An Answer to the Blank/Checkerboard screen crash

[dog77_1999]

Hi there. Many of you have the same problem as I had. After talking to 2k support(very friendly by the way) they sent me this e-mail with a list of instructions. Looking at it, the graphics crashes might have to do with the game unpacking graphics. So what ended up happening is to unpack the artwork and remove the compressed file. Here is what they told me in the e-mail.

Dear Sir/Madam

Thank you for contacting Take 2 Technical Support.

1. Download the PakBuild.zip file from the 2K Support Site. Download Now.
2. Run the EXE and select the Unpak option
3. Go to your Civ4 directory (default is C:\Program Files\Sid Meier's
Civilization 4\) and open up the Assets Directory. Click on the Art0.FPK
file and select Open. C:\Program Files\Sid Meier's Civilization
4\Assets\Art0.FPK
4. Browse to your Civ4 folder and click on Assets and click Ok
5. Once the unpack finishes, click on the Art0.FPK and press Ctrl-X (or
select Edit and then Cut).
6. Move up one directory level so that you are not in the Assets folder and
press Ctrl-V (or select Edit and then Paste).

The reason this step is important is that if you do not move the FPK file
from the Assets directory it will still find the file and the game will
continue to not work.

7. Run the game.

Please be sure to delete all previous correspondence when replying. This
will help us to process your response in a more timely and efficient manner.

Kind Regards,
Take 2 Technical Support

Now the only place I could find the pakbuild file was at http://www.civilized.de/download/civ4/binaries/PakBuild.zip

Hope this helps.

 

[Jorgen_CAB]

Tried this, and it didn't work so well... I started a new game and managed to play for maybe an hour then the game hanged again. I rebooted the computer and now when I play from my save it hang/freezes after just a few minutes 2-5 minutes or so.

I think there has to be a patch to fix this, there is nothing wrong with my drivers or anything like that. I have the newest of everything, I even downgraded my video drivers to the one that Asus recomended on their site. Otherwise my computer is freshly installed with Windows XP Professional and no other programs than CivIV at the moment.

 

[dog77_1999]

make sure you remove the old pak file from the folder. If you don't it'll crash.

 

[Jorgen_CAB]

Yes of cource I did that, but this don't seem to be my problem. Or at least not the only problem at least.

I have tried every solution sugested in these forums, I even reinstalled my entire computer to get as clean a machine I can have. I have tested my system with 3D Mark 03 and 05 for hours and this will not make a single crash, so I don't think there is somthing wrong with it.

And it is a pretty powerfull system...

AMD 3200+, 2.2 GHz
1 GB RAM
Geforce 6800, 128MB

 

[fluff77]

Made no difference.

 

[ReconSOC]

Jorgan-

I had the same issues bud (and almost the same machine but with 2 gigs or RAM and a P4 - but higher end none the less). A full reinstall will not help.

I ended up buying a new ATI card to solve my 6800 issue. Popped the card in, installed drivers and everything works. All my games. That's how it should be.

I really think the problem lies with Nvidia drivers on this one since it happens in Civ 4 and FEAR.