I need some sort of a Tech god to fix this!

[creepybede]

Hello all, I'm still stuck on this problem, anyone got any suggestions?

Install fine. Whart the game, after the black screen, my entire monitor turns into coloured diaganal bars - sometimes moving, sometimes stationary. I can hear whats going on but the display stays wrong. Have to restart computer entirely by switching on and off.

My drivers are the latest for NVIDIA geforce 7950 GT, and my refresh rate is set to 60htz. This is the only game I have a problem with, although since installing vista I get the same poblem when rying to watch divx embedded web pages.

[Sierra Oscar]

Latest version of DX installed? And it is the Nvidia beta drivers you are using, yes?

What are the rest of your system specs? Are you using the steam or retail version of the game?

[creepybede]

retail version. have all of the drivers recommended (direct x and whatever the nvidia drivers that it sent me to)

rest of my specs should be in line:

64 x2 dual core processor 5200+ 2.61 GHz

2047 ram

vista home premium 32

[PlayerOfGames]

There are a few potential solutions lost in the deluge of threads in the tech forum, but here are a couple of links for you to take a look at:

http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8397
http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6168

Also, there is an AMD Dual Core timing fix patch and it might also be worth checking out that the AMD/Motherboard drivers are also up to date.

PoG

[creepybede]

nope, none of those fix the problem...

[creepybede]

can anyone help me with this?

[Stuntman_Mike]

It's almost certainly a driver/directx glitch..

Try reverting to somewhat older drivers, the new ones ARE beta after all.
Do your other games still work properly?

I don't think its temperature related, since it occurs from the beginning, but check the gpu temp anyway.

If no amount of driver fiddling helps, try running a benchmark like 3dmark06 overnight, see if it crashes or produces similar artefacts.. if it does, and you are certain your drivers and stuff are good, your videocard may be dying, not probable, but it does happen every now and then.

On the topic of dying videocards, if you have access to another, similar card (or a friend with one maybe) try that one, if that one works the news isn't very good :P

[creepybede]

I can give it a shot... but the whole machine is pretty new....

[Hadrian]

Do you have the latest DX9c installed on your windows vista ? I have heard of many people having issue's with games due to not having it. By default IIRC vista has dx9L (L for longhorn) which is an emulated version of DX9 and can cause crashes, graphical anomalies and lock-ups.

[creepybede]

directx aug_2007 I think was the last one...

[creepybede]

Ok, I've fixed the problem with divx websites by installing their 1.4.0 beta 2 drivers for the web player, rather than the ones from the home page. Divx webistes now run fine, but I still get the same error with Bioshock. Any ideas?

[pops117]

-Check if you installed the directx august 2007 sdk, to be sure run DXSETUP.exe coming with the sdk located in "program files\Microsoft DirectX SDK (August 2007)\Redist" (default installation path of directx sdk)
-check if you installed the nvidia 163.44 beta driver
-check if you installed all latest windows vista updates, download the optional updates too, if there are new updates and you install them, uninstall the 163.44 beta driver and reinstall it and reboot your PC (this fixed it for me)
-check if the Microsoft Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable is installed, you can install by running vcredist_x86.exe in "vsredist" on your Bioshock DVD
-disable the Tablet Service :
original thread :http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8137
solution #3:
The third option (which worked for me) is to disable the Tablet service in Windows Vista. I'm not sure why this worked, but since I did it I've been playing Bioshock in FULLSCREEN MODE with DX10 & SLi turned on and haven't had a single hitch (save for some sound issues but that's another post ;-).

To disable the Tablet service, open the Vista control panel and choose "Programs." The top item in the list should be "Programs and Features." In the sub-categories listed, click on "Turn Windows Features on or off" (it should have a little windows 'shield' icon next to it). A little window should pop up with a bunch of services and features listed. Some will be checked, others won't be... leave 'em be unless you know what you're doing. The one you're looking for is: "Tablet PC Optional Components." Make sure this feature is UNCHECKED (disabled). You'll probably have to reboot your machine as well for this setting to take root.

After disabling that feature, I was able to run BIOSHOCK smooth as can be without any problems. After a marathon session of roughly 6 hours (I lost track of the time), I noticed the time and shut off the game. Not once during that time did I have a single issue with lockups, frame drops, freezes or problimatic load times.

If all this don't help go to this thread :
http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8397

Good luck !

