Frequent Client Pauses
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Persephone Milk
Very Persenickety!
Join date: 7 Oct 2004
Posts: 870
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11-22-2005 14:25
I have been having this problem since 1.7 rolled:
I am frequently, but not consistently, experiencing brief pauses or freezes in the client software (my computer is not frozen, only the client). They last 5-10 seconds, during which nothing updates and I cannot even type. During really bad periods, these freezes can happen every 30 seconds or so, which makes even chatting difficult - and building almost impossible. It's particularly troubling because it will even occur at my home, in a sim with no other avies.
I am using a GT6600 video card, and I have 1 gig of RAM.
_____________________
~ Persephone Milk ~
Please visit my stores on Persenickety Isle Musical Alchemy - Pianos, harps and other musical intruments. Persenickety! - Ladies Eyewear, Jewelry and Clothing Fashions
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Brendan Ludd
Second Life Junkie
Join date: 1 Jul 2005
Posts: 36
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11-22-2005 15:15
Persephone, I am soooo glad I am not the only one to have this problem. Same exact, thing. Client freezing up, not the machine, but all actions cease and even typing is impossible. I also noticed that this seemed to happen when I used my ALT key and was swinging the camera around and zooming. It could happen anytime, but MUCH more likely to happen when I was using the camera. I did find a work around for this (atleast for me) Hold down Cntrl-Shift and hit 2. This turns off the ALPHA texture rendering. (Do the same thing to turn the ALPHA rendering back on) This was an immediate fix for me. In a packed club, where I was locking up for atleast 30 seconds every 45-60 seconds, I turned this off. No problems from then on. Try it and see if it works for you. Obviosuly this isn't a perfect fix, as the ALPHA textures are important. I noticed with them off, alot of walls and people's hair goes poof, but hey atleast you can play without freezing. Brendan Ludd
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LadyMacbrat Loveless
Registered User
Join date: 15 Oct 2004
Posts: 211
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11-22-2005 15:52
Me three! Not sure if its the time dilation problem that was mentioned earlier.
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Persephone Milk
Very Persenickety!
Join date: 7 Oct 2004
Posts: 870
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11-22-2005 16:03
From: LadyMacbrat Loveless Me three! Not sure if its the time dilation problem that was mentioned earlier. I don't believe that it's related to time dilation because that would effect all users in the sim. I have asked when this is happening to me, and I am usually the only one impacted. Very frustrating.
_____________________
~ Persephone Milk ~
Please visit my stores on Persenickety Isle Musical Alchemy - Pianos, harps and other musical intruments. Persenickety! - Ladies Eyewear, Jewelry and Clothing Fashions
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Brendan Ludd
Second Life Junkie
Join date: 1 Jul 2005
Posts: 36
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11-22-2005 18:36
Yep this is DEFINITELY not a time dilation problem. I did a good bit of testing before I came up with my own fix there, and the only statistic I noticed that changed before this problem happened, was Personal FPS would begin to drop and once it hit 4 or less, I had the lockup. Thats what led me to start with the Debug menu and un-rezzing all textures and features and start slowly adding them in. I did my testing in a busy club atmosphere, to assure it would happen. So I had everything except ALPHA rezzing, and my system ran fine for 15 - 20 minutes. Then Cntrl-SHift-2, turned ALPHA on and within 2 minutes, I had ground to a halt, let it happen three times just to make sure. Cntrl-Shift-2 again to shut ALPHA off, and ran perfect for another 20. I had found my culprit  Also like Persephone, I knew it wasn't time dilation, as I asked other people, AND when my game would finally "re-sync" I would have tons of IM's and chat History, like I was the only one who couldn't move and type. Everyone else could. Brendan
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Torley Linden
Enlightenment!
Join date: 15 Sep 2004
Posts: 16,530
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11-22-2005 18:49
OKEYDOKE let's narrow this down even more... What happens when you guys press CTRL-SHIFT-9 when the slowdowns begin? What colors dominate the screen? I may have been having something similar but I'm hoping we can pitch in clues and figure out what's going on here.
