Crash before DX menu

[Maxii]

Earlier today I was running the game until turn 180 or so when it did a soft crash (black screen with active cursor and sound). I've had this fail mode for about a year now, > 150 turns in. Using Thal's VEM mod and CSD over that period.

Ctrl-Alt-Delete to get out, then tried to restart Civ which then crashed before I ever got to the DX menu.

Checked cache integrity and got the usual 1 error which was re-acquired. Then tried to restart and got the crash before the DX menu. The cache now confirms all files OK but I can no longer even get to the DX menu.

Vista, 4 fast intel cores, 4GB RAM, nVidia 470, large tower with good cooling, newest drivers, etc.

 

[The_J]

Someone said that you have to start the game at least once without mods after checking the integrity to make it work properly. No idea if that's true, but worth a shot here.

 

[Maxii]

Thanks for the quick thought. Removing the mods from the MODS folder made no difference.

 

[timtofly]

Have you tried deleting and reloading the mod?

Which drive is steam loaded on?