[Rockstar Toronto]

If you are experiencing frame speed fluctuations, please update to the latest video drivers, then use the -memrestrict commandline. Please do not use any other commandlines as they may override the effects of this one. Start at the lowest number based on your texture setting (ie. try them one at a time) You can try to increase the number until you notice stuttering again.

-memrestrict 188743680 LOW TEXTURES (256M Video Cards)
-memrestrict 209715200
-memrestrict 230686720
-memrestrict 262144000 MED TEXTURES (512M Video Cards)
-memrestrict 293601280
-memrestrict 314572800
-memrestrict 629145600 HIGH TEXTURES (1Gig+ Video Cards)
-memrestrict 650117120
-memrestrict 681574400

If you still notice stuttering with the lowest number, there may be a seperate issue with your system configuration.

[FlyFR]

yessss
it's OK for me

thank you

[Mazda6]

Sorry. I can't understand. Why is it propose limits of memory if IV should to use all system resources for performance increase?

[ifoxhound]

I've tried that - doesn't work even with the lowest number. To be 100% clear - the stuttering has appeared a little bit later than usual but still ended up freezing my system and hard reboot. With the 1020 patch everything went smooth.

I've tried to reinstall Windows, updated all the drivers, I've even flashed my MB BIOS to the latest version. Nothing helped.
I don't know what else I could do to be able to play this game properly.. Any other ideas?

My PC specs: C2D E8400, ATi HD4850 512MB DDR3, 2GB DDR2 RAM 1066MHZ, WinXP SP3

Thanks in advance!

[Rockstar Toronto]

QUOTE (ifoxhound @ Mar 23 2009, 14:25)

I've tried that - doesn't work even with the lowest number. To be 100% clear - the stuttering has appeared a little bit later than usual but still ended up freezing my system and hard reboot. With the 1020 patch everything went smooth. I've tried to reinstall Windows, updated all the drivers, I've even flashed my MB BIOS to the latest version. Nothing helped. I don't know what else I could do to be able to play this game properly.. Any other ideas? My PC specs: C2D E8400, ATi HD4850 512MB DDR3, 2GB DDR2 RAM 1066MHZ, WinXP SP3 Thanks in advance!

Which ATi driver are you using?

[ifoxhound]

QUOTE (kvic @ Mar 23 2009, 19:48)

im afraid to install the patch i tried it once and had to reinstall the game ,is it possible to revert back to the 2nd patch without reinstalling it takes so dam long to install and everytime it does those checks i get nervous with my luck it will fail.

I've been forced to revert to the second patch. I've downgraded the patch without having to reinstal the game and it works okay for me so far.. However, I'm missing all the various objects in the game again plus those texture popups annoy me a little bit.

Waiting for some other solutions to make the latest patch running stable on my rig...

[ifoxhound]

QUOTE (Rockstar Toronto @ Mar 23 2009, 19:56)

QUOTE (ifoxhound @ Mar 23 2009, 14:25) I've tried that - doesn't work even with the lowest number. To be 100% clear - the stuttering has appeared a little bit later than usual but still ended up freezing my system and hard reboot. With the 1020 patch everything went smooth. I've tried to reinstall Windows, updated all the drivers, I've even flashed my MB BIOS to the latest version. Nothing helped. I don't know what else I could do to be able to play this game properly.. Any other ideas? My PC specs: C2D E8400, ATi HD4850 512MB DDR3, 2GB DDR2 RAM 1066MHZ, WinXP SP3 Thanks in advance! Which ATi driver are you using?

I'm currently running on 9.3 as you advised but I've also tried 9.2 and 8.12.
Neither of them helped.

[Rockstar Toronto]

What settings are you trying to use? Are you using any other command lines?

[ifoxhound]

QUOTE (Rockstar Toronto @ Mar 23 2009, 20:06)

What settings are you trying to use? Are you using any other command lines?

Nope, just the single line from your post. Tried with and without the commandline file.
The video settings in the game is all auto setup. Meaning everything in green. I can go and look up the details if you are interested.

[Rockstar Toronto]

Are you using medium textures?

