Unloading current zone error

[CheeseRules]

<p>Recently whenever I zone, eq2 freezes when it hits "unloading current zone". Which requires me to shut down the game and restart it, just to zone. The process can take anywhere from 20-30 minutes and it's getting really annoying just to zone. I also noticed that the music cuts out at the exact same time, everytime. It will play one song for a little while, end, then play another song for maybe 30 seconds then cut out, and no more music. To add to the confusion, I'm still able to hear guild members over voice chat, although I don't know if I'm able to communicate back. Any ideas or suggestions would be helpful.</p>

[TSR-DanielH]

<p>Let's make sure it isn't a corrupt file in the Everquest 2 directory.  Listed below are the standard settings file for the game.  Please move those files to another directory temporarily so that the game can download fresh versions.  All of these files are in your Everquest 2 folder:</p><p>cache foldereq2_recent.inieq2_default.iniEverQuest2.exee q2.iniAs well as the character specific files, these will appear as such:Servername_CharacterName_EQ2_uisettings.iniSt ationname_characters.ini</p><p>If the problem persists at that point then you can move all of those files back into your Everquest 2 folder to restore your previous settings.</p>

[CheeseRules]

<p>The problem continues. I deleted those files and tried with no avail. I also allowed full access with my anti-virus software and it still did nothing. I'm confused...</p>

[TSR-DanielH]

<p>Are you using a router with your current system?  Based on your description, that would be the next most likely culprit.  If you're using a router then I would advise bypassing it temporarily so that you are plugged directly into the modem.  Once you have done that I would like you to try logging in again and let us know if that corrects the problem.  If bypassing the router corrects the issue then we'll need to help you set up port forwarding.</p><p>Also, when did this issue start happening?  Has this happened since you started playing the game or is it a new occurance?  Did you change your system hardware or install new software around the time this started happening?</p>

[CheeseRules]

<p>I don't use a router. And yes it has started happening since I started playing the game. The only times it doesn't do this is if I'm zoning from a small zone like my house.</p>

[TSR-DanielH]

<p>I'm starting to wonder if this is a RAM issues based on your description.  It almost sounds like the computer is failing to clear the RAM when unloading one zone before loading another.  You might want to try running a memory stress test like the Windows memory diagnostic tool or memtest.  Let it run for a while and see if any errors pop up.</p>

[CheeseRules]

<p>A RAM issue might be possible. I have 512mb on my computer and another 512mb for graphics on my graphics card. I thought would be more then enough to cover it. How do I run a stress test diagnostic on XP?</p>

[TSR-DanielH]

<p><cite>Emyc@Lucan DLere wrote:</cite></p><blockquote><p>A RAM issue might be possible. I have 512mb on my computer and another 512mb for graphics on my graphics card. I thought would be more then enough to cover it. How do I run a stress test diagnostic on XP?</p></blockquote><p>Memtest86 is a decent option, and it has a free version for download here:</p><p><a href="http://www.memtest86.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.memtest86.com/</a></p>