Freezing Issue installed Fmodex64.dll file - Fix Needed

General Discussion
1

When will Fmodex64.dll be updated? Is located in “…/ Battlenet / Diablo III / x64 folder”. I have had freezing issue with Diablo3 off and on lasting about 5 seconds each time. Errors in D3Debug file “FMOD Error sound not ready in 200ms”.

Fix I used was to replace the Blizzard file. I shouldn’t have to do such in order to play D3. Video options set to lowest or off. Sound option set to 32bit, high definition, stereo, sound off, music off. I did a clean Win10 Pro installed. Updated to version 2004, build 19041.508. Drivers updated. Older computer i7-4790k (not overclocked), MSI z97 Gaming 5 motherboard, Corsair Vengeance Pro DDR3 2400 16gb ram, MSI RX 580, Samsung 850 EVO M.2 250gb.

Documented in Blizzard D3 forum threads July 2020.

[Known Technical Support Issues - [Updated June 21, 2020!]](https://us.forums.blizzard.com/en/d3/t/known-technical-support-issues-updated-june-21-2020/48)
[Main Thread] Windows 19041 - Freezing for 5-10 seconds

INSTALLED by Blizzard
File description: FMOD Ex SoundSystem
Company: Firelight Technologies
File version: 0.434.20
Date created: 10/6/2020 5:16pm
Size: 949 KB

SUGGESTED replacement by forum poster
File description: FMOD Ex SoundSystem
Company: Firelight Technologies
File version: 0.44.23
Date created: 2/28/2019 10:11pm
Size: 1.39 MB

EDIT 1: played 4 hours, no freeze issue

EDIT 2: I haven’t used third party (no T-Hud, addons, or filters). This is first I have had to replace/modify a Blizzard file. Blizzard has known about this issue for months. I had thought freezing may of been due to keyboard - mouse. Thought when slightly touching keyboard CTRL button, Win button, Shift button, Spacebar. No keyboard or mouse software installed. EVGA TORQ X3 mouse and Logitech K120 keyboard. Have Mediacom ISP with 200 down / 20 up service. ARRIS 6183 modem, TP-LINK Archer C9 router, CAT6 wired modem to router, CAT6 wired router to computer. I have had had off and on performance, freezing, latency issues over the years with Diablo3.

Note: I had power cycled modem/router/computer, had set port forwarding in router, ran memory test, checked temps, clean installed Win10Pro, updated drivers, set secondary service to automatic, no extra programs installed, had Discord voice chat running (no overlay), had Norton Security running.

EDIT 3: Current Win10Pro version 20H2, build 19042.546 (Insiders Fast Lane). Of the freezing issues posted on tech support forums, it seems most had Realtek audio chip. Most had old Realtek drivers installed. Realtek is no longer supported as it used to be. The MSI z97 Gaming 5 board which I use has Realtek® ALC1150 Codec. MSI support website latest driver update is for 2017 audio driver (6.0.1.8010). I didn’t install Realtek. I clean Win10Pro with HD audio (10.0.19041.264). Of course, the computer hardware I have is dated. I have some freezes but not as often. I haven’t been running Discord voice chat as much. I run without Discord overlay.

EDIT 4: For those with older CPU and older GPU. Go discord settings, then appearance, turn off hardware acceleration.

8 Likes
2

Blizzard has acknowledged the problem and they said they are working on it. Not sure how long working on it will take but for this entire season I have had to play with no sound.

3 Likes
3

How often is this happening?

4

Was freezing 1-5 times per GR or rift depending on how long lasted.

1 Like
5

It’s been well over a year of this BS.
Realtek audio ~ 10-15 second hard freeze of the game.
No wing movement, no character effects, no cooldown’s moving.

My solution: use windows 1903, or Play literally, any other game from the past 3 decades and they will not have these same kinds of problems.

4 Likes
6

I was asked by tech support to post the following. Here’s from my recent tech support ticket.

  1. Freezing issue due to Fmodex64.dll. After reading July 2020 tech support forum thread. I replaced Blizzard installed file with one linked in thread. Now it doesn’t freeze but no sound. It was freezing 1-5 times during GR or rift previous. Thread that I posted to Diablo3 US General Forums. I clean installed Win10Pro. More information posted to the following thread.
    https://us.forums.blizzard.com/en/d3/t/freezing-issue-with-blizzard-installed-fmodex64dll-file-fix-needed/22722/4

  2. I didn’t reinstall Win10Pro using a backup. I used Windows Media Tool to download latest Windows then proceeded to clean install after shutdown / startup computer. All new – Windows, Battlenet app, Diablo 3. I posted quite a bit in the General Discussion link provided. Friends online have been have freezing issues as well. One was clean installing Windows this morning like I did. I suggest this may be a bigger issue than what Blizzard recognizes. I am not referring to a latency issue. Yes I understand what I did is not supported. But upon replacing fmodex64.dll, I had zero freezes for over 6 hours. Is a question for developers to research and fix.

