My Improved Mega-Guide:
https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2964024221

For people who don't like details (UPDATED 16 JAN 2024):

- Smol Fix originally devised and made by Nah. This fix updates fmodex.dll for audio related tasks.
( https://www.moddb.com/mods/dow2-modding-tools-game-fixes/downloads/smol-retribution-fmodex-update-20211030 )
- Run as admin and set Windows 7 Compatibility on game shortcut.
- Add FPS cap at 58 (There are 3 possible methods: at Steam, the game shortcut or Nvidia Control Panel for Nvidia GPU users. Just use one way either via the in-build Nvidia's or AMD's Control Panel for graphic card GPU users or using another software to manually cap the FPS such as Rivatuner Statistics Server's FPS limiter specific only for the DOW2 series. [link here => https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49I_if4H0tA] ).
- Remember to restart your laptop / PC (not game) after a few matches or after SB crash, helps to refresh your RAM [/b]

Note: If you verified file integrity, remember to redownload and apply the SMOL Fix again, as the file integrity process will wiped the modified file and replace with the default file.

Hi all.

To provide context (as someone who read up on the topic over all), back in the day, Relic did do an exhaustive search on finding out what caused the soundbug, but they were not able to replicate / reproduce the bug. At the time, they were in the midst of THQ's bankruptcy, so it was a difficult time for them.

So, I've gathered a potential list of possible band-aids for the sound bug. You can use the fixes in any order or combination, so use any that helps for you.

Do note, these fixes do not properly resolve / fix the actual sound bug (and the "Failed to Create Dump File : Error 183) or determine the root cause of it, of which there isn't much to go on. They do help to reduce the frequency of the sound bug by a HUGE AMOUNT.

Most people believe it is a memory leak issue, as the memory leak issues are prevalent in as far as Dawn of War Soulstorm, Company of Heroes 1, Dawn of War 2 series and even Company of Heroes 2. Just found out that CoH 1 and 2 has the dreaded Soundbug as well. So, probably a game engine / sound engine (FMOD) related issue according to people more knowledgeable than me.

I've sorted the ones in importance that has the most effect.
Hope it helps!

Update: 20/1/2023

After a couple of months of testing and receiving feedback from players, this is what we know has been working about 95% of the time to actually stop the SB (almost) completely.

These solutions must be used together for maximum effect.
Note: These are summarized steps for easy reference (you can still refer to the main list below).

1. Smol Fix by Nah from the Elite Mod Community
- Audio related. This updates the included fmodex.dll in retribution, to help fix sound issue present in retribution.
- Drop these files into your Retribution folder, and let them overwrite / paste over the old files.

( https://www.moddb.com/mods/dow2-modding-tools-game-fixes/downloads/smol-retribution-fmodex-update-20211030 )

Note: If you verified file integrity, remember to redownload and apply the SMOL Fix again, as the file integrity process will wiped the modified file and replace with the default file.

2. Set Windows 7 Compatibility and run as admin, on game shortcut
- Right click game shortcut
- Run as administrator and set for Windows 7 Compatibility.

3. Restart your laptop / PC
- Do this after a few matches or after SB crash, helps to refresh your RAM
- Restarts memory, to ensure your laptop's RAM is clean and available
- This is not the same as restarting your game. Doesn't work and achieve the same effect.

4. 58 FPS cap
Note: There are 3 possible methods. Use only 1 way.
Updated: 16 Jan 2024.

A. At Steam
- In Steam games library, find DOW2 Retribution and right click properties.
- In launch options, set it as "-refresh 58".. and save! Then, you're good to go!

B. At the game shortcut
- Right click game shortcut
- Under 'Target' add "-refresh 58"
Ex: "C:\Games\Dawn of War II - Retribution\DOW2.exe" -refresh 58
Note: You can try other frame rates. Heard it works for some other.

C(1). Nvidia Control Panel for Nvidia GPU users.
NVIDIA Control Panel for Nvidia Users.
- To go to the Nvidia Control Panel, press Windows Key + R
- Then paste this C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\Control Panel Client\nvcplui.exe or right click the bottom right icon and find the Nvidia Control Panel
- Then, add Dow 2 Retribution to the Nvidia Control Panel:
-> Nvidia Control Panel
-> Manage 3D Settings / Program Settings (It will get some time to show programs.
-> Add Dawn of War 2 to the program list if not there yet)
-> Click Warhammer: 40k Dawn of War II: Ret.. (remember, the below options need to be for Dow II)

Caps dow2 retribution to 58 FPS using Nvidia
- Background Application Max Frame Rate set to 58
- Go to Nvidia Control Panel > 3D settings > Program Settings > Background Application Max Frame Rate set to which frame rate works for you > Dropdown > Prefer max performance

Others (still via the Nvidia Control Panel).

