Call of Duty "iw3sp.exe" Error :'(

mex1cola · #1 (**permalink**) 12-04-2007, 11:19 PM

Hey all, hopefully somebody may have some ideas for me..

Im having a problem with SP, when the 2nd level is loading the bar goes a quarter of the way and then I get a "iw3sp.exe has stopped working" error :'(. Been in talks with Activision support for ages and nothing works.

The MP works fine apart from when a server cycles to the "Crossfire" map in which case the game freezes and I have to hit "Esc" and it goes to the desktop.

Ive done everything from disabling my sound to extracting every data file in the game with winrar to no avail. I havent tried reinstalling though as all the game files are not corrupted, if I do this will I lose my MP account? I really dont want to lose that as I have nearly everything done seeing as its all I can play.

Thanks.

Btw here is the log from Activision support.

Quote:

Subject: Game crashes when transitioning to level 2.Product: PC
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Submitted: 11/20/2007 08:07 AM
Last Updated: 12/04/2007 06:04 PM
Status: Waiting Discussion Thread

Response (Russell Johnson)12/04/2007 06:04 PM

I would like you to generate and send to us a system information file. To do this we ask that you do the following.
1) Go to start->programs->accessories->system tools->system information. This will bring up the system information tool.
2) Go to the top menu and select file->Save. This will save a file with all of your system information. Save it to your desktop. You can name it sysinfo.nfo.
3) Login to your account at http://activision.custhelp.com. (your default username is your email address, your password will be blank unless you have set one up independently)
4) Click My Stuff and then click Questions.
5) Find your current incident and click on it under the Subject column.
6) Click Update Question.
7) Under "Attach Additional Documents to Question" you will see a Browse button. Click that and browse your computer for the sysinfo.nfo on your desktop. When you locate the file, double click on it.
8) Once the file appears as attached, you can now enter any additional information about your Incident in the "Results and/or Additional Information" field.
9) Click "Submit Update to Question" to send the system information file

Customer12/04/2007 01:44 PM The error message is the same one.

What exactly happens is:

In single player:

Once you have watched the cut-scene where the president is executed (just after the "Crew Expendable" misson on the ship) the game goes to load the next level. The loading bar goes to about a quarter of the way and then the game crashes to the desktop with an error message saying only "iw3sp.exe has encountered a problem" and that windows is looking for a solution, it does not mention any codes or anything else.

In multiplayer:

The multiplayer works fine until the "Crossfire" map comes up. Whenever the game/server tries to start this map the loading bar will go about a quarter of the way and then freeze. The only way to get out of this then is to press the "Esc" key at which point the computer returns to the desktop and I have just enough time to see an "error" button with the call of duty icon beside it disappear from the start bar tray. All other maps and aspects of the multiplayer work ok.

Thanks.

Response (Russell Johnson)12/03/2007 03:58 PM

Hello.

Was it the same error message or was it different? Can you tell me the exact error? Does it mention "Fastfile for zone" or "error 107?" Is the crash happening in multiplayer" Singleplayer? Both?

Customer12/02/2007 06:03 AM

I transfered the files as you said and now I can extract the files without error but the game is still not running.

Response (Russell Johnson)11/29/2007 11:31 AM

Hello.

Go to the game DVD and copy both of those files (one at a time) over to the main directory overwriting the corrupted one. Once this is done try extracting it again.

Let me know the results. Customer11/29/2007 10:32 AM Ok, I tried that and noticed errors when copying 2 files from "iw_05.iwd" and another error when copying 1 file from "iw_11.iwd".

I have attached screenshots of the errors that occurred.

Thanks.

Response (Russell Johnson)11/28/2007 11:13 AM

I want you to try extracting each of the data files (.iwd). The data files are just large zipped archives. It is possible for there to be errors in the pak files that do not show up during the copy process, these will most likely present themselves when we unpack the data files.

First you will need an archival extraction program (like winrar available at http://www.rarlab.com/)
Launch the archival extraction program
The exact option you are looking for will be different with each option but you are looking for an option that says "open" or "open archive" (you may need to look in the file menu for this)
Select this option then browse to the location of the data files (default is c:\program files\activision\Call of Duty 4 - Modern Warfare\main)
Select one of the data files
Where you are selecting where to extract it to you should select an empty folder, you may want to create a temporary folder inside the game directory to extract to (depending on how much hard drive space you have free you may need to empty out this folder each time you unpack one of these files).
Let it finish extracting the data file
Repeat this process for each of the data files

Let us know how you make out.

Customer11/27/2007 06:44 PM

I tried that driver for the Graphics Cards but still no luck.

I have attached my updated DxDiag.

Thanks.

Response (Russell Johnson)11/26/2007 03:03 PM

Hello

I'm going to have you try the beta driver for your video card. You can get that at the following link:
http://www.nvidia.com/Download/betadrivers.aspx?lang=en-us

Make sure that you select your operating system, correct product and that English UK is selected from the drop down menus.

If this does not correct the issue, please create and send a new copy of your DirectX information.

Customer11/24/2007 04:02 AM

I still need help with this..

Customer11/21/2007 05:38 PM

Hello Russell,

I looked around that menu, the disabled devices were Microphone and Microphone FP. Neither had a "Stereo Mix" option nor could I find one anywhere else in the sound options.

I have tried many different combinations of options in the sound tool and nothing seems to get the game running. I do not use a Microphone, xfire or teamspeak. There is very little more than just Call Of Duty 4 installed on the machine at this point.

