Civ 3, Windows Update KB3086255, & SafeDisc

[polytheistgoat]

Cheers, all! I *think* I've got an issue that's related to this, which is why I'm posting in this thread. Civ III is my favourite of the lot, I've tried to keep it installed on every computer I've had since I've had one. Rise and Rule only, naturally...
Anyway. I keep getting an error of 'Civ3Complete has stopped working when loading the game.'

Anybody happen to have any idea on what's wrong with my installation, whether it's KB3086255, or any other ideas - I'd be quite thrilled. Copy is from GoG, RAR is 1.6+, I'd prefer to avoid re-installing as it took me AGES to get it to be able to play the era music properly and I can't remember how I finally did it. Win 8.1. Used to work fine, now it doesn't; I've the sneaking suspicion that it might be a registry thing, as this is a cloned HD? Buuuut, the original install was cd-less and I've tried a no-cd fix, just out of curiosity. Any help, majorly appreciated..!

 

[tjs282]

Copy is from GoG, RAR is 1.6+,

I don't think this a SecuROM issue, since the whole selling point of GOG is that they don't use DRM (where they can feasibly avoid it).

Win 8.1. Used to work fine, now it doesn't; I've the sneaking suspicion that it might be a registry thing, as this is a cloned HD?

I'm running Win8.1 as well, and my relatively new GOG-based (re)installation (with the @Flintlock patches applied) still worked the last time I used it (last week, to play @haluu's Tides Of Crimson fantasy-mod).

Buuuut, the original install was cd-less and I've tried a no-cd fix, just out of curiosity.

I'm a little confused here. If you installed from GOG (which is, by definition, a no-CD installation), why then "patch" the installation with a no-CD fix?

 

[polytheistgoat]

I'm a little confused here. If you installed from GOG (which is, by definition, a no-CD installation), why then "patch" the installation with a no-CD fix?

I assume that my clone didn't perfectly recreate the install registry keys; as an example, I tried checking wow6432node, and there was no infograme/infograme interactive node, nor under the gog localmachine key. Since other methods of no-cd tend to assume and account for lack of registry info, I tried that to see if it helped. When it didn't, I shrugged and restored the backup.

I'm assuming since you also mentioned a re-installation, that's probably what I should go for? Aha, I'm - terrified of 'em, since so many things just stop working when you re-install them... But I suppose that's how it goes. I'll remove and re-install, and hopefully I'll be able to keep my RAR sub-structure intact.

Oh, and thanks for the reply! c:
It's nice to see a fellow Win 8.1-user. I'll swap to Mint before I use Win10+, and I can't stand the extra work involved in making Linux do anything!

 

[tjs282]

I'm assuming since you also mentioned a re-installation, that's probably what I should go for? Aha, I'm - terrified of 'em, since so many things just stop working when you re-install them...

Yeah, I originally bought a DL-version of Civ3Complete from GamersGate; when GOG later got Civ3 in their catalogue, I repurchased it for peanuts, and made a test-install in a non-sensitive location elsewhere on my HDD. It worked, but I noticed some weird effects, as if it was still using the GG-registry keys.

Unfortunately, the GG-version turned out to be incompatible with @Flintlock's patches, so I moved all my savegames, personal mods, modded Art-folders (sn00py's terrain, etc.) and other assorted files (conquests.ini, script.txt, etc.) onto my desktop, then uninstalled the GG-version.

Then I reinstalled from the offline GOG installer-package (i.e. not via the GOG-Galaxy client — which I have, but prefer not to use), into my D:/Games/GOG/ folder, moved my folders and files into the new installation, and patched the .exe. It's working perfectly (so far!).

 

[polytheistgoat]

Then I reinstalled from the offline GOG installer-package (i.e. not via the GOG-Galaxy client — which I have, but prefer not to use), into my D:/Games/GOG/ folder, moved my folders and files into the new installation, and patched the .exe. It's working perfectly (so far!).

You're my hero (right down to be a fellow galaxy-avoider!), and I thank you kindly! Let me know if I can ever return the favour! c:

 

[maxfischer]

Recently booted up Civ 3 CD (Vanilla I believe) version after many years and having the same "run as administrator" issues as others. I believe I have successfully played Civ 3 after the secdrv update so not sure why I can't after a reinstall. I can't tell from this and several other posts whether the workarounds are still valid with Windows 10 and some any clarification/direction would be helpful. I see that Civ 3 is only $5 on Steam (and I believe I can then still install 1.29f for the enhancements) which seems like a no-brainer to fix this but I'd like to use my CD out of principle.

