Civ IV running really slow

[rockhound]

Hi there, I can load up the game and after about 5 mins it all runs really slowly, chewing up loads of processor which is still overworking and slowing down whole system even after I close the game. Anyone any ideas why? Below is part of the dxdiag text file

Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 3 (2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.091208-2036)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: TOSHIBA
System Model: SATELLITE U200
BIOS: v1.50
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU T5500 @ 1.66GHz (2 CPUs)
Memory: 2552MB RAM
Page File: 532MB used, 3389MB available

Cheers

 

[Furiey]

Welcome to CFC!

What version of Civ is this?

Have you patched the game?

Please post the whole of your dxdiag.

 

[rockhound]

Hi Furiey,

It is Civ IV, patched with latest through the civ game pannel (Advanced > Options > Patches), which I think is 7. something.

Here is the complete dxdiag file. Thanks!

 

[Furiey]

1.74 is the latest patch for vanilla Civ 4.

Your graphics is right at the bottom end and from the info I've found on it it doesn't support T&L so you're lucky it runs at all. The driver is ancient (2005), I would check for an updated driver. Interestingly it is listed twice in your dxdiag information with a slightly different device identifier - does it show up twice in device manager? Have you actually got 2 graphics cards? Dropping all graphics options to minimum should help, use single unit graphics, you may want to turn off showing moves from friendly civs and possibly enemy civs too, you will have to balance any speed increase with needing to know what they are doing.

 

[rockhound]

Thanks for that, managed to find a driver update. Yes, the device does show up twice in the device manager, though I can not say why. Anyway, the driver updating did not really improve things, so I guess this li'l old laptop just ain't gonna cut the mustard when civ IV is concerned, so have now removed it. Can't justify a several £100 upgrade of a PC just to play a game! Oh well.

Thanks for all your help though.