[Vanilla] Civ 4 worked fine last week, won't launch today

kittens

Chieftain
Joined
Jun 8, 2019
Messages
1
Hello Civ Fanatics. First time poster here.
I've played Civ. 4 on my Windows 7 computer many, many times, most recently last weekend. But now it's just stopped working, and I can't figure out why.
I clicked on the game and nothing happened. I opened "Process Explorer" to see if it was trying to load, and it did indeed appear there, as "Civilization4.exe" with "Rundll32.exe" immediately underneath, but they weren't doing anything. I killed the process and tried clicking on the game again. The two files reappeared on Process Explorer, and there was a brief burst of CPU activity, but then they went down to nothing and nothing happened again, even though they stayed on the list.
If not for checking Process Explorer, I would not even know that the game was trying to launch, for nothing at all appeared on screen, not even that little box that shows the progress of loading.
I tried restarting the computer. It didn't help.
I tried uninstalling and reinstalling the game. It didn't help, either.
I tried reinstalling the DirectX from the C.D. It didn't help.
In desperation, I even tried turning the computer back to a Windows Restore point generated about a week ago. The system hadn't done any Windows Updates in that time, but I figured what the hell, it can't hurt, right? But it didn't help.
I am out of ideas. I can't figure out why it would work last week but not today. Does anyone have any suggestions? In the meantime, I am going to go play Civ. 4 in the basement on an old XP computer that still runs the game (slowly).
 
Hello Kittens,

I assume that your Windows version does not support the 'ancient cd protection module' required for some Civ4 versions.
Here is the automated translation about this topic from a German wiki
2. the copy protection problem

The copy protection of the program internally used a procedure which is no longer permitted under Windows 10. This means that the program cannot be started. Fortunately, the last released version of Civ4: Beyond the Sword, 3.19, does not contain copy protection. Therefore the game (to be exact: only the second addon) can be started after installing the patch! How to start the basic version of the game or the first addon is explained below.

Downloadlink for Patch 3.19: http://civilized.de/www/content/civ4/binaries/Civ4BeyondTheSwordPatch3.19.exe

The program must (probably) be executed with admin rights for it to start.

Unfortunately the 3.19 patch of the second addon has a serious disadvantage. It also contains the latest patches from the base game (Vanilla) and the first addon (Warlords). These versions, 1.71 resp. 2.13, unfortunately contain the copy protection.

If you want to play not only Civ4:BtS, but also Vanilla or Warlords, you have to proceed as follows:

1. install Civ4
2. apply Vanilla-Patch 1.61 or Warlords-Patch 2.08
3. create a backup of the Civ4 folder. Then use it for Vanilla & Warlords.
4. install patch 3.19.

Downloadlink for Warlords 2.08: https://kirk.zulan.net/pb/Civ4_Patches/Civ4WarlordsPatch2.08.exe Downloadlink for Vanilla 1.61: https://kirk.zulan.net/pb/Civ4_Patches/Civ4v161.exe

Alternatively you can use the following solution for the start of Civ4:Vanilla and Civ4:Warlords: You reactivate the Windows module, which is required by the copy protection, by signing it yourself, see http://forums.civfanatics.com/showpost.php?p=14137454&postcount=12

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator
 
Hello Kittens,

I assume that your Windows version does not support the 'ancient cd protection module' required for some Civ4 versions.
Here is the automated translation about this topic from a German wiki
I installed from a dvd/cd, whatever. I then ran the program I downloaded from your post.
When I try to run it, I get Civ4 BTS has stopped working. check online for solution, close the program. Check online does nothing. I close the program.
jimmy
 
kittens, I've had the same problem for years. I also use Windows 7 and the problem appears only when I'm offline ... which is almost always for me.

If you just want to play the main game (no tutorial, no mods), you should create a copy of the Civ4.exe file in the game folder and use that copy (which must have a different file name) to launch the game.

This will not work for tutorials and mods. Loading these involves the game relaunching itself and the game uses the Civ4.exe file. In that case this annoying workaround works for me:
- you launch the game from Civ4.exe
- this creates the two processes you mentioned but does nothing else
- you use the process explorer to kill only the Civ4.exe to stop it from using processing power; do NOT kill the Rundll32.exe
- launch the game again from Civ4.exe

For further details, please look here:
https://forums.civfanatics.com/threads/problem-with-rundll32-exe.508463/
https://forums.civfanatics.com/threads/problem-with-rundll32-exe-when-starting-games.414531/

If you (or anyone) have found a better solution by now, please post it.
 
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