Cheat Engine

Dysfunctional · How do I cheat? Reputation: 0 Joined: 10 Dec 2003 Posts: 2

Is there anything I can do about games that lockup completely when I try a search on them? I've recently run into two examples; KotOR PC and the Dominions II demo both freeze my computer completely during the first search, requiring a reboot.

Dark Byte · Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2003 4:41 pm Post subject:

I have KotOR myself but it doesnt crash after I've done a scan. I do have the problem that when I switch to another program and press on something on the taskbar it switches back to that game.

But back to the question:
What OS do you use? Win 95, 98,98se,ME, 2000, XP, windows emulator ?
How much ram does your computer have? How much disk free?
What kind of processor? (Intel, AMD, ...) and speed.

Are you using one of the 2.x versions or 3.x versions of Cheat Engine?
Does it also crash when switching to another program and then back to the game?

If you're using Cheat Engine 2.x try switching to 3.0 because those have a option to run a scan in a seperate thread, also if you have deselected that option turn it on. (running in the same thread makes people sometimes believe that CE has crashed because it stops responding during the scan)

If that doesn't help try changing the scanbuffer in the settings.
If that also doesn't work and you do have multiple computers on a network try using the network version. Run the server on the computer with the game, start it, and connect to it from the other computer,and do the searching from there. (in case task switching causes the crash)

And if nothing helps, try downloading the latest drivers and updates for your computer.
And if even that doesn't work try getting a memory diagnostic tool and check if your system ram isn't faulty.

You might also want to check your disk for error and repair them. It can also be that the temporary files Cheat Engine creates for scanning get corrupted.

Dysfunctional · How do I cheat? Reputation: 0 Joined: 10 Dec 2003 Posts: 2

I guess there's something wrong with my PC :)

I can scan both games on my work laptop with no lockups (though the laptop is underpowered to play KotOR). I'm not sure what it is about those games though because I can scan other games just fine.

I need to find time to troubleshoot this a bit further.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Rogue101 · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2004 3:55 am Post subject: Tried it myself.

Hello,

I'm currently taking a test drive of Cheat Engine 4.0, but have come across this exact problem when I try to scan SW : KotoR. I have not yet attempted another game.

I run Windows XP: Home
on a Pentium 4, 3.0ghz
1gig of 3200 DDR ram.
about 20 gig free on a 40 gig drive.

Hyperthreading is Enabled for the Pentium 4 so even though it is a single processor, the OS thinks it is a multiple-processor system. I think this is the problem myself, as a week before, when I ran a p4 1.7 ghz system (Before the sucker crashed and burned on me) Cheat Engine ran spectacularly well.

When run this way, Cheat Engine 4.0 begins an abnormally quick scan then locks up the entire computer. Freezes about 3/4 of the way through.

When I disable Hyperthreading, it does a more routine scan and seems to make progress, however, freezes the computer at 3/4 of the way through.

If you need more information, please let me know. Thank you for creating this great tool, it is much appreciated. Just wish I could use it again!

Dark Byte · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2004 10:59 am Post subject:

You know, I've got exactly the same system, (except I only have 5 gig free of a 20 gig HD)

Go to the settings, and then scan settings. Disable the checkbox to run the scan in a seperate thread. Then scan and wait at least 15 minutes. (It will then certainly look CE has crashed, but just wait)

About the lockup: Does it really crash the whole system? Mouse stops responding, num lock,caps lock, and sroll lock keys can't be turned on/off anymore.

Also, I heard from someone else that after installing the latest patch of KotOR the game freezes during a scan.

Another thing: How are you scanning the memory when it crashes? Unknown initial value? Exact value? Or a scan after doing a unknown initial value ?

Rogue101 · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2004 3:46 pm Post subject: alrighty...

Well, instead of going about a long, non-thorough explanation of what is, and what is not set, I'll show you. In this example I disabled the seperate thread option you suggested in the above post.

http://home.comcast.net/~lan2109/Runthrough.avi

about a 720k download.

