GTA IV's 12-step 'fix' has us scratching our heads
by Andrew Yoon 
{ May 2nd 2008 at 12:30PM }
Both PS3 and Xbox 360 owners have been experiencing issues with Grand Theft Auto IV. Although the number of PS3 consoles afflicted is "limited" according to Sony, those that have experienced problems seemingly can't find a solution. From the looks of Take Two's 12-step "fix" at Gamespot, we don't think Rockstar knows a real solution either.The first suggestion is what we've heard already: delete your game cache and save data. However, other parts to the laborious process include disabling internet connectivity on the system. Then, disabling the Information Board, Media Server, screen aver, and more. When your PS3 is totally gimped, it may be able to successfully play Grand Theft Auto IV.
Sorry, but that's not going to cut the mustard. We're sure that the people affected by this mysterious plague of errors want a patch -- one that allows them to play the game without disabling every feature of their PS3.
[Via Joystiq]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
CJLopez @ May 2nd 2008 2:31PM
So, you spent over 200 bucks for only get a "paperweight"????? And you are mocking people who is complaining about the game frezeen or crashing on the PS3 version??? Sometimes, people can amaze me.
And there's lotsa people who doesn't have any money to feed themselves or their offsprings
chester @ May 2nd 2008 2:31PM
Then you're the dumb one who bought such an expensive paper weight. I found a rock outside.
fwiw - 10+hrs, 80gb = no crashes, glitches or any problems.
I feel for those with the problems though, thats quite a brutal fix.
Brodie-san @ May 2nd 2008 12:57PM
I have an obviously stupid question.
You're playing the game for hours. Your game freezes. You delete your save game to fix the problem as instructed. You're going to lose your progress, right?
Am I missing something or this a really crap solution? (Even if it worked, which without the other 3,490 steps apparently doesn't)
Popfrogs @ May 2nd 2008 2:16PM
You didn't read it properly. You delete the GAME DATA not your save data. It's the file that the game installs at the very beginning.
Brodie-san @ May 2nd 2008 12:57PM
How about a 12 step fix for this comments section?
It's a total crapshoot whether or not this comment is going to be posted or sent to my mailbox to be confirmed before posting.
Andrew Yoon @ May 2nd 2008 12:57PM
We have a language filter. If your comment triggers the filter, you'll have to wait for it to be manually approved.
ryan @ May 2nd 2008 3:50PM
how about a fix to the comment reply system? why do 2 or more people have to respond to the same poster, and while his inbox is filling up with our responses we have to constantly check the threads to see if someone responded to our comments?
why not fix it so everyone has a reply button?
flynn110 @ May 2nd 2008 12:40PM
why don't they get on with fixing the online servers as well? i have not been able to get online with this game once.
SDVDEV @ May 2nd 2008 12:54PM
your serious? god i sign on everyday and not once had a problem. maybe your internet connection blows, i dont know.
Gaucho @ May 2nd 2008 12:56PM
I got online once and when I did it was a one-on-one with some other guy because whenever someone else tried to join they would immediately leave . . .
gooftroop @ May 3rd 2008 7:34AM
@ Gaucho that means either you or the other guy have issues with your connection/network setup and others can't connect to you...
Lp47PS3 @ May 3rd 2008 7:06PM
Everyone!!!! Unplug your internet connection and you will have no loading problems and no freezing problems. Cheers.
Jay @ May 5th 2008 5:43PM
Logging off PSN did it for me I deleted all my data then reinstalled. Played a bit saved and then pow stuck at the load screen again. Logged off PSN, got on with no issues. It seems that if network connectivity is present then the game will not load until a connection to gamespy is established.
pdxrocket @ May 2nd 2008 1:01PM
pht! Wake me when there's a patch. I won't purchase a broken game that I can't return; totally unacceptable.
wem003 @ May 2nd 2008 2:21PM
+1.
