CCE Keeps Locking When Encoding

[Master Yoda]

OK, could someone help me out here.Ive tryed to encode twice now with cce and both times its crashed and locked up the system.The first time it got 3 mins into the vaf and locked, this time it got 2 hours into the encode and locked. Its not my system getting to hot as when cce was creating the vaf i check the temp and it was fine, plus if my system gets too hot it shuts its self down.Ive run prime95 and the system is stable.

The only difference between these two encodes and the last time i encoded fine is i have 1 GB of ram(in dual channel mode),a 9800pro and the os was installed fresh after formatong.

So i know its not the 2500-M @ 3200, but im now lost as to why its crashing.Could cce have messed up during the install?

Could the hdd space have something to do with it ?, there enough space though, im only encoding the movie, theres 6GB left and the movie once encoded will take about 4GB of that.

[DDogg]

Sounds very frustrating for you. This stuff can be a real pain. One of the keys is you mentioned a lockup. I assume you mean a true lockup where you have to power down to hard reboot your machine. AFAIK, a hard lockup is indicative of a CPU or RAM problem.

OK, I can suggest what I would do in a similar situation and I hope my suggestions don't seem redundant or cause more frustration. Tracking this stuff down is a process of ruling out one thing at a time in a methodical manner.

1> First rule out ram problems for your own peace of mind, as well as anybody trying to help you, by running Memtest86 3.1a (http://www.memtest86.com/). There is a version for floppy and an ISO version if you don't have a floppy to boot off of. Floppy (http://www.memtest86.com/memt31a.zip)OR CD-ROM (http://www.memtest86.com/memtest86-3.1a.iso.zip) Versions. I understand you have ran Prime95 and it does test ram a fair bit, especially if you increase the ram used under Options>CPU, but you still need to run Memtest.

The results of test 5 are real important. IIRC, you can specify that test only by pressing c-2-5-5-return-return.

2a> What do you have VDimm set at? If not, set it to 2.8. It will not hurt anything. I nearly always have to bump up vdimm for reliable dual channel.

2b> Move, or remove one of your ram chips from dual channel so as to run single channel to rule out some of the quirky dual channel problems.

3> Install Speedfan (http://www.almico.com/speedfan415.exe) or MBM (http://mbm.livewiredev.com/) [or maybe something that came with your mobo] so we can actually know what your temps are under load. Mobiles can be a little quirky about heat and it depends on your MoBo as to where the temp is actually measured. On my NF7-S anything over 48-50c can cause a lockup.

4> Try another encoder like the demo version of tmpg, or a demo version of CCE. Still get lockups?

5> Just for the record, what version of AviSynth are you using? What is the script you are using?

6> For testing purposes you might want to dial back your FSB and multiplier.

7> Oh, what is your motherboard? What is your Ram brand and model? What are you ram settings? Try less aggressive settings, like optimal if not already doing so.

Not to worry, we can get this figured out if we go a step at a time. In the meantime don't lose you temper and take a hammer to your computer :)

[jorel]

@ forum
see?...Lone Star retired but still around shinning,...this is psycologic and technical support...one of the reasons of great numbers of fans.....knowledge is that!
@ DDogg
you're great! :)

[Master Yoda]

OK, i ran memtest for 2Hours 10Minutes Pass 5, there was no errors or problems.Prime 95 runs stable.Ive used Everest Home Edition to check temp and it never seems to go past 43 on the cpu, thats after running stuff like UT2K4,Doom 3 and Prime95.When encoding it goes to 42.Ive never had a temp problem and if there is my system will shut down not lock.
Im using avisynth 254, the version of cce im using ive never had any problems before.

Maybe i'll try uninstalling cce,then clean the reg files for it and then install it again.

[YaoMing11]

I hvae the same problem with cce 2.50 freezing my whole pc. It happend after I upgraded my pc with a new processor, upgraded to 1GB dual RAM, and a new HDD. Thats strange that I never had the problem before I upgraded. I dont have any problems with the parts so it's not my pc. Im stumped.