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Sweetheart Baskerville
Registered User
Join date: 1 Jan 2004
Posts: 32
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Glad I'm not the only one
11-26-2005 08:19
It has been happening to me also...mine will last sometimes between 10 and 30 seconds..I loose all my tab bars just the picture is showing...then it all of a sudden pops back in...it not only happens in this version it has happened in previous versions...it isn't often...I can go to my desktop while this is happening and work...so it doesn't freeze my whole puter...just sl...
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Argent Stonecutter
Emergency Mustelid
Join date: 20 Sep 2005
Posts: 20,263
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Ctrl Shift 2?
11-26-2005 09:23
I think you mean CTRL ALT SHIFT 2. 
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Persephone Milk
Very Persenickety!
Join date: 7 Oct 2004
Posts: 870
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11-26-2005 18:25
From: Torley Torgeson OKEYDOKE let's narrow this down even more... What happens when you guys press CTRL-SHIFT-9 when the slowdowns begin? What colors dominate the screen? I may have been having something similar but I'm hoping we can pitch in clues and figure out what's going on here. Unfortunately the client is completely unresponsive (it freezes, it doesn't just slow down) and it happens at very regular intervals no matter which direction i am facing, or even if I am staring zoomed in on a single texture. At this very moment, I am sitting at my home and I am not having this problem at all. But this afternoon it was hard to work as the client froze every 30 seconds.
_____________________
~ Persephone Milk ~
Please visit my stores on Persenickety Isle Musical Alchemy - Pianos, harps and other musical intruments. Persenickety! - Ladies Eyewear, Jewelry and Clothing Fashions
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cnyreject Codesmith
Registered User
Join date: 26 Dec 2004
Posts: 20
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Pausing
11-26-2005 18:32
Well I don't know if I can help but this is what I found out when it started happening to me. What i noticed on the STATISTICS menu is that the SIM FPS drops to below the 45FPS that it was to be locked too. If it drops below 10FPS you notice a major slowdown in movement or typing, pretty much everything. It will eventually rebound but until the SIM FPS goes back up near 45 you will continue to have a slow down of some sort.
I have reported this problem to the Linden support group and as of the latest patch I have seen this problem drop. On my end anyways.
But it still happens. Just less occasionally.
Hope this helps someone.
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Soleil Mirabeau
eh?
Join date: 6 Oct 2005
Posts: 995
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11-26-2005 18:51
Mine freezes too, you're not alone! 
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Travis Lambert
White dog, red collar
Join date: 3 Jun 2004
Posts: 2,819
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11-26-2005 21:38
Hrmf.... Me too, now that you mention it. Gives me a lot of typos when I 'lock up' for a second every once in a while.
The whole client seems to freeze, just for a split second.
_____________________
------------------ The ShelterThe Shelter is a non-profit recreation center for new residents, and supporters of new residents. Our goal is to provide a positive & supportive social environment for those looking for one in our overwhelming world.
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Travis Lambert
White dog, red collar
Join date: 3 Jun 2004
Posts: 2,819
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11-26-2005 21:52
I followed Torley's advice, and took some snapshots. (Sorry, they're Gigantic).
I took 3 - just to be sure I was seeing the same thing. It appears the stat "Image Create GL" Skyrockets when this 'pausing' occurs.
See below:
_____________________
------------------ The ShelterThe Shelter is a non-profit recreation center for new residents, and supporters of new residents. Our goal is to provide a positive & supportive social environment for those looking for one in our overwhelming world.
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Magnum Serpentine
Registered User
Join date: 20 Nov 2003
Posts: 1,811
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11-27-2005 00:04
Add me to the freeze up list. Nearly new computer, 128mb Video Ram Nvidia Fx5200 Card 1GB ram and 160 GB Hard drive. with 2.4GHz processor (Pentinum class)
In Addition to the normal intake and outflow fans, I have another external fan (Set far enought away to not interfear with the Computer) that directs air from the window AC (Vent fan in the winter) to the in-take fan which adds additional cooling to the system. (Also have Central AC vent with-in 2 feet of Computer fans) so I know mine is not over-heating
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Torley Linden
Enlightenment!
