ATI Graphics Card Owners: re FAILED TO INITIALIZE RENDERER

[harbourn]

so it was really version 5.07, not version 5.7? because guess what? 5.7 is greater than 5.10

you must be new to software.

yes, in the decimal number system, 5.7 is indeed greater than 5.10.

software version numbers do not follow the decimal number system. in order to get obey sort order rules, sometimes software will be released with the numbering scheme like 5.07 just to force 5.07 to be sorted in a list before 5.10, but this is not necessary. a lot of software uses multiple decimal points to indicate major versions, sub versions, patch levels and sometimes build numbers. So 2.3.17.1876 could be a version number. This is obviously not a valid decimal number.

just nod your head.

 

[Zero_Kool]

Sorry for the confusion. Upgraded from 5.07 to 5.10. Just finshed the tutorial. Here is the exact version:

Driver Packaging Version 8.18-050914a1-027256C-ATI
CATALYST™ Version 05.10
Provider ATI Technologies Inc.
2D Driver Version 6.14.10.6575
2D Driver File Path System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Video\{8CDA7551-22C8-40DE-9A7A-FA0F83163E70}\0000
Direct3D Version 6.14.10.0347
OpenGL Version 6.14.10.5396
CATALYST™ Control Center Version 1.2.2084.76
AIW/VIVO WDM Driver Version 6.14.10.6238
AIW/VIVO WDM SP Driver Version 6.14.10.6238

 

[FlakMonkey]

so it was really version 5.07, not version 5.7? because guess what? 5.7 is greater than 5.10

In computer terms, 5.10 is larger than 5.7. They don't refer to them as decimals. 5.10 is the tenth subsystem for the 5th version, whereas 5.7 would be the seventh.

 

[Zero_Kool]

Thank you FlakMonkey. I am a computer guy and have fallen into that habbit. Doesn't help when you are communicating with the rest of the world.

Jayseki, MS .Net is a recomended update from Microsoft. I would run windows update and make sure you select it from the recomended section. I believe there is an update after the inital install, so you may want to check it twice.

 

[eatomhoch]

For those of you having directx errors trying uninstalling it with this program:

http://www.majorgeeks.com/download2935.html

After uninstalling and rebooting, install directx from the civ4 cd.

 

[DeathsHead]

Same 9550 card as many above. Fail to initialize rendering. Tried all solutions presented so far, same error. Any other ideas?

 

[freaky101]

Card: Radeon x800xl pci 256mb
Driver: Cataylst 5.10
Works great!

 

[FlakMonkey]

This is total speculation, as Firaxis isn't mentioning anything official for marketing purposes. However, I would assume this would be fixed tomorrow, as I've heard tech support say. This is a huge screwup, and they'll likely have the team on it for quite a while trying to get it back online.

If they don't, I've lost all faith in 2k and their ability to manage a game of this scale.

 

[Kitran]

Don't think I've ever been this pissed at my computer. This game has totally failed my expectations. This has to be one of the worst things to happen on a launch day. Crappy customer service, and an un-playable game. Grr! Sorry to vent, but this is so very frustrating.

 

[ScythianBeastie]

System: Windows XP Pro SP1 (Version 2002)
Card: ATI Sapphire Radeon 9600 Atlantis
Catalyst version 05.7
2D version: 6.14.10.6553
DirectX: 9.0C
Status: "Failed to initialize renderer", etc. The usual.

Originally, I had Catalyst 4.2, and I was getting a blank Civ IV splash screen (y'know, the one where it says things like "Loading XML") -- until I clicked around and found a hidden dialog box that said just "error".

I uninstalled my ATI drivers using ATI's uninstall utility, installed Catalyst 5.7 (Control Panel version), reinstalled DirectX 9.0c, and tried again; now I'm getting the standard error message.

I'll try the latest Catalyst before I just give up and go to bed...

 

[Jayseki]

funny how 2k games has boosted forum participation......somehow i dont think this was their intention

 

[ScythianBeastie]

Update:
System: Windows XP Pro SP1 (Version 2002)
Card: ATI Sapphire Radeon 9600 Atlantis
Catalyst version 5.10
2D version: 6.14.10.6575
DirectX: 9.0C

... status: No luck -- same ol' thing. "Failed to initialize renderer", etc...

 

[CactusBastard]

For those of you having directx errors trying uninstalling it with this program:

http://www.majorgeeks.com/download2935.html

After uninstalling and rebooting, install directx from the civ4 cd.

This sounded like a good idea, so I gave it a shot. The above script rolls DirectX back to the version on your winxp cd. So after this, dxdiag reports that I'm on 8.1. However, the stupid DXSetup.exe on the Civ cd does not recognize that it needs to upgrade and leaves all the (now old) files in place.

Great, hopefully the installer from microsoft is at least smart enough to get things at back to regular 9.0c.

 

[Jayseki]

the constant hang-ups when you try to call tech support are killing me. dont they even care about their loyal customers? F*** you, 2k games, you suck shipping a faulty game, then ignoring the pleading fans.

 

[tristangreer]

Try downloading this driver, and see how it works:

http://drivers.soft32.com/driver/download-ATI_MOBILITY_RADEON_9600-24069.html

Post results if it works.

 

[grahamiam]

System: Windows XP Home Edition 2002 SP2
Processor: AMD Athlon XP 2500+
Ram: 512 MB
Video Card info: ATI Sapphire Radeon 9600 PRO
- Driver Packaging Version: 8.152-050629m-024085C-ATI
- CATALYST Version: 05.7
- 2D Driver Version: 6.14.10.6553
- Direct3D Version: 6.14.10.0327
- OpenGL Version: 6.14.10.5220
- CATALYST Control Center Version: 1.2.2006.286
- AIW/VIVO WDM Driver Version: 6.14.10.6238
- DirectX 9.0c

Status: Runs Perfectly (for at least 2 hours now)

 

[Diarmud]

X800 XL

Originally did not work with Catalyst 5.7 drivers.
Upgrading to 5.10 fixed the problem.

 

[Diarmud]

Followup....


When I installed the 5.10 drivers, I made sure that I used the Catalyst Uninstall tool on ATI's website to make sure that the old driver was completely gone...maybe that made the big difference.

 

[ScythianBeastie]

I'm glad the official Catalyst uninstaller worked for you, Diarmud! Hopefully it will help some other folks, too... it didn't work for me, though.

 

[SmCaudata]

I have been reading all of this with great interest. I am still waiting for my copy since Gamestop didn't update mine to shipped until about an hour ago...My first order from them ships this late...guess they don't like repeat business.

Anyway, I have been watching because I have an ATI. I have noticed that the ATI 9800 seems to completely avoid this issue. At least I haven't seen a post with a 9800 owner saying they get the render error. I have seen 9800 256M, 128M, Pro, and XT versions posted to be working. Just thought I would pitch this incase it helps to target the issue.

I think the mobility 9000&9200 are okay as well (mobility 9600/9800 have problems).

The 9600/9550 seem to be the most common GPU with the error and the x800/x850 seems to be hit or miss (probably depends on what type they have AGP, PCI-E, XL, XT, etc...)

I was trying to figure out architecture differences. The problem is that all the manufacturers have thier own differences. I have an MSI 9800Pro that shows up as a 9800XT in DxDiag. (It basically is an underclocked XT without the on chip temp sense).

I could be way off in my random speculation, but I figure all ideas are welcome at this point.