Exit without saving in Hammer: Virus or Glitch?

[archvilell]

I have a problem with Hammer. Everytime I try to run it, it will work great... for about an hour and a half. Sometimes less. Then my computer (note, not the speakers, it's from the tower) makes some kind of beeping noise. Sometimes it beeps about once a second, sometimes once every two seconds. Scared that my computer is on a countdown to detonation, I try to save my work. Opps, too late. It can't find any files at all. The only thing it sees is Desktop and even then it only Shows My Computer, My Documents, and (I think) Recycle Bin. None of them open, and I can't even save to the Desktop alone. It says Invalid Arguement. So after I exit without saving, then exit from Steam, then reload Steam and my map, it works for about another hour and a half.

I had a problem with my computer about two weeks ago. It was running slowly on the internet for no apparent reason. I didn't have Norton on my machine. and I assumed I caught a virus. I formatted my drive (it needed it anyway) and reloaded everything. I started playing with stuff again and ran into my previous problem. I still didn't have Norton (one of those: "I'll install it later" deals) and presumed I had another virus. I format again. This time I install Norton and make sure that everything is up to date. Too bad, it still hates me. Running Hammer, it unexpectedly dies when it feels like it. After all this formatting, I'm really getting tired of this problem. I really want to start working on my mod, but it's really tough when I can only do it in one hour shots, then lose everything I did in the last fifteen minutes.

Now my question: After reading my computer autobiography which do you think this is? Do I have another virus that Norton can't pick up or is it some odd glitch in Hammer? I have only noticed this problem while running Hammer.

I read a different post where some guy was having a problem and somebody told him to go verify his files. Well, I went to go verify mine (I only did Source SDK) and it didn't find any problems.

 

[Varsity]

The save dialouge is a standard Windows thing. This isn't Hammer.

 

[michaelsil1]

Run the program: System File Checker and see if it fixes the problem (Windows XP).

 

[archvilell]

Where is this System File Checker at? I went to Run, but it just opened up C:\WINDOWS\system.

I figured the Save dialogue would be a Windows thing, but I think that it is Hammer that is crashing the Save dialogue. Just my thought.

Thanks for the help so far. This problem really irritates me.

 

[michaelsil1]

Where is this System File Checker at? I went to Run, but it just opened up C:\WINDOWS\system.

I figured the Save dialogue would be a Windows thing, but I think that it is Hammer that is crashing the Save dialogue. Just my thought.

Thanks for the help so far. This problem really irritates me.

Have the Windows XP Disk in your CD Exit Windows Prompt, Start Menu, Run, SFC /SCANNOW

 

[archvilell]

Ok, I did that and it checked all the files, but it didn't come up and say anything afterward. When the bar reached 100%, it just disappeared. I assume that it didn't find anything, or it would have told me. If it didn't find anything, then that mean that it hasn't (I should say might not have, as I haven't tried it yet) fixed my problem. I'll try it out and see what it does.

 

[michaelsil1]

Ok, I did that and it checked all the files, but it didn't come up and say anything afterward. When the bar reached 100%, it just disappeared. I assume that it didn't find anything, or it would have told me. If it didn't find anything, then that mean that it hasn't (I should say might not have, as I haven't tried it yet) fixed my problem. I'll try it out and see what it does.

It's not going to tell you anything; after it finishes its check reboot the computer. If there was a problem with your system files it has fixed them (it has saved me many a heartache).

 

[archvilell]

Well, it didn't work. I have a new bit of info, however. When it crashed and lost all of my work, I exited out of Hammer and Source and immediatly tried to run Half-Life 2. It said it was unavailible at the moment. I went to properties and what looked to be the last half of an email address to Valve appeared in the property box. This leads me to believe I have a problem with Steam. However, Winamp also stopped playing right in the middle of a song when the crash happened. I don't know what's going on. I might have to format again, but I'm not sure it helped last time.

Anyone have new ideas?

 

[archvilell]

I finally figured out the problem, for those that might have the same problem. I was running my RAM dry. 512mb of RAM really isnt enough when making semi-complex and detailed levels. That would explain why everything my computer did when it crashed had stopped. Winamp stopped, AIM stopped, Hammer stopped, IE stopped.

 

[archvilell]

Hmm. I had thought adding more memory fixed the problem. I had 512 of memory and when I checked to see how much memory was being used at the time, it said all but 38 megs was being used. I thought it was disk caching to the point when all the files were so screwed up that it just died. So yesterday I went and bought more RAM. Now I have a gig and a half. Hammer runs so much faster (it compiles, runs HL2, and loads the map in 30 seconds. Not lying.) However it didn't fix my problem.

