Civ IV Memory Problems

[chrissicom]

I have a problem with Civ IV. I get the well known bad allocation memory blah blah error message on huge maps with 18 Civs. But the reason why I can't understand I am getting this error is that I have 4 GB DDR2 memory by Corsair which is definitely not defective. I always have 2+ GB free memory when Civ IV crashes but it simply doesn't take more memory it just crashes. I have a 64-bit operating system so an application can take more than 2 GB of Ram that can't be the problem. I also have a X1950 Pro with 512 MB Video Ram so I doubt that the video Ram is not enough. My paging file is 6 GB and in addition I have 2 GB Ready Boost Cache. I tried removing/adding stuff but all doesn't help

Also there is a Map Patch called SmartMap which allows me to theoretically create 512x512 Maps, but I can't create anything larger than 140x140 without immediately crashing to Desktop. How is it possible that 4 GB of Ram is not enough for Civ IV? Any advise would be appreciated

 

[STATS]

I've had the same problem with a similiar setup. I was playing on a direct IP connection with a friend on a large map (8 civs total).

After about 10-15 hours of continuous play, the game threw up an error message about memory resources being used up and promptly crashed.

I have 2 gigs of corsair ddr2 800 RAM and an ATI X1900XTX video card with 512mb of memory. I've read about other ATI users having trouble with vanilla civ4 so, this may be a problem with ATI's drivers or something.

However, I only get this crash on large or huge maps with numerous opponents and 99% of the time it is during a multiplayer session. My feeling is there is probably a small memory leak that shows itself gradually after a long period of use.

Any ways, just wanted to give my two cents because I've had the same problems, as recently as last night (2-14-07) using warlords with the 2.08 patch.

-Greg

 

[chrissicom]

Hmm so if it's the graphics card it's not the 2 or 4 GB of Ram that's limiting but the 512 MB video memory? I can't imagine that, there is no game that requires that much of video memory to run?! Unfortunaltey I don't have my old 7800 GT anymore to test it, I can just add that my notebook with ATI Mobility Radeon 9700 has the same problem with other ATI drivers and Omega Drivers.
I really hope they make a patch for this I would love to play a 256x256 or larger map with 18 Civs, but right now I can't even load a game with these settings and that's not normal for a potent system with 4 GB Ram lol

 

[chrissicom]

Hmmm I have done some more testing now and changed some settings in Civ IV and now I actually get the error message that I am out of graphics memory when I get the bad allocation error... sorry, but how the hell is that possible? I have a 512 MB graphics card and Vista is even capable of adding up to 2 GB of my 4 GB system memory as dynamic graphics memory to that, there is no Game available that could ever eat that up. When I lower the resolution and game details I am able to load 200x200 Maps with SmartMap but get the Out of graphics memory error after the first turn (in XP 32-bit and Vista Ultimate 64-bit). So does that mean this whole thing is not a system memory but a graphics memory issue?! I start to doubt that I can solve the problem on my side and fear that this is a bug in Civ IV (Warlords) that can only be addressed by a patch

 

[chrissicom]

I found this in my app.log now after I activated the debug options:

[13717.437] FBMode = FBMODE_DEFAULT
[13717.546] CvApp::OnActivate
[13722.687] Shader Version - vertex:30 pixel:30 level:1 mem:-1901068288 HWTnL=1
[13876.796] ERR: Memory allocation failure - exiting program.
Reason:bad allocation

shouldn't mem be a positive Integer value??

 

[Greencardman]

I get the same problem sometimes. I'm on a Dell laptop with a Radeon 9700. If you find the fix, please post it and what else you've done. I'm stuck playing small maps and it sucks.

 

[chrissicom]

I have completely disabled audio in the game through the config file now and I can play like 10-15 turns at most now, but I still get the bad memory allocation failure a lot of the time. I start to think there is nothing you can really do about it. I have 4 GB Ram and Civ IV doesn't take more than 1,3 GB although it could easily eat 2 GB if it needs it. This is just a bug in the game that must be addressed by a patch. I also ran a tool to measure vid memory usage, and Civ IV is not even closely using up the 512 MB I have.

 

[chrissicom]

Some more info:
Memsaver does absolutely not affect this issue, I can't tell if I can do more or less turns with the option on or off so I don't really know what's this option for.

Also when I un-install Blue Marble (which is the only mod I am using) I can only make 2-3 turns at most which is a lot less than before... very strange.

 

[chrissicom]

I attached a screenshot of Civ IV memory usage one turn before the bad allocation crash. So a simple out of memory is no explanation, as you can see there's plenty more Ram left for Civ IV to use.

