Opera 8.54/9.27 crashes Win98se

[chromatic47]

Symptom: Opera versions 8.54 and 9.27 crash the system after starting a browsing session. Sometimes immediately, sometimes after 5-10 minutes. The crash blanks the screen and locks up the computer. Only means of recovery is reboot.

This crash always happens, with both versions; the only thing unpredictable is the length of time that elapses before it happens. Both 8.54 and 9.27 can be opened and will stay running as long as a session is not initiated. But once mail is accessed, or browsing begins, it's only a matter of time before the screen suddenly goes blank and the system freezes.

Firefox 2.0.0.18 and OffByOne do not crash. And both versions of Opera run just fine on my old Win95a P233mmx (albeit 9.27 is rather slow, but 8.54 is a smooth performer).

Below are some system specs, although I fail to see how the setup is a limiting factor, since FF and OB1 have no problems:

- Win98se using 98lite Sleek v2 shell (Explorer.exe v4.00.950 + Comdlg32.dll v4.00.951+ Shell32.w95 v4.00.951; Win98se Shell32.dll v4.72.3812.600)

- Original Win98se DUN

- DSL (via Davicom LAN)

- Soyo motherboard w/Intel 845 chipset, P4 1.6gHz overclocked to 2.0gHz, 512 meg RAM

- nvidia FX5200 AGP video card, 82.69 driver

- various processor intensive software performing flawlessly (e.g. Photoshop, Cool Edit Pro 2.1, software synthesizers etc)

Has anyone seen this kind of crash before or have a clue what could be causing it? I'm stumped.

Edited November 22, 2008 by chromatic47

[Dave-H]

I'm a longtime Opera user (I use the latest 9.60 under Windows 98 with no problems, apart for a very long shutdown time) and I've never seen this problem with any version.

Although I've no idea why it might be happening, one obvious thing to check is that the memory caching isn't causing the lockups for some reason.

Go into the Opera Advanced Preferences "History" section.

Memory caching will probably be set to "Automatic".

Try switching it off.

If that cures the problem, try increasing the memory cache setting gradually to see if the problem reappears.

Good luck!

[chromatic47]

Dave-H, thanks, I tried switching memory cache off and the crash persisted. But it did get me thinking about memory, because it turns out that Opera 9.27 runs fine under the native VGA driver. (Although, browsing the internet at 640x480 is kind of like looking at the world through a chink in a brick wall. )

An internet search "nvidia crash" led to gaming forums where similar crashes had occured. Apparently with later Nvidia cards, enabling AGP Fast Writes and/or Sideband Addressing can lead to instability "on some systems" (including xp and vista). So I disabled Fast Writes, and I have now been surfing without a hitch for an hour. Yeah! whereas before the tweak, I would have gone through about twenty crashes by now. So far so good .. Opera 9.27 is running great.

EDIT: Hours later, still no crashes. Appears to be a fix.

Side-note: Oddly the Nvidia AGP panel shows OS as not supporting Fast Writes ("No"), yet says Optimal is "Yes". Also it will not accept a change to either the Fast Write or SBA settings. The checkboxes can be cleared, but are checked again on re-open. I ended up using RivaTuner to force the setting at startup: Sideband Addressing=Yes, Fast Writes=No

Info here:

http://www.techspot.com/tweaks/geforce/

Edited November 18, 2008 by chromatic47

[Dave-H]

Glad you got it fixed!

[Multibooter]

Apparently with later Nvidia cards, enabling AGP Fast Writes and/or Sideband Addressing can lead to instability "on some systems" (including xp and vista). So I disabled Fast Writes, and I have now been surfing without a hitch for an hour... I ended up using RivaTuner to force the setting at startup: Sideband Addressing=Yes, Fast Writes=No.

I speculate that the underlying cause may be the GeForce 82.69 driver you were using; maybe Opera will not crash with v77.72.

[chromatic47]

I speculate that the underlying cause may be the GeForce 82.69 driver you were using; maybe Opera will not crash with v77.72.

I would test v77.72 immediately if it is certain to provide DVI 1680x1050. It was tricky even with v82.69 -- the monitor was juddering badly and only after much rebooting and random fiddling with the control panel did everything settle in to a great picture. Could be a finicky monitor. Unfortunately I have no idea how I fixed it and basically am hesitant to go through that again, unless it's a sure thing.

That said, though --- I know I'm still gonna try it.

Will report results.

Edited November 18, 2008 by chromatic47

[Multibooter]

I would test v77.72 immediately if it is certain to provide DVI 1680x1050. It was tricky even with v82.69 -- the monitor was juddering badly and only after much rebooting and random fiddling with the control panel did everything settle in to a great picture.

The v82.69 driver has also caused problems with my ViewSonic 1600x1200 monitor when connected via DVI, it often/randomly remained black while booting. I had no DVI problems with the driver v77.72. The shutdown and DVI problems were the reasons I rejected any version for Win98 above v77.72 Edited November 18, 2008 by Multibooter

[chromatic47]

I had no DVI problems with the driver v77.72. The shutdown and DVI problems were the reasons I rejected any version for Win98 above v77.72

You were right -- I installed the v77.72 driver (with widescreen modes added to INF) and now have 1680x1050 DVI, full AGP functionality, no shutdown/restart problems, and Opera is flying along.

It was not without some detective work. On this system, the trick to getting DVI to function smoothly was to first revert to VGA, clean out the v82.69 driver, and uninstall the monitor. Then re-install the monitor using analog connection while still in VGA. Next install the Nvidia v77.72 driver, and lastly again install the monitor using DVI connection.

One difference from v82.69 is the functioning of the Monitor Scaling option under DVI. Monitor Scaling will not accept 1680x1050, resulting in either a blank screen or NVMODE.DLL errors. Other resolutions work fine with Monitor Scaling, and the remaining scaling options do support 1680x1050 (Display Adapter Scaling, Fixed Aspect Ratio, and Centered Output). I leave it set mostly on Centered Output so that the signal will not be going anywhere near the Nvidia scaling algorithms. If I do need to change to a lower resolution (and see it full screen) I switch to Monitor Scaling which produces image quality visibly superior to the driver's scaled output. (This is typical; hardware scaling is usually preferable to driver scaling, assuming it's a quality monitor.)

Long story short, I am pleased. Thanks for your help.

Edited November 21, 2008 by chromatic47

[erpdude8]

I'm a longtime Opera user (I use the latest 9.60 under Windows 98 with no problems, apart for a very long shutdown time) and I've never seen this problem with any version.

yea, Dave-H, the latest version of Opera is 9.62. And it may require the MSIMG32.DLL file from WinME for Opera 9.62 to work correctly under Win98.

[Dave-H]

I'm a longtime Opera user (I use the latest 9.60 under Windows 98 with no problems, apart for a very long shutdown time) and I've never seen this problem with any version.

yea, Dave-H, the latest version of Opera is 9.62. And it may require the MSIMG32.DLL file from WinME for Opera 9.62 to work correctly under Win98.

Yes it is indeed 9.62, which is what I'm using!

My mistake.

I use MSIMG32.DLL version 5.0.2218.1 on Windows 98 and Opera runs fine, although startup and shutdown are slow.