Windows 7 - StarCraft freezes after 1-5 minutes of playing

**oktoberfest** · 09-18-2009

I actually just had this happen to me for the first time. Normally it would run without freezing at all (I play quite a bit of Starcraft I should note, ie. a few games every day) but this time it happened after about 10 minutes into a game.

Running Windows 7 64-bit build 7600. I have ObjectDock running in the background, that may have something to do with it

**KnowledgeWorker** · 09-20-2009

I also use Stardocks Object Dock Plus. I don't think this is the issue, I even closed all other programs, the problem still persists.

@Damocles: I'm not sure if that helps, because my/our problem is not the graphics.

**KnowledgeWorker** · 09-25-2009

Another solution I just found here in this forum:

Quote:

1. Click properties and go to Compatibility tab
2. Run with Windows XP Service pack 3
3. Check all other boxes there.
4. Start StarCraft then pres alt+tab and go to Task Manager
5. Find StarCraft.exe in processes then right button Set Affinity...
6. Make it run only on CPU 0
7. Stop Processes that use most of your CPU such as Sidebar Bittorrent ETC
8. All processes that you want to use that are soft of your choosing like Winamp Skype ETC make them run on the other CPU(s) not on CPU 0.
It's Done you should be able to play Starcraft in LAN etc without having your system crash every 15 minutes.

Did not try it yet. My question would be: Can one make fix this "run only on CPU x" for a program / SC somewhere in the settings of Windows or SC?

**Damocles** · 09-26-2009

One thing I'd like to run by everyone else having these issues is what you're running int he background. I think the only times I've experienced the freezing is when Skype is running. Does everyone else that freezes have Skype running too?

**hax** · 09-26-2009

I always have skype / miranda / ultramon / daemon tools running.

setting the affinity to one core doesn't help.

will try closing skype to see if that helps.

running windows 7 rtm 32bit!

**donutsrgood** · 10-14-2009

I ran into the problem in safe mode too thinking safe mode with networking would avoid it. It didn't.

Quote: Originally Posted by KnowledgeWorker

Another thing one could try is checking with "Safe Mode" and/or "Selective Startup".
Yet this probably won't track down the issue, just help when you really want to play.

**hax** · 10-15-2009

closing all background programs helps for me, no crashes/freezes when I close:

firefox, skype, miranda, outlook, vlc media player ...

so if I basically run windows and then start starcraft and nothing else before it doesn't crash at all. if I have skype running in the background - it crashes. if I have miranda running - it crashes (altough I have disabled all miranda sounds anyway, so not sure if it's related to sound issues).

I don't set the affinity to one core anymore or do anything else other than just closing the background programs. I also let programs like daemon tools, ultramon etc. run - since they don't seem to interfere.

**KnowledgeWorker** · 10-16-2009

The solution from Elfus doesn't work for me! Also closing all programs doesn't help!
But I'll try the Aero solution. How can I most quickly deactivate and reactivate Aero again?
Because I don't want to waste additional time just because of stupid Starcraft.

**KnowledgeWorker** · 10-19-2009

Solution: Deactivate Aero. Click right on your desktop, choose "Personalize", scroll down, choose one of the Basic themes, e.g. "Windows 7 Basic", click apply, wait 30 seconds, start up Starcraft, it works!

**handcold** · 11-05-2009

Disabling Aero didn't work for me... it ran fine for one game then froze again :/

Does anyone who runs Starcraft on Windows 7 NOT have these problems?