Wayfarers of Veeshan

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Drexxell , 71st GNecrOMancEr -- Wielder of ()
Druul , 60th Troll Shaman () + Wielder of and
Driss, 51st Dwarf Priestess of Brell Serilis
Dralia, 36th Erudite Enchantress

Follow steps and post your dxdiag and msinfo - someone might see something obvious. You never know.

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-- Mindbender Llaffer Outloud
L70 ENC
<select name=Skills>
<option>78 past 1750
<option>272 from 2100
<option>Jewelry:300+Trophy
<option>Tailoring:259+Geerlok
<option>Pottery:256+Geerlok
<option>Smithing:256+15%
<option>Fletching:254+Geerlok
<option>Baking:252+Geerlok
<option>Brewing:251+Geerlok
<option>Research:202+Geerlok
<option>Alcohol Tolerance:200
<option>Fishing:182
</select>

Although I am usually loath to try something like this, it may be possible to relieve some of the CPU overhead of EverQuest by using an external program ... .

Suffice it to say that it relieves some CPU load by doing what the technical community has TOLD Sony will relieve CPU load, but they've never implemented.

We're forced to 'play nice', but they aren't.

This program DOES NOT change the EQ code or look at data, etc.

One of the device driver problems may also be the sound card, some onboard sound cards may not be fully supported, thus the screeching noise shortly before shutdown you may try updating drivers or just disable and add a soundblaster (still the best multimedia card in my humble opinion). As for ATI you can go do display adapter and set it to standard super vga ( or close to that) then go to add remove programs and remove the ATI program (if) it shows up there reboot should have basic graphics and install new drivers.

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If nothing seems to be going your way, choose another direction.

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Trapped in Veeshan. Send food.

First, I know the guy who wrote EQPlayNice. It doesn't alter EQ in any way other than to add a sleep cycle at a critical point in the code, thereby reducing CPU usage. He's emailed SOE several times and offered to share the problem/solution with them, free of charge. SOE has yet to reply, or fix the problem.

Second... it definately sounds like a modem problem. Modem and sound cards are structurally very similar, both in circuitry and in drivers. If you think about it, when you pick up the phone when the modem is connected you hear a bunch of screeching tones... the modem translates that into data.

Big question, does your PC have onboard (built on to the motherboard) sound and modem? If so you're best bet is to disable the onboard modem from the system BIOS and replace it with a modem card. Don't go cheap or you'll have that CPU usage problem SOE talked about in their email. Get a v92 US Robotics or similar.

As to the video drivers, just install the new ones over the old. I've never had any problems doing that on an XP system... and have even done it on 98/Me computers with no errors.

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Epic Lord Protector of Marr
Knight of Truth
Steel Warrior
Ranger of Seru


Slightly Waterlogged Wizard

So far I have:

1) Taken the 'puter back to tech support at Best Buy where I bought it. They did a quick diagnostic and found no hardware problems. They indicated that the "screech and reboot" issue sounds very much like it is software based, not an issue with the puter.

2) On the recommendation of the Best Buy guys, I uninstalled and cleanly re-installed EQ. After patching for about 14 hours, I finally got in the game. I was able to get the computer to freak out and re-boot in record time...about 15 seconds after getting in the game. This time there was no "screech", just a full scale reboot. After getting back from that crash, I got into the game and was able to get the "black screen of death: You have been disconnected" within about a minute. So both my problems continue.

3) I'm going to be fiddling with a few things in EQ today, on the recommendation of the EQ tech support guys, and based on what y'll have said here. One thing that I'm curious about is whether my mouse is to blame. It's a new laser-pointer mouse, rather than one with a tracking ball. I may be jumping to conclusions, but I think I was moving my mouse every time I rebooted.

And, the capper...I'm getting a cable modem put in on this machine tonight.

More info later.

Drex

_________________
Drexxell , 71st GNecrOMancEr -- Wielder of ()
Druul , 60th Troll Shaman () + Wielder of and
Driss, 51st Dwarf Priestess of Brell Serilis
Dralia, 36th Erudite Enchantress

I have a laser pointer mouse, have had since I started playing EQ. Be sure all your drivers are updated. The last major problem I had turned out to be an out-of-date mouse driver. Go the manufacturer's site, not the Windows update site for drivers.

I bought the Compaq "built for gaming" howitzer of a computer for playing EQ and I bought it at Best Buy. When I told the sales person I wanted it to play EQ, he tried to sell me a low end, non-hopped up, absolutely horrible for EQ, PC. (I say this with all the love in my heart tho, because I really am a Best Buy fan and shop there all the time.) I went to Billette (RL friend and EQ computer guru) and asked him what my wish list should be ... he told me ... I got exactly what he said (and the sales guy said ... what are you going to do with this computer that you need all that stuff??!!!) and I have been absolutely thrilled with the PC.



Been playing EQ ever since

I wish you all the luck in the world, Drexx. I know it is very frustrating when the PC doesn't work like you need it to (my old one was insufferable).

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Kithrana Lifeweaver
Cleric of Tunare

I'll be ordering parts for 2 new PCs that I'll be building next week. I'll post information on them when I have the pieces.

This is going to be one of the most top of the line machines that you've seen

_________________
-- Mindbender Llaffer Outloud
L70 ENC
<select name=Skills>
<option>78 past 1750
<option>272 from 2100
<option>Jewelry:300+Trophy
<option>Tailoring:259+Geerlok
<option>Pottery:256+Geerlok
<option>Smithing:256+15%
<option>Fletching:254+Geerlok
<option>Baking:252+Geerlok
<option>Brewing:251+Geerlok
<option>Research:202+Geerlok
<option>Alcohol Tolerance:200
<option>Fishing:182
</select>

I utilize a small shop in Portland and the tech that works/installs new stuff plays EQ and I request that he does the work on mine.

So far, except for char and UI files getting corrupted, I've had no problems.

Mal

Just updated the Keyboard driver from HP, the video driver from ATI, and the Soundblaster driver from Creative. No mouse driver update that I could find.

trying now...

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Drexxell , 71st GNecrOMancEr -- Wielder of ()
Druul , 60th Troll Shaman () + Wielder of and
Driss, 51st Dwarf Priestess of Brell Serilis
Dralia, 36th Erudite Enchantress

...and finally (after 3 hours with the cable guy) got the cable modem installed.

Played ok..wasn't the spectacular speed up I expected. Then, upon camping Drexxell, I got a new message "Everquest has detected that your client may have crashed...click here to send us information so we can help diagnose this and fixe it...etc etc.." and then the computer rebooted.

I'm about THIS close to quitting EQ for good. I hate SOE more than I've hated anyone else in my life.

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Drexxell , 71st GNecrOMancEr -- Wielder of ()
Druul , 60th Troll Shaman () + Wielder of and
Driss, 51st Dwarf Priestess of Brell Serilis
Dralia, 36th Erudite Enchantress

I have gotten that message a few times before Drexx. /shrug

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Xandamir - 57th level Templar (Ranger Rezzor)
Perisai Troublemaker - 56th level Sacrificial OUTRIDER
Pulkaria - 54th level Beastlord (Furry Ranger)
Nealyn Prae - 43rd level Druid (Ranger Wannabe)
Calithe - 47th level bardling (Never wanted to be a ranger)
Nessah - 37th Level Ranger Mezzer