Windows 7 "Color Theme/CPU Usage" Message when playing BC2!

[Baasha]

When I start BC2, the game loads and after I join a server, may be 5 minutes later, I get that annoying popup that says "Windows Color Theme" needs to switch to "basic" (from Aero). I usually click "Ignore this message" and continue playing but I find it very odd for this message to popup.

I have an i7 990X @ 4.41GHz and 12GB of RAM @ 1600MHz and two SLC-SSDs in RAID0.

WTF?

Why is this message coming up? Do I have to tweak something in settings to fix this?

Also, my Pagefile is only 1024-2048 MB on my SSDs (OS drive). I intentionally made it small (and NOT 'System Managed') because I have 12GB of RAM and was told it was not necessary to have an additional 12GB of "virtual memory" (pagefile). Could this be causing the issue?

 

[(sic)Klown12]

Limiting your virtual memory isn't causing this. I have only a 512MB pagefile in addition to 8GB of ram and haven't seen this. My guess is a videocard driver issue which is making Windows think that the card can't handle the game and Aero at the same time. Try going to an older driver and see if it continues.

 

[Soundmanred]

This happens to me in Just Cause 2 once in a while. It's definitely not a resource problem as I have more than enough.
It happened with my 8600GTS and with my current 6850.

 

[Baasha]

Limiting your virtual memory isn't causing this. I have only a 512MB pagefile in addition to 8GB of ram and haven't seen this. My guess is a videocard driver issue which is making Windows think that the card can't handle the game and Aero at the same time. Try going to an older driver and see if it continues.

hmm.. I have a GTX-580 SuperClocked on the 266.58 WHQL drivers so I don't think that card should have any issues running the game at max settings at 2560x1600 (Dell U3011).

I do have another monitor that is connected to the card with all the monitoring apps (EVGA Precision, RealTemp, Fraps etc.) on when I play. Perhaps that could be causing it? And, when I keep my eye on the EVGA Precision, I see the VRAM usage near ~1300MB and the GPU usage at 99% and the temps are around 55C at load.

Any other ideas?

 

[taltamir]

Windows 7 automatically switches to basic in order to be backwards compatible with certain programs (typically very old games, but also some tools... for example when someone logs into a computer via realvnc). It has methods of detecting when such a program is run which needs it to be in basic and automatically switches back and forth.
AFAIK BC2 is not one of those programs, so why is win7 doing that to you is a mystery to me... did you enable compatibility mode for that game?

Could this be causing the issue?

How would we know? its a very VERY specific program you have. I think it would be best if you tested out that theory. While I highly doubt it is the problem I am loathe to say never, I saw the most crazy things with computers and electronics. It should be easy as pie to test though, set it back to automatic pagefile configuration and run the game, see if it does that.

 

[Claudius-07]

Right click my computer > properties > Advanced System settings > performance > select adjust for best performance > make sure you do not allow Windows to choose for you.

Also enable visual styles if you want to keep the look

Make sure Enable Aero Peek is checked when you right click your desktop.

 

[Rhoxed]

This has randomly been happening to me too in DA2, and I always have plenty of resources left. - Though it does not happen in any of the other games I currently play (League of Legends, BattleForge, SF4 ect.)

I don't know what can be causing it, I even booted with no programs started and it did the same thing. - Doesn't do much, just a single annoying game shrink and then it doesn't bother me the rest of the day.

 

[VirtualLarry]

F@H GPU systray client was doing that to me sometimes too. Running GTX460 1GB cards, using only 100-200MB VRAM for folding.

 

[Phynaz]

Anybody having this issue with an ATI GPU?

 

[aigomorla]

Had this problem a lot too on my 580GTX.

realized, it was more related to a bad oc.. left it at stock, and it rarely happens now..

Fixed oc, and i dont see it as much either.

 

[podspi]

Windows tries to automatically detect when Aero is taking up too many resources. If you're getting this message, just set windows to automatically disable Aero when you launch the game (right clock on the shortcut, this option is under the compatibility tab). This should prevent the message from popping up, and will automatically re-enable Aero when you exit the game.

 

[SolidSnake42]

I have a 5850, 8GB DDR3-1600, i7-860 and so on, and I still get it where when I play BC2, it would just randomly ask if I want to go to basic or ignore it. I always tell it to ignore it, but it still does it every time I play. But the thing is, is that it doesn't do it at the same time, it could be immediately or even take up to 10 to 15 minutes to ask for it. I don't understand why it constantly does it.

 

[techforums]

same problem on my 5870m

 

[Baasha]

Well.. it looks like it's the second monitor that's causing this message to pop up.

I just played the game for a solid 2+ hours earlier today with all the usual settings (MAX and 16x AA and 32xCSAA) and my monitoring apps but didn't turn on my second monitor (LOL). The message never came up. I guess the GTX-580 has trouble keeping up with everything when you have two 30" monitors on and gaming on MAX settings.

Where's the dag-nammin GTX-590 when you need it? tsk tsk...