Join date: 15 Sep 2004
Posts: 16,530
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11-27-2005 00:08
From: Travis Lambert I followed Torley's advice, and took some snapshots. (Sorry, they're Gigantic). I took 3 - just to be sure I was seeing the same thing. It appears the stat "Image Create GL" Skyrockets when this 'pausing' occurs. See below: Thanxies for doing this... the screenshots I see are very similar to things I've been getting sporadically, altho it may have calmed down for me in the latest version of SL. I'll keep watching. Magnum, you're experiencing the same sorts of stats as Travis, or the more paralyzing lockups that Perse describes? I am getting the former but haven't noticed the latter, save for moments where SL seems to totally stop updating graphically. I can keep typing but the screen doesn't change. I wonder why it does this.
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Magnum Serpentine
Registered User
Join date: 20 Nov 2003
Posts: 1,811
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11-27-2005 00:11
From: Torley Torgeson Thanxies for doing this... the screenshots I see are very similar to things I've been getting sporadically, altho it may have calmed down for me in the latest version of SL. I'll keep watching. Magnum, you're experiencing the same sorts of stats as Travis, or the more paralyzing lockups that Perse describes? I am getting the former but haven't noticed the latter, save for moments where SL seems to totally stop updating graphically. I can keep typing but the screen doesn't change. I wonder why it does this. My Freeze ups are un-predictable. It can come in twos with-in 5 minutes of each other then go 20-50 minutes with no freeze then freeze again. And the timing is too unpredictable for me to be ready with the de-bugging unless i just left it on and caught a screen shot during the event (Using the Control-Print Screen keys) [Strike me trying to use control-print screen. I just remembered my whole system seem s to freeze sometimes] I will add that I think mine are minor to mild, I do not believe they have lasted more than 15-20 seconds and I have never crashed as a result of them. and also sometimes I never freeze.
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Persephone Milk
Very Persenickety!
Join date: 7 Oct 2004
Posts: 870
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11-27-2005 18:31
At this moment, my client is freezing on me every 15-20 seconds, for about 3 seconds each time. It is making building completely impossible. I am so frustrated. I have tried adjusting certain preferences with no impact. This has been going on for a month and I have nearly lost the will to build. I will keep struggling.
_____________________
~ Persephone Milk ~
Please visit my stores on Persenickety Isle Musical Alchemy - Pianos, harps and other musical intruments. Persenickety! - Ladies Eyewear, Jewelry and Clothing Fashions
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Argent Stonecutter
Emergency Mustelid
Join date: 20 Sep 2005
Posts: 20,263
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11-27-2005 20:42
Pentium4 2.4 GHz, 1GB RAM, nVidia 5600 with 256M VRAM, 2 IDE drives on separate busses, periodically I get sessions of several minutes with lockups for 10-30 seconds and just a few seconds run between them. The CTRL-ALT-SHIFT-2 hack works.
Not seeing it on my Mac mini, where I may be getting 1.8 FPS in places my GameOS box gets 10 FPS... but it doesn't go down to 0FPS even when I have an alpha-textured animated window from another program sitting in front of SL just to annoy it.
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Aaron Levy
Medicated Lately?
Join date: 3 Jun 2004
Posts: 2,147
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11-27-2005 20:47
My client becomes unusable each session the first time I open either the map or the Find window. It freezes for about 30 seconds, and then everything returns to normal. This did not happen in 1.6. I installed a new primary hard drive in my computer the other day and installed SL on it. Fresh Windows, no programs except SL, and this freezing was not there.
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Persephone Milk
Very Persenickety!
