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.

[torminater]

ok so youre obviously anti-"ENBoost"

I dont really see what the drawback is. I mean, I use enb anyways so vram probably didnt increase at all for me. Further, im pretty sure that every time ive measured the amount of vram being used by enb with graphics effects and all that enabled, ive only come up with a figure in the 200-400mb range depending on location etc. So, that is with all graphics enabled. If you just use the enb for the "fix" i dont see how it would use even that much memory. But if it did, were still only talking about a few hundred mb, and im not sure im willing to call that a "ton"

As far as DRAM is concerned, im not sure why you think it has not decreased. I have had a huge decrease in system memory usage, per the windows task mgr and elys meminfo. so unless they are both incorrect by a VERY large margin, then youre not going to be able to convince me that my DRAM usage has stayed the same.

 

I'm not anti-enboost. I am just one of the unfortunately very few, that have done some proper testing on this, and therefore I say that enboost in it's current state does not fix the 3.1 GB limit, which is of course 4GB. VMMap is the only utility i know of that gives approx the correct number for ram usage. Unfortunately it's not very intuitive.

[Necrokat]

My testing results were, that none of the versions fixed the crash issues at Windhelm. So either it's a vanilla game instability bug, or it's memory related, and Boris didn't fix it yet.

 

see here: https://enbdev.com/enbseries/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2138&sid=d29444ee30b1a3b875ca482104072e05&start=80

i always crash up around windhelm, but it's at a little hunters camp up in the hills to the left of Brandy-Mug farm. a frost troll spawns at that camp and i usually crash up there.

anyway, i'm using Realvision enb w/ 202 and it seems pretty stable. my vram didn't really change at all but regular ram is waaaay down. used to be like 2400-28000mb. it's now 200-600mb

[Necrokat]

woops. sorry was busy and forgot my whole reason for posting. what are the "crash issues at Windhelm"? thought it might be same as mine w/ hunters camp

[torminater]

From Kynesgrove to tavern in Windhelm with very high res textures.

[DoYouEvenModBro]

ok so youre obviously anti-"ENBoost"

I dont really see what the drawback is. I mean, I use enb anyways so vram probably didnt increase at all for me. Further, im pretty sure that every time ive measured the amount of vram being used by enb with graphics effects and all that enabled, ive only come up with a figure in the 200-400mb range depending on location etc. So, that is with all graphics enabled. If you just use the enb for the "fix" i dont see how it would use even that much memory. But if it did, were still only talking about a few hundred mb, and im not sure im willing to call that a "ton"

As far as DRAM is concerned, im not sure why you think it has not decreased. I have had a huge decrease in system memory usage, per the windows task mgr and elys meminfo. so unless they are both incorrect by a VERY large margin, then youre not going to be able to convince me that my DRAM usage has stayed the same.

I'm not anti-enboost. I am just one of the unfortunately very few, that have done some proper testing on this, and therefore I say that enboost in it's current state does not fix the 3.1 GB limit, which is of course 4GB. VMMap is the only utility i know of that gives approx the correct number for ram usage. Unfortunately it's not very intuitive.

That's so strange. It's completely fixed CTDs for me. I get the occasional freeze but it's so much less than before.

[Aiyen]

Kinda cant talk about the versions several weeks ago. There have been many changes and updates to the memory features by now. And it is the area that keeps getting more love from Boris these days.

 

So far for me it also seems fine.... updated most exterior textures back to full 2k but a proper test run is still required... sadly I have so much fun creating tiny mods atm. that it kinda takes precedence.

[phazer11]

Yeah I'm waiting on your grass textures slacker!. *cracks whip*

[DoYouEvenModBro]

Kinda cant talk about the versions several weeks ago. There have been many changes and updates to the memory features by now. And it is the area that keeps getting more love from Boris these days.

 

So far for me it also seems fine.... updated most exterior textures back to full 2k but a proper test run is still required... sadly I have so much fun creating tiny mods atm. that it kinda takes precedence.

Can you please report back here or send me a PM on whether or not you are able to run stable with full 2k exterior texture packs. I am currently waiting on an RMA for my GPU or else I'd try it myself. I can't wait to get back to full 2k exterior packs though. And btw, you should be able to run SFO high-res pines as well most likely. 

[Aiyen]

I have a hard limit of 2k atm... so no 4k unless that proves stable.

Also I am busy making my grass 2k... and after that properly gonna fix other foilage issues.

Kinda started to get annoyed by SFO´s textures... they are good for vanilla.. but just about every ENB makes them look wrong.

[DoYouEvenModBro]

I have a hard limit of 2k atm... so no 4k unless that proves stable.

Also I am busy making my grass 2k... and after that properly gonna fix other foilage issues.

Kinda started to get annoyed by SFO´s textures... they are good for vanilla.. but just about every ENB makes them look wrong.

Which version of enb boost has proved stable for you? I think I had 0.202 installed before my GPU RMA. I see now he just released 0.206 and I'm sure there will be more updates within the next few weeks. I can't keep up. 

[Aiyen]

I am staying at v.200 for now.. only testing the other versions sporadically every now and again. As you have noticed a new version is coming out every other day.

[DoYouEvenModBro]

I am staying at v.200 for now.. only testing the other versions sporadically every now and again. As you have noticed a new version is coming out every other day.

I just tried redownloading v.200 but the file ends up being v.201. Might be a mistake. 

[Aiyen]

Well tried out a test run with my current setup. Got from helgen to just outside whiterun before the first CTD. That is not too bad!

reload and then all the way until the middle of Bleak falls barrow before I got a CTD there... very odd since I have almost never had a CTD while inside a dungeon. So might be some script or other conflict that is the cause there and not memory.

 

In general it is hard to say if the first CTD is because of memory.. since the numbers are weird with ENB on. I now go roughly 20% higher in used memory (windows the game stuff in background etc.). Guess I could reduce a few AV textures back down to 1k, etc. if it proves a problem. For now it is stable enough... since I have more then 1 hour between CTD´s then its "stable enough" in my book.

[EssArrBee]

I've heard that the v.206 ENB is working much better for the newer stuff Boris added in and has less stuttering that 202-205 had for 64-bit systems. The guy I talked to has a GTX780 though so he might just have a system with the brute force to run it smoothly. I'll try it out a bit later and see whats up with it.

[Necrokat]

As far as DRAM is concerned, im not sure why you think it has not decreased. I have had a huge decrease in system memory usage, per the windows task mgr and elys meminfo. so unless they are both incorrect by a VERY large margin, then youre not going to be able to convince me that my DRAM usage has stayed the same.

 

just so i understand correctly...this 3.1gb thing is about the system ram or VRAM?

and using enboost, my system ram is way down according to SPM. but i'm not sure if i'm looking at the task manager correctly. i open task man, go to performance, and look to the left. there's a gauge called CPU Usage, and under that is another, Memory. i'm looking at that Memory one. is that correct? because the SPM will show at about 600mb, but i'll crash and task manager is showing 4.35 GB or some such