  3. Add to previous. First I restored Blizzard’s version of fmodex64.dll to /Diablo III/x84 folder. Was Win10Pro update to version 20H2, build 19042.546 (Win10 Insiders build). Restarted computer after using MSCONFIG to selective boot. Disabled non Microsoft services as follows AMD Crash Defender Service, AMD External Events Utility, Intel(R) Capability Licensing Service, Intel(R) TPM Provisioning Service, Norton Security, and Norton WSC Service. Note: Norton did launch upon reboot. I launched Battle.net app then used that to launch Diablo3. I joined ran a T16 rift and GR105 without any freezing. Will run some more to check.

  4. FYI:: The motherboard that I currently use is MSI z97 Gaming 5. Has Realtek® ALC1150 Codec. MSI support latest audio listed is 2017 Realtek 6.0.1.8010. I didn’t install Realtek though, Clean Win10Pro with HD audio (10.0.19041.264). I stuck with the generic driver installed by Microsoft. Of course, the computer hardware I have is dated. I came across this online concerning those with AMD video card. It suggested to disable AMD sound. “If you own an AMD video card just do this and your audio (and video) world will be excellent. Never the twain shall meet! For your video card software installation (even Nvidia may do this!) Make sure you never have this DISABLED or strange sound issues may happen when you most need them to work.”
    https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-hardware/realtek-driver-issues-windows-10/6d8f3970-be2a-4b82-97b3-79bb073bb831

I have Microsoft generic audio driver installed, and not installed the 2017 Realtek audio driver as of yet. I will play around with Diablo3 later tonight or tomorrow. Posted this to be relayed to developers. Idea is figure out what is causing the freezing issue.

NOTE: Lots of motherboards old and new have Realtek audio embedded. It is up to individual players to web search and to troubleshoot. For me with a 6year old motherboard, I did clean Win10Pro install, used Microsoft generic audio driver. Will keep you posted. Freezing once in awhile, but up to 2-3 times each high GRs.

1 Like
7

I am having the same issue. :confused: Dont know what the problem is.

8

Last update from Blizzard on the issue was back in July…

1 Like
9

ah ok, i see, thanks buddy

10

I have the same problem, it happens to me atleast once ever 2-3 rifts.

1 Like
11

We are just over a week into Season 22. I only play HC and have lost eight toons to RIP, seven of them are due to the FMOD error.
When the first one happened I thought it was just really impressive lag, like when you go over the Bridge.
Now I am finding out I have to play with no sound.

I too am running Win10Pro update to version 20H2, build 19042.662

This is a pretty annoying problem, OK for people who don’t play HC, but losing all your gear and gems due to no fault of your own is wrong.

Guess I play with no sound.

1 Like
12

I don’t know what the underlying issue is for me, but this exact thing is happening with me too. I last played d3 around Christmas last year, zero issues. It’s nearly unplayable, I can only imagine how the HC people are doing

13

HC players are mostly power levelling their friends :slight_smile:

14

dont worry guys, blizz is working on it, maybe it will be fixed by 2030

5 Likes
15

Same here, happening to this day. Happened in HC, thankfully I had the presence of mind to hit ESC and pause. Unfroze like 15 seconds later.

16

Well, part of me doesn’t feel so bad that I’m a week behind due to being out of town for Thanksgiving. Hope this gets cleared up soon.

18

Levithan also sufferd from this, and he has done what ppl have suggest to download some old file , and you always gotta run this command line to start D3 not trough the launcher. Plus your sound will be off all the time…

2 Likes
19

I thought more players may get involved by posting to General Discussion. Tech Support sub-forum was unproductive plus tech support ticket asked me to post to forums. Still researching he said, then relieve to developers.

If freezing, does your your motherboard have on-board on-board Realtek audio chip. My MSI Gaming 5 has Realtek® ALC1150. MSI last posted Realtek driver is 2017. If your sound driver hasn’t been updated to 2019 or later, suggest testing by using Microsoft compatible driver and not Realtek. Or the work around using FMOD from a different Blizzard game. I have Win10Pro 20H2, version 19042.685 installed.

Of note, I turned D3 options video settings to low or off. Enabled Low FX. With D3pref.txt I lowered hardware class to 2 (Documents/D3/)

20

I thought it was just me but guess not. It’s annoying and hope it gets fixed soon.

21

I have the same problem. It’s the reason I stopped playing in the current season. Tried again today, but got the same problem.

I hope this gets fixed with an update.

I use an MSI gaming laptop with Realtek Audio, driver version 6.0.8750.1