[Solved] PC freezes when I join a Mumble server (Crossfire issue)

[[508th_PIR] Grey]

Hi, all -

The facts:

Win7 64 pro
i7 2600
16Gb 1333Mhz RAM
2x6970 2Gb

Running BF2 via Steam

Everything installed and running as Admin

All drivers (as far as I can tell) up to date

The problem:

I can join and play on a non-Mumble server with no problems, whether or not I have Mumble running.

If I join a Mumble server, it will freeze my PC completely during the countdown/at squad assign menu. The only way to get out is a hard reset of the PC. Again, whether or not I am running Mumble does not matter.

I have been testing this all last night and this morning, and the only common denominator I can find is that the server I am trying to join is a Mumble server.

Thank you for any thoughts you may have on this issue.

PFC[508th_PIR]Grey

[MaSSive]

Odd thing indeed. I assume you applied this fix since you're able to see and join servers?

If you have original bf2.exe from Steam try restoring it and see if it works now. If it does, see what happens with mumble enabled servers.

Welcome to forums.

[[508th_PIR] Grey]

I should have mentioned, here's a timeline of events:

- All works fine
- PR starts to freeze my PC
- Test various configurations to isolate issue
- Start to get "no servers" issue
- Replace .exe
- Servers found, issue remains
- I determine that Mumble servers are the problem

I do not have the original Steam .exe, unfortunately. Bad move on my part, but doing a full re-install is no problem. I guess that's what I'll try next.

Thanks for the reply!

[MaSSive]

Do you have any other voip software running in background? Steam app and overlay, xfire, teamspeak? If any, shut them down / all of them having just PR running and see if same thing happens again.

What is your internet connection speed? Checked if any ports are blocked, have any ISP related issues?

[[508th_PIR] Grey]

All overlays disabled, clan TS3 running, no other apps. Never had a problem before, but who knows...

I'm just loathe to keep trying as I'd like to avoid all of these hard resets.

50Mbit connection, no problems with ISP (Speedtest/Pingtest both return excellent results).

[MaSSive]

Tested on every server or only few particulars? Some users reported problems with NWA and TG servers, but its not freezing just loosing connection, and reason is still unknown.

If it happens on all servers for you then problem must be on your side. If nothing that you did is fixing it, only thing left is reinstall. Make sure you delete profile folder in My Documents>Battlefield 2 and do registry cleanup.

I'm sorry I cant be of more help, but this is first time I see this kind of problem and cant see the solution. You can wait for others look at it, but doubt any will have anything to say beyond usuals, which you already tried.

[[508th_PIR] Grey]

Thanks, I appreciate the prompt attention. I think I'll just do full re-install tomorrow.

edit: Usually, the Mumble server was a PRTA server.

[MaSSive]

Try disabling bf2 voip by going to sound settings in game. Sounds weird but sometimes weird things happen, like this one, and we must look for same solutions.

[[508th_PIR] Grey]

Update -

I have re-installed everything and am still experiencing this problem. PC freezes at squad assign screen, hard reset necessary.

[LITOralis.nMd]

Grey, where are we now?

Full reinstall of BF2 steam version and a clean reinstall of PR?
Did you apply the retail .exe patch?
Did you do a MD5 checksum on your PR installation files?

The user account you use to play PR is admin rights or something less?

What ATI drivers version are you using?

Did you start Vanilla BF2 one time login and join a Multiplayer game?

Did you clear out the shaders folder after your fresh reinstall?

GO to the BF2.exe file, Try BF2 as XP SP3 compatibility, disable desktop composition, disable visual themes.

Try running PR.exe as Try BF2 as XP SP3 compatibility, disable desktop composition, disable visual themes.

Then start PR.

IF still freeze/crash, try switching to windowed mode.

[[508th_PIR] Grey]

SO.

[Just a reminder, the freezing ONLY occurs when joining a Mumble server. I can play BF2 and non-mumble PR servers with no issue.]

• Everything (Mumble, all PR files, BF2) was completely uninstalled then re-installed/updated.
• Retail .exe applied.
• MD5deep is happy.
• Everything is installed/run as admin, UAC is off.
• Ran vanilla before installing PR, to fix the "must install BF2" error.
• Ran PR before installing Normandy and the map pack for the same reason.
• Cleared shaders.

At this point, I was still experiencing the issue.

• Had dinner.
• Ran PR, then deployed to a non-mumble server with no VOIP apps running (TS3 or PRMumble).
• Disconnected, then deployed to a Mumble server. NO PROBLEM.
• Disconnected, ran TS3 and PR Mumble, then deployed to an empty mumble server. NO PROBLEM.
• Disconnected, then deployed to an active mumble server. NO PROBLEM.

Not sure what happened here, as I have done nothing that I hadn't already tried before the reinstall. Maybe it was the hummus?

Issue resolved, I think, but definitely not solved.

EDIT: I just realized that I did indeed do one thing different. I was not using my wireless headset during this last round of tests. Instead, I was using my wired headphones through my hardware interface.

BACK TO THE LABORATORIUM!

[LITOralis.nMd]

A tangental equivocation,
I once had a problem with WinAmp freezing when I had my bluetooth wireless connected to the PC before I opened WinAmp.
What type of wireless headset you using?
might need to lower the sample rate for input mic and maybe output too.
latency issue?
buffer issue?
I'd guess it's the buffering size issue.

