Civ IV crash

[CrazyOkie]

My wife's copy of Civ IV has suddenly decided to stop working and I'm very puzzled why.

She was running it on her laptop with both expansions (Warlords & BTS) installed. Over the holidays I installed the BTS patch for 3.17 and then the latest version of Fall from Heaven 2 for her as she is a big Master of Magic fan. Everything seemed to be working great.

Until yesterday. Now every time she tries to load it, it crashes and goes back to the desktop. Not even sure where the problem is because of course the Windows error box that pops up doesn't tell us anything, just that it encountered an error and had to be stopped.

She had been only playing FfH2 since I installed it and the problems started when she tried to just load BTS (because I had told her about the Final Frontier mod and it's similarities to another old fave, Master of Orion). That was the first time it crashed, and we haven't been able to get it to play since. I tried uninstalling and reinstalling everything associated with Civ IV (the game, both expansions, the 3.17 patch, and FfH2) and no joy.

She swears she hasn't installed anything in the last few weeks. It is possible that Windows Update downloaded and installed an update without her knowledge.

Any thoughts?

 

[ori]

try the below for a really complete reinstall.
also: open the windows event manager and look for any error messages relating to this crash. If you tell me what windows version you use I can tell you how to open the event manager

Note: my internet connection right now is only intermittent so it may be a few days until I reply If I do not answer within two days or so just bump this thread with a new post


install the most recent version of DirectX 9c from Microsoft

then do the following for a clean reinstall:

Uninstall and Reinstall Civ4 Warlords BtS :

Try to follow this order when doing stuff:
Use Control panel to uninstall Beyond the Sword, then Warlords, then Civ4
Delete "...\documents and settings\<username>\my documents\my games\sid meier's civilization 4" manually
Delete "...\documents and settings\<username>\my documents\my games\warlords" manually
Delete "...\documents and settings\<username>\my documents\my games\beyond the sword" manually
Delete "...\documents and settings\<username>\application data\my games\sid meier's civilization 4" manually
Delete "...\documents and settings\<username>\application data\my games\warlords" manually
Delete "...\documents and settings\<username>\application data\my games\beyond the sword" manually
Delete "...\documents and settings\<username>\local settings\application data\my games\sid meier's civilization 4" manually
Delete "...\documents and settings\<username>\local settings\application data\my games\warlords" manually
Delete "...\documents and settings\<username>\local settings\application data\my games\beyond the sword" manually
(note: application data is a hidden directory so you need to configure windows explorer to show hidden files, also these directories in application data are sometimes removed by the uninstall routine)
Delete "...\Program Files\InstallShield Installation Information\{CFBCE791-2D53-4FCE-B3FB-D6E01F4112E8}" (Civ4)
Delete "...\Program Files\InstallShield Installation Information\{3E4B349F-10B5-4586-9D99-489A90A8B228}" (Warlords)
Delete "...\Program Files\InstallShield Installation Information\{32E4F0D2-C135-475E-A841-1D59A0D22989}" (BtS)
(note: InstallShield Installation Information is a hidden directory so you need to configure windows explorer to show hidden files).
Install Civ4, immediately patch it to 1.61 (download it fresh from here)
Install Warlords, immediately patch it to 2.08 (download it fresh from here)
Install Beyond the Sword, immediately patch to 3.17 (download it fresh from here).

 

[CrazyOkie]

Thanks! I'll give that a try tomorrow night and see how it works. I didn't think to delete everything off the my documents or application data.

As far as version of Windows, it's XP and we have service pack 3 installed. I even tried deleting off a bunch of extraneous programs and things that my wife didn't use on the computer to free up space - it's "only" got a 30 GB hard drive (I can still remember installing my first drive which was a whopping 30 MB - the first game I installed was the original Civ for MS-DOS).

 

[ori]

for viewing event logs:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308427

 

[CrazyOkie]

Here's what it said:

Event Type: Error
Event Source: Application Error
Event Category: None
Event ID: 1000
Date: 12/29/2008
Time: 10:09:01 PM
User: N/A
Computer: DJRNOTEBOOK
Description:
Faulting application civ4beyondsword.exe, version 3.1.3.1, faulting module binkw32.dll, version 1.8.6.0, fault address 0x0002235e.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.
Data:
0000: 41 70 70 6c 69 63 61 74 Applicat
0008: 69 6f 6e 20 46 61 69 6c ion Fail
0010: 75 72 65 20 20 63 69 76 ure civ
0018: 34 62 65 79 6f 6e 64 73 4beyonds
0020: 77 6f 72 64 2e 65 78 65 word.exe
0028: 20 33 2e 31 2e 33 2e 31 3.1.3.1
0030: 20 69 6e 20 62 69 6e 6b in bink
0038: 77 33 32 2e 64 6c 6c 20 w32.dll
0040: 31 2e 38 2e 36 2e 30 20 1.8.6.0
0048: 61 74 20 6f 66 66 73 65 at offse
0050: 74 20 30 30 30 32 32 33 t 000223
0058: 35 65 0d 0a 5e..

What is binkw32.dll?

 

[ori]

try the following open
my games\beyond the sword\civilizationIV.ini
and set the following item:


; Set to 1 for no intro movie
NoIntroMovie = 0

to


; Set to 1 for no intro movie
NoIntroMovie = 1

 

[CrazyOkie]

try the following open
my games\beyond the sword\civilizationIV.ini
and set the following item:


; Set to 1 for no intro movie
NoIntroMovie = 0

to


; Set to 1 for no intro movie
NoIntroMovie = 1

That last trick did it - I did everything you suggested in the first post, but still no joy. But as soon as I set that to not play the intro movie, both BTS and FFH2 worked just fine (no intro, but we've seen it before).

MUCHO GRACIAS!