[DDogg]

try 2B and 4 for the hell of it. Other than that, and/or a corrupted CCE exe, I'm stumped for a while.

[Master Yoda]

OK, i'll give the one stick of ram a try.But not right now as i dont have the time , i'll get back to this thread once i have tested.But before i try removing a stick i am going to try and encode again as ive just uninstalled avisynth,cce,dif4u, and dvd decrypter.I cleaned the reg files.Ive now installed them all freash.

It may how ever have something to do with the ram in dual channel as YaoMing11 has the same problem.

Anyway i'll get back to this thread.

[br408408]

I will bet that changing your RAM to single channel will solve the problem. You never told us what motherboard you are using.....nForce2 chipset?. My Abit NF7-S and 2600 XP-M @ 2530 mhz will run CCE all day long in single channel, but in dual channel, I might make it through a movie, it might lock up after 30 min, it might lock up after 3 mins. These same sticks of memory will run fine in my Intel rig in dual channel. They pass Memtest86 and Prime95 in dual channel in both my AMD and Intel rigs. I have been overclocking computers for quite some time so I have tried all the settings and tricks. To me, CCE is "the" stability test.

Unfortunately, it will not encode quite as fast in single channel. I think the problem has something to do with northbridge when the memory is in dual channel...raising the voltage to the NB seamed to make it more stable...it would run longer and sometimes make it thru 3 passes on a 2 hour movie back-up (3 passes is a I run)in dual channel. But the voltage is now as high as it will go in the bios...to go higher I would have to mod the mobo. Lastly, even at 2530 mhz, it (the 2600 XP-M) cannot beat my Intel 3.0 P4c @ 3525 mhz when using DVD2AVI, AVISynth, and CCE 2.5 even thoungh it will beat the Intel in DDogg's Speed Test, so I have stopped messing with it and just use my Intel for my encodes

Bill


PS
I have also tried many of the "Hacked" bioses for the NF7-S, allthough none seamed to help. Also thinking back, my old Epox 8rda+ would not run CCE with the memory in dual channel with my old 2500 Barton at stock speed, but in single channel, it would run fine both at stock speed and overclocked. Like i said, I think it as something to do with how good your northbridge is (the luck of the draw...just like getting a CPU that o/c's well) and how well it (the NB) interacts with your memory


PPS
Tell us what motherboard and memory you are using!!

[Master Yoda]

Im using a Asus A7N8X Deluxe (nforce2).
My setup:
Asus A7N8X Deluxe Mobo
Geil 1GB (2x512mb) PC3200
AMD XP2500-M @ 3200 (200x11)

I upped the DDR voltage from 2.6 to 2.7 but still the same lock up.This time it locked 3 mins into the mpeg2 encode.

So what am i to do, i have stuff i need to encode but cant because cce is messing me about, i dont really want to be upping voltage's all over the place every thing runs fine except cce 2.50.Prime95 fine, memtest fine.

So if i take out one of the sticks and put it in another slot so i still have 1GB of ram but in single channel this would fix the problem ?

Am i to guess that cce 2.50 does'nt like the memory in dual channel mode.

What about cce 2.67 ?? altough i prefer 2.50.

[br408408]

Originally posted by Master Yoda
[B
So what am i to do, i have stuff i need to encode but cant because cce is messing me about, i dont really want to be upping voltage's all over the place every thing runs fine except cce 2.50.Prime95 fine, memtest fine.

So if i take out one of the sticks and put it in another slot so i still have 1GB of ram but in single channel this would fix the problem ?

Am i to guess that cce 2.50 does'nt like the memory in dual channel mode.

What about cce 2.67 ?? altough i prefer 2.50. [/B]

2.8 will not hurt your RAM...I run most all my RAM at 2.8. So I would try 2.8, and if that doesn't help, try single channel. It's not that CCE 2.5 doesn't like dual channel, it's just that it may not like dual channel on an nforce2 chipset. It (CCE 2.5) run fine in dual channel on my Intel rig...and I use 2.5 on my Intel because I too like it better, even though 2.67 will run faster on an Intel.

