"Check XML" = sound driver problem, but...

[qoke]

So I've updated all drivers on my computer, uninstalled and installed about 7 times now, etc. It is my understanding that the "Check XML" problem, where it displays that during initialization, then disappears, is caused by not having up-to-date audio drivers. Here's my problem: I have a fairly good laptop (Presario R3360US), with a p4 3GHz, Radeon Mobility 9100 IGP, etc. My Audio drivers, for my "SoundMax Digital Audio" were last updated in July 2004. I'm not sure if they have any plan to update the drivers now, so am I crap out of luck? Do I not get to play?

 

[dosage0]

if its a software driven audio: like my USB are digitally driven speakers, the game will not recognize it and crash. It needs hardware driven. Go to start>Run> dxdiag

When you run the sound test, it will work, but only from "Software buffer test".. and then at the end it will not be able to run "Hardware buffer test". If you cannot complete the hardware test Civ wont run.

Its stupid, and no other game in the world requires it, but for some reason Civ IV does.

Buy a cheap soundblaster card.

 

[auldian]

So I've updated all drivers on my computer, uninstalled and installed about 7 times now, etc. It is my understanding that the "Check XML" problem, where it displays that during initialization, then disappears, is caused by not having up-to-date audio drivers. Here's my problem: I have a fairly good laptop (Presario R3360US), with a p4 3GHz, Radeon Mobility 9100 IGP, etc. My Audio drivers, for my "SoundMax Digital Audio" were last updated in July 2004. I'm not sure if they have any plan to update the drivers now, so am I crap out of luck? Do I not get to play?

(just in case you can reach the options menu) Have you disabled all sounds in the Civ4 option menus, exited, rebooted your laptop, cleared the game's \cache, then tried to play the game?I can't tell if you're able to get that far on a launch or not.

 

[qoke]

Actually, all the sound tests work... Here's the results:

-------------
Sound Devices
-------------
Description: SoundMAX Digital Audio
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_4341&SUBSYS_006B103C&REV_00
Manufacturer ID: 65535
Product ID: 65535
Type: WDM
Driver Name: smwdm.sys
Driver Version: 5.12.0001.5170 (English)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
Date and Size: 7/8/2004 17:24:02, 267392 bytes
Other Files:
Driver Provider: Analog Devices
HW Accel Level: Full
Cap Flags: 0xF5F
Min/Max Sample Rate: 100, 192000
Static/Strm HW Mix Bufs: 33, 32
Static/Strm HW 3D Bufs: 33, 32
HW Memory: 0
Voice Management: Yes
EAX(tm) 2.0 Listen/Src: Yes, Yes
I3DL2(tm) Listen/Src: Yes, Yes
Sensaura(tm) ZoomFX(tm): Yes
Registry: OK
Sound Test Result: All tests were successful.

---------------------
Sound Capture Devices
---------------------
Description: SoundMAX Digital Audio
Default Sound Capture: Yes
Default Voice Capture: Yes
Driver Name: smwdm.sys
Driver Version: 5.12.0001.5170 (English)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Date and Size: 7/8/2004 17:24:02, 267392 bytes
Cap Flags: 0x41
Format Flags: 0xCCC

-----------
DirectMusic
-----------
DLS Path: C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\drivers\GM.DLS
DLS Version: 1.00.0016.0002
Acceleration: n/a
Ports: Microsoft Synthesizer, Software (Not Kernel Mode), Output, DLS, Internal, Default Port
SoundMAX Digital Audio, Software (Kernel Mode), Output, DLS, Internal
Microsoft MIDI Mapper [Emulated], Hardware (Not Kernel Mode), Output, No DLS, Internal
SoundMAX WDM MIDI [Emulated], Hardware (Not Kernel Mode), Output, No DLS, Internal
Microsoft GS Wavetable SW Synth [Emulated], Hardware (Not Kernel Mode), Output, No DLS, Internal
Registry: OK
Test Result: All tests were successful.

And no, I can't get far enough into the game to set any options. I see people talking about changing an INI file, but with forum search turned off, I can't find where the file is, or what to change.

 

[trk1kw]

This will get game started so you can get to in game options. Start any mp3 file in windows media player,then you can pause file but leave media player open. Then the game will start and you can play the game. I've been running game that way with sounds enabled till idiots at fireaxis fixes it.

 

[qoke]

Incredibly, that worked. I'm shocked, but it worked. Thanks!