When I first tried to install, I skipped installing directX9.0c - since i already had it installed. BUT the game refused to continue installing. So tried again, this time allowing it to install DirectX9.0c and game. All went well. Rebooted as requested. Game started and locked up before I getting to any screens - only left a 'civ' tab on taskbar with really bad stuttring sound. I looked about on this forum and couldn't see anything i thought it was related. I happen to know about sound and graphic card problems, 'media programmer', I've even manged to get ATI to fix a long standing 'low level' problem with their drivers recently. Then after checking the running of some other programs, these also had started to have problems. So i thought it might be the directX9.0c driver which had been supplied. It turns out that it had installed a new service, the 'HID Input Service', which is used for USB sound devices. I shut this service down and ALL is well again. Hope this helps.
PS. you might not want to disable this service if you actually are using a USB sound device.
PS. you might not want to disable this service if you actually are using a USB sound device.