C(2): For AMD GPU users, via AMD's FRTC.

AMD FRTC (Frame Rate Target Control), an embedded feature in the AMD Radeon Driver Software, allows you to lock frame rate in a game. It is very easy to limit FPS via AMD FRTC.

You just need to:

• open AMD Radeon Settings
  
• click Global Settings
  
• enable Frame Rate Target Control
  
• Set the FPS limit.

For reference: https://www.partitionwizard.com/partitionmanager/fps-limiter.html

C(3): Use a software like Rivatuner Statistics Server or others to limit FPS.

This video below perfectly illustrates on how to use Rivatuner Statistics Server to limit the FPS.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49I_if4H0tA

High Performance Setting
- Under Program Settings and Select the preferred graphics processor for this program set to use High Performance Nvidia Processor

Power Management - Prefer Max Performance
- Go to Nvidia Control Panel > 3D settings > Program Settings > Power management Mode > Dropdown > Prefer max performance
- This disables power management on the video card when playing the game). Don't forget to hit the apply changes button.

physX
- Set physX to "auto" or "CPU"
- Nvidia Control Panel > PhysX > physX dropdown

Other preventatives:

@ Turnoff other programs you're not using when playing
- Soundbug happens more often if a program is running in the background (web browser, Skype etc.)
- Due to RAM consumption.

Last updated: 2/5/2022

0. Basic
@ Restart your laptop after a long match or several matches, and after soundbug.
- MOST IMPORTANT. Restarts memory, to ensure your laptop's RAM is clean and available

@ Turnoff other programs you're not using when playing
- Soundbug happens more often if a program is running in the background (web browser, Skype etc.)

@ Ensure Dow2 and Steam Directory are in the Same Drive.
- Eg: both in C.

1. Graphical Basics
@ Turned off / on anti-aliasing
- In-game graphics tab option. Some people report its better if on (if off, there is some weird error), so test and see what works for you.

@ Set graphical stuff to low (see what works for you).
- In-game graphics tab option. Effects, terrain, fidelity, reflection, rain, shadow can be set to low.

2. Sound Related Fixes (except -nosound, see below why I didn't add this together)
@Switch to Prologic and have the Highest Voice Option and Quality[
- Ingame settings swap to pro logic on speaker configuration and try to use as high quality on the sound as possible
- Another thing is to not alt tab too often, it will also increase the chances of a soundbug
- Switch to 44100 hz in game

@ Essence.ini fix:
- Open this file in your installation directory of Retribution using Notepad
- Change sound_speed = from 300 to 100 or 150.

@ External Sound Device change to 44100 hz:
- Switch to 44100 hz (24 bit i think on my speakers) and 44100 hz in game
- Right-click on sound icon at the bottom right of the desktop.
- Under input, click "device properties"
- Click "additional devices properties"
- Go to "Advance" tab
- Under default formats, switch your current frequency to 44100 hz.

3. Launch properties
@ Fixed Refresh rate (similar to Nvidia fix, have not tested together.
If Steam Version:
- In Steam games library, right click properties.
- In launch options, set it as "-refresh 58" or "-refresh 60" .. (similar fix in CoH), like in screenshot.


If Non-Steam, Custom Version:
- Find Dow2.exe shortcut
- Right click and go to properties
- Under 'Target' add "-refresh 58" or "-refresh 60"
- Ex:
"C:\Games\Dawn of War II - Retribution\DOW2.exe" -refresh 58

4. Shortcut Exe. Properties
@ Run as administrator and Windows 7 Compatibility
- Right click game shortcut & run as administrator and Windows 7 Compatibility.

4. Potential Fixes from Elite Mod
@ In the Elite Mod discord server, click on the pinned posts and find for the two files uploaded by Wise Toaster of the Lake in the #bug-reports channel:

a. Profiler.dll by Maximumgame
https://github.com/maximumgame/DOW2CoreFix
- This increase fmod's number of stream buffers from 4 to 10. Drop in your dow retribution folder. Backup Profiler.dll if you want but you can also verify steam files to get it back.

b. SMOL fix by nah
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1098151951348281386/1098710130155073576/smol-retribution-fmodex-update-20211030.zip
- This experimental fix updates fmodex.dll for audio related tasks.

You can try both these fixes together or separately.

5. Disable Realtek HD Audio Universal / Realtek HD Audio Manager
- open your task manager
- go to startup
- Search Realtek HD Audio Universal or Realtek HD Audio Manager
- Deactivate if it isnt already
- Restart your PC to apply changes.

