Generic Troubleshooting Page

[Garrett 214]

I was leaning towards just "troubleshooting".

[Mirh 103]

Just for the records, I'd want to remember Windows/Linux/OSX [general] Game Troubleshooting pages should ideally need to prevent and address all those stupid issues derived from deficiencies and improper behaviors we have to take for granted  (otherwise every game could have a potentially infinite number of problems)

 

It'll be interesting to think what could be the best way to "allocate" all this immense amount of stuff.

A quick diagram I got in my mind would suggest to place a link to a Troubleshooting page in every issues fixed section in every game.

There we could place OS agnostic affairs (like I dunno.. update your bios or check if temperatures don't skyrocket) and links to outsource material to every specific OS page.

 

Then (speaking of only Windows), I'm wondering whatever even an additional sub domain/division for XP/Vista/7/8/10 stuff would make sense (considering all of this, it probably would)

 

Last but not least, I was going to finally make some improvement to audio pages... and I was in the belief I'll use Glossary:Sound_card for things mostly hardware related (like drivers and.. how may I say? vendor specific "API arrangements"). Whilst Glossary:Sound would be more for software (to the extent that it might be possible to have no mentions of brands at all)

[Garrett 214]

Linking to troubleshooting in the issues sections is certainly an option.

 

Hardware causes aren't as likely overall, so I'm not sure how much detail would be necessary for that.

​

Glossary:Sound might end up being migrated to troubleshooting since it has the same sort of content.

[Guest]

Linking to troubleshooting in the issues sections is certainly an option.

He said literally everywhere, from what I understand.

[Mirh 103]

Hardware causes aren't as likely overall, so I'm not sure how much detail would be necessary for that.

Well, nobody said we have to go in deep. It's just to write down every possible cause.

 

Glossary:Sound might end up being migrated to troubleshooting since it has the same sort of content.

I don't actually think it's the right thing to do.

Troubleshooting [whatever is called] is about thing the user is assumed to have done. Drivers.. updates.. disabling stupid antivirus.. things that can potentially cause a problem in every game.

 

Sound page, together with microsoft windows page, engine pages etc are for those issues of the relative product that... well they are issue of that program.

And we (usually) link them there just to make game articles look less polluted.

[Mirh 103]

Just to add a couple of other interesting oddities regarding crashes:

• cables can make all the difference in some games
• the same even for certain utilities or tweaks that injects their dlls into every process

EDIT: also checking windows events viewer.

[Mirh 103]

Just a remainder that imo, Basic troubleshooting should just mention/link, in a specific order, the specific glossary pages to check.

Like Controller, Audio, Graphics, Directx, generally mentioning to check middleware table for dependencies..

 

Advanced troubleshooting should instead be about madmen stuff, like the aforementioned thing about cables and stupid dlls.

EDIT: or graphics card BIOS updates

EDIT2: oh, and I wasn't joking when I mentioned updating chipset in my first post

EDIT3: mentioning sfc /scannow as one of the really last things, too

EDIT4: uh, and then it's also pretty important to mention the noble practice of "system bisect". First try to disable with auto-start programs, then proceed with services (msconfig), last with drivers (like I mentioned here).

 

 

And.. btw, why can't I use this in links?

 

[Mirh 103]

Ok, so, here we are at brainstorming (or mindfuck) board.

I'd replace basic troubleshooting with "good practices". This should then be divided into the three OSs.

Speaking of Windows the following should be included (some doesn't necessarily just apply to Windows, but still)

 

 

• Update Windows with everything (as in there's the green tick in windows update after updates checking has been performed) or whatever else W10 has
• Update DirectX (with link either to Microsoft Windows page or directX page, directly the web updater or the dedicated knowledge base article)
• Update your graphics card drivers (with link to graphics card page)
• Update your audio card drivers (with link to audio card page)
• Update your BIOS/chipset/joystick/network adapter/disk/mouse/keyboard driver-firmware
• FUCK any codec pack (with references). VLC for normal people, CCCP for *really advanced people* and Kawaii for those really collapsed in the rabbit hole
• Keep a list of STUPID av. Norton (damn uninstaller left evil driver here), Avast (mairo had too many false positives). Bitdefender (isn't disabled even when stated disabled). Then everything below 90 percentile of single performance score. Or with so many FP to be downgraded.
• Why not, even keep a list of stupid software. Like motionjoy or xpadder. Or fraps for recording videos.

