Long Load Times and Freeze/Looping Sound Cured!

02-01-2008, 11:53 PM

I've only been "Trying" to play TF2 and FF for a couple weeks now and right off the bat I had terrible issues with 5 minute+ load times, "Your map doesn’t match the servers map", the game freezing and looping the sound all the time. I was about to give up on this game, but then luck came my way.

Usually when your Hard rive blows up that’s a bad thing, but mine quite working so I had to get a new one. I figured I would upgrade from my old, slow 40 gig hard drive that was usually full and get a faster 7200Rpm 320 gig HD. This HD has a 4.3ms seek time and tons of space.

So I set up this HD and reinstalled steam and TF2/FF and voila! I now have load times under 1 minute, I never get the "Your map is different from the servers", and I never get the Freezing/Looping sound bug any more. This game runs as well as TFC ever did. I can log on to any server in under 1 minute even if I have to download the map first!

I have read everything that has been said about these issues with TF2 and Fortress Forever and Half life 2 in general and lots of people have offered a lot of cures for it, but I think the general consensus is that it is a Hard Drive issue. After my experience I have to agree.

Tired of all the log in and play issues? Get a better/faster/bigger hard drive.

Chips · 02-02-2008, 12:01 AM

More ram is helpful as well. I upgraded from 512 mb to 2 gigs...and everything loads and runs faster and smoother.

02-02-2008, 12:09 AM

Yes, of course there are other contributing factors....but if your system is up to spec ( Like me), I have 1.5 gigs of ram a 6800GT video card and a fairly good AMD CPU, but I was still having all those loading and playing issues.

I simply upgraded the HD and it is not even the same game any more. I can log on and play in under a minute and never have that freeze/looping sound issue. So those issues are obvioulsy tied to the HD.

Jiggles · 02-02-2008, 12:30 AM

Also, a lot of people often have really fragmented drives and various Windows install issues. Modern Source games are pretty demanding.

Chips · 02-02-2008, 01:27 AM

Without a doubt, replacing your HD was the answer to your problem. You have a good amount of memory, so that wouldn't be your issue. I have a six year old rig...P4 2.26 - Ati 9600

- with now, 2 gigs of system ram. The extra ram helped me with the load times, lags and freezes.

I had replaced my HD about 3 years ago and bought a faster one with better seek times AND I maintain it constantly...defragging and such. There's an option in Steam that allows the defragging of the GCF files for our games as well. Much of the played content is in these files, and you should do this every few months at least. Peeps with larger hard drives can just let the drive defrag overnight...not too much trouble.

A fast, maintained hard drive, lots of ram and a good video card (which sadly, I don't have

) are key to running these games smoothly.

Good thread T'NG

Desyphur · 02-02-2008, 01:30 AM

Oh my god it's chips! It's insomniac! How's it going man?

Chips · 02-02-2008, 01:39 AM

Good d00d

If you're on the wiki team...I ain't reading it.

Looking forward to the patch...get our server that we had abandoned back up...and take it from there.

Now stay on topic.

greenday5494 · 02-02-2008, 01:47 AM

i bet i have a real crappy HDD. But i have a crappy computer. hey chips. dont feel bad. you have a good video card in my eyes. i have a geforce4MX, DX7 mode!

and a 2500+, smokin' CPU, eh?

Well i got my new parts. Now i just need to wait for it to be installed. To further discuss my system, refer to the thread in the Chat sub-forum, Tech. Topic name w00t.

BlisTer · 02-02-2008, 02:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TongueNGroove

and get a faster 7200Rpm 320 gig HD.

I've got a 10000rpm HD and it's hella fast

Circuitous · 02-02-2008, 02:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlisTer

I've got a 10000rpm HD and it's hella fast

How fast is it?

pF · 02-02-2008, 01:03 PM

like, hella.

Desyphur · 02-02-2008, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chips

Good d00d

If you're on the wiki team...I ain't reading it.

Hey...that's not cool.

Awesome that you're getting a server back up

.

On-topic: My load times don't seem to be caused by my harddrive, but maybe.

BlisTer · 02-03-2008, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Circuitous

How fast is it?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d07N02ieZuY

AfterShock · 02-03-2008, 12:10 PM

I believe long load times are usually due to having less than 1.5 GB of RAM. I upgraded from 1GB to 1.5GB and I noticed a massive reduction in load time.