6. Disable Network Throttling (via Registry Entry)
- Open the Start Menu.
- Choose "Run".
- Write "regedit" and press Enter.
- Go to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE / SOFTWARE / Microsoft / Windows NT / CurrentVersion / Multimedia / SystemProfile
- There will be an entry for network performance throttling, default value is "10"; right click on it and modify setting it to "FFFFFFFF" in hex (default value was "a"), now it willl look like "0xFFFFFFFF" to the right of the entry.

7. NVIDIA Control Panel for Nvidia Users.
- To go to the Nvidia Control Panel, press Windows Key + R
- Then paste this C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\Control Panel Client\nvcplui.exe or right click the bottom right icon and find the Nvidia Control Panel
- Then, add Dow 2 Retribution to the Nvidia Control Panel:
-> Nvidia Control Pannel
-> Manage 3D Settings / Program Settings (It will get some time to show programs.
-> Add Dawn of War 2 to the program list if not there yet)
-> Click Warhammer: 40k Dawn of War II: Ret.. (remember, the below options need to be for Dow II)

a. High Performance Setting
- Under Program Settings and Select the preferred graphics processor for this program set to use High Performance Nvidia Processor

b. Power Management - Prefer Max Performance
- Go to Nvidia Control Panel > 3D settings > Program Settings > Power management Mode > Dropdown > Prefer max performance
- This disables power management on the video card when playing the game). Don't forget to hit the apply changes button.

c. Vsync (I think disable works better, but same people say enable works better).
- Enable / Disable vsync for the program
- Go to Nvidia Control Panel > 3D settings > Program Settings > Vertical Sync > Dropdown > On / Off
- Alternatively, you can try to add vsync = 1 (or = 0 to disable) in the configuration.lua (not confirmed, need testing, might it clash?)
(ex: C:\Users\Hewlett Packard\Documents\My Games\Dawn of War II - Retribution\Settings).

d. physX
- Set physX to "auto" or "CPU"
- Nvidia Control Panel > PhysX > physX dropdown

e. Caps to 58 FPS
- Background Application Max Frame Rate set to 58
- Go to Nvidia Control Panel > 3D settings > Program Settings > Background Application Max Frame Rate set to 58 > Dropdown > Prefer max performance
- Noted: Not tested if it will clash with the refresh 60 or 120 method.

9. High DPI settings:
- Right click game shortcut
- Click "Override high DPI scaling behaviour"
Then select "System (Enhanced)"



10. Reinstall Realtek Audio / Sound Drivers:
The link for realtek recent audio driver:
https://filecr.com/windows/realtek-hd-audio-drivers/?id=8899743586

11. 4gb Patch - NT core Patch (Current Version: 1.0.0.1) >> This actually helps a LOT.
https://ntcore.com/?page_id=371

Helps allocate more RAM to game.

This very little tool patches x86 executables to let them have 4GB (instead of only 2) of virtual memory on x64 platforms.
This tool comes very handy for applications which need a great amount of virtual memory like games, 3D renderization, multimedia etc.

To gain these 2GB, you just have to use this tool to patch the executable (*.exe file) of the software you want to have these additional GBs of virtual memory.

12. Stop replays
- In "C:\Users\<Your User Name>\Documents\My Games\Dawn of War II - Retribution\Playback"
Delete the temp.rec file. Then make empty .txt file and rename it to temp.rec. Change it to read only. It will stop replays.

13. Switching Between Headphones Jack and USB Headset
Context: Player (Neralu) has windows 11 latest patch.
- Game was crashing as soon there was something that was making sound (eg: even placing a pointer on button in Main Menu etc.)

The Fix:
- 1. Connect headphones via jack to PC / Laptop and start the game with them by default. Sound worked, but then I need it to work through my main headset that connects via USB.
- 2. So, the idea was to turn off the headphones that uses jack in Windows sound setting, so there was only one sound output via USB headset.
- 3. It worked perfectly, but it reverts back to sound bug after restarting the game.

Note: Neralu had the game capped at 58 fps. Additionally, the sound quality on both devices are the same

Credits: [FHB] Neralu (from Discord)

14. -nosound
Note: This is technically the worst solution, as it requires to turn off all sound, which isn't what we want at all. But it is a solution still, so use it if it helps. However, the SB still occurs even with this setting on too.

>> Steam Version
- Open Steam
- Go to Library.
- Find your Dawn of War II game and right click on properties.
- Under 'General' and 'Launch Options' add -nosound

>> Other versions / Custom
- Find Dow2.exe shortcut
- Right click it and go to properties
- Under 'Target' add '-nosound'
- Example:
"C:\Games\Dawn of War II - Retribution\DOW2.exe" -nosound

Non-Direct Solutions:

1. Switching from HDD to SSD
- Reinstalling the game from an HDD to an SSD fixed the issue for some people (CONFIRMED THAT IT HELPS REDUCE SBs).

2. Windows 11 Rumours
- Doesn't work, confirmed that other players get SB on W11.