[ifoxhound]

QUOTE (Rockstar Toronto @ Mar 23 2009, 20:23)

Are you using medium textures?

Yes. The command line I've been trying is the following one:

-memrestrict 262144000 (lowest value for medium textures)

[Rockstar Toronto]

Try going lower.

[ifoxhound]

QUOTE (Rockstar Toronto @ Mar 23 2009, 20:30)

Try going lower.

Okay! I was not sure if I can combine the lower values with medium textures because the game doesn't actually allow me to change the textures to low. I've now played for about 10 mins with the lowest memrestrict value and the game is stable so far. It actually does the texture popups in distance like after the second patch again but at least I've got the world objects back

I will be testing the game longer and will let you know if it stays stable.

Thank you very much for your help and time so far!

Looks like the ATi card users are experiencing this issue more often than the NVIDIA folks..

[[VcG]Adam]

I know this sounds like its in the wrong topic but why is it i now have to the disc in again and cant use any performance optimizations,i think to fix this multiplayer problem have more dev's online and this wouldn't happen,once again,thanks for patch 1.0.3.0 i will certainly try this fix.

[eXs-jack]

I was using the ATI catalyst 8.12 drivers and was experiencing the stuttering/memory leak problem, so i followed your advice, Rocktar Toronto. I put the follwing code in commandline.txt:

QUOTE ("Rockstar Toronto")

-memrestrict 262144000

The game was running in a more stable manner but with occasional jerkiness and after an hour or so the game did eventually freeze up as i tried to car-jack someone.

So i followed the rest of your advice and installed, after sweeping my computer of old drivers, the most up-to-date ATI drivers - 9.3.

I launched the game again and it started playing fine, but after a very short while, 5 minutes or so, it began to freeze up for intervals of upto 30seconds, textures and world objects began to disappear and the radio stations started to cut to static. However it didn't completely freeze up, i could wait out each lock-up and did finally exit the game, without the need to reboot my whole system.

It does seem that this problem is related to the ATI cards only - I'm yet to see an Nvidia user complain of this particular problem since the 1.0.3.0 update - yet i didn't suffer from this problem before the update. Anyway, I'll try lowering the memrestrict value later on and see where that gets me.

This post has been edited by eXs-jack on Monday, Mar 23 2009, 21:11

[Captain_Obvis456]

Can you go into more detail as to how to use the memrestrict commandlines? I've never had to do use these before.
I've had the game since it came out and never had any issues with the game until this latest patch. The game ran great before. I'm using the 9.3 drivers and here are the rest of my specs.
Q9550
Gygabyte P45 Mobo
2GB RAM
3870 Sapphire Radeon
Windows XP
BTW since this patch I can play a little and I really like not seeing anyone cheating in MP. If I can get this sorted out it will make MP so much better. And I play a lot.

[Rockstar Toronto]

Create a .txt file in the root directory of the game (C:\Program files\Rockstar Games\Grand Theft Auto IV) called "commandline". Within this file type

-memrestrict 188743680

and save. When you run the game by pressing the "PLAY" button in RGSC the command line will be read. With this number you should notice no stuttering but you might notice some texture popping. Quit the game, then try the next number up in the sequence. Continue raising the number until you see stuttering again, and then go back to the number prior to seeing any stuttering. The value you use will be different than anyone else based on your hardware setup, video driver, and personal tolerance for texture popping/stuttering.

[eXs-jack]

-memrestrict 230686720

this value seems to be working fine for me and my 512MB card. i notice more textures changing than i used to but at least it's playable now. Maybe in the near future there'll be either a GTA or an ATI-driver update to remove the need for the memrestrict command.

thanks a lot though.

[sallino]

I will try this solution thank you.

[Indi]

R*, is it a must you have to upgrade to the new drivers? The 185.20 are the best for me and I really don't want to lose FPS

Edit: Never mind, tried the command line, can't f*cking beleive it, it worked. It worked, thank you R* my game is finally playable without that horrible stuttering thanks!

This post has been edited by Indi. on Tuesday, Mar 24 2009, 00:20