fantastic - definitely one for the bookmarks, thank you!

I'll install and give SC2 a run later

[idata]

You're most welcome.

I wish Intel would get their more recent drivers fixed... I am running Dragon Age currently on the 2361 driver, but the game works better with the most recent 2559 drivers - only then I can't run Mass Effect (1 or 2), and who wants to keep switching drivers for different games?

[JDoe10]

OK, tried 2361, and it looks like that driver really is only for newer devices - Core i3 and up, pretty much - errors out during install. Maybe I can find a working version on Wikidrivers somewhere...

[JDoe10]

Also, it seems that your Mass Effect problem is completely different from mine - yours is only crashing to the desktop according to the thread you linked to. On my setup, the whole machine freezes and is completely unresponsive - only way to get the system running again is to perform a hard reset. I'm thinking we have completely different issues

[idata]

It might still be the same issue, but your system doesn't seem to crash gracefully (if a crash to desktop can be called that). Sorry to hear the driver doesn't work. I'll dig around some time tonight.

[JDoe10]

True, might be the same thing... then again, if I was just crashing to the desktop, I probably would've just installed a different game to pass the time... this issue is just making me have a hard time trusting my laptop not to crash while running some other, more important application. If I could be certain that it's just a driver issue, I'd be completely satisfied, even if the games never ran at all

Thanks again for your efforts!