Join date: 7 Oct 2004
Posts: 870
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11-27-2005 21:04
Oooooh, I wonder it has to do with the map! I am going to test this out.
_____________________
~ Persephone Milk ~
Please visit my stores on Persenickety Isle Musical Alchemy - Pianos, harps and other musical intruments. Persenickety! - Ladies Eyewear, Jewelry and Clothing Fashions
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Travis Lambert
White dog, red collar
Join date: 3 Jun 2004
Posts: 2,819
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11-28-2005 20:25
From a 3-day old new resident tonight visiting us: New Resident: why does the game keep freezing for a few seconds? You: Its a bug, Amaterasu  Hopefully to be fixed in the next update New Resident: ahhh ok You: If you click Help // File Bug Report - you can add your name to the screaming masses New Resident: i wondered if it was my computer, even though I just bought a new one so I could play. Hope this gets fixed soon!
_____________________
------------------ The ShelterThe Shelter is a non-profit recreation center for new residents, and supporters of new residents. Our goal is to provide a positive & supportive social environment for those looking for one in our overwhelming world.
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Travis Lambert
White dog, red collar
Join date: 3 Jun 2004
Posts: 2,819
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11-29-2005 13:26
I just called into Support to inquire about this issue. According to Michael Linden, LL is not aware of this problem. (Bug reports have been filed).
Michael suggested that I email [EMAIL=support@secondlife.com]support@secondlife.com[/EMAIL] with as much detail about this issue as possible.
Even though I've got mixed feelings about the usefulness of doing so, I'm writing up a detailed email now, and I strongly encourage those of you who are experiencing this similar issue to submit an email to support as well.
I'd be a shame for this annoying bug to fester unacknowledged.
_____________________
------------------ The ShelterThe Shelter is a non-profit recreation center for new residents, and supporters of new residents. Our goal is to provide a positive & supportive social environment for those looking for one in our overwhelming world.
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Nicola Samiam
xoxox
Join date: 22 Oct 2004
Posts: 142
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12-04-2005 04:22
I had this problem too - Posted it on the Linden Hotline a while back, and also in another post on the Technical forum. For me, the problem was fixed by turning shadows OFF. Others have found that freezing thr motion of the sun does the trick (I guess because the shadows are moving and causing the pause when the sun/moon moves). Another post mentions that turning off shiny cures the pauses. Alpha? - Would that also be related to shadows? I'm not very technical but, since shadows are transparent, then could there be a link? Of course, I may be barking up the wrong tree, and for other ppl the pauses are caused by something else, but I just thought I'd post my experience here, just in case someone with this problem hasn't tried turning off shadows/shiny 
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Selador Cellardoor
Registered User
Join date: 16 Nov 2003
Posts: 3,082
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12-04-2005 07:53
Persephone, I know someone who experiences exactly the same as you. Before 1.7 she was fine; now she is so dispirited that she hardly ever comes into sl, and I fear she might leave altogether. 
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Coadey Concord
Registered User
Join date: 9 Jul 2005
Posts: 25
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Re: constant freezes then unfreezes
12-05-2005 20:10
I thought it was just me. I have a dual 2.5ghz G5 mac with a Geforce 6600 256MB. The client randomly pauses every few seconds (no render, no GUI response) for 2-4 seconds in some areas. When it un-freezes, the Debug - Frame Console shows a single, large ImageUpdate spike, as well as an occasional "packet_out_of_order" or "Sending throttle to" message. In these areas, I've tried lowering all settings to their lowest, and disabling everything (Anisotropic Filtering, Local Lighting, Shadows, Disable Far Clip, Shiny Objects, AGP, etc, etc), then restarting, and the problem remains. After clearing cache, the problem goes away for a few days (Edit -> Prefs -> Network -> Clear Cache). So, it might be related to some avatars/objects around that have certain textures, or the client is just having random trouble with normal textures. It would be nice to be able to check the integrity of things in the cache, such as decoding each texture to find problem ones (without showing the texture to the viewer of course  .
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