This is really bugging me now. Any thoughts?

 

[michaelsil1]

What kind of System are you running?

Is anything overclocked?

What are your Memory Timings?

 

[archvilell]

Do you want to see a DXDiag? I don't want to flood the thread if that's not what you want to see.

I have a 2.8gig Intel Pentium 4, Gigabyte 81PE1000 (i think thats the number) motherboard, a gig and a half of RAM 3200 speed, Radeon 9800 Pro 128meg and nothing is overclocked. Umm.... what else do you need to know?

 

[michaelsil1]

Do you want to see a DXDiag? I don't want to flood the thread if that's not what you want to see.

I have a 2.8gig Intel Pentium 4, Gigabyte 81PE1000 (i think thats the number) motherboard, a gig and a half of RAM 3200 speed, Radeon 9800 Pro 128meg and nothing is overclocked. Umm.... what else do you need to know?

Are you using the onboard Sound or a PCI Sound Card also I take it you are using three Sticks of RAM did you relax the Memory Timings a little. I believe you have a lot of Programs running in the background try shutting them off.

 

[archvilell]

I have four sticks of RAM, 2 256's and 2 512's. I'm using a sound card. I probably do have a lot of programs running (at any given time: Winamp, AIM, Internet, Photoshop every once in awhile).

How would I relax the memory timings?

 

[michaelsil1]

I have four sticks of RAM, 2 256's and 2 512's. I'm using a sound card. I probably do have a lot of programs running (at any given time: Winamp, AIM, Internet, Photoshop every once in awhile).

How would I relax the memory timings?

Have you disabled the Onboard Sound (I think that Motherboard has onboard Sound)? Go into the BIOS, Memory Timings and set the Numbers a little higher, when using multiple Sticks of Memory this is necessary (unless the Memory is rated higher than what you're running).

 

[steelslay]

wot!!lack of

;( hmmm!!! i feel for u arch ive got a similer prob wich is realy hacking me off as i think mapping in hammer is the best thing since sliced bread and i too get this strange prob .what happins with me is hammer is fine for a while and then after i bit it goes ape, the 1st hint of this is when i go to save, the default path is all mest up and wrong even the icons in the list of places to save are not drawn fully. so i gave up with the save atempt, it will let me map for a while, sometimes after this has it will error out when i go to put textures in so it seems to be pionting towards memery resorces. could somebody post how mutch ram is needed to run hammer and not wrorry about runing out of ram
my apoligies if this answer has been aswered in another post somewere i just didn,t feel like trawling today as im still trying to get to terms of the fact that i canot map :angry: with hamer without it messing up everytime. ;( ;( ;(

 

[archvilell]

That's my problem too. If Hammer needs a lot of RAM to run, I have that covered. I have a gig and a half, but apparently that may not be enough. I don't get hints though. Everything happens at once. Winamp stops, Aim service can't be reached, Internet doesn't work and Hammer won't save.

The only thing I can think of to counter this is to practically save after everything you make. One, it's probably a good habit to have anyway and two, it makes it a lot easier to redo when Hammer does finally die.

 

[steelslay]

;( hmmm!!! i feel for u arch ive got a similer prob wich is realy hacking me off as i think mapping in hammer is the best thing since sliced bread and i too get this strange prob .what happins with me is hammer is fine for a while and then after i bit it goes ape, the 1st hint of this is when i go to save, the default path is all mest up and wrong even the icons in the list of places to save are not drawn fully. so i gave up with the save atempt, it will let me map for a while, sometimes after this has it will error out when i go to put textures in so it seems to be pionting towards memery resorces. could somebody post how mutch ram is needed to run hammer and not wrorry about runing out of ram
my apoligies if this answer has been aswered in another post somewere i just didn,t feel like trawling today as im still trying to get to terms of the fact that i canot map :angry: with hamer without it messing up everytime. ;( ;( ;(

also my modem icon on the task bar goes red insted of green showing me that the modem is not working proberly, if i manige to minamize hammer and shut down steam my nodem goes back to normal but as hammer has already crashed at this point its to late to recover it ?? i am blaiming ram for hammers prob but not got a clue about the modem freeking out

 

[archvilell]

I think it's the RAM. When you run low on RAM, your computer tries to use hard drive as RAM, and since your hard drive is slower, then it gets all fouled up and everything stops. This would cause your modem, and everything else to crash.