Big problem with 0.9.5.

Anzaza · 2009-12-12 10:13:30

I've downloaded the new version of the emulator. When I start up games my PC freezes minutes after the game starts. Completely. I've had to improperly shut down and restart my computer 2 times, thinking it was a fluke the first time, only to have it do it again the second time around. A friend of mine had this same problem but he lost his windows boot system when he forced reset and had to re-install his windows OS after recovering his files and formatting his HDD.

What's going on here?

DottorLeo · 2009-12-12 14:53:05

Desmume is not the problem. Check out for viruses, update windows and driver. Usual stuff.

nitsuja · 2009-12-12 19:09:30

Try switching to the SoftRasterizer in the 3D settings. If your graphics card or driver has major problems then the OpenGL renderer can stress it enough to make the computer unstable. Upgrading your drivers is still a good idea though.

If that doesn't help, it might also be your computer is overheating, in which case you can try launching DeSmuME with --num-cores=1 from the commandline to force it to not use all of your CPU (assuming you're not on a single core CPU already).

nitsuja · 2009-12-12 19:12:50

(Of course, if your computer overheats and crashes when any program uses 100% CPU for a few minutes then you should seek a more general solution such as fixing the cooling fans or something.)

Anzaza · 2009-12-12 21:19:34

I think I found the problem although i'm not sure if it was the source of it. I unchecked the Triple Buffering box under OpenGL in my graphic cards control panel and suddenly the emulator works. I'm confused.

Edit: It did it again. I'm going to switch back to 0.9.4. I can't risk losing my data.

Last edited by Anzaza (2009-12-12 22:05:31)

DottorLeo · 2009-12-12 23:12:24

Watch out, probably your HD or CPU risk damage, even without DesMuMe. Open your pc and deep clean from dust. Seems a temperature problem...

Last edited by DottorLeo (2009-12-12 23:12:43)

nut · 2009-12-13 00:00:33

Another theory is, maybe your computer is old, and it is dying. I remember my PC is around 2 years old and desmume 0.9.5 works perfectly for me without crashing my system to the point where I have to reformat my computer.

Anzaza · 2009-12-13 00:26:57

I don't think it's that old. My PC is custom built and alot of the parts are bought from november of '07. Maybe it's the speed of the processor itself. It's a Core 2 Duo and has a stock speed of 2.2GHz. If I need a new one then i'll see if newegg still has the E8600 Wolfdale. Although I'm not sure when i'll get it.

DottorLeo · 2009-12-13 00:56:19

No, the problem is that your pc freezes within few minutes. This is probably an hardware fault due to a damaged peripherial or temperature problem. That is risky. And can be caused by DesMuMe because is CPU hungry so your CPU is stressed and produce too much heat. Check out for the dust, also update your driver.

Anzaza · 2009-12-13 01:13:14

Drivers updated. Going to shut down and check for dust.

nut · 2009-12-13 02:33:02

Lol I haven't check for dust since I've bought my computer and desmume haven't even crash my computer! Maybe my drivers are up to date, or my CPU isn't hungry.
And I have one more question to ask. Did you download the emulator from SF? If you download it from somewhere else, it may be a spiware/virus/trogen.

Last edited by nut (2009-12-13 02:35:41)

Anzaza · 2009-12-13 03:21:31

I've cleaned the inside of my PC from top to bottom. Most of the dust is gone. The CPU fan was a hassle. Put everything back together and restarted the PC and tried the emulator again. Same thing happened. >_<

@nut: I downloaded the emulator from the link provided on the download page on the main site. DeSmuME v0.9.5 Windows 32 binary which took me to sorceforge.

nut · 2009-12-13 11:59:06

What version of Windows you are using. I'm using Windows XP SP 3 Professional. If you are using Windows 2000 or earlier, then this may be the cause as desmume may not work well under Windows 2000 or earlier.

