TF2 keeps crashing with 'Out of Memory' message even though I have 3GB of RAM

[Clearwater]

Okay, this is genuinly starting to p**s me off.

Ever since I've had my brother reformat and redo my computer about a month ago to get rid of that virus, I've been more or less unable to play TF2, or
Garry's Mod for that matter as well. Why? Every time I load into the game and join a server, it gets to the end of Retrieving Server Info, then just crashes
out directly, and says 'You are out of memory', even though I have 3 whole GB of RAM in computer, plus an extra 4 GB Page File on my internal hard drive. This has been doing this every time I've tried to play TF2 since the revival of my computer, and it's really making me frustrated. I have no idea
if any of any of you are expert problem solvers on problems with the Source Engine, but I just know that the Valve support team will refuse to talk to me
(I asked their help a multiple times a few months ago, they never ever replied back), and I'm also aware that some other Steam users are having the same problem as me, and no one knows why. I don't see how I can be running out of memory because like I said, I have 3 GB (2x1.5GB) of memory in my computer, plus an extra 4GB allocated as page file memory on my hard drive. Here's a brief rundown on what happens.

- I load the game, it gets to the main menu, loads up the music, freezes for two or three seconds, then unfreezes.

- I join a server (Or create a listen server of my own in case I'm training with bots). It gets to Retrieving Server Info, then just crashes out with the error message after a while. No matter what map or server it is that the game's trying to load up, it always crashes at Retrieving Server Info.

Last night, I experimented with the -debug and -dev switches while having the RAM usage monitor in the Task Manager focused. I managed to get TF2 to load up into a map once (pl_goldrush), but the game was using over 2GB of my memory, that's nearly THREE TIMES as much as it usually needs. The usual amount of RAM the game used to use was around 750MB of RAM to 1.2GB, if I was playing in a server with around 20 players.

I've also tried resetting all my video settings back to default using various switches such as mat_forceejecute, mat_forcehardwaresync and mat_dxlevel.
I've also uninstalled and redownloaded TF2. Still no dice.

Also, when the game loads up into the main menu, it's already using 350MB. Before my computer was redone, it used to use only around 100MB.

My external hard drive on which all my stuff and Steam games, etc is completely defragged, CCleaned and free of viruses, so I'm rather perplexed at why this is doing it for me and the people I've seen on the Steam forums who have my problem. And I don't expect the Valve or TF2 Staff to help out at any moment if they never replied back to my questions a long time ago. Any of you have any suggestions on what's happening?

 

[Pgpaw3]

Have you checked that your graphics card drivers and other drivers were reinstalled properly?

You could also try putting the game on the lowest possible graphics setting just to see how it runs.

And I would not recommend you store your games on an external SSD if you can help it, as that will slow it down.

 

[DZComposer]

What video card are you using? What OS?

[Clearwater]

On 21/11/2015 13:49:04, Pgpaw3 said:

You could also try putting the game on the lowest possible graphics setting just to see how it runs.

I did actually try that last night, and I was able to play TF2 online for about an hour before it crashed with the error message.

 

On 21/11/2015 21:53:04, DZComposer said:

What video card are you using? What OS?

I'm using an NVidia FX 5500 with 256MB of VRAM, and Windows XP Service Pack 3. I started playing TF2 about two years ago when I still had my old GeForce 3 graphics card, and while that one only had a measly 64MB of VRAM, it still ran TF2 fine without any error messages.

[DZComposer]

NVidia FX 5500

That's a workstation vidcard, not a gaming vidcard. Workstation cards are optimized for batch rendering, not real-time rendering. If you still have that GeForce 3, try it and see if you still have issues. It's a bit like using a framing hammer to drive railroad spikes. Framing hammers are great for carpentry, but they're no match for a spike maul when it comes to driving railroad spikes. Quadro cards are great for AutoCAD, but they're no match for a GeForce when it comes to gaming.

[Clearwater]

Okay, I'll try and give it a shot when I get home at the end of the week, but I don't really wanna pester my Dad to have to dig the whole of my computer out just for a bloody graphics card.

Actually, I remembered that I'm supposed to be getting a laptop for studying and such in Feburary or March, and looking at its specs, I think it's easily gonna outmatch my current specs. Patience, Clear...

[DZComposer]

Yeah, even a lower-end laptop of today's tech will outmatch an old XP box.

Also, you could use this as a learning opportunity to learn how to work on your computer yourself. A video card swap is a very simple thing:

EDIT: Better video that shows removal:

 Never go Incredible Hulk on anything in a computer. If it requires a lot of force, you've likely either got something backwards or forgot to unclip something.

[Clearwater]

2 hours ago, DZComposer said:

Yeah, even a lower-end laptop of today's tech will outmatch an old XP box.

Also, you could use this as a learning opportunity to learn how to work on your computer yourself. A video card swap is a very simple thing:

 

Thanks for the vid, but I very highly doubt that my parents'll let me do it on my own. C'mon, why?! I'm 16, for crying out loud!

But anyway,thanks. I'll see if it helps.

[OneUnder]

5 hours ago, DZComposer said:

Never go Incredible Hulk on anything in a computer. If it requires a lot of force, you've likely either got something backwards or forgot to unclip something.

Either that or you're pushing the tension arm down on your CPU socket. :P

[Sideways]

6 hours ago, OneUnder said:

Either that or you're pushing the tension arm down on your CPU socket.

Zero Insertion Force, my butt...