Intel E5300 @ 2.6GHz
2GB RAM 800MHz
XFX Radeon 4850 512MB
Integrated Realtek audio
newest drivers for sound and graphics
game installed on fast HDD - Samsung Spinpoint F3
game files fully defragmented
Polish game version

with me the game freezes - but seems to run in the background so its not completely shutdown! monitor picture frozen but I can hear the sound when jumping or doing sometzhing else so the game is proceeding... couldnt play more than 2-3 minutes...also when I am going into the menu I cant get out of there - frozen.
using:
Windows XP
Realtek audio
nvidia gtx295
2 gb ram
logitech mouse mx518
newest drivers for graphic card
iontel quadcore 9450

EXACT same problem, except that i can go on for maybe 15-20 minutes.

By the way, does anyone know where to change the sound output frequency in XP? I'd like to try the "44.1khz fix" but i can't, for life, find it anywhere.

Realtek drivers are notorious for going bat[censored] haywire. Considering I have the same problem, and Realtek integrated sound card, AND have had an issue like this in the past with another RPG(I think it was fallout 3, figures as it's on the same engine), I'm almost certain it's a realtek driver issue.

Ok thanks for noting it.I didn't knew that

Come to think of it, yes, i had similar problems in fallout 3 too, and i've also got a Realtek integraded sound card.

I had similar issue with F3 too but it used to froze my entire PC and i needed to hard reset.Skyrim freeze for about 5-10s and then continues like normal and froze only once my while computer.However both games run on a bit different engines.

I have a Realtek as well. Didn't have any problems with other games so far though (including Fallout 3, Fallout New Vegas or Oblivion). But if everyone in this thread has a Realtek card then it may be the cause.

EDIT: I would try to disable sound and music in the ini, but I can't find an entry for it anywhere like in Oblivion. Any way to disable sound completely for testing (setting sound level to 0 in the game menu probably doesn't help as it just sets the volume to 0, but doesn't completely disable sound/music)?

not likely.

But your post made me remember something, in fallout 3 I had to disable hardware acceleration to get the game running.
AFAIK, this is no longer possible in windows 7.

When im inside or slowly exlporing a city/place i have no problems but when im really going to travel the problem occurs like 3 times in a row then stops for 2min and then it repeats.
My specs are:

Windows XP 32-bit
Realtek audio
nvidia gtx275
4 gb ram ( yea i know 32-bit only support 3.25Gb )
Nvidea drivers version 285.58
intel core 2 duo E8400 @ 3.00GHz

Since that more people have Realtek Audio drives it could probally be the cause, because i also have had a lot of issues with Realtek and running Bethesda games.

I have this problem too and it's really annoying, and like others I have Realtek. Wouldn't be surprised if it was that

I have the same problem =/

The game runs just fine, with settings at medium (About 25-30 fps outdoors) and then, bam! A random 5 secs freeze.

Also using Realtek HD audio drivers, (integrated into the motherboard)


Anybody knows how to change the audio quality under Windows Xp? I don't see the same options as in Windows 7.


My Specs:

Windows XP 32-Bit

Realtek Audio >__<

Nvidia GeForce 9500 GT

Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 @ 2.93 Ghz

2.5 GB RAM

Nvidia Driver 285.58

Same issue here. Realtek soundcard, but I use a USB headset.

I'm with VIA 1708b.If thats the issue then it's not only Realktek.

Ok so from what people are saying it seems like it is definitely a problem with the realtek audio drivers, as I also run this. So I guess the next step is to try to disable hardware acceleration, although I don't think I've seen an option in the game menus. Is there a way to do that from outside the game? Also, I am guessing putting in a new soundcard would circumvent the problem, if it is indeed the problem?

It is good to see some continued discussion on this as it clearly needs more attention, so Bethesda themselves can come and have a peek.

ok just to update everyone, I tried completely disabling audio hardware acceleration and I still get the bug! : (


Could running the game without steam perhaps be some sort of fix? I've heard you can do that by just loading the exe

it is highly unlikely that it's an audio problem, the game has problems loading parts of the world which, obviously does not in interior cells.

I tried staying still for 2 minutes and it did not happen, as soon as I moved it strarted again if I walked there was a bigger gap between freezes if I ran, shorter. So it seems clear, for me, that it is an optimization problem, that should be fixed by an update.

I, for one, don't use RealTek

i wouldn't jump at the chance to blame something that's on 99% of motherboards nowadays

I had the original problem of freezing/stuttering for a few seconds then going back. Every few times it did it it would actually kick me out completely with the nvidia driver error. I'm a little different in what some are stating though as a couple of the times it booted me I was standing still, and indoors. I updated my video driver after that and now instead of the old issue the computer freezes completely with each one of my screens becoming a solid color(not consistant, I've seen a total of about 8 different colors now) with looping audio in the background until I hard reboot the whole thing. I just noticed that the "updated drivers I installed weren't even close to the latest still though so I am going to install that now and see what happens.

Win 7 64 bit
12 Gb mem
GTX 285
Realtek ALC889

I'd go with this reason also. If it was audio it would be doing it in small dungeon locations more often, along with when you're standing still (as you obviously dont need to move to hear the music or general effects)

Hearing from a mod would be useful though

lol fair enough, as you might be able to tell I am somewhat of a pc noob : P

Anyways, I find it weird that it is an optimization problem when I seem to get super silky smooth frame rates most of the time? Again, I am a noob and might be talking crap.

Either way I am sick of trying to figure this out, and if I can't get it working in a few hours I'm gonig to cave in and swap for the 360 version : (


EDIT - absolutely beautiful. Gamestation wont even let me swap my pc copy for an xbox version. This is just frigging great.

Kicking the topic little bit thats all.

This bug is so annoying, I almost wish I got it for console instead.

Updated drivers did not work, but I at least am once again only crashing out of the game with the driver stopped working error as opposed to the complete PC freeze. And once again I was in a indoor location, and not moving.

Returning PC Games never works usually due to licensing or some crap. RealTek are pretty common on all motherboards for on-board sound. There's only about 3 makes including them that do it (I have SoundMAX personally)

In terms of why it happens i really don't know - i've noticed that it happens for me usually when it's loading something important (I.E - it'll freeze and load a camp with npc's in the distance, while other times i can run along fine as it's just loading landscapes). If this is the case it's just an issue with how the objects are processed and *SHOULDN'T* be a big issue to fix

Saying that we've heard nothing from the mods / devs about it so i could be wrong