Anzaza · 2009-12-14 00:40:23

Windows XP SP2.

nut · 2009-12-14 08:25:27

Try the latest SVN. If it is the same, downgrade to 0.9.4. If it is the same, downgrade to 0.9.2. That version may use less memory. If the crash still occurs, try upgrading to XP SP3 and retry 0.9.5. If you had try every versions from 0.5.0 to 0.9.5 and it is the same problem, then I have no idea now what's the cause of the problem. And one more question to ask. Does it happens with every games you've tried?

Manivo · 2009-12-14 11:34:16

There's a freeware program called SpeedFan which will display the readings from your GPU and CPU temperature sensors. Download it (find it on google) and check if the temperatures aren't running too high.

There's no real need to do what nut said. While using an older version of the emulator might require less memory, there's no reason it should cause your computer to shut down. What's actually happening, I'm assuming, is you're getting a blue screen of death - which in XP by default it gets skipped over and the computer restarts automatically.

Problem is that blue screens can be caused by just about anything. Your windows installation may be corrupt (either due to viruses or due to a totally random happenstance!), you may have peripherals issues, you may have cooling issues, your hard drive may be taking a dive, your memory may be taking a dive, and who knows how many other reasons. It can even be as easy as disconnecting a USB device.

You noted in your original post that your friend had the same issue. The emulator causing your computer to go on the fritz like this is uncommon enough. The odds to it happening to both you and your friend without a unifying reason is astronomical. My money is on some sort of virus which one of you may have contracted from the other.

This is always the last resort, and the one least wanted - but I really do suggest backing up your essential files and formatting, especially if you notice any other 'quirks' with your computer. Install good antivirus software before allowing the backed up files anywhere near your clean computer, as that may be infected as well. If it's not hardware failure, then this'll fix everything up real nice.

Anzaza · 2009-12-15 03:47:44

There's no blue screen. It just freezes. I can't move the mouse and pressing keys didn't seem to help. Which scared me a little considering this never happened before.

I'm not sure if we contracted any viruses from each other considering we only link up when net playing on other emulators. Other than that we don't share any files directly. I also ran AVG, Super Antivirus, Malwarebytes and Norton 360 version 3. Nothing came up on any scanners. Scanned the backup HDD and it's clean also. So I guess it's a heating issue. Although i'm unsure what to do about that outside of getting a HUGE case and installing a billion fans in it.

nut: I haven't tried all the games yet. Just 2 Castlevania games. Dawn of Sorrows and Portrait of Ruin. And Disgaea.

I can try and screenshot the temperature readings from SpeedFan and post them here.

Edit: http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/2492/overheat.png

Gonna use the 0.9.4. Running off a single core plus lowest priority gives me almost the same result from SpeedFan.

Last edited by Anzaza (2009-12-15 04:34:57)

zeromus · 2009-12-15 04:08:37

switch to softrasterizer. that will decrease gpu stress.

look for how to set process affinities via task manager (or launch desmume with --num-cores=1) and it will stress your cpu less if you have a multicore system.
http://www.online-tech-tips.com/windows … ce-part-2/

turn off video hardware acceleration. that will decrease gpu stress.
http://www.deskshare.com/Resources/arti … ation.aspx

if youre using a shitty newfangled OS you may need to find your own guides for these operations

when you have a glitchy system, its usually hard to find a pattern in it. learn to pacify the glitch or start swapping hardware

nut · 2009-12-15 13:00:01

Manivo wrote:

There's a freeware program called SpeedFan which will display the readings from your GPU and CPU temperature sensors. Download it (find it on google) and check if the temperatures aren't running too high.
There's no real need to do what nut said. While using an older version of the emulator might require less memory, there's no reason it should cause your computer to shut down. What's actually happening, I'm assuming, is you're getting a blue screen of death - which in XP by default it gets skipped over and the computer restarts automatically.
Problem is that blue screens can be caused by just about anything. Your windows installation may be corrupt (either due to viruses or due to a totally random happenstance!), you may have peripherals issues, you may have cooling issues, your hard drive may be taking a dive, your memory may be taking a dive, and who knows how many other reasons. It can even be as easy as disconnecting a USB device.

