The last two months I have been forum crawling / readme reviewing / in-game testing.
I checked compatibility between different mods to help choose appropriate repairs for Oblivions flaws. I can install many mods using Wrye Bash & BOSS & use OBSE, fastexit, pluggy, Oblivion stutter remover, & weOCPS, formIDfinder.

So far I've helped 't' the Imperial on his ongoing journey to the desktop by starting the tutorial dungeon & saving at the sewer exit. I end up taking him through the wilderness in the hopes of reaching the fabled two hours of stability (ie no CTDs) but alas, he always finishes his journey sooner than I would prefer.

Unfortunately they happen very sporadically so the cause is tough to track down. The only certainties is that disabling MMM removes them & they only occur outside (wilderness). Loading the last save & doing the same action does not result in a crash. Not looting or hitting something. Just walking. Oblivion was around 1GB in memory at the time so not a memory ceiling CTD. 1st 1/2hr never seems to crash. These tests produce similar results on two separate gaming capable computers.

I have not tried using TES4View yet. I was hoping to see how stable I could get things before learning that tool.

I have these file updates too:
Loot-Drop-Merchant_changes_Proposal-21104.7z
The new MMM-Cobl.7z that CorePC had uploaded.

I didn't forget these:
Bonemold_Helmet-6997.zip
The_Ordinator_Armors_V2-12485.rar

I don't see missing meshes in-game.

Active Mod Files:00  Oblivion.esm01  Francesco's Leveled Creatures-Items Mod.esm02  Francesco's Optional New Items Add-On.esm03  Cobl Main.esm  [Version 1.73]04  Mart's Monster Mod.esm  [Version 3.7b3p3]05  VASE - core.esm06  Armamentarium.esm  [Version 1.35]07  Artifacts.esm  [Version 1.1]08  Unofficial Oblivion Patch.esp  [Version 3.2.4]09  UOP Vampire Aging & Face Fix.esp  [Version 1.0.0]0A  DLCShiveringIsles.esp0B  Unofficial Shivering Isles Patch.esp  [Version 1.4.0]0C  Ayleid Loot EXtension.esp++  Item interchange - Extraction.esp  [Version 0.78]0D  DLCHorseArmor.esp0E  DLCHorseArmor - Unofficial Patch.esp  [Version 1.0.5]0F  DLCOrrery.esp10  DLCOrrery - Unofficial Patch.esp  [Version 1.0.3]11  DLCVileLair.esp12  DLCVileLair - Unofficial Patch.esp  [Version 1.0.5]13  DLCMehrunesRazor.esp14  DLCMehrunesRazor - Unofficial Patch.esp  [Version 1.0.4]15  DLCSpellTomes.esp16  DLCSpellTomes - Unofficial Patch.esp  [Version 1.0.1]17  DLCThievesDen.esp18  DLCThievesDen - Unofficial Patch.esp  [Version 1.0.5]19  DLCThievesDen - Unofficial Patch - SSSB.esp  [Version 1.0.4]1A  Fran Armor Add-on.esp1B  Fran_Lv30Item_Maltz.esp1C  Francesco's Optional Chance of Stronger Bosses.esp1D  Francesco's Optional Chance of Stronger Enemies.esp1E  Francesco's Optional Dungeon Chest Loot.esp1F  Francesco's Optional Dungeon Chest Locks.esp20  Francesco's Optional House Chest Loot.esp21  Francesco's Optional Vendor Tweaks.esp22  Francesco's Optional Leveled Quests.esp23  Francesco's Optional Leveled Arena.esp24  FranDarkSeducerWeapFix.esp25  Cobl Glue.esp  [Version 1.73]26  Cobl Si.esp  [Version 1.63]27  ArmamentariumLL.esp  [Version 1.35]++  ArmamentariumLLVendors.esp  [Version 1.35]28  ArmamentariumArtifacts.esp  [Version 1.35]29  Mart's Monster Mod for Fran.esp  [Version 3.7b3p3]2A  Mart's Monster Mod - Shivering Isles.esp  [Version 3.7b3p3]2B  Mart's Monster Mod - Fran's leveled quests.esp  [Version 3.7b3p3]2C  VASE - Cyrodiil for MMM.esp2D  VASE - Vanilla SI.esp2E  MMM-Cobl.esp  [Version 1.73]2F  Artifacts.esp  [Version 1.1]30  Artifacts - ArmaCompleteAddon.esp  [Version 1.0]31  DLCBattlehornCastle.esp32  DLCBattlehornCastle - Unofficial Patch.esp  [Version 1.0.4]33  DLCFrostcrag.esp34  Knights.esp35  Knights - Unofficial Patch.esp  [Version 1.0.9]36  SM Plugin Refurbish(Merged).esp  [Version 1.21]37  Mart's Monster Mod - Knights.esp  [Version 3.7b3p3]38  Salmo the Baker, Cobl.esp  [Version 3.08]++  Item interchange - Placement.esp  [Version 0.78]39  Cobl Races.esp  [Version 1.52]**  Cobl Races TNR.esp  [Version 1.53]**  Cobl Races TNR SI.esp  [Version 1.53]++  Cobl Filter Late MERGE ONLY.esp  [Version 1.53]3A  Bashed Patch, 0.esp3B  FormID Finder4.esp