I am one of the 4 or 5 people that haven't bought it yet, and won't until there is a patch.
flynn110 @ May 2nd 2008 12:56PM
my internet connection is fine. it is a server issue and most people are having the same problem.
oZone @ May 2nd 2008 1:25PM
Lies, my shit runs smooth. User error.
Mein Bratwurst @ May 2nd 2008 2:33PM
oZone... I really doubt it is user error. I'm guessing the servers are just hitting their capacity as some of my friends were able to get online the first two days. During that time I was only able to log in during off-peak hours. Either that or it is an ISP issue. This has happened a few times on WoW for me, a few players are unable to connect due to said ISP issues with Blizz's servers.
leiwei @ May 2nd 2008 6:41PM
Runs fine for me. I'm guessing it's an ISP-side error like what Mein said about the WoW thing since AT&T had a mess of issues like that. I'm starting to think the GTA freezes are due to bad disc. I've yet to have a freeze and me & my gf play GTA4 pretty heavily.
SNEAKN @ May 2nd 2008 12:57PM
It's been 4 1/2 days for me and being able to get past the goddamn docks...Rockstar has not even publicly acknowledged this issue but they keep giving us bullshit fixes that don't work. I've already talked 3 of my close friends out of buying this shit until they patch it, but R* seems more interested in standing in the spotlight for game sales of a fucking game that doesn't work for everyone. I gave them the benefit of the doubt but i have given up now, after waiting for amost 2-3 years since they announced the game I have nothing. I have lost all faith in Rockstar and Sony for allowing this to happen. A "few" gamers my ass, how about we don't want bad press to screw up our already low hardware sales. I am no longer a ps3fanboy and am seriously considering getting rid of my ps3 for a 360 sometime soon...I'll take my chances with RROD
Trev @ May 2nd 2008 12:58PM
Man. Are you ever going to be pissed when you find out it freezes on 360 as well, only no one has any fixes for that.
Turd Ferguson @ May 2nd 2008 1:54PM
I was online with 10 friends on my 360 none of them had freezing issues, it seems that the 360 freezing issue is much more isolated. I own a ps3 as well, but all the installs and graphical issues (while not GTA, but almost every other game) has forced me to purchase most multi-platform games for the 360. Also as dumb as achievements sound, they are addictive and have caused me to abandon cheat codes, haven't cheated since a cheat code disabled my achievement points back when quake was released.
Popfrogs @ May 2nd 2008 2:10PM
Are you seriously complaining about installs? I guess you don't own any PC games then.
maskedrose @ May 2nd 2008 1:02PM
SNEAKN
calm the eff down. Sony hardware is superior to lagbox 360 and you know that. It's been YEARS and the 360 still RROD and Microsoft doesn't even know how to fix it... they even admitted the new systems may still have the issue. now THAT is inexcusable. A video game that has some issues isn't the fault of Sony, it's the fault of a few faulty programmers, and eventually it will get fixed. They have both internet AND game freezing to worry about. Maybe a patch is in the works and for now they want to come up with every idea to get the game working until THEY have a definite fix.
SNEAKN @ May 2nd 2008 1:17PM
You go ahead aand make excuses for both these companies, the fact is that when Goodyear tires and Ford had there whole rollover/bad tires fiasco a few years back they both were blamed for it. Not just the makers of the tires but the irresponsible company that knew the tires were bad and still put them on their products. I refuse to believe that Sony and M$ didn't know that this game could and would fail on several of its consoles. And yes I do know that MS is haviing the same issu, but their freeze rate is not as high as the one on the PS3. As faras having superior hardware, its ironic that after a year and 4 months of having my PS3 it for the first time ever shut down my i was trying to respond to this comment.
marauder800 @ May 2nd 2008 1:20PM
You fanboys must simply cut and paste your comments and drop them into any situation regardless of the topic at hand. My first PS3 lasted 3 hours!
Devin @ May 2nd 2008 1:35PM
@SNEAKIN
How about fixing the "very limited" problem instead of purchasing another "very likely" one......
