BtS d2d crashes on startup

[fontenos]

I just got a new machine, running XP still, re-licensed Civ4 and BtS.

Beyond the Sword fails on startup right after the screen resolution changes and the screen goes black. The XP error report says "encountered a problem and needs to close"

Error signature:

AppName: civ4beyondsword.exe AppVer: 3.1.3.1 ModName: civ4beyondsword.exe
ModVer: 3.1.3.1 Offset: 010fd466

Let me know what further data I can provide. The download claimed to be version 3.17, but the error report says 3.13, so I'm not even sure if patching it is possible.

 

[ori]

what company is the game from (steam, direct2drive, etc.)?

Welcome to CFC

 

[fontenos]

It is a direct2drive purchase via IGN.

 

[ori]

sorry - I missed the d2d in the title

please open the windows event manager and check for any error message related to this crash.

 

[fontenos]

Source: Application Error
Faulting application civ4beyondsword.exe, version 3.1.3.1, faulting module civ4beyondsword.exe, version 3.1.3.1, fault address 0x010fd466.

Source: Applicaton Error
Fault bucket 885217211.

Source: DrWatson
The application, C:\Program Files\Firaxis Games\Sid Meier's Civilization IV\Beyond the Sword\Civ4BeyondSword.exe, generated an application error The error occurred on 04/26/2009 @ 02:49:04.500 The exception generated was c0000005 at address 014FD466 (<nosymbols>)

 

[ori]

this is a memory access violation
meaning the program tries to access a specific memory bit that is either restricted (in use only for the operating system), does not exist, is used by another program or is damaged.
Are there any other programs running in the background?

 

[fontenos]

BitDefender is running; I just tried it with "Game Mode" On, and that did not work. Also running is Ad-Aware's Ad-Watch Live, which I will now try disabling. Those are my first two candidates for troublemaker... I will send a further list if Ad-Aware isn't the issue.

 

[fontenos]

here's everything that's running via Owner in Processes:
firefox.exe; StxMenuMgr.exe; mmc.exe; HDeck.exe; bdagent.exe; jusched.exe; ctfmon.exe; PSFree.exe; seccenter.exe; explorer.exe

I know what most of these are, but am not sure what among them would be an issue.

 

[fontenos]

If any information from the technical info in the error report would be helpful, I can certainly provide it.

 

[ori]

none should be an issue - but it is always possible - try disconnecting from the web then disable everything and try running the game again.

 

[fontenos]

No luck. While the game is trying to start up, nine seconds before the crash, Event Viewer/security logs this twice:

Special privileges assigned to new logon:
User Name: LOCAL SERVICE
Domain: NT AUTHORITY
Logon ID: (0x0,0x3E5)
Privileges: SeAuditPrivilege
SeAssignPrimaryTokenPrivilege
SeChangeNotifyPrivilege

That couldn't be related, could it? The other crash instances don't really sseem to line up time-wise with these... I'm out of ideas.

 

[ori]

are you using an administrator account to run this game?

 

[fontenos]

Yeah, I'm logged in as Owner. Not sure if that permissions stuff I posted is related.

 

[ori]

the event you posted does say that *something* is requesting more privileges than it has - this can be anything program really, though civ4 should not try to logon as a new process in this way (of course d2d's licensing scheme might make it do that) - so I am baffled.
Did you contact D2D?

 

[fontenos]

I am waiting to hear back from them.

Their default message said this: "If your game is trying to activate, a firewall or router will cause it to crash." My computer is the main computer on a wireless router, but I'm not sure if "activate" means "run the first time" or what. Windows firewall is also running.

Should I connect directly to my cable modem momentarily and temporarily disable Windows firewall?

 

[ori]

you should be able to add their programs to an exception list in any firewall - if however they don't like routers it is probably your best bet
I don't like programs that force you to reduce your computer's safety though...

 

[fontenos]

How definite do you think it is that this is the problem? The computer didn't seem able to read the raw feed from the modem without the router. Do you know why that might be? The programs were already on the exception list for Windows Firewall.

 

[ori]

I am not sure either way. The original error up there (the memory access violation) actually points to a problem with the program trying to access something locally that it cannot or should not - the problem with these kinds of errors is that they are generally a pain to troubleshoot
Since I do not own a d2d copy I also am not sure what the default behavior of their stuff is.

 

[fontenos]

Hopefully the d2d people will be of some help. Is there a reason why going from connected via wireless router to connected directly to the modem would be troublemsome? Should I switch them with the machine turned off and then boot it and try BtS?

 

[ori]

the only conceivable problem could be that the game tries to use a port to call home to d2d that is open on your computer but closed on the router. In that case connecting directly could help - though it should give a distinct error message if that is the problem...