So, up the voltage to 2.8, and if that doesn't work, try single channel. Like I said, to me, CCE is "the" stability test.

[Master Yoda]

OK, i'll try. My board wont let me go past 2.8 anyways.Only lets you select 2.6,2.7 and 2.8.

[DDogg]

Another oddity that some have found is better stability in dual channel mode when slot 2 and slot 3 are used instead of the natural feeling slot 1 and slot 3. I grant that is grasping at straws, but who knows, it may be worth a try after you first find out if single channel works for you.

Frankly, like I mentioned to another person, at this stage of the game I think 2.67.00.27 is a better way to go. It is much more mature and robust. It has a lot of bugs fixed, including memory bugs, over the venerable old 2.5 which really was a little flaky, IMO. I still use it sometimes and don't have any problems, but I know the ornery and finicky beast for what it is - a real PITA sometimes.

Why don't you download the demo of 2.67.00.27 and at least try it and see if you still get the same lockups. If not, I think it is a no brainer to switch if it works without problems for you.

PS A person having a similar problem and the same board pointed me to this search: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&q=A7N8X+CCE+2.5+crash



ABit NF7-S Rev 2 | Mobile XP 2600 @2.650 Ghz (12.5*212) VCore 1.825 v - |(2) 256 meg PC3500 HYP_X (11-2-2-c2 VDim 2.8 v Dual Channel @ 424 MHz)

[DDogg]

YaoMing11, what mobo do you have?

[Master Yoda]

I decided to do one more test with cce2.50 with my ram left in dual channel mode.This time i upped the ddr voltage to 2.8 and this time it encoded from start to finish (5pass' took about 5H 30M i think). Im not going to temped fate but it seems to have fixed the problem. Ive still got scooby doo 2 to back up, not sure whne i'll get round to it though, but if that encodes through fine... well then way hay.

I'll run memtest later just to be on the safe side.

Thanks for your help guys....

[YaoMing11]

I have a Abit NF7-S motehrboard. I'll try upping the voltage to 2.8 also and seeing if that fixes the problem. I'll report back and let you guys know ifit works.

[jorel]

..it never happen before:
using DVD2SVCD 1.2.2 build 1 or DVD2SVCD 1.2.2 build 3 with CCE2.50 in win98se,the system crash(reboot) or give me a blue screen with advices in few minutes but using with CCE266(with ECLCCE) works perfect. i did some tests and with CCE2.50 always crash but don't with CCE266 using the same pc(2 years old).i did a new install of CCE2.50 but nothing is change.... like i told, it's not DVD2SVCD(Roba) problem ...is working perfect!
i'm encoding now(D2D-Roba-CCE266)at 4 hours and need more ~3 hours the end and with lots of pages(internet) running(like here now) :confused: i don't understand what happen! anyone knows about it?

[jorel]

results:
end of the encode a few hours,all is ok!

fragments from D2D log using CCE266:
- 01/09/04 18:09:22
- Free on drive D: 12217.19 mb
- Video Encoding using Cinema Craft
--------------------------------------------------------

Executing Cinema Craft Encoder.
StreamSectors: 4682829788
AudioSectors: 319161892
VideoPAPO: 67595544
ScanOffsetBytes: 235689
SeqAligningBytes: 14979345
DVDBytes: 0
VideoEndHeader: 4
SubtitleSectors: 0
EmptySectors: 238.00
PictureSectors: 0.00
PureMPEGStream: 4280857313.67
Seconds: 6560.47
CalcMPEGStream: 4280857313.67
Frames: 157126
CDSize: 4480.00
Number of CDs: 1
Cut point 4476.00
Variable Settings:
Frames: 157126
Anti Noise Filter: Off
Passes: 3
Image Quality: 17
VAF file creation: On
Video Encoding Mode: Multipass VBR
Min. bitrate: 700
Max. bitrate: 8000
Avg. Bitrate: 5220
Aspect Ratio: 4:3 (No borders, encoded as 4:3)

