CTD at 3.1GB

[viking]

Some key posts on this and related threads (experts feel free to note any errors or insights):

• Post #11
• Post #27
• Post #40 (this is where the 500/430 ratio seems to have originated.)
• Post #66
• Post#278
• Post #313
• Post #1 (adjacent thread: Caution about memory optimisers)
• Post #64 (adjacent thread: Caution about memory optimisers)
• Post #68 (adjacent thread: Caution about memory optimisers)
• Post #70 (adjacent thread: Caution about memory optimisers)

Wiki article (draft)

 

Thanks,

STEP

 

OP follows

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First of all I wanted to thank you all for the great work you have done with STEP. Skyrim is the first game I installed on this computer and you guys have made it an AMAZING game. That being said, I have an issue that I hope you can help me solve.

 

My setup:

Vanilla Skyrim

gtx670 w/ 4GB @1080p w/ latest driver

16GB Memory

3770K at about 4GHz

Windows 8 64bit

ENB 149

Ultra settings

Highest available texture/quality

Mod Organizer

Step 2.2.1 + Skyrim Revisited + others

 

I have noticed a post here and there saying that Skyrim can't really address more than about 3.1GB of memory without issues. This seems to jive with my experience, meaning I CTD every time my memory hits that mark, but I couldn't really find anything definitive on the topic. The issue with googling the topic is the pre 1.3 skyrim that couldn't address more than 2gb of memory.

 

My mod list is mostly based on STEP which is why I came here for help, with about ten mods added onto the end (Interesting NPCs, Detailed Cities, Economics, COT, and a couple others). The reason I haven't included my mod list is that it doesn't seem to matter. As long as I keep the memory usage below 3GB I can have pretty much any combination of mods.

 

What I have tried so far (in no particular order):

• resetting ini files
• removing enb
• not using attklt
• only using a new game
• removing all mods and adding one by one until issue crops up
• running as admin
• watching the papyrus log - it seems relatively clean, no obvious errors right before CTD

Yes, I can run STEP just fine without any issues, but I also never get near 3GB of memory. I have tracked VRAM usage as well and have seen a max of 2.7GB/4GB.

 

As an example of where I might run into issues: I start a new character with Alternate Start. I start with Breezehome. Run out of Whiterun, past the Brewry, up the hill to the bandits. Enter the cave (watching memory usage with Elys MemInfo), and it dies right after I see 3GB. I have this same issue not using AS, sitting through the intro, and then running over to whiterun.

 

I'm sorry if this post is all over the place. I have spent more than a week trying to solve this issue, and the only solution I have found is to reduce memory usage. I have got to the point where I can exchange two texture packs and get into the cave without a CTD, but with both I get a CTD. I didn't even think texture packs should even affect CTDs, but I'm relatively new to Skyrim on the PC, so I could be wrong. I also found I could get a bit further with ENB turned off, but would still crash once I got above 3GB of memory. Finally, if I reload a game after a CTD, I can play just fine...until I reach 3GB of memory.

 

I really hope you guys can help. I more than willing to try anything at this point, besides just disabling all of the mods.

[DoYouEvenModBro]

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[Vond]

Atleast they gave you some quick replies, even if it didn't help any. But yeah a 64bit executable is something people asked for since release, I'd consider the odds of it happening quiiiiiiite slim

[DoYouEvenModBro]

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[torminater]

I think it's "bad" memory management. For 32-bit the programming is probably ok (it's meant to work on a Xbox360...) but on a 64-bit system the program is just far too inefficient with loading it's ressources, so if the ressource files are bigger than standard sizes, the RAM gets overfilled with Data which still needs to get processed by the engine. As soon as it fills up the 3 GB the hardcoded 32-bit rules of the exe make the game crash ("omg, too much input, over and out...")

[DoYouEvenModBro]

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[Neovalen]

"The developers have officially moved on from Skyrim and will only be offering small hotfixes here and there for issues. Due to that, a 64-bit executable is pretty unlikely. It's hard to say without sounding rude, we just want to keep the expectations realistic if that makes sense. We do apologize for the inconvenience!"

Thank you for the response Bethesda. Please forward these inquiries to your next development team to plan ahead for a 64 bit binary for your next generation engine. :)

[DoYouEvenModBro]

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[Aiyen]

Just having SRO as 1k should do the trick. At least that is my experience. Got on average 400Mb of RAM freed up by doing that. This of course assumes that the others do not overwrite SRO.

[DoYouEvenModBro]

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[Necrokat]

https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/32363/?

 

i've been using Cleanmem per that^ and it seems to have helped

[DoYouEvenModBro]

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[Vond]

https://skyrim.nexusmods.com/mods/32363/?

 

i've been using Cleanmem per that^ and it seems to have helped

Have you recorded measurable RAM usage decreases?

Figured I'd try this tool out as well, even though I was quite the sceptic. Set it to do it's first clean after 5min and then every 10mins whilst playing. Load up my game, run around Riverwood and I hover around ~2500-2600mb RAM according to MemInfo. 5min laters, down to 500mb. From there it slowly rises again, but as I had it set to do it every 10mins, it stayed low. This tool seems to do exactly what it sets out to do.. Definitely recommend people try it out atleast. I didn't notice any stutter or such whilst the program did it's "memorydump", but that could obviously differ.

 

The guy that keeps the nexus-site updated has nothing to do with the creation of the tool for the record, and it's freeware, so there's no Attk-shadyness going on here. :)

[Neovalen]

The crappy part for me is, I'm on windows 8, and he says it doesn't work for it so I'm SOL to even try it.

[DoYouEvenModBro]

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[WilliamImm]

Bloody hell. You've just convinced me to use those performance tweaks - being a skeptic of those myself.

 

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