Game won't start

[Bod]

The game seems to install properly, but when I try to play I get the initial loading screen, but then an error: "Civ4 has encountered an error and needs to close".

I have tried:

- original and patched versions
- reinstalling on other drives and other user accounts
- reinstalling Windows
- have updated drivers etc, also tried running the game with Graphics card not installed after reinstalling Windows
- have unpacked that assets file or whatever it was

...but always that same error!

I installed it on another computer and it worked (sort of - various graphics problems, but at least it loaded) so it is not a faulty disc. Unfortunately I can't play on that computer as its not mine.

I have posted my dxdiag file below, hopefully someone who knows more than me about these things can help me out!

 

[kris55]

From a first look, your PC should run it fine.
Your graphics is more then ok, you have ok amounts of RAM, your processor is a little low, but its more then ok. I think you should send an e-mail to the support centre on the civ 4 web site.

Have you tried reinstalling it?

The best idea i can think of (as i have had this problem with other games be4 is...)
Have you defraged your computer lately? have you got anti spyware and anti virus software, a scan using these could clear your system.
If you have a realy bad system speed, try out "Disk Keeper" (search in google) thats great for cleaning up your pc, it may not fix all the problems, but its a good thing to add when asking for support...

Also, i see your using Windows XP, try downloading their anti spyware software, its only a delta at this time, but it could help.

Maybe your pc just needs a bit of TLC... if its over a year old, they do get boged down and slow down.

 

[Bod]

I thought that reinstalling Windows (inc. formatting C drive) would clear out any problems that had built up over the years?

I have got all virus/anti-spyware programs etc as well. I have not had problems/ slowness with anything else, just this game.

I looked at dxdiag again and did the tests, I wonder if it is something to do with the soundcard? Apparently