 

[GDragon777]

I'm getting the same problem every other time I go to save. I've played the same turn over three times today. With 2 gigs of ram, and 512MB video the only possibilty I can think of is not enough L2 cache (I gots 512k) or program bug. Taskman shows civ eating 1.2 gigs. My graphics and mainboard drivers are the lastest available. I recently tested my memory with memtest for over 8 hours with zero errors likewise with a Prime 95 torture test.

I just recently updated to the latest patch, which did help some. Before, I could not save after finishing my last turn. Now, it's more random.

My rig:
Athlon64 3200+ Winchester
Stock Retail AMD cooler
GA-K8NXP-SLI Gigabyte mainboard (nforce 4) F-11
2 X PC3200 GSkill 1024MB F1-3200PHU2-2GBZX
1 X evga GeForce 7950 GX2 (2X512MB PCI-e)
Diamond Max 16 80GB 5400 rpm 2MB HDD ata 133
Seagate Barracuda 200 GB 7200 rpm 2MB HDD ata 100
Seagate Barracuda 7200.8 300 GB 7200 rpm 8MB HDD sata 150
NEC ND-3520A oem dvd burner
LG GSA-H42N-BK dvd burner
PC Power & Cooling Silencer 750W black
Intergraph 21sd95 21” crt
Sony Trinitron Multiscan E500 crt
Windows XP Pro sp2

 

[davidmarshburn]

i've been having this problem, too, recently, when saving games (or, more rarely, loading). in one particular game i have on a large map (how do i find the size?) from the fall-from-heaven mod, i'm having this error happen like 50% of the time i try to save, or more. for instance, load a saved game, play a turn, try to save, boom. the save-game files are about 870 KB; i've seen civIV occupy 950-ish MB (out of 2 GB).

this is at the 1.61 patch level.

 

[Corporal P]

I thought I was the only one having this problem, but not anymore. By the way, even with the high-end system you guys are using are still having this problem, I guess mine won't stand a chance. Let's hope that someone or 2K comes up with the solution for this problem.

 

[z00t]

I was having this problem a lot (playing FfH, large/huge maps, all civs) until i realised it only gave me the bad allocation error on the turns it tried to autosave.

Try disabling the autosave and just saving games manually, worked for me.

 

[NikNak]

I thought I was the only one having this problem, but not anymore. By the way, even with the high-end system you guys are using are still having this problem, I guess mine won't stand a chance. Let's hope that someone or 2K comes up with the solution for this problem.

Seeing as we haven't heard a peep out of anyone at Firaxis or 2K about Civ IV in quite a while, I think we can safely assume that we've had all the support we're going to get on this game.

 

[davidmarshburn]

I was having this problem a lot (playing FfH, large/huge maps, all civs) until i realised it only gave me the bad allocation error on the turns it tried to autosave.

Try disabling the autosave and just saving games manually, worked for me.

i crash on autosave as well as manual save, unfortunately. i have a really nice game going, which i can only continue playing if i never want to save again (it seems)

i kind-of agree that we may have seen all the support we'll ever get, but i still hope for a fix for this (especially because i do NOT believe that civ is really running out of memory).

 

[snoochems]

i've been having this problem, too, recently, when saving games (or, more rarely, loading). in one particular game i have on a large map (how do i find the size?) from the fall-from-heaven mod, i'm having this error happen like 50% of the time i try to save, or more. for instance, load a saved game, play a turn, try to save, boom. the save-game files are about 870 KB; i've seen civIV occupy 950-ish MB (out of 2 GB).

this is at the 1.61 patch level.

Exactly my problem too. I only get the "bad memory allocation" error when saving games though. I sucks if you've played 10 turns and then save it, only for it to crash half way through saving.

Game breaker for me.

 

[apelsinlax]

Memory allocation failure needs to be adressed. It ruins great games on large maps

 

[egaonogenki]

I was having this problem a lot (playing FfH, large/huge maps, all civs) until i realised it only gave me the bad allocation error on the turns it tried to autosave.

Try disabling the autosave and just saving games manually, worked for me.

It gives me the allocation error when I also manual-save and quick save. Any save gives me this. I get to save about once, maybe twice, before the next save gives me the allocation error.

 

[taketounwanted]

People, i can't encourage you sending SPAM to take2, i surely don't want that to happen since i want them to adress firaxis to fix the MAF, but i do like to tell you people to "SPAM" them, in the sence of sending them all the information regarding the MAF (10times or so) and everyone must start sending them info about this issue...in the hope they finally stop their customer denial procedure and admit there's a bug here and actually start to move their butts to fix it!