[BTS] crashing - is there a 'timer'?

[pete williams]

B.T.S is acting strange - starting from when I start playing the game, every half hour, the game gives a momentary 'black screen', then closes to desktop- there are no error messages.- click on the logo in the 'taskbar' and the program opens again and continues - for exactly another half hour, then the fault re-occurs

I have tried running the 'steps recorder. that is built into windows 8.1, while B.T.S is running , but this does NOT record any problems.
I am beginning to wonder if there is a hidden timer, somewhere in the game's programming that is causing this half-hourly problem and needs turning 'off'?
please help, this problem is 'driving me mad!'

 

[lymond]

B.T.S is acting strange'

No...there is no timer thing. I'm not even sure what that even means.

Sounds like a problem with your operating system. However, I would not rule out a bad installation of the game.

I've never used Win 8, but like every OS since Vista, you need to make sure a couple of steps are taken after any installation: Right-click on the BTS exe > Properties > Compatibility tab. On this tab, set the game to run in Win 7 mode and check the box to run as administrator.

Also, it would help to know what version of Civ IV you are running...that is, where did you get your copy?

 

[Donald Duck1]

Or some other program/task demanding (and getting) attention every half hour?

 

[pete williams]

fixed the problem- although unable to trace the cause.
deleted the base game, warlords and B.T.S and re-installed.
now running perfectly again.
thanks for help and suggestions.

 

[pete williams]

No-problem IS still there! Neither 'step recorder' or the 'Reliability' problem even 'saw' the crash.
Solved the problem though - deleted it from my dell insperion 8.1 PC- suspect the problem might lie with either Dell's or Microsoft's automatic back-up programs.
Installed it on my 'old' windows vista (64bit) PC and they run perfectally- no problems at all.
However, confirms my opinion that every windows program released after Vista, is a damn sight worse and lacks features that were standard in the previous version.

 

[tjs282]

Or some other program/task demanding (and getting) attention every half hour?

(Bearing in mind I'm pretty ignorant about such things, but) could this be caused by something as "simple" as Windows trying to activate the screensaver (or change the desktop background) while Civ IV is running? Possibly complicated by a multiple-monitor setup?

Although it's not the same game or problem, I've noticed that if I leave LEGO Harry Potter (GOG version) idle for too long* on my Win8.1 box (dual monitors, LEGO HP on the primary), the graphics go screwy and the menu-texts disappear. Alt-Tabbing out to the desktop, then back to the game, seems to be enough to get everything back as it should be.

*(I'm not sure how long is "too long", but my desktop background is set to cycle every 30 minutes, IIRC).