[pops117]

Additional info:
DirectX August 2007 SDK
Nvidia 163.44 Beta Driver
Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable (Sorry it'S 2005 not 2008 lol)
Useful links and possible solutions

Hope this helps !

[creepybede]

ok, I've gone through all of this. When I try to install the NVidia beta drivers it tells me I'm not running Vista 32 bit and cannot install. I'm bloody certain I'm running windows vista 32 as I installed it myself! Is there anything I'm missing here? Are there any recommended earlier versions of the driver?

[creepybede]

right, I've solved that little issue. new drivers installed. Still the same problem! Horizontal bars on startup, needing forced restart of computer to fix. What could this be ?!?! I'm still thinking that I had the same problem with divx web player, and the latest beta solved the issue... must be something I could do...

[pops117]

OK creepybede !

a little fix compilation :
-Check if you installed the DirectX August 2007 SDK, to be sure run DXSETUP.exe coming with the sdk located in "program files\Microsoft DirectX SDK (August 2007)\Redist" (default installation path of directx sdk)
-check if you installed the Vista Hotfixes
-check if you installed all latest windows vista updates, download the optional updates too, if there are new updates and you install them, uninstall the 163.44 beta driver and reinstall it and reboot your PC (this fixed it for me)
-check if you installed the Nvidia 163.44 Beta Driver
-check if the Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable is installed, you can install by running vcredist_x86.exe in "vsredist" on your Bioshock DVD
-disable the Tablet Service :
original thread :http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8137
solution #3:
The third option (which worked for me) is to disable the Tablet service in Windows Vista. I'm not sure why this worked, but since I did it I've been playing Bioshock in FULLSCREEN MODE with DX10 & SLi turned on and haven't had a single hitch (save for some sound issues but that's another post ;-).

To disable the Tablet service, open the Vista control panel and choose "Programs." The top item in the list should be "Programs and Features." In the sub-categories listed, click on "Turn Windows Features on or off" (it should have a little windows 'shield' icon next to it). A little window should pop up with a bunch of services and features listed. Some will be checked, others won't be... leave 'em be unless you know what you're doing. The one you're looking for is: "Tablet PC Optional Components." Make sure this feature is UNCHECKED (disabled). You'll probably have to reboot your machine as well for this setting to take root.

After disabling that feature, I was able to run BIOSHOCK smooth as can be without any problems. After a marathon session of roughly 6 hours (I lost track of the time), I noticed the time and shut off the game. Not once during that time did I have a single issue with lockups, frame drops, freezes or problimatic load times.

If all this don't help go to this thread :
http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8397

check if you already installed the vista hotfix. When reinstalling a driver uninstall it completely firstly before installing it again, and reboot your PC often (when the installation prompts you to do so)

if everything fails try to run the game in dx9 mode :
create a shortcut to Bioshock.exe and add -dx9 at the end like this:
"C:\Program Files\2K Games\BioShock\Builds\Release\Bioshock.exe" -dx9
or just go into your game explorer right-click Bioshock and hit Play - DirectX9
to disable the intro sequences add -nointro at the end of your shortcut.

OK check all this and tell us what you get.

[creepybede]

Ok, I may look like an idiot here... game now works if I run it windowed. Is there a simple solution from here?

P.S. thanks for everyones help so far... I've actually never come across a more helpfull group of tech guys....

[pops117]

Ok, I may look like an idiot here... game now works if I run it windowed. Is there a simple solution from here?

P.S. thanks for everyones help so far... I've actually never come across a more helpfull group of tech guys....

Thanks !
So now you have your game working with directx10 in windowed mode ?
And you are absolutely sure you disabled the tablet service in vista like it was described in Nobula's post ?
Try this : go to start>and search for "msconfig" (without "") hit ENTER.>a windows pops up, go to the Services panel and search for "Tablet PC-Service" make sure it's unchecked when done hit "Apply" and OK and reboot your PC. You'll get a message about your changes made to the boot files. Just ignore it and try to run the game now in fullscreen with directx10 of course.

Good luck !

[creepybede]

Well, that was a particularly drunken weekend... back to this problem .

Have turned off the tablets, but still can't run full screen.

[pops117]

Well, that was a particularly drunken weekend... back to this problem .

Have turned off the tablets, but still can't run full screen.

OK try this :
http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/sho...6&postcount=34

In fact, Nobula is the "Tech God"

Good luck !