 

Other ideas are welcome.

 

Said this, actual generic troubleshooting page (the one linked in "issues fixed", everywhere) should be anything we'll decide to put here, PLUS another mention on the top "first make sure your computer is healthy", pointing to aforementioned good practices page.

 

Then, I think we could use an "hybrid approach" here. I hope this will make everyone happy.

A "division by topic" for starters, with stuff as shown there like Display, Input, Audio.. Performance then perhaps? Other "buzzwords" in noobs heads are welcome.

 

Speaking of what we were saying last year, Glossary pages should talk about "stuff one may wish".

Example: display scaling, or.. I dunno add HRTF effects to audio.

 

And this was for Glossary:Sound/Video

I see Sound_Card/Graphics_card instead more about issues/setup on the "hardware-related/specific" level, rather than software one, if I can explain

 

 

Troubleshooting on the other hand should revolves around "Shit this ain't working" moments. Like missing CD-Audio, garbled graphics or famous rainbow colors

 

 

And then a BFB (where the last B means button) for "this doesn't even start, it crashes, OMG I DONT EVEN KNOW THE PROBLEM", which is what I think we may call advanced troubleshooting.

 

I propose to create a new Category "Errors:" made of redirects of "errors names" to the right page, so that we don't have to reinvent the whell every time, just for the most basic "missing msvcr120.dll" error. 

Once we cut this off, I think we are ready for seriously tough stuff. Like checking if there is some application/service/driver interfering, checking video cables, stress testing with Furmark/Prime95/memtest and other exoteric stuff.

Including, yes, the W10 --> W8.1 --> W8 --> W7 --> WVista rollercoaster (and hey, one day hopefully WXP too).

 

Thanks for reading.

Hoping a week of sea and sun will be able to make me forget all this malicious stuff d:

[Garrett 214]

Following an IRC discussion with Mirh and Soeb I have updated User:Garrett/Troubleshooting to have each OS page cover the applicable fixes for that version.
 
EDIT: As Mirh noted above, the most generic information would go under basic/advanced troubleshooting pages. Things like ensuring you have the latest drivers and OS updates applies to every platform. The OS-specific pages would then have just a very basic section (currently called "First steps") reinforcing the bare minimum of installing the latest updates.
 
Much of this content is mostly still written based on the reader already having an understanding of the topic. Descriptions should be longer and/or clearer as required. As always, feel free to edit/expand/etc. as needed.
 

I propose to create a new Category "Errors:" made of redirects of "errors names" to the right page, so that we don't have to reinvent the whell every time, just for the most basic "missing msvcr120.dll" error.

 
In that situation another possibility would be to have a template that provides the instructions directly, e.g. {{error|d3drm.dll}} turns into "download d3drm.dll and extract the DLL into the same folder as the game's main executable". This would be faster than linking to the troubleshooting page which is just going to direct the reader to that file anyway.

 

Including, yes, the W10 --> W8.1 --> W8 --> W7 --> WVista rollercoaster (and hey, one day hopefully WXP too).

The current implementation has the applicable fixes covered directly (as Soeb suggested) so there is no backtracking through the inheritance structure.

 

I started with Vista because it is the oldest version still supported by Microsoft and is the origin of most issues. I'm not opposed to a page for Windows XP if there really is interest in that.

[Cptmold 14]

To add to what's here already, two fixes that have been of great use in the past to me:

 

BAD WINDOWS 10 UPGRADE PERFORMANCE​ (Multiple Games, e.g. Shadow of Mordor) - The Windows 10 Upgrade can really reduce performance.  Make use of the "Reset Your PC" option in Settings > Recovery or complete a Fresh Install to resolve this problem.  It will take a bit of time, though.  All your old programs will be under Windows.old, though I'd recommend backing up the actual data portions of this (e.g. saves that store themselves in the game directory, custom INIs, Steam\userdata, Steam\music) before doing it... just in case.  You should also back up Documents, Pictures, etc.

