Game Freezes When Starting Research

[Ruminant]

I've had this game lock up on me several times after I have clicked the "Start Research" button in the Research panel.  I believe that this has only occurred when the technology has already been partially researched, but I am not sure about that detail.  I was able to capture this behavior in a saved game, which I have attached to this post.  I searched this forum for "start research bug" to see if anyone had previously reported a similar issue, but the search did not return any relevant results.

The following steps have successfully reproduced this bug on my computer multiple times:

1) Load the attached save game
2) Run time forward until you receive a message stating that the Particle Beam Pistol research is complete.  You should receive this message around May 9.
3) Go to the research view for the base named "DREAMLAND".  This DREAMLAND is located in the middle of Antarctica; it is not in Nevada.
4) Select the Particle Beam Rifle technology (which should be in yellow text) and click on the "Start Research" button.

If the game's interface freezes at this point, then you have successfully reproduced this bug.

In case it helps, here are some specifications on my computer.

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 (stock speed and voltage)
RAM: 2 GB Crucial Ballistix DDR800 (stock speed and voltage)
Motherboard: Abit P35-Pro
Video Card: eVGA 6200 LE PCI-E
Operating System: Windows XP x64

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Mattn]

do you remember whether you once started the research of this tech in the DREAMLAND base, too? or in some other base?

[Ruminant]

The research was first started in a different base (PHALANX HQ, the default one).  I have encountered this bug (or else a very similar one) with only one base, though.

I noticed something else that is probably relevant to this bug: the Particle Beam Rifle tech is the only tech in the list that does not show 30 scientists available.  Clicking the right arrow (remove scientist) for that tech changes it to show 30 available scientists like every other research tech.  Once it shows that 30 scientists are available, clicking the "Start Research" button successfully assigns those scientists to the research item without locking up the game.

[Mattn]

haven't had the time to look indepth yet - but do you still have the lab building in the base you started that research? and do you still have scientists in that base? i mean, what happens if you restart the research in that base you once started it?

[Ruminant]

I still have the lab building in the original base, but no scientists.  However, I get a strange result if I transfer 10 scientists back to the original base (PHALANX HQ):

In research view of original base after transferring 10 scientists back to it:

Laboratory space (used/all) 15/20
Scientists (available/all) 10/10

So 15 of the 20 lab spaces are somehow in use, even though there are no scientists performing research at the base.  When I click the "Start Research" button for the Particle Beam Rifle tech in that base, it then assigns 5 scientists to do research (because it thinks there are only 5 free spaces available.  It does not freeze, though.

However, if this is an issue (instead of some game rule that I am unfamiliar with), it seems to be a different issue from what is causing the game to lock up.  I believe the reason that it locks up when I try to research the Particle Beam Rifle in the DREAMLAND base is because that research item has "0" listed for the number of available scientists, while every other research item shows the correct 30 free scientists.  If I click the unassign arrow button for the Particle Beam Rifle, then the number of available scientists for that research item changes to 30 and I can research it without the computer locking up.