How was Sony suppose to test out EVERY single SKU version of their console?
My friend has a 60GB and has played over 8 hours with NO issues, so that should only reiterate that the issue is "limited" in number.....
Eggy @ May 2nd 2008 2:11PM
lol Maurader go back to xbox 360 fanboy dude, you always post the same crap on this site.
No excuse for R* though, at least on the freezing issues. the online part is probably due to lack of experience in the area.
Ranus Studios @ May 2nd 2008 1:03PM
Generally if anything involves losing your save, then it's the exact opposite of a fix.
Ghostbuddy @ May 2nd 2008 1:28PM
"Man. Are you ever going to be pissed when you find out it freezes on 360 as well, only no one has any fixes for that."
I played GTA 4 for 10 hours on my 360 on the first day.
Didn't freeze once. I don't even know one person on XBL whose game has froze even once. If the problem is on the 360 version to, its not nearly as widespread.
"It's been YEARS and the 360 still RROD and Microsoft doesn't even know how to fix it... they even admitted the new systems may still have the issue. "
The new systems with Falcon don't get the RROD. Microsoft just doesn't have a large enough supply of falcons for all retail 360s and all replaced 360s being sent in yet.
Devin @ May 2nd 2008 1:38PM
Dude, if they fixed it in the newest versions, then explain this...
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/02/19/red_ring_of_death_xbox_game_developers_conference/
nnarum23 @ May 2nd 2008 2:11PM
^Who says that's a brand new Falcon... Did you put it in there? No? Then you probably shouldn't make assumptions. It makes you look like an ...
nintendolink007-entertainment @ May 2nd 2008 1:31PM
I'm glad i don't have it yet, by the time i get it, the bugs should be smoothed out and the game is cheap.....yeah thats right, that long
oldmike @ May 2nd 2008 1:33PM
not only that it dose not work just did it all and it locked up in the load game area i mean come on
SNEAKN @ May 2nd 2008 1:54PM
I'm sitting here laughing at you guys saying "i played it for such and such hours with no problem". There are people reporting that they have played the game for 2-3 days and then it all of sudden locks up and keeps doing it. I promise you that if they dont come with a patch soon more and more people are going to have their game lock up on them as time goes on. Keep thinking you lucky, its gonna hit you righ when you dont expect it. We're talking 295 pages of Gta freezing posts on the PSU forums, thats not including all the gaming websites, the websites overseas. As far as buying a 360, if i ever really buy one of those shits its gonna be when i have 300 bucks to blow
Seasarsee @ May 2nd 2008 1:54PM
Mine works fine but this is some crazy "fix" that I doubt is very helpful to most folks. So is this happening on 80 gig Playstations, or just the 60 gig?
chris.westermann @ May 2nd 2008 1:54PM
Kind of makes you wonder about all them perfect scores its been getting. From problems with auto tracking, its 630p resolution, problems trying to just turn around to aim at something behind you, graphic glitches, and bugs in the software, I give GT4A a solid 9.7 out of 10, but it ain't perfect. Makes you wonder if game reviewers even play the game, or just endorse the cheques they get along with a copy of the game.
Easo @ May 4th 2008 3:20AM
If you give it a 9.7 you , in my opinion, rated it too high. It has major control issues. All of the vehicles take coners like boats, no matter how slow your driving and using the e brake to attempt a drift spins you out of control. Some reviewers call this realistic physics, but its not. In both Grand Turismo and Forza (two games that pride themselves on realistic driving physics) the vehicles do not handle that poorly. And the control issues dont end their. Even on foot Niko has to run in a semi circle to turn around, and lets not even talk about how he bumbles around tight spaces (going up spiral stairs or running through alleys). But it doesnt end there either. The fighting system is also slow and unresponsive. When performing a kick, there is almost a full 1 second lag between the button press and the on screen action.
