Civilization 4 and Windows Vista

ori · Jul 13, 2008

mofo said:
I updated the CD-DVD drive firmware. I also manually checked the drivers for my graphics card... the 'Update Driver Software' function in the Device Manager DOES NOT WORK as it claimed the driver was the latest version even though I found a more recent version online, which I also installed.

I then uninstalled everything as you described (except I couldn't find the matching {CFBCE791-2D53-4FCE-B3FB-D6E01F4112E8} type files - would Vista have different ones?) I can see hidden files.

After that I reinstalled and patched as described I can run the Vanilla version and Warlords, but still no go for BTS

One note - After installing BTS, it never added a shortcut (didn't ask) and there wasn't an .exe in 'Run' 'All Programs' 'Firaxis Games' for BTS - which is odd... I had to go find the BTS .exe in Windows Explorer, which was in the sub-directory for Civ IV, and add a shortcut manually.

I am still getting the Cannot locate the CD-ROM window with the Please insert the correct CD-ROM, select OK and restart application message when trying to run this BTS .exe

Any other things I could try?

as for the missing files: the win xp uninstaller leaves those - it is possible that Vista is better in removing unused installation files. If you could reinstall this is not a problem.
The not-added shortcut is a bug in the BtS installer it fails to do so in (some?) Vista installs.
Unfortunately I am out of ideas really :sad:

the below link is what microsoft proposes in case of safedisc errors - maybe I overlooked something but I doubt it

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/228985

jboomer said:
Whenever I play CIV 4 (Warlords or BTS), the game will play fine for about 120 turns or so, then Vista gives me "Civ 4 Warlords has stopped working, looking for a solution... blah blah.." It has happened with both modded and unmodded games. Following is my system info.

OS Name Microsoft® Windows Vista Home Premium
Version 6.0.6000 Build 6000
Other OS Description Not Available
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name
System Manufacturer Sony Corporation
System Model VGN-AR730E
System Type X86-based PC
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU T8100 @ 2.10GHz, 2101 Mhz, 2 Core(s), 2 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date Phoenix Technologies LTD R2080J8, 12/26/2007
SMBIOS Version 2.4
Windows Directory C:\Windows
System Directory C:\Windows\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume2
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "6.0.6000.16407"
Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Total Physical Memory 3,069.81 MB
Available Physical Memory 1.97 GB
Total Virtual Memory 6.17 GB
Available Virtual Memory 4.98 GB
Page File Space 3.29 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys

Anyone seen this problem before? Thanks all.

welcome to cfc :band:

does the error message contain anything informative?
does the windows event viewer show any error?

jboomer · Jul 13, 2008

There is nothing informative in the error message. The message comes up with "Civ 4 has stopped working..." then it changes to "Vista will search for a solution..." Nothing comes up after that. If you would like, I will get the game to fail again and write down exactly what the error message is.

As to the event viewer, how do I access that to see a log of what events were happening?

Thanks,

Boomer

ori · Jul 13, 2008

it is described in the below link. Every program that does anything unusual should be listed there including the error codes. you might need to look through a longer list but just note anything that looks like it might belong to the game

http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/help/a99f69c1-935f-4116-ba5f-33d8800ef9da1033.mspx

Lemon Merchant · Jul 13, 2008

ori said:
it is a safedisc error - cryptic really in Vista, but hey, in essence the game thinks you are not running it with a genuine disc in the drive. If you have a genuine copy try to remedy the above things, if that still does not work - post back

Ori, I had a similar problem to Mofo's with BTS and the safedisc error. I cured mine by buying a new CD/DVD drive, but I was also told that if I was trying to run BTS in 64 bit mode on Vista that safedisc may have problems. I run 32 bit (Home Premium) so I can't be really sure, and you know WAY more about this than me, but since he seems to have done everything to update his drivers (according to later posts) could that be his problem?

ori · Jul 13, 2008

it is possible that that is the case - Vista is really my weak spot since I do not run it myself - apart from work and for some reason they don't let me play games there

But I am not sure whether one can change anything there :dunno:

Lemon Merchant · Jul 13, 2008

ori said:
it is possible that that is the case - Vista is really my weak spot since I do not run it myself - apart from work and for some reason they don't let me play games there
But I am not sure whether one can change anything there

