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Screen "flashes" constantly

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unmerged(59308)

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Jul 25, 2006
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I have a problem that really takes the joy out of both EU1 and EU2. The screen "flashes" constantly, sometimes 3-5 times a second, sometimes once in 20 seconds (the flashing is completely random). Screen just "blanks" completely black and then returns back to normal view, but it's really hard on eyes. I've got 1.9 patch, the latest direct-X, latest ATI controller etc etc.. but the problem just doesn't go away. I don't have any mods, just the stuff that comes along with the game and believe me, I've tried different resolutions (I have to use 800x600 for the games, because othervice it's impossible to play as the refresh rate drops somewhere near 40 Mhz and is completely impossible to look at.

I have Windows XP sp2 and Ati Radeon 9250. You guys have any fixes or am I going to use my cd's as modern mirrors from now on?


edit.

Oh, and the starting logo (with the elephant) runs too low, as if the center of the video is near the bottom end of my screen and when the game loads (with EU2 logo) - the upper half of the screen flashes like 100 times a second, but it's only the upper half.. strange.
 
Flashing is caused by something running in the background trying to steal focus.
Biggest culprit is Music Match. Look under the process tab, and see if there is an MM.exe or a MMdiag.exe
 
nope

Castellon said:
Flashing is caused by something running in the background trying to steal focus.
Biggest culprit is Music Match. Look under the process tab, and see if there is an MM.exe or a MMdiag.exe
Click to expand...


No, I don't have.. what ever Music Match is. All I have running is F-Secure and SpywareGuard and what else Windows XtraProblems runs all the time. I don't think that F-Secure or SG are the reasons, because this flickering happens only with EU games. Though, I'll give it a try..
 
Do try it, Did you actually look for those processes? lots of peopel do not even know it is on their system.

Other things like comunication and messageing systems can cause the effect as well.

Basically try ending the processes you are not sure about.
 
myeyeshurt said:
Oh, and the starting logo (with the elephant) runs too low, as if the center of the video is near the bottom end of my screen and when the game loads (with EU2 logo) - the upper half of the screen flashes like 100 times a second, but it's only the upper half.. strange.
Click to expand...
This is a binkplayer problem. Rename the AVI directory under the EU2 main directory so the intro videos won't play. I suspect this will help your main problem too.
 
Yeeeesss...

I truly did look for the program, even though I'm 98% sure of what programs inhabit my holiest. No, there's no such thing. And I also don't have no Messenger (the closest thing is Skype wich is *off*). I don't trust MS softwares that much, that I'd let them infest my PC (Windows is a necessary evil with when playing games). And I've passed my F-Secure antivirus tests and there's no other malicious software either (if you don't count MS "products"). I'd go for my Ati Radeon 9250, but still..

I've still to try that renaming of the AVI folder, even though it does sound a little strange.. I'll report when I'm done with that.
 
Also make sure you have the latest drivers,
 
it's less now

Well what do you know? I renamed the AVI-directory and MOST of the blinking is gone. It's now at somewhat.. agreeable level. And yay, I have the latest drivers one can get for their software (and hardware too).

The blinking happens now, let's say.. 1-15 times a minute and that's a great deal less than previously. Still, I'm not completely satisfied with the results. Hasn't anybody else got this problem?
 
Another thing to do is check your display settings. Go to the Display section in the Control Panel, go to Settings, click on Advanced. From there, go to Monitor and check your Screen Refresh Rate. It'll probably be set at 60 Hertz, try upping it to 75 and you should see some improvement (your desktop will look different, crisper if it changes the Refresh Rate). Give it a shot. If not, switch it back.
 
myeyeshurt said:
Well what do you know? I renamed the AVI-directory and MOST of the blinking is gone. It's now at somewhat.. agreeable level. And yay, I have the latest drivers one can get for their software (and hardware too).

The blinking happens now, let's say.. 1-15 times a minute and that's a great deal less than previously. Still, I'm not completely satisfied with the results. Hasn't anybody else got this problem?
Click to expand...
Have you rebooted since doing the rename?
 
I'm getting too old for this..

Yes, I've rebooted my PC plenty of times and it doesn't help. What comes to the refresh rate of my monitor, it's always at 85 [because I can't change it to bigger]. Seems that some old games (like nethack) somehow manage to drop the refresh rate somewhere near 60. That kind of shizzeling makes my eyes cry blood, so I've been missing my good old games for a year now. AND if the game changes the refresh rate and I go back to windows [via that windows button on keyboard] the refresh rate automatically climbs back to 85. After I click the game back on, it drops like a dead fly.

Is there anykind of refresh rate program that would just force the MhZ at the max?
 
Use dxdiag to alter the refresh rate. Games do not pick refresh rates. Games only select screen modi. It's DirectX that attaches the refresh rate to this, and by default it uses 60 Hz, regardless of what you have set in your display settings for the desktop.
 
I like a program called "reforce" but I'm sure games like going to 60hz.

My loading screen loves to flash (top half) as well, but the game rarely or never blinks, so it is not a problem. I first encountered it with my new ATI card. Otherwise it is a fine card, so not a problem, just an annoyance.
 
Wtbrg said:
I like a program called "reforce" but I'm sure games like going to 60hz.

My loading screen loves to flash (top half) as well, but the game rarely or never blinks, so it is not a problem. I first encountered it with my new ATI card. Otherwise it is a fine card, so not a problem, just an annoyance.
Click to expand...
This happens to me too but I can live with it since my game have NEVER crashed in SP
 
myeyeshurt said:
The blinking happens now, let's say.. 1-15 times a minute and that's a great deal less than previously. Still, I'm not completely satisfied with the results. Hasn't anybody else got this problem?
Click to expand...

I just got the game and have been having this problem. I haven't tried anything mentioned in this thread to fix it yet, but I suspect I may have some programs running in the background.
 
fp
 
Castellon said:
Flashing is caused by something running in the background trying to steal focus.
Biggest culprit is Music Match. Look under the process tab, and see if there is an MM.exe or a MMdiag.exe
Click to expand...

This is the only time I get flashes, is when I have Musicmatch in the background.

I do occassionally get the top half of the loading screen black and flashing but only the odd occassion.

Aye.
 
Spyware guard is the culprit in this case. Only activate it while you are surfing the internet because it can cause problems for other games too. Do you want to give me the $50 for solving ur problem now, or later?
 
fp
 
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