[[508th_PIR] Grey]

*UPDATE*

While, as mentioned previously, I was able to connect successfully a couple of times, I am still having this issue.

To answer your last set of questions:

I am using a Logitech G930, though this also happens when I am using either of my hardware interfaces (Realtek HD audio / Avid MBox Pro Gen 3).

Sample rate is a fixed value on the headset. I have not tried adjusting rates on anything else. In fact they have been unchanged since before I can remember, meaning I have played on PR Mumble servers many times before this problem started.

As for latency and buffering, I keep them at "best quality" settings (29.8kb/s, 10ms). And again, this happens even if PRMumble is not running.

I am thoroughly disheartened.

[[508th_PIR] Grey]

Not sure if this is significant, but the PC freezes about 30-45 seconds after I enter "Squad Assignment".

[LITOralis.nMd]

I am reading this thread Grey, I simply can't figure out wtf the problem is.

When you join a squad you should alt-tab out of PR and look at your PRMUmble screen, see if you get auto-moved into the correct subchannel (Squad 5 channel, etc). See if your PC freezes at the exact moment you switch channels.

We can chase the clue on the wireless headphone, you could go to device manager and disable the wireless headphones, click apply, then reboot, see if it's the wireless headphone driver that is the cause?

IN PRMumble, go to Configure->Settings->Messages, and enable all Messages in Console column. Maybe we'll find something in the console message.

[[508th_PIR] Grey]

If I join a new game or an empty server where the briefing timer starts from the top, my PC will freeze at @ 2:30 - 2:15, so I haven't yet joined a squad (1:30 squad rule).

If I join an existing game, I can usually join a squad and spawn fine, as long as I do it within 30-45 seconds of joining the server. But then it freezes.

I run three screens, so PRMumble and TS3 are always visible - I know that I am definitely being switched to the proper channel when I join a squad.

The wireless headset has been uninstalled for a while now, so the last several tests have been run on both my integrated sound and my external hardware sound devices.

There were a couple of items not enabled in the Console Messages column. I have now enabled them and will try a few more tests later this week.

Thanks again for your attention, LITOralis!

[MaSSive]

Is it possible that freeze happens in the moment when mumble server is switching you in squad channel/or server in general? Have you ever payed attention to it?

Do you have QOS or UPNP enabled in your router/modem? Multicast maybe? Turn off all of that and turn off all protocols on your NIC that you dont use, with IPv6 being first. Go to Services and stop and disable SSDP discovery service. Its a server service for upnp and media extender in Win7 and most likely you dont use it and is potential security risk. This might stop media sharing in homegroup but may resolve issues with multimedia ( sound transfers ) in online gaming and voip software.

Im following this thread too, but to be frank when you started talking about sound buffers I got stumped - I know nothing about that. This is what I know, so give it a try.

* Note that stopping and disabling SSDP discovery service will stop Media center extender service & Upnp device host

SSDP Discovery

Discovers networked devices and services that use the SSDP discovery protocol, such as UPnP devices. Also announces SSDP devices and services running on the local computer. If this service is stopped, SSDP-based devices will not be discovered. If this service is disabled, any services that explicitly depend on it will fail to start.

UPnP Device Host


Allows UPnP devices to be hosted on this computer. If this service is stopped, any hosted UPnP devices will stop functioning and no additional hosted devices can be added. If this service is disabled, any services that explicitly depend on it will fail to start.


Media Center Extender Service


Allows Media Center Extenders to locate and connect to the computer.

[[508th_PIR] Grey]

My first thought is that no, it doesn't happen then, as the freeze happens when I don't even have PRMumble running. But then, I think I'll be focusing my attention on this through my next round of tests.

As for my router, I am locked out by my ISP (Time Warner - they do not allow user access to their wideband hardware. No end of complaints on their forums!).

Thanks for keeping an eye on this guys, I'll update as soon as I have new information.

[[508th_PIR] Grey]

Not much new to add this weekend, though I do know for a fact that I am being switched to the proper PRMumble server/squad before the freeze.

Two quick tests, both beginning with TS3 and PRMumble running:

1) Deployed to a populated server (CIA Test Airfield), chose spawn, spawned successfully, moved around a bit, then froze.

2) Deployed to an unpopulated server (TG public), chose spawn, froze at 2:17 on the briefing timer.

Quick video of the second test here: PRMumble test - YouTube

In both cases, as previously determined, I was in the server itself for @30-45 seconds before the freeze.

Next, I am going to deploy to a PRMumble server but not load in (select "Squad Assignment") and see what happens.

[MaSSive]

Well either a hardware problem, or network. Id say networking/system problem.

Try disabling services I said above, if you cant access your modem/router, and disable BF2 Voip in sound settings.

Try runing in windowed mode too. Add these switches in the target path of your shortcut - [ +menu 1 +fullscreen 0 +szx 1024 +szy 768 ] - adjust resolution as you wish but not higher than your monitor supports. ( dont use brackets - I used them to separate switches from text)

Check your hardware just to be sure. Turn of AV software and firewalls, have only PR and mumble running.

If none of these help its time to call your ISP ( or change it ).