My IT guy at work tells me that 64 bit Vista can run 32 bit applications in a 32 bit mode. When I had my problems he asked if I was running 64 bit and suggested I try to run BTS in 32 bit mode. I run 32 bit so I didn't have to worry about it other than a flaky CD drive. I've noticed some common problems in Vista threads, especially with safedisc problems. Other than my initial safedisc problem, I've never had any issues with Vista whatsoever. I just thought I'd add my little comment b/c you were giving Mofo some good advice but hadn't mentioned the 64 bit issue.

mofo · Jul 14, 2008

Lemon Merchant said:
I just thought I'd add my little comment b/c you were giving Mofo some good advice but hadn't mentioned the 64 bit issue.

Thanks guys - I appreciate all your help with this, you were WAY more helpful than the official support "experts". Their only advise to date was to clean the CD, make sure I have the right disc in the drive and install the latest patches :rolleyes:

I have a major breakthrough! I am now quite happily playing BTS

How is this possible? Patches? Driver updates? A clean disc? Exiting all other running programs? Firmware upgrades? Different CD-ROM drive? Compatibility modes? Administration rights? DirectX updates? NOPE. While this was ALL great advise (and recommended), it didn't fix the issue...

I ran a 2MB no-cd patch that replaced my BTS .exe and it ran just fine

Looks like it IS a SafeDisc issue that refuses to believe that I have an original disc in the drive - which I do.

This REALLY pisses me off, as this so-called "anti-piracy" software only stops legitimate owners of the game from playing it, as all the crack experts can get around that stuff anyway.

I hope other people read this and find the same simple, quick, relief.

Solution fix
Vista 64 bit
Civilization IV Warlords Beyond The Sword BTS error message
“Please insert the correct CD-ROM, select OK and restart application”

az_jt · Jul 14, 2008

jboomer said:
There is nothing informative in the error message. The message comes up with "Civ 4 has stopped working..." then it changes to "Vista will search for a solution..." Nothing comes up after that. If you would like, I will get the game to fail again and write down exactly what the error message is.

As to the event viewer, how do I access that to see a log of what events were happening?

Thanks,

Boomer

Hi jboomer! I really know the frustration that you must be going through chasing down a solution for that error message, because I went through it very recently just trying to get CIV IV vanilla running on my Vista Home Premium computer. This sounds crazy, and I am still having a hard time accepting it myself, but I got a new video card and the game started working the way it should.

UTBear · Jul 14, 2008

I ran a 2MB no-cd patch that replaced my BTS .exe and it ran just fine

For others of us who have this problem, what is this 2 mb patch and how do we get it?

SusFerox · Jul 14, 2008

UTBear said:
I ran a 2MB no-cd patch that replaced my BTS .exe and it ran just fine

For others of us who have this problem, what is this 2 mb patch and how do we get it?

As that patch is usually used to put the pirated versions of the game to work, (almost) any mention of it is forbidden here.

Google it. That's all one can say on that matter.

SF

Prussian Blue · Jul 14, 2008

Does this imply that the anti-piracy mechanism is causing some of the Vista compatibility issues?

I'm considering buying a new computer pre-loaded with Vista (64-bit), but I'm reluctant if Civ will have problems. Sounds like some people have no issues, though. I'm not a techie, so the whole issue is confusing.

ori · Jul 14, 2008

Safedisc sometimes causes problems mostly due to the cd-drive not being compatible with it. This happens both in XP and Vista - unfortunately there are no lists of incompatible drives out there - so its bad luck if it happens.
In Vista this problem is a little more common because some cd-drive vendors have failed to update their drivers properly until now.

Prussian Blue · Jul 14, 2008

Thanks, ori.

That tells me a new computer loaded with Vista 64 and all appropriate drivers will have a better chance of successfully installing and running Civ 4. Safe assumption???

Civilization 4 and Windows Vista

ori

Repair Guy

jboomer

Chieftain

ori

Repair Guy

Lemon Merchant

Not Quite Sonic

ori

Repair Guy

Lemon Merchant

Not Quite Sonic

mofo

Chieftain

az_jt

Chieftain

UTBear

Chieftain

SusFerox

Chieftain

Prussian Blue

Chieftain

ori

Repair Guy

Prussian Blue

Chieftain

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