I've got a problem with LFS. I mentioned it before on here, but couldn't get it solved. Basically, it only happens when I alt+tab/shift+f4 in/out of the game a couple of times, or sometimes on startup.

What happens is I re-enter the game and the screen goes blue. Not the dreaded Windows blue screen, but an LFS special - it's got black jagged lines all over it. If I do Shift+f4, this sometimes allows me to get the game back to running normally. However, most of the time it gets me back to the game but it's as if two game images have been overlayed ontop of each other, but one to the right of the other, making it completely undrive-able and the text un-comprihendible.

Normally, however many times I press shift+f4, it doesn't get going again and ends up with me having to restart it. Alt+F4 produces a grey screen with jagged lines, and nothing can get rid of this.

I've included some pics to try and explain better. Don't flame me for them being on a cruise server, just help me fix this irratating problem.

First I get:


Then, after Shift+F4 - two images out of line:




And after Alt + F4:


Any ideas?

What are your system specs?


The obvious idea is an overheating GFX card...

In brief-

nVidia GeForce 6600 GT
1 GB Ram
AMD Athlon 64 3000+

I'd suggest using some temperature monitoring software (like nVidia Control Panel, ATiTool, RivaTuner, maybe even GPU-Z etc) to check the temperature then.

Just had a look on the nVidia control panel. Whilst browsing the desktop it hovers at around 55 degrees, but after a short go in LFS it goes up to around 70. Not sure if a longer play would result in a higher temp? The slowdown threshold's set at 145 degrees.

Slowdown temp = useless.

The 6600GT shouldn't really go past 75° but it shouldn't do that until pushing something much higher...

Does this happen in other games? If you don't have any other games then try 3DMark06

Just tried for a bit longer and it seems to stick just below 70.

Yeh I go on some other quite demanding games quite reguarly - Race '07, GT Legends. They do get a little jerky, but I've never experienced this exact problem anywhere else other than LFS.

3DMark06, that a game or a GFX card test type of thing?

Thanks for your quick help by the way, muchus appreciatus.

3DMark06 is a GFX benchmarking program, that should stress your card way more than LFS.

If other games work fine then perhaps it's not the GFX card overheating.

Have you tried re-downloading LFS and trying it that way? I'd also upgrade to the latest GFX drivers (should give you a little performance boost, too - My recommendation would be the latest 174.74's from XtremeG - Get them for XP and Vista)

To me, that looks like there is also a resolution/interlacing issue.

Could you post ALL the info you know about your PC? ie OS, mobo, RAM, CPU, GFX Drivers, PSU etc - would help imo.

This is DEFINITELY a hardware problem, that image corruption cannot come from anything else.

It sounds like the game continues to play but the graphics are screwed. This means that it is either being caused by your gfx card, ram or motherboard.

Overheating is the likely cause as already mentioned. You should find a program that can log the gpu temperature so you see what it gets to when this problem occurs.

Open up the case and check that all fans are running and give it a good clean out.

Download Orthos and run a test for at least 12hours. If it passes, your mobo, cpu and ram are ok which leaves the graphics card as culprit.

If Orthos fails we'll need to do other stuff to work out which component is failing.

Quote from Jakg :

I'd also upgrade to the latest GFX drivers (should give you a little performance boost, too - My recommendation would be the latest 174.74's from XtremeG

Not necessarily true for an older card. I get the best performance and visuals on my 6800GS with NGO 92.91's

My lfs close itself , I open It, play like 15 minutes and kaboom close itself... I dont know what can it be!.

But good luck with that mate!