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.

[Neovalen]

I tried it with Windows 8... my memory usage never got near 3gb.... max was 2500... but most of the time it was lower.

 

Still had a crash on a zone barrier after about 40 minutes but don't think it was memory related as VRAM was below 2700 at the time.

 

Edit: After playing with it for an extended period of time, it didn't help at all.

[DoYouEvenModBro]

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[Vond]

Try setting the first clean after 1min or so then (as you need to load the save etc, pointless if it does it before that). You can set it as frequent as you want

[DoYouEvenModBro]

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[Vond]

I tried it with Windows 8... my memory usage never got near 3gb.... max was 2500... but most of the time it was lower.

 

Still had a crash on a zone barrier after about 40 minutes but don't think it was memory related as VRAM was below 2700 at the time.

 

Edit: After playing with it for an extended period of time, it didn't help at all.

Sad to hear it doesn't work for win8, yet another reason not to update currently for me then

[DoYouEvenModBro]

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[Aiyen]

joshkope: Cool. I'll try restoring the others to 2k and just making SRO 1k and see if it still works. Do you use HD DLC Optimized? If so, which version?

Yeah I use them, optimized as per the step guide. 

 

About the memclean program... then I am still skeptical. It just seems a bit... off to me. I guess if the memory could just be purged without concern then Bethesda would have done that. (I would assume)

But I currently do not have any memory related issues... 

[DoYouEvenModBro]

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[Vond]

joshkope: Cool. I'll try restoring the others to 2k and just making SRO 1k and see if it still works. Do you use HD DLC Optimized? If so, which version?

Yeah I use them, optimized as per the step guide. 

 

About the memclean program... then I am still skeptical. It just seems a bit... off to me. I guess if the memory could just be purged without concern then Bethesda would have done that. (I would assume)

But I currently do not have any memory related issues..

The cleanmem program clearly states it won't work with Win8, so not surprising that it didn't work for Neo. Was worth a shot though obviously. I was very skeptical too and had shrugged it off for quite some time, but it actually did fix my RAM issues, so I'm happy I eventually gave in. And the game does purge itself from time to time when zoning etc (or if you force it with coc), but due to memory leaks etc it goes back up really fast

[Aiyen]

And how would that help with the 3Gb limit if it does not touch skyrims memory ? ;)

Then it would only ever help people with like 4Gb of RAM in total.

 

Also it is wrong to call it memory leaks... since if it was a leak it would progress until a point where it would just CTD all the time no matter what you do.

The only real problem with the skyrim engine is that it is just really bad at clearing out entries it no longer needs. Like it does not need to render stuff behind mountains, some even at full resolution.

[Vond]

It does clean Skyrim's memory

[Aiyen]

yeah it was in relation to joshkope´s response about it does not purge skyrims memory! 

Sorry should have made a quote! :) 

[DoYouEvenModBro]

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[DoYouEvenModBro]

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[torminater]

All of this sounds quite interesting. Could sb do a stress-test with this one? I'ld say drop in Skyrim Redone with highest resolutions and see whether it still helps - if it does, then this is a godsent tool I'm sure to try out.