 

FIRST RESORT TO 'UNFIXABLE' BUGS (Example: Grim Fandango Remastered) - Restart your computer.  I'm dead serious.  It's stopped an unavoidable crash in the past for me, the most recent case being the end of the Sea of Despair in Grim Fandango Remastered.

[Garrett 214]

Both those methods could go on the basic troubleshooting page. The refresh feature is not specific to Windows 10 (it was introduced in Windows 8).

[Blackbird 54]

Heh it's funny how many people skipped 8/8.1 that they missed all its features. (Though I am not surprised cause the UI was horrible)

[Marioysikax 89]

Both those methods could go on the basic troubleshooting page. The refresh feature is not specific to Windows 10 (it was introduced in Windows 8).

It's not, but I'm pretty sure that much more have done upgrade install to 10 (basically because it was partly forced) as opposed to 8.X. 

I have seen users having problems with 10 after upgrade install which have dissapeared when they have done clean install instead. And I have been recommending that to everyone upgrading to 10. 

 

Heh it's funny how many people skipped 8/8.1 that they missed all its features. (Though I am not surprised cause the UI was horrible)

Because 8 was literally horrible and 8.1 was so shitty naming that many just though it was 8. 

[Blackbird 54]

I used both and I agree. If it wasn't for 3rd party stuff to disable those dumb as hell hot corners and other touch nonsense I'd never use them.

yes I know offtopic

[Mirh 103]

@@Cptmold There are no unfixable bugs :*
 
Said this..

• I see what we are saying here with admin rights, and I see what soeb have been saying. But the wording seems too.. redundant.
• Mobile chips are feature complete with desktop since.. I think at least a decade. And anyway lacking opengl/directx support could cause crashes and all. But I wouldn't say if it's just for "slowness".
• We should link quite improve how we mention driver updates. In that case I'd be wondering whether to link AMD/Intel/nvidia pages or GPU page instead of just directly the websites.. But then what about all the other drivers?
• And basic troubleshooting is totally windows specific. As I said above, troubleshooting landing page should first handle that. And w10/8/7/vista pages should just be sub-mentioned in advanced troubleshooting.
• Aside of this, I think Media Feature could just link to Windows page.
• Noticing we have a specific physx entry.. I wonder if we couldn't automate the insertion of a fix in pages, once somebody writes the info in middleware table?
• EDIT: and seeing how amd has crap dx12 dll, something for this too
• Is it normal that I see no mention to some glossary pages like these, that would quite lower the clutter in the "hub" page?
• Willy-nilly, whatever you think W10/8/7/vista pages should be meant to teach.. In their current state, especially the first one, are all but -quite- advanced.
• And.. I don't think anybody really understood what basic really is.

Tentative structure

                                                                                                           ↗ Links (sound, controller, display..)
                                                  Linux...............      Windows basic troubleshooting** 
                                                ↗                         ↗                                ↘ Advanced troubleshooting
Troubleshooting landing page (with OS selection) → Windows good practices* 
                                                ↘                         ↘
                                                  OS X................      Cosy Windows[Vista/7/8/10]*** → Advanced windows
                                                                                              

 

 

"Common stuff" (like "check your cables, psu, bios, temp") could be replicated in all three OS pages, or we may state them in a section in the first landing page with links to this, this and whatever.

 

*= At the beggining we should write something like:

"This are good practices everybody should always keep in mind, regardless of the game. If you know you are already okay and you still have problem click here"

At the bottom, mentions we have good practices for every windows version. TIL. This is what I mean with "cosy",

 

**That cool thing with big buttons Garrett had done, all pointing to specific wiki sections

 

***Advanced windows means pages like this. And they would be introduced by something like "if you know this wasn't happening in previous windows versions, check here".

Though.. A link to these pages should even be present in the advanced troubleshooting page. I still haven't figure out the best way though