You noted in your original post that your friend had the same issue. The emulator causing your computer to go on the fritz like this is uncommon enough. The odds to it happening to both you and your friend without a unifying reason is astronomical. My money is on some sort of virus which one of you may have contracted from the other.
This is always the last resort, and the one least wanted - but I really do suggest backing up your essential files and formatting, especially if you notice any other 'quirks' with your computer. Install good antivirus software before allowing the backed up files anywhere near your clean computer, as that may be infected as well. If it's not hardware failure, then this'll fix everything up real nice.

I agree. Formatting my computer will be the last choice when this similar problem occurs and there is no way to fix it. Maybe you can try and search on google "Computer freezes after launching program". And also, since this problem is hard to fix, I think formatting is the only available choice, although it is a very painful thing to do because youl have to reinstall everything, but it maybe the last thing you can do to fix this problem. But like what previous posters says, try all suggestions given by them.

Anzaza · 2009-12-15 23:23:25

Alright. I'll try and research this problem on google.

Manivo · 2009-12-16 10:05:08

Temp reads on CPU and HD are a-ok. What's weird, though, is that it's not finding a GPU temp sensor. What graphics card are you using?

Anzaza · 2009-12-17 04:35:41

ATI RADEON HD 3870. The reason I only got the 50C screenshot was it shot up really quick when the cutscene started playing. When I was pressing buttons it got up to about 58C then I decided to close the emulator before I got the freeze screen again. I didn't even make it into the game yet.

zeromus · 2009-12-17 06:16:31

Why don't you watch the temp go up until it freezes? Letting your computer freeze while youre not doing anything but running an emu isnt going to hurt anything, computers freeze all the time. 50 is safe and 58 is safe. I wouldnt call it unsafe until it gets above 70.

nut · 2009-12-17 11:06:21

From reading the posts, I now know that it is the temperature problem. Now I had no idea of how to fix it as I never had this problem. Try other game applications, also try No$gba and ideas, try upgreating/downgreating your graphics card, try other programs to see if the same thing happens, then reinstall your windows or get a newer computer with SSE2 support. Please note that desmume.exe uses SSE2. Or you can try the nosse2 build, which disables SSE2. My computer was bought from 2008 but it has SSE2 support.

Manivo · 2009-12-17 11:26:08

So you've got a reasonably modern card. I really am worried about SpeedFan not detecting its temperature sensor.

#1 2009-12-12 10:13:30

Big problem with 0.9.5.

#2 2009-12-12 14:53:05

Re: Big problem with 0.9.5.

#3 2009-12-12 19:09:30

Re: Big problem with 0.9.5.

#4 2009-12-12 19:12:50

Re: Big problem with 0.9.5.

#5 2009-12-12 21:19:34

Re: Big problem with 0.9.5.

#6 2009-12-12 23:12:24

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#7 2009-12-13 00:00:33

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#8 2009-12-13 00:26:57

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#9 2009-12-13 00:56:19

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#10 2009-12-13 01:13:14

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#11 2009-12-13 02:33:02

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#12 2009-12-13 03:21:31

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#13 2009-12-13 11:59:06

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#14 2009-12-14 00:40:23

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#15 2009-12-14 08:25:27

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#16 2009-12-14 11:34:16

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#17 2009-12-15 03:47:44

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#18 2009-12-15 04:08:37

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#19 2009-12-15 13:00:01

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#20 2009-12-15 23:23:25

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#21 2009-12-16 10:05:08

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#22 2009-12-17 04:35:41

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#23 2009-12-17 06:16:31

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#24 2009-12-17 11:06:21

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#25 2009-12-17 11:26:08

Re: Big problem with 0.9.5.

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