02-01-2008, 11:53 PM	#1
TongueNGroove Guest Posts Rated Helpful 7 Times	Long Load Times and Freeze/Looping Sound Cured! I've only been "Trying" to play TF2 and FF for a couple weeks now and right off the bat I had terrible issues with 5 minute+ load times, "Your map doesn’t match the servers map", the game freezing and looping the sound all the time. I was about to give up on this game, but then luck came my way. Usually when your Hard rive blows up that’s a bad thing, but mine quite working so I had to get a new one. I figured I would upgrade from my old, slow 40 gig hard drive that was usually full and get a faster 7200Rpm 320 gig HD. This HD has a 4.3ms seek time and tons of space. So I set up this HD and reinstalled steam and TF2/FF and voila! I now have load times under 1 minute, I never get the "Your map is different from the servers", and I never get the Freezing/Looping sound bug any more. This game runs as well as TFC ever did. I can log on to any server in under 1 minute even if I have to download the map first! I have read everything that has been said about these issues with TF2 and Fortress Forever and Half life 2 in general and lots of people have offered a lot of cures for it, but I think the general consensus is that it is a Hard Drive issue. After my experience I have to agree. Tired of all the log in and play issues? Get a better/faster/bigger hard drive.

02-02-2008, 01:30 AM	#6
Desyphur OHH! OHHH NOOO! Wiki Team Beta Tester Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts Rated Helpful 0 Times	Oh my god it's chips! It's insomniac! How's it going man? __________________ What was left of my sanity implored me not to enter...but that voice was just a whisper now.

02-02-2008, 01:47 AM	#8
greenday5494 Holy shit, thats kerrigan! D&A Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Class/Position: D, whatever the team needs, usually engy Gametype: AvD Affiliations: None Posts Rated Helpful 1 Times	i bet i have a real crappy HDD. But i have a crappy computer. hey chips. dont feel bad. you have a good video card in my eyes. i have a geforce4MX, DX7 mode! and a 2500+, smokin' CPU, eh? Well i got my new parts. Now i just need to wait for it to be installed. To further discuss my system, refer to the thread in the Chat sub-forum, Tech. Topic name w00t. __________________ http://static.adrive.com/images/ads/...rbo_468x60.gif DAN MAPES!

02-02-2008, 12:01 AM	#2
Chips Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: New Jersey Posts Rated Helpful 0 Times	More ram is helpful as well. I upgraded from 512 mb to 2 gigs...and everything loads and runs faster and smoother.

02-02-2008, 12:09 AM	#3
TongueNGroove Guest Posts Rated Helpful 7 Times	Yes, of course there are other contributing factors....but if your system is up to spec ( Like me), I have 1.5 gigs of ram a 6800GT video card and a fairly good AMD CPU, but I was still having all those loading and playing issues. I simply upgraded the HD and it is not even the same game any more. I can log on and play in under a minute and never have that freeze/looping sound issue. So those issues are obvioulsy tied to the HD.

02-02-2008, 12:30 AM	#4
Jiggles Retired FF Staff Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: CowTown Posts Rated Helpful 0 Times	Also, a lot of people often have really fragmented drives and various Windows install issues. Modern Source games are pretty demanding.

02-02-2008, 01:27 AM	#5
Chips Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: New Jersey Posts Rated Helpful 0 Times	Without a doubt, replacing your HD was the answer to your problem. You have a good amount of memory, so that wouldn't be your issue. I have a six year old rig...P4 2.26 - Ati 9600 - with now, 2 gigs of system ram. The extra ram helped me with the load times, lags and freezes. I had replaced my HD about 3 years ago and bought a faster one with better seek times AND I maintain it constantly...defragging and such. There's an option in Steam that allows the defragging of the GCF files for our games as well. Much of the played content is in these files, and you should do this every few months at least. Peeps with larger hard drives can just let the drive defrag overnight...not too much trouble. A fast, maintained hard drive, lots of ram and a good video card (which sadly, I don't have ) are key to running these games smoothly. Good thread T'NG

02-02-2008, 01:39 AM	#7
Chips Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: New Jersey Posts Rated Helpful 0 Times	Good d00d If you're on the wiki team...I ain't reading it. Looking forward to the patch...get our server that we had abandoned back up...and take it from there. Now stay on topic.

02-02-2008, 01:03 PM	#11
pF no war but class war Fortress Forever Staff Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: big bad berlin Class/Position: Soldier / Scout Gametype: ctf Affiliations: [w~k!] Posts Rated Helpful 3 Times	like, hella.

02-03-2008, 12:10 PM	#14
AfterShock Fortress Forever Staff Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts Rated Helpful 45 Times	I believe long load times are usually due to having less than 1.5 GB of RAM. I upgraded from 1GB to 1.5GB and I noticed a massive reduction in load time.

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