I just installed CIV 4 and everytime I run it the text doesn't appear at all on the main menu and every random link I click on. I have looked around on the forum a bit for some help with this issue, but the two "fixes" I tried don't work.

Well, I've installed the patch hoping it would fix this problem up, registered the two font files included with the game, and I've tried some obscure thing involving getting rid of the "CustomAssets" folder and none of them have done a thing. I tried running the game with the default settings and have tried running it with settings for slower computers. Nothing seems to work.

I do have an old laptop and I think it's the main reason for the troubles. I used to not be able to use Direct3D until I updated the driver today and tried my luck with the CIV 4 discs that had been sitting unused since Christmas. I've tested it and Direct3D does work now, but something else must be wrong.

Because users that haven't posted before can't upload files, forgive the double post that is to come.

EDIT: I can't seem to upload the file, so I'll just have to post some pieces of it.

------------------
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 10/1/2006, 15:02:32
Machine name: HOMEWORK
Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.050301-1519)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: TOSHIBA
System Model: Satellite Pro 4600
BIOS: Satellite Pro4600 v2.60 TOSHIBA
Processor: Intel Pentium III, ~890MHz
Memory: 382MB RAM
Page File: 249MB used, 671MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
DxDiag Version: 5.03.2600.2180 32bit Unicode

------------
DxDiag Notes
------------
DirectX Files Tab: No problems found.
Display Tab 1: No problems found. Direct3D 7 test results: All tests were successful. Direct3D 8 test results: All tests were successful. Direct3D 9 test results: All tests were successful.
Sound Tab 1: No problems found.
Music Tab: No problems found.
Input Tab: No problems found.
Network Tab: No problems found.

--------------------
DirectX Debug Levels
--------------------
Direct3D: 0/4 (n/a)
DirectDraw: 0/4 (retail)
DirectInput: 0/5 (n/a)
DirectMusic: 0/5 (n/a)
DirectPlay: 0/9 (retail)
DirectSound: 0/5 (retail)
DirectShow: 0/6 (retail)

---------------
Display Devices
---------------
Card name: Trident Video Accelerator CyberBlade-XP (Toshiba)
Manufacturer: Trident MicroSystems
Chip type: Trident CyberBlade XP
DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_1023&DEV_9910&SUBSYS_00011179&REV_63
Display Memory: 16.0 MB
Current Mode: 1024 x 768 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor: Generic Television
Monitor Max Res: 640,480
Driver Name: tridxp.dll
Driver Version: 5.00.2475.0115 (English)
DDI Version: 8
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 8/17/2001 18:36:32, 525568 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
VDD: n/a
Mini VDD: tridxpm.sys
Mini VDD Date: 8/17/2001 08:51:22, 166784 bytes
Device Identifier: {D7B71EC3-DA50-11CF-BA72-AA29CCC2C835}
Vendor ID: 0x1023
Device ID: 0x9910
SubSys ID: 0x00011179
Revision ID: 0x0063
Revision ID: 0x0063
Video Accel:
Deinterlace Caps: n/a
Registry: OK
DDraw Status: Enabled
D3D Status: Enabled
AGP Status: Enabled
DDraw Test Result: Not run
D3D7 Test Result: All tests were successful.
D3D8 Test Result: All tests were successful.
D3D9 Test Result: All tests were successful.

Tell me if you need more of the file.

The display adapter is shy of what this game demands. You may find some success if you can find a video driver developed much more recently. Check Toshiba or google, but be wary that you could make the notebook unstable if the new software is for a different model of computer.
That said, your gameplay of Civ4 is still going to really tax the memory, processor, etc., even on the smallest maps.
Let us know if you do get the text to show. I'm sure a lot of folks with "road warrior" notebooks would love to play it like they did Civ3.

Actually, my current driver software is the latest version I could find and that allowed me to get it this far in the first place (I originally got that "failed to render" error). With my tweaked settings, I'm actually able to see the planet with almost no jumps, so it isn't terrible.

I'll try reinstalling, but I don't think it will do any good.

I think I'm having the same problem as what the original poster described. Here is a screenshot of what I see when I try to play Civ 4:

http://img106.imageshack.us/img106/8517/exampledf3.jpg

Here is some info on my video card:

---------------
Display Devices
---------------
Card name: S3 Graphics ProSavageDDR
Manufacturer: S3 Graphics, Inc.
Chip type: S3 ProSavage DDR
DAC type: S3 SDAC
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_5333&DEV_8D04&SUBSYS_0A851019&REV_00
Display Memory: 32.0 MB
Current Mode: 1024 x 768 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor: SyncMaster 150N/152N/153N
Monitor Max Res: 1024,768
Driver Name: s3gnb.dll
Driver Version: 6.13.0010.1095 (English)
DDI Version: 8
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 9/11/2002 16:36:22, 368896 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
VDD: n/a
Mini VDD: s3gnbm.sys
Mini VDD Date: 9/11/2002 16:36:30, 158464 bytes
Device Identifier: {D7B75DD3-CE44-11CF-EE77-8F2AA2C2CB35}
Vendor ID: 0x5333
Device ID: 0x8D04
SubSys ID: 0x0A851019
Revision ID: 0x0000
Revision ID: 0x0000
Video Accel: ModeMPEG2_C ModeMPEG2_A ModeMPEG2_D
Deinterlace Caps: n/a
Registry: OK
DDraw Status: Enabled
D3D Status: Enabled
AGP Status: Enabled
DDraw Test Result: Not run
D3D7 Test Result: Not run
D3D8 Test Result: Not run
D3D9 Test Result: Not run

Hopefully someone here could tell me what I'm doing wrong. Thanks.

Hey, you actually can see some text. It's completely blank for me. It might even be a font problem if you are lucky enough. Try registering all the font files in the directory to see if a difference is made.

As for me, my laptop died between this post and my last. The stupid power cord wouldn't charge the computer and it ran out of batteries. I'm ordering a cool new gaming desktop computer from CyberPower and I can guarantee that I'll be able to play Civ 4 then.

In the end, it really is the computer that causes this error. My laptop was an old business notebook that was not designed to ever install a 3D game (it didn't support 3D until I installed a new driver recently). Oh well...

Try registering all the font files in the directory to see if a difference is made.

How do I do that?