ACTIVE CTD/ntdll.dll around Gustavus/SAK

[Chrjs]

Hi, i have a persistent problem with SAK. I noticed during some flights with the NGX and A2A B17 that i get CTDs with the explanation "ntdll.dll" in the event viewer around Gustavus, or for better reference the VOR SSR.

I did some test flight to SSR from different and "visualized" the results. "C" marks the point when the ntdll.dll-CTD occured. For testing the default Learjet with no weather program/online tool/AI-tool was used.

As you can see, there seems something like a "keep-out-zone" for around Gustavus.

During a second test run disabled all SAK-layers (no problem around SSR), then activated one layer after the other - it was no problem until i activated the top layer (SAK scenery) - with the scenery layer active i got the known ntdll.dll again.

I already uninstalled/reinstalled the SAK region without any difference - the problem persists.

It is however strange that i can place my aircraft in PAGS and fly out an back in without a CTD - the CTD seems only to occur when starting from outside this area and flying in.....

I have numerous other FTX regions (actually all except for Wales and NZNI) and many, many FTX and other addons and haven't had this problem yet.

Here my system specs:

i7 2600K @ 4,5 (stable)

Win7 64

8Gb Ram

Nvidia GTX570

I use REX essentials overdrive, shade and Tongass fjords as well

I hope these information can help to pinpoint the problem, right now im not able to use this magnificent region!

thanks for your help, chris

[Magnus Farnes]

Maybe your ntdll.dll file is corrupted? Try downloading a new and replace the one in the system32 folder! http://www.dll-files.com/dllindex/dll-files.shtml?ntdll

Just make sure you backup the original ntdll.dll, and also check the version of your ntdll.dll so you download the right one from the site. Did the trick for me with some other dll-related CTDs!

[Chrjs]

Maybe your ntdll.dll file is corrupted? Try downloading a new and replace the one in the system32 folder! http://www.dll-files.....<br /><br />Just make sure you backup the original ntdll.dll, and also check the version of your ntdll.dll so you download the right one from the site. Did the trick for me with some other dll-related CTDs!

Thanks for your reply, i will try that. Even though i dont think it is corrupted since it only happens at this specific location and only with the SAK-Scenery layer activated and nowhere else. There has to be some connection....

[dscalora]

I'm having the same problem in the vicinity of Valdez, exactly the same circumstances- I can depart PAVD no problem, but if I try to fly in from somewhere else I get the CTD.

[Holger Sandmann]

Hi Chrjs,

thanks for the detailed crash report and tests! We didn't encounter any CTDs in the Gustavus area during Beta testing but will run a few flights to cross-check. In the meantime please check whether you have any other add-on for the Gustavus area that includes airport files. Run a Windows search of your entire FSX folder for .bgl files with PAGS, EXI, or BQV as part of their name; anything outside of the FTX SAK folders, except for the ADE_FTX_SAK_ elevation adjustment files in \Scenery\World\scenery, could be a potentially incompatible add-on.

Cheers, Holger

[Holger Sandmann]

Me again,

just completed a trip from PAJN in the A2A B17, overflying EXI and PAGS, then turning around and heading back to PAJN via SSR. Very nice flight (all sliders maxed except water effects, and Orbx weather theme 4) but no issues whatsoever.

My PC has the same CPU and GPU as yours but uses default clock speeds and, in fact, isn't really optimized for FSX since I use it primarily for development.

During the 45-min flight I had ProcMon running in the background; it logged 38 million (!) file access events (probably 70% of those related to FSX) but, after filtering for red flags like "name not found", showed no signs of issues that would implicate SAK.

As stated above I suspect this is a case of an interaction with another add-on. Since the FTX_NA_SAK05_SCENERY scenery library entry is the one that contains all of our airport files I would focus on those types of add-ons. Note that some third-party AI packages also contain airport files.

Still, it would be interesting to hear from other SAK users that have completed flights in this area.

Cheers, Holger

P.S.: Tim also flew the B17 across PAGS without issues as per this thread: http://www.orbxsystems.com/forum/topic/56666-sak-juneau-to-elmendorf-34-shots/

[Chrjs]

Hi Holger,

thanks agaín. I searched for the files and these are the results

PAGS

BQV

EXI

(and some text documents and XML files)

I tried to disable the bgl-files in the scenery-folder

unfortunatelly, i still got the CTD - are there any other Scenery files activated in this area that i could disable? could the elevation_adjustments cause a problem as well?

edit: btw, i can fly to Valdez with no problem

[Holger Sandmann]

Hi Chris,

I don't see any relevant non-FTX file either in your lists.

Rather than renaming the files a quick method for deactivation is to move them from the "scenery" subfolder into the main \FTX_NA_SAK05_SCENERY folder and then refreshing the scenery library. For example you could move all FTX_SAK_objects_ files out at once to cross-check whether they are involved.

Cheers, Holger

[Chrjs]

Ok, after hours of testing, moving files around and disable/enable them, it seems as i have found the malefactor:

FTX_SAK_objects_eastern_turf_2_PLC.bgl (says it was modified 18.03.2013, Size 39kb)

Whenever this specific file is activated I get the ntdll.dll CTD in the above mentioned area. So Holger, can you enlighten me what this file is doing in this area? What am I missing when i disable it?

I just flew another test flight with my (beloved) B17 PAHN-PAGS through the complete "Keep-out-zone" and didn't notice anything unusual (besides the wonderful landscape!)... I will do some more test flights with other aircrafts during the next days and will report back again.

But at least, for now it seems to work. Thank you Holger for your help and this piece of art!

regards, chris

[Holger Sandmann]

Hi Chris,

strange that this particular file would cause any troubles as all it does is place objects at many of the airfields with non-hardened runways in the eastern sector of SAK. Deactivating that file means all included airfields (~40) will be pretty bare with very few if any objects. Within your "crash zone" PAGS has its own placement file but both BQV and EXI are included with "FTX_SAK_objects_eastern_turf_2_PLC.bgl".

All of these objects are also used in other placement files in SAK and throughout other Orbx regions meaning it's unlikely that there's an issue with the object libraries. I still think it's most likely a conflict with something else but I'm not aware of any specific mechanism involving objects and associated effects that would trigger such a CTD.

You could try installing the latest Orbx Libraries from our support page, to rule out potential file corruption in your copy of the file libraries, but I doubt that's the cause.

Cheers, Holger