On a side note the multiplayer map which causes a crash is "Crossfire." When a server I am playing on cycles to this map it will load the bar about a quarter of the way and then freeze on a black screen. Only by pressing the "Esc" key will the game close and go to my desktop. This is quite similar to when the single player atempts to load level 2 except that the multiplayer does not give an "iw3sp.exe" (or any other) error.

Thanks.

Response (Russell Johnson)11/21/2007 04:04 PM

Hello.

Please try the following:
Go to Start then Control Panel
Double click on the Sound Tool
Click on the Recording tab
Right click and select "View Disabled Devices"
Enable the Stereo Mix

Also, if you happen to have either XFire or TeamSpeak, make sure these are turned off before trying the game.

Try running the game and let us know the results.

Customer11/21/2007 05:07 AM

I just tried your suggestion there using msconfig and unfortunatly it did not change anything.

Just on a side note this computer is quite new with little or nothing installed, on startup or running in the backround.

Response (Rudy Gil)11/21/2007 01:27 AM

We need to isolate the issue, please perform a clean boot:

1. Click Start button, type msconfig in the Start Search box, and then press ENTER.
If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Continue.
2. On the General tab, click Selective Startup.
3. Under Selective Startup, click to clear the Load Startup Items check box.
4. Click the Services tab, click to select the Hide All Microsoft Services check box, and then click Disable All.
5. Click OK, and then click Restart.

After the computer starts, test the game and see whether the problems occur.

Customer11/20/2007 06:51 PM

I have no backround applications running and have tried the steps in the troubleshooting page. It still does not work. Response (Rudy Gil)11/20/2007 08:29 AM First, please close all background applications to help us isolate the issue. After closing the background programs, try running the game to see if the problem persists.
https://activision.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/activision.cfg/php/enduser/atvi_guide_system.php#2

Customer11/20/2007 08:23 AM

Sorry just noticed you have "iw3mp.exe stop functioning" its actually the "iw3sp.exe" file.

Customer11/20/2007 08:10 AM

Here is my Direct X Dialog. Thanks. Response (Rudy Gil)11/20/2007 08:07 AM Hello.
Thank you for contacting Activision customer support.

We'll need a diagnostic report to help us identify the problem.

Running and attaching a DirectX diagnostic:
1) Click on the Start button > Run.
2) In the box type: dxdiag
3) Click the OK button.
4) DirectX Diagnostic Tool will open. Click the Save All Information button at the bottom.
5) Save the dxdiag.txt file to your desktop.
6) Login to your account at http://activision.custhelp.com. (Your login is your email address. No password is required.)
7) Click My Stuff and then click Questions.
8) Find your current incident and click on it under the Subject column.
9) Click Update Incident.
10) Under "Attach Additional Documents to Question" you will see a Browse button. Click that and browse your computer for the Dxdiag on your desktop. When you locate the file, double click on it.
11) Once the file appears as attached, you can now enter any additional information about your Incident in the "Results and/or Additional Information" field.
12) Click "Submit Update to Question" to send the Dxdiag

Please include any error messages that you may be receiving.

Customer (Entered by Rudy Gil)11/20/2007 08:07 AM

When the game transitions to level 2, the game crashes. I receive a "iw3mp.exe stop functioning" error. Multiplayer works fine except for a couple of maps that cause a crash.

Relly · #2 (**permalink**) 12-05-2007, 12:32 AM

I didn't really read through all that but have you tried reinstalling?
Does your system specs meet the requirements?

I run process guard, and whenever I launch the game it blocks iw3sp.exe from doing something with punkbuster.. I haven't played online yet, but I hope that it doesn't get me banned or something LOL

I hope your problem gets resolved bro

Tyrant · #3 (**permalink**) 12-05-2007, 12:38 AM

Forget IW support, you've come to the right place. I was having the same problem, basically.

I believe what you have is a corrupt .ff (fastfile) file from what you are experiencing.

Are you loading it from the CD or did you download a no cd fix? Personally, I downloaded a no CD fix, because I legally own the game and hate having to find the CD everytime I want to play the SP. Not to mention my computer was having trouble reading the CD in the first place.

What I did was I browsed into the COD4 CD in my CD drive. From the "My Computer" directory, right click your CD drive and click "Explore", then when you're in the main COD4 Directory, there should be a Folder called "Zone" and inside that will be a folder called "English" that contains all the .ff map files.

The 2nd level should be "cargoship.ff". Copy this file from the CD and Paste it into the exact same directory on your Hard Drive. (Mine is C:\Program Files\Activision\Call of Duty 4 - Modern Warfare\zone\english)

This should overwrite the corrupt file and allow you to load the level.

I hope this will help you, but if for whatever reason it doesn't, please post here or PM me and I will try to help you figure it out.

Unfortunately right now I've been awake for about 30 hours, so I think I'm gonna get some sleep. I'll check back here in the morning.

mex1cola · #4 (**permalink**) 12-05-2007, 02:14 AM

Thanks Tyrant, I like your confidence haha.

Ill try the above in the morning seeing as its now 7.15am here in Ireland, that last game of sabotage went on forever!

mex1cola · #5 (**permalink**) 12-05-2007, 02:46 AM

Ok, I couldnt resist the lure of trying to fix it.

And well it worked. Tyrant I cannot express how genuinely thankful I am.. thank you SO much.

Thanks also Relly, wasnt the answer I needed but I appreciate the effort and again Tyrant thanks so much, I owe you one. (You can take it out of my name, ill play as mexcola from now on)

Its mad that after nearly 3 weeks Activision could do nothing and within mere minutes of posting here I got a solution.