---AVS Begin---
LoadPlugin("C:\ARQUIV~1\DVD2SV~1\AVISYN~1.5PL\MPEG2DEC\MPEG2D~1.DLL")
LoadPlugin("C:\ARQUIV~1\DVD2SV~1\AVISYN~1.5PL\INVERS~1\DECOMB.DLL")
MPEG2Source("D:\D2S-D\DVD2AV~1.D2V")
Telecide()
Decimate(5)
Undot
Deen
Import("D:\D2s-d\ResampleAudio.avs")
ResampleAudio(44100)
ConvertToYUY2()
----AVS End----

--------------------------------------------------------
- 02/09/04 01:05:24
- DVD to SVCD Conversion
- DVD2DVD ver. 1.2.2 build 1
--------------------------------------------------------
Initializing
-
Initializing finished.

--------------------------------------------------------
- 02/09/04 01:05:25
- Free on drive D: 8028.78 mb

.....
--> starting video encode at 01/09/04 18:09:22 and ending at 02/09/04 01:05:25

i take the result to another folder and select recover(video encode),CCE250 choosed and re-start the job.....few minutes later crash with CCE2.50 ! :confused:

[jorel]

i still don't know why CCE250 is crashing....(never had that problem)
3 hours reading (after use search), i can't find an answer to this question:
250 run faster than 266 in athlons but can i use eclcce with CCE2.50 or don't work(or don't need)?
:confused:

[DDogg]

Jorel, is it failing at the start of a pass or in the middle?

If at the start, it might be that old AMD CRC bug which can be patched and fixed.

If the middle, it might be heat or ram related. You use VFAPI with CCE266, don't you? I can't remember right now. If so, it does not stress a machine near as much as straight CCE 2.5.

Just like what was said above, until you do Prime95 and memtest people can't help too much because those things have to be ruled out first.

[jorel]

hy DDogg
it happen from 4 to 20 minutes after cce250 start.
AMD CRC bug? maybe yes,but is the same athlon XP+2000 from 2 years and start this problems a few days!
about heat: i have lots of coolers(fans and one 110/220v 30x30 size-too big),the most high temperature is 55C in daytime encoding (now is 49C with cce266)and the left side of the pc is open too!the cooler of the processor seems a piramid and his fan have the same size of the power supply fan.....the power supply is outside of the pc to refresh,only the power cables are inside(of course)
oh yes, and using VFAPI with CCE266
ram problems? maybe but never had before (deserve new tests with Prime95)
sorry my poor english.....and thanks! :)

[DDogg]

Ram goes bad all the time. Last year over a period of several months I saw 3 machines show up with bad ram. 2 of those I had checked a few months before and knew it had been good at one stage.

Btw and off topic, a hard won tidbit of information - one of the best ram testers is an XP installation :( Bad ram shows up as a disk read failure making you think of course that the installation disk is bad. I lost some hair on that one for sure before I figured it out.

Besides good old Memtest86, Microsoft also has a good one (http://oca.microsoft.com/en/windiag.asp).

[jorel]

yes..one time installing XP give me blue screen and removing one of the memorys modules i could install without problems(that module is out of pc)
i will do big tests here and post the results....thanks for the hints, links...everything! you're a big helper (like always)
:)

[Ripe73]

Another oddity that some have found is better stability in dual channel mode when slot 2 and slot 3 are used instead of the natural feeling slot 1 and slot 3

Great!..finally CCE 2.50 work witout my computer freeze..

[jorel]

Originally posted by DDogg
Another oddity that some have found is better stability in dual channel mode when slot 2 and slot 3 are used instead of the natural feeling slot 1 and slot 3

after read again with more atention i remember that a few days(last month) i was cleaning the dust from my pc and i change the order of the memory modules....i will change the positions again, who knows?!?!(i'm not Frank Sinatra but-let me try again...hey,was horrible) :p