Some details:
- I recently wiped my PC clean and reinstalled Windows 10 Home. Version 21H1, Build 19043.1165, Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.3530.0
- I don't appear to have the offending KB3086255 individually installed that I can uninstall unless it is embedded in the version/build above (which is probable I guess)
- I tried installing 1.29f downloaded from the cnet site (not the german site), which I think has the no CD patch and might fix this issue per , but it did not fix the administrator issue. I wasn't clear whether the patch on the german site is any different, and whether I should be installing 1.29 or 1.21 per the instructions.
- I have tried the secdrv services workaround - both the command script and regedit - but doesn't fix admin issue. Re: command prompt, not terribly versed here but can run the demand script but get an error when I run the start script, both from C:
- I have tried installing Civ 3 to a directory other than Program Files

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[Civinator]

You can play Civ 3 Complete with Win 10, if you have the Chronicles version, as this version doesn´t have the security protection of former versions (the same was posted for the Green pepper version). Win 10 doesn´t support the older security protection software of Civ 3 in general (as written in post 1 of this thread) - so your thoughts about the KB3086255 update for Win 10 are in vain.

Both the steam and GOG version are running under Win 10. The steam version has a bad glitch in its labels text file, so with the steam version you need an update for the labels text file, if you want to run mods and scenarios that are not created for the steam version (what are at least nearly all). So it could be better to buy the GOG version, that all several weeks is on sale for € 1,29. The steam version is better if you like to play multiplayer games.

 

[maxfischer]

You can play Civ 3 Complete with Win 10, if you have the Chronicles version, as this version doesn´t have the security protection of former versions (the same was posted for the Green pepper version). Win 10 doesn´t support the older security protection software of Civ 3 in general (as written in post 1 of this thread) - so your thoughts about the KB3086255 update for Win 10 are in vain.

Both the steam and GOG version are running under Win 10. The steam version has a bad glitch in its labels text file, so with the steam version you need an update for the labels text file, if you want to run mods and scenarios that are not created for the steam version (what are at least nearly all). So it could be better to buy the GOG version, that all several weeks is on sale for € 1,29. The steam version is better if you like to play multiplayer games.

Thanks for the quick reply and confirming.

 

[Civinator]

Thanks for the quick reply and confirming.

You are welcome - and I have forgotten: You are also welcome to CFC!

 

[Patine]

So, after several years and buying a new optical disk drive, I dusted off my Civ3 CD-ROM's and went to try some of the things stated. I deactived the SafeDrive by the mechanism stated, my system said the security update in question is not listed on my system, and then I went to try installing. I opened the disk without auto-play, right-clicked on the setup.exe, selected run as administrator, and it started the beginning sequence for the install wizard, and then announced a, "catastrophic failure." Any advice?

 

[tjs282]

I'd assume secdrv.sys would likely not even have been included on the most recent Windoze versions, so the update which disabled it on WinVista to Win8 (and for the initial Win10-upgrade installer packages?) would no longer be needed. But without secdrv.sys, the SecuROM/Safedisk DRM will then also fail to work, preventing the CDs from installing the game.

Unfortunately, likely the only still-viable option to play Civ3 on modern systems is therefore to (re)buy a download version. As @Civinator points out above, the GOG.com download is recommended if you only want singleplayer (and/or want to be able to play most of the Civ3 mods available on CFC without any additional labels.txt tinkering). I'd only go with Steam if you already have an account there anyway, and/or you realllly want online multiplayer.

Both the GOG and Steam versions are compatible with @Flintlock's patch-system.

 

[Lanzelot]

But without secdrv.sys, the SecuROM/Safedisk DRM will then also fail to work, preventing the CDs from installing the game.

Last fall I bought a new Win 11 desktop and used my original "Chronicles of Civilization" CDs (from 2009) to install. Worked fine?!
I can run C3C with the no-disc exe, but the no-disc exe for PtW doesn't work, and with the original .exe, I need to insert the CD, which "sometimes" is recognized ok, and "sometimes" not... (So I keep using my old Win7 PC for playing PtW...)
But maybe the Chronicles bundle did no longer use the SecuROM mechanism? I didn't try my original CDs from 2002.

 

[Patine]

I didn't try my original CDs from 2002.

These were the ones I mentioned, "dusting off," after buying my new Optical Disk Drive. Although my computer uses Windows 10, not 11.

 

[Civinator]

But maybe the Chronicles bundle did no longer use the SecuROM mechanism?

So it is: https://forums.civfanatics.com/thre...b3086255-safedisc.552308/page-6#post-16187129

 

[tjs282]

Unfortunately, likely the only still-viable option to play Civ3 on modern systems is therefore to (re)buy a download version.

Last fall I bought a new Win 11 desktop and used my original "Chronicles of Civilization" CDs (from 2009) to install. Worked fine?!
...
But maybe the Chronicles bundle did no longer use the SecuROM mechanism? I didn't try my original CDs from 2002.

Civinator already answered re. the Chronicles CD-set's lack of DRM.

BUT these days, that set can also be quite difficult to find/ expensive to buy; e.g. Amazon.de currently shows it as being a US-import, and unavailable; the cheapest offer on eBay.de right now is ~8+12 Euro for item+postage, but most offers are more like 60-70 Euro in total (one very cheeky US-seller offers the set itself at 14 Euro — but with postage of nearly 50 Euro!).

So perhaps I should rather have said, "the simplest/ cheapest option" rather than "the only option"...