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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[Kelmych]

My apologies if this is a stupid question....but would moving the windows page file to say...another drive help to free up some RAM usage while playing Skyrim? Again sorry if this is an obvious no but I found some forum with a few users talking about moving/reducing the page file size.

I don't think so. The page file is on a hard drive or SSD, and I don't think changing the drive affects any RAM buffers used for it.

[DoYouEvenModBro]

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[MontyMM]

Please use the search.  This has been discussed a few times, and very recently here.

 

As I asked before, I think it's better if we keep this particular thread for what we learn about the problem itself (if anything), and start new threads for ideas and questions about how to get around it through optimisation and tweaks.

[DoYouEvenModBro]

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[Flytrap]

Hey, folks. Just a brief follow-up to my lengthy testing/suggestions that started HERE earlier up in the thread. If I have to go beyond this short update, I'll start a new thread or tack on to someone else's to avoid getting off topic into optimization as MontyMM requested. As I've only got this tidbit of info, I'm posting it here to avoid confusion and provide closure for those that have been following along by putting it alone in a whole, new, separate thread disjointed from it's parent posts.

 

This is the combination that has been working for me the last couple weeks, meaning keeping highest visual appeal while allowing me to stay below 3 GBs and avoid crashes:

 

1) HRDLC Optimized Hybrid+Vanilla Normal Maps Version. This has made all the difference in the world, and since many of the textures are overwritten, the visual impact is small. Using the smaller normal maps allows me to use the higher-res textures mentioned in #2.

 

2) All normal 2-4K STEP textures EXCEPT NPCs, weapons, and armor. This means no eyes, hair, freckles, feet, beast race skins, Book of Silence, etc. I know, it sucks, but I'd rather have beautiful environments than people since I do a lot more looking at that. Plus, people move around a lot, so texture issues are less noticeable, but the cumulative impact on RAM was significant. A couple of exceptions I have enabled are the Improved Closefaced Helmets, Beards, Brows, Female Vampire Fangs, Breathing Idles, and armors that appear infrequently, like Daedric and Nightingale. By doing this, I have been able to restore all my original environment textures. I said earlier that the difference with them all resized to 2K was insignificant at 1080p, but after lots of this testing, I decided the difference, though small, was worth it to me. That said, further improvement is probably very possible through optimization of some kind, but I am still learning about that.

 

3) Vurt's Hi-Res Pines resized to 4K. 8K are marginally better, as, like I mentioned, I am running Bigger Trees, but 4K strikes a nice balance between visuals and cursing at CTDs. You may find that 2K suits you with normal-sized trees.

 

That's it! Hope this helps someone! Any further updates/trials/etc. will be posted in a new thread if the need arises. PM with questions if needed.

 

Cheers,

Flytrap

[DoYouEvenModBro]

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[Flytrap]

 

Hi, Josh. If you recall our first conversation in this thread, that is the exact test I was doing because I was having similar issues. I hit around 2.8 GB there since making the changes detailed in this linked post and the one I just posted above. As requested above, please PM me with specific questions as to not derail this thread with further optimization talk. If the conversation proves fruitful, we can make a new post with our findings.

[MontyMM]

Thanks Flytrap.

 

It might well be worth starting a new thread on the topic of optimisation and best choices to avoid 3GB, since I'd say there's a very good chance we'll be stuck with it.

[DoYouEvenModBro]

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[MontyMM]

Thanks Flytrap.

 

It might well be worth starting a new thread on the topic of optimisation and best choices to avoid 3GB, since I'd say there's a very good chance we'll be stuck with it.

I think that's a great idea. My apologies for derailing this thread like 10 times. 

No worries - hardly the crime of the century! :P

 

It's just that it's a bit of a monster thread already, and if we get *very* lucky, it'd be good to have a thread focussed on possible solutions, rather than circumvention.

[DoYouEvenModBro]

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[DoYouEvenModBro]

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[WilliamImm]

Actually, reply back. Say that as long as you can get the VRAM to go above 3.1 GB, you can do testing on the crash. Just have them test using really big sized textures in a really high-detail area (looking down from the steps of Whiterun works), and they can reproduce and test the crash without using any mods.

[DoYouEvenModBro]

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