With that said, I cant see perfection in something with fundemental issues such as control. If combine that with an iffy multiplayer, freezing issues, and a lack luster story (complete with bad accents), Id have to give GTA 4 a 9.4 for being a much more detailed version of GTA3 but with shittier controls.
dave @ May 2nd 2008 1:56PM
TRY THIS!!
1.copy all gta saved game data from hard drive to memory card.
2.delete all gta saved game data from hard drive.
3.start new game install then exit.
4.copy all saved game data from memory card back to the hard drive.
i did this after i had the problem with the glitch, now i have been playing about 17hours with no glitch problems.
i hope this will help.
Brendon987 @ May 2nd 2008 2:04PM
I knew about this problem before I brought the games from my ps3 60g orginal. I talk to three shops about returning the game if it had the problems, and getting my money back. All three said I could only get a credit or game swap. No store had a good return policy. So I just went for the last store I talk too.
So my suggestion to people is to rent the game first, or borrow a friends copy for 1 hour. If it works for hour you should be good. Or wait a month (horror) and see what rockstar/sony does about patches (Maybe they can't).
For the record, I have play for 6 hours and no problems :)
dave @ May 2nd 2008 2:00PM
TRY THIS!!
1.copy all gta saved game data from hard drive to memory card.
2.delete all gta saved game data from hard drive.
3.start new game install then exit.
4.copy all saved game data from memory card back to the hard drive.
i did this after i had the problem with the glitch, now i have been playing about 17hours with no glitch problems.
i hope this will help.
bluefrog @ May 2nd 2008 2:11PM
Can someone explain to me what happens when your game locks up? I had the thing lock up on me yesterday - I was in a bus, turned a corner and the game froze, but the music kept playing. I waited a couple of mins and the game unfroze and continued to work fine. Are people locking up and then rebooting the machine right away, or are you letting it sit there for a little bit? I didn't let it sit on purpose, I was actually writing a bitchy email to a friend about it locking up on me, and then it started again.
Michael @ May 2nd 2008 2:14PM
I just reset the PS3. I put a video of it on youtube, and both 360 and PS3 owners have commented that they have been affected by this. It seems like it is processing/heat issue or something cause it will run fine for a bit, then it hiccups and then freezes like it can't handle the way the data is coming or something like that.
oldmike @ May 2nd 2008 2:17PM
thats how mine started now cant even get the 1st misson to work after useing there "fix"
dave @ May 2nd 2008 2:05PM
60gig ps3. forgot to add
E.x.A. @ May 2nd 2008 2:23PM
Well,I have both Ps3 and Xbox 360. I decided to buy GTA for 360. Since 29th. the game didn't freeze even once. Not for any of my friends either. Online gameplay function nearly perfectly, no lag either.
ferrarigtc @ May 2nd 2008 2:23PM
For some reason me and my friends PS3 locks up COD 4 after a few hours of play. This happens at least a few times a week. I wonder if they are somehow related. We both have 40gb
CJLopez @ May 2nd 2008 2:33PM
And now i wonder, how come that a game that came out with so many errors/glitches/problems got a 10/10 on most game ratings and reviews????
Sometimes, i think that modern videogame critics and analyst are only 10yo kids who sees shinny graphics and lotsa of violence, or let their kids do the reviews, which, in the end, it's the same thing
ptaylor7805 @ May 2nd 2008 2:39PM
I have a 60 giger from 2/2007 and I got the game from GF last night. I popped it in expecting something bad to happen (I read blogs earlier in the day) and ended up enjoying the game for the next 2 hours (excluding the install of course). What a GREAT game! I really hope whoever has a problem with it get a fix soon. Everyone should be enjoying this, man!
Matt @ May 2nd 2008 3:46PM
Is anyone else having problems with OTHER games locking up since they installed GTA? I tried to play rock band and every time i try to start a song, it freezes up. It usually gets going eventually, but the game also started telling me the microphone wasn't connected when it was. I don't know if it has anything to do with GTA or not, but it never happened before I installed GTA.