Uses a normal mpeg4 codec, too lazy to use Divx or anything like that at this time.

Hyperthreading Enabled:

If I had clicked on the First Scan option, the bar would go flying across, very quickly, then the computer freezes when the bar is almost exactly under the period inbeetween the swkotor(period)exe above. This takes about 10 seconds.

Hyperthreading Disabled:

Same steps, but the program operates at a more 'normal' pace that I'm familiar with when I used Cheat Engine 3.3 on my other system. Thoroughly went through my system, but froze at the exact point as when the hyperthreading was enable. Seemed to be working better save for it still freezing.

Kotor is running at 1.01 so if there is a new issue with that, then I guess that is a possibility.

I had the beta patch earlier when I was using 3.3 and it worked perfectly, pre-system upgrade.

Rogue101 · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2004 3:47 pm Post subject: Forgot to add

oh, and yes, its a complete hard-lock of my computer. Only option is to hit the reset/power button.

Dark Byte · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2004 4:55 pm Post subject:

would you mind trying it out with cheat Engine 3.3?

It may be I put in a bug when adding the fastscan routines. (that may also affect the non-fastscan scans)

But if that one also crashes, even without scanning in a seperate thread, you might want to check your memory. Cheat Engine accesses all the memory of your computer, and it might happen it stumbles onto a faulty byte.

I can't really think of anything else that can cause a complete lockdown.

You could also try setting the scanbuffer in the settings to 1 and scan with that.

Rogue101 · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2004 5:56 pm Post subject: actually...

As it turns out, 3.3 was the first version I tried... Same problems.

If it wasn't broken, I had no need to look for something else...

My memory is 100% good, verified by memtest-86 a few minutes after I read your post, just to make sure. Hard drives have been completely checked over/defragged etc just the other day.

I still have more evidence of it working correctly with hyperthreading disabled, but it still locks up the system.

I tried decreasing the scanbuffer to 1 as per your suggestion, got it running, with hyperthreading disabled (did a quick run through and locked up with this setting with hyperthreading enabled) walked out... had a bite to eat...

Came back...

and it was locked up again. This time even earlier on the progress indicator.

Dark Byte · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2004 6:23 pm Post subject:

I really dont have a clue what can cause this.
The complete system crashes when you try to read some memory. (nothing weird about just reading...)

you could change the memory regions that it scans
instead of 00400000 to 7fffffff all at once scan the regions:
00400000 - 01000000
01000000 - 10000000
10000000 - 7ffffffffffff

and see wich one goes wrong, then try to pinpoint the area that makes you crash by making that area smaller and smaller

and in the future skip that area. (propably nothing of importance there anyhow if my gues is right it may be video ram that somehow got mapped with write only, but not sure why it tkes the whole system down)

Oh yes, how long does it take for your screensave to show op or your monitor to shut down? Might be that while you're waiting for the scan to complete the screensaver kicks in (and SWKotor being a 3d game cant really handle that situation)

Dark Byte · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2004 6:27 pm Post subject:

Does it also crash when the fastscan option is enabled?
The fastscan modifies the regions it scans also (a little) and oerhaps fixes it that way

Rogue101 · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2004 10:23 pm Post subject: fastscan

Still crashes during fast scan. Just sooner than a normal one.

Ill test out where its going bad on memory regions tonight and let you know.

Ive run across this happening in other programs now.

It seems alot of programs don't like multi-processor systems, or those that have the appearance of being one, such as mine with the hyperthreading.

Ill get back to you on the memory regions as soon as I can.

Rogue101 · Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2004 10:34 pm Post subject: screen saver

Oh, and on a side note, the screen saver and the automatic monitor power-off features are turned off on my computer, I dont like it doing things right when I'm reading a lot of stuff or trying to think about the latest test question that I have on the screen.

Dark Byte · Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2004 12:57 am Post subject:

Installed the latest drivers for your mainbord and XP?

Rogue101 · Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2004 2:49 am Post subject: yup

most definatly.