Since most FCOM users seem to have less problems than I do, I was thinking of just inserting OOO into the mix but I was hoping that someone here might know what I am doing wrong before I tried adding another variable to my game. I am not opposed to adding OOO, I was just delaying it until I got more pieces in place first. If it would solve some strange issue I have then I would not mind throwing it in sooner. Unless the infamous testing cell is so much easier that doing FCOM could make it worth the extra complication.

On a different note, debugging crashes or freezes is not easy. How do you find or cause crashes?
What kinds of crashes mean what (ie Crash on Looting, Crash on quickload)? When testing mod interactions, where do you walk / travel or what actions do you try out (ie are there specific locations or spawn-points that showcase instability better than others).
I currently know about Windows Event Viewer + weOCPS + Pluggy but not sure how to begin understanding the log outputs.

Not Blaming Salmo try removing that see if helps any..

But hopefully I have all the randmon ctd the MMM causes fixed for next version has team report 2 1/2 - 3 hours sometime of game play with our current version.

And the Next MMM and Cobl Updates and Item Interchange Update will help has well..Since we have found some problem that have been fixed now.

Active Mod Files:00  Oblivion.esm01  Francesco's Leveled Creatures-Items Mod.esm02  Francesco's Optional New Items Add-On.esm03  Cobl Main.esm  [Version 1.73]04  Mart's Monster Mod.esm  [Version 3.7b3p3]05  VASE - core.esm06  Armamentarium.esm  [Version 1.35]07  Artifacts.esm  [Version 1.1]08  Unofficial Oblivion Patch.esp  [Version 3.2.4]09  UOP Vampire Aging & Face Fix.esp  [Version 1.0.0]0A  DLCShiveringIsles.esp0B  Unofficial Shivering Isles Patch.esp  [Version 1.4.0]0C  Ayleid Loot EXtension.esp++  Item interchange - Extraction.esp  [Version 0.78]0D  DLCHorseArmor.esp0E  DLCHorseArmor - Unofficial Patch.esp  [Version 1.0.5]0F  DLCOrrery.esp10  DLCOrrery - Unofficial Patch.esp  [Version 1.0.3]11  DLCVileLair.esp12  DLCVileLair - Unofficial Patch.esp  [Version 1.0.5]13  DLCMehrunesRazor.esp14  DLCMehrunesRazor - Unofficial Patch.esp  [Version 1.0.4]15  DLCSpellTomes.esp16  DLCSpellTomes - Unofficial Patch.esp  [Version 1.0.1]17  DLCThievesDen.esp18  DLCThievesDen - Unofficial Patch.esp  [Version 1.0.5]19  DLCThievesDen - Unofficial Patch - SSSB.esp  [Version 1.0.4]1A  Fran Armor Add-on.esp1B  Fran_Lv30Item_Maltz.esp1C  Francesco's Optional Chance of Stronger Bosses.esp1D  Francesco's Optional Chance of Stronger Enemies.esp1E  Francesco's Optional Dungeon Chest Loot.esp1F  Francesco's Optional Dungeon Chest Locks.esp20  Francesco's Optional House Chest Loot.esp21  Francesco's Optional Vendor Tweaks.esp22  Francesco's Optional Leveled Quests.esp23  Francesco's Optional Leveled Arena.esp24  FranDarkSeducerWeapFix.esp25  Cobl Glue.esp  [Version 1.73]26  Cobl Si.esp  [Version 1.63]27  ArmamentariumLL.esp  [Version 1.35]++  ArmamentariumLLVendors.esp  [Version 1.35]28  ArmamentariumArtifacts.esp  [Version 1.35]29  Mart's Monster Mod for Fran.esp  [Version 3.7b3p3]2A  Mart's Monster Mod - Shivering Isles.esp  [Version 3.7b3p3]2B  Mart's Monster Mod - Fran's leveled quests.esp  [Version 3.7b3p3]2C  VASE - Cyrodiil for MMM.esp2D  VASE - Vanilla SI.esp2E  MMM-Cobl.esp  [Version 1.73]2F  Artifacts.esp  [Version 1.1]30  Artifacts - ArmaCompleteAddon.esp  [Version 1.0]31  DLCBattlehornCastle.esp32  DLCBattlehornCastle - Unofficial Patch.esp  [Version 1.0.4]33  DLCFrostcrag.esp34  Knights.esp35  Knights - Unofficial Patch.esp  [Version 1.0.9]36  SM Plugin Refurbish(Merged).esp  [Version 1.21]37  Mart's Monster Mod - Knights.esp  [Version 3.7b3p3]++  Item interchange - Placement.esp  [Version 0.78]38  Cobl Races.esp  [Version 1.52]**  Cobl Races TNR.esp  [Version 1.53]**  Cobl Races TNR SI.esp  [Version 1.53]++  Cobl Filter Late MERGE ONLY.esp  [Version 1.53]39  Bashed Patch, 0.esp3A  FormID Finder4.esp