 

[theblindparrot]

I have a really similar question, but I'm running only the Civ 4 Gold Version (Vanilla + Warlords). This is the only thing in my Warlords folder..:


[CONFIG]

; Specify a Mod folder (Mods\Mesopotamia), '0' for none
Mod = 0

And every time I hit 'play' on the launch screen, I soon get a crash.

 

[ori]

welcome to cfc

that does not look like it should.
could you post your event log (see above for howto) after it crashes?

 

[theblindparrot]

Faulting application civ4warlords.exe, version 2.1.3.0, faulting module , version 0.0.0.0, fault address 0x00000000.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

0000: 41 70 70 6c 69 63 61 74 Applicat
0008: 69 6f 6e 20 46 61 69 6c ion Fail
0010: 75 72 65 20 20 63 69 76 ure civ
0018: 34 77 61 72 6c 6f 72 64 4warlord
0020: 73 2e 65 78 65 20 32 2e s.exe 2.
0028: 31 2e 33 2e 30 20 69 6e 1.3.0 in
0030: 20 20 30 2e 30 2e 30 2e 0.0.0.
0038: 30 20 61 74 20 6f 66 66 0 at off
0040: 73 65 74 20 30 30 30 30 set 0000
0048: 30 30 30 30 0d 0a 0000..



Thanks so much!

 

[ori]

ok. This is not the same problem.
unfortunately this error message does not contain any meaningful hint as to what is wrong.
Is this xp or vista?
is there anything else in the place where civilizationIV.ini is?
is that folder write protected?

 

[theblindparrot]

This is XP, and there is only the other generic game folders where the ini file is (replays, saves etc)

Idk how to see if it is write protected.

If I could just have the text in the normaly ini file, maybe that would solve it?

 

[ori]

I doubt it - since the fact that the game does not create it upon startup points to an issue with the install itself. I only have a highly modified version of this file on my own install so I cannot post the generic one and mine won't do you any good I fear.
right click on the folder which contains this file and click on properties: is there a check mark next to the item called write protection?

 

[hjosh85]

Hello, new to the forums, and Just love Civ 4. I also have these games crashes, but they mostly happen mid game around 1440+ AD or during the renaissance era. Also it only occurs when I play Hotseat with my sister. The game exits to desktop and and error pops up, sometime its the Blue Screen of Death! Is Civ destroying my laptop?.

I am using Vista x64 on a fairly powerful laptop Sager NP5796, and Nvidia Vid card. I gotL Civ4, Warlords and BTS.

I was think of trying out the "clean" install that was descussed earlier, are there any other tips you can give to make my Civ 4 game crash free?

 

[ori]

welcome to cfc

please look in the windows event manager and post the error messages created by these crashes
http://computerperformance.co.uk/vista/vista_event_viewer.htm

note: I will not be online a lot until the end of next week so I might be slow in replying

 

[hjosh85]

Btw, I have tried doing the clean install mentione above, but i cant see the files in the InstallShield Installation Information folder. And still i get the game crashes.

Here are the error details, are these what you are asking for?:


Faulting application Civ4BeyondSword.exe, version 3.1.3.1, time stamp 0x48310000, faulting module CvGameCoreDLL.dll, version 3.1.7.0, time stamp 0x48317a3a, exception code 0xc0000005, fault offset 0x00169e3b, process id 0x50c, application start time 0x01c99949e5d8dd23.


EventData

Civ4BeyondSword.exe
3.1.3.1
48310000
CvGameCoreDLL.dll
3.1.7.0
48317a3a
c0000005
00169e3b
50c
01c99949e5d8dd23

 

[ori]

this error references just the game but unfortunately does not hint at the actual cause
as for installation information: those are hidden files and you have to configure windows to show hidden files to see them

 

[hjosh85]

hmmm, about the installation information, I can see the other files well, but those files you mentioned are missing, this is after I uninstalled BTS, warlord and Civ4.

I just checked now with all the CIv4 installed and they are there, they must have been removed automatically when I uninstalled them the related program.

As for the event Viewer, I apologize since I haven't really used it before, SO I do not know my way around it much. Can you show me an example maybe of what I should be looking for?

Here is the error detail when on the pop up message I got:

Spoiler :

Problem signature:
Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: Civ4BeyondSword.exe
Application Version: 3.1.3.1
Application Timestamp: 48310000
Fault Module Name: CvGameCoreDLL.dll
Fault Module Version: 3.1.7.0
Fault Module Timestamp: 48317a3a
Exception Code: c0000005
Exception Offset: 00169e3b
OS Version: 6.0.6001.2.1.0.256.1
Locale ID: 13321
Additional Information 1: 3164
Additional Information 2: f31c530d3d12785f4cca5eb2cbce0d8e
Additional Information 3: 5f87
Additional Information 4: 01bff28ec018e5af7a10ed0e25a03bbf

Does this help you figure out whats wrong?

I tried minimizing the graphics, disabled the Intro movies, but the crash still occurs, I really don't know whats wrong...

Btw, thanks for helping me.

 

[ori]

this post is just to ensure that I don't lose sight of this - I cannot deal with this until sometime Thursday - if I do not respond by then, please post here again to remind me

 

[hjosh85]

Hi Ori, wanted to report something.

After re-installing the game yet another time last night and I followed all the suggestions mentioned in this thread. I was able to play a solo game on Epic game speed for 5 hours straight with no error nor crashes.

But when I tried to load our Hot Seat game, it crashes after 2-5 turns. DOnt know if the file is corrupt, and we still hadn't had time to start a new HotSeat game.

Here is an auto save of our game, can you try to see if you can continue playing for more than 10 turns? I will try to start a new game, when we have time.

View attachment AutoSave_AD-1710.CivBeyondSwordSave

Thanks for the heads up, I will wait till Thursday.