Using these I now get a consistant crash if I walk from the sewers (newgame) thru Vilv until I reach the road & walk left up the hill. It happens within minutes now. Also, if I manage to reach Roxy Inn's sign, I turn around & walk back to where the Highwayman waits for you. I never reach him. (5 tries total)

On a different system with above loadorder. CTD - riding around outside Bravil on an Imperial Horse. It was a trip from the Imperial City to Leyawin.

I've used these Texnexus files to create said order mostly install in this order as well (if this info helps at all):

Unofficial_Oblivion_patch_v3_2_0_Installer_Version-5296.exe
Unofficial_Official_Mods_Patch_v15_OMOD_Version-9969.omod
USIPv1_4_0_OMOD_version-10739.omod
UOP_324_Hotfix-27710.7z
SM_Plugin_Refurbish1-21-11474.zip

Francescos_leveled_creatures_items_mod_4.5b.exe
FrancescosOptionalNewItemsCreatures.exe (new items only)
Dark_Seducer_Weapon_fix-17621.rar
ALEX_v1_2-22795.7z
ALEX__v2_0-22795.7z
ArmaCompleteResources-18417.7z
ArmamentariumComplete_ver_1_35-18417.7z
Artifacts1-1-25309.7z
Artifacts-25309.7z
Bonemold_Helmet-6997.zip
The_Ordinator_armors_V2-12485.rar
Fran_Lv30Items_Maltz_v1dot0-15411.rar
FranArmorAddOnV2-11483.rar
UOMP_1-5_MOBS-17621.rar
USIP_MOBS_1-4-17621.rar

VASE_-_Main_files-28186.7z
Unofficial_MMM_patch-28186.7z (VASE)
MMM373BSA.7z
MMM_37b3_Public_Release-17784.7z

Cobl_Cosmetics_Res_01-21104.7z
Cobl_v172.7z
Item_Interchange_0_78.7z
MMM-Cobl.7z
Loot-Drop_Merchant_changes_Proposal-21104.7z

Should I keep trying for CTDs or does all of this help show the cause?


I wish I had an idea how to diagnose this myself but after so long I just couldn't think of anything else to try. I know you're working hard on MMM so you answering my questions directly is quite nice. Is there a big name mod out there that you haven't personally kept alive now? Just wondering.

You may have already done this, but my most common CTD problems seem to relate to Vram - use these console commands to monitor how close you are getting to your video card's memory limit...

SetDebugText 13
TDT

I was recently experiencing more frequent crashes after adding more butterflies - saw my 1gb of available vram usage go over 900 and then shortly after that a CTD.

@Surazal
Thanks for the commands. I have been looking through those threads & the 2gb memory patch. I am running 32bit xp sp3 so that patch is quite useless I'm afraid. But should a e6600 (Intel core duo) + 4GB RAM + 8800 GTX (768MB) really be running low on resources quite so fast?

With a 32-bit OS you won't be able to take advantage of the 4gb memory.

I thought 1gb of Video Ram would let me have all the scenery tweaks and I was wrong. If you have 768mb and you are using landscape mods, I would be very intersted in knowing what your Vram usage is (as per diagnostic tools above). Turn it on and leave it running as you explore and see what it gets to before your CTD. If it is getting close to 768, you will need to consider removing some of the mods that use up vram.

The above mods (UOP-all + MMM + cobl + frans + mad-lootz) was the entirety of my installation at the time of testing. Currently, I am going to test out my engine tweak mod choices now that I know I will need to wait in order to use the above.
Engine tweaks = weather, combat, stealth, crime, econ, etc

Since I'm going to be testing most of these anyways, what commands should I be using to keep track of FPS+VRAM+RAM+script count so that I could provide useful data for you? Just SetDebugText 13 & TDT? Is there a script (OBSE or otherwise) that could shunt this to a logfile that I could post here for you?

No need for a log - if it CTDs when you are getting close to the max for vram, then this is likely to be the problem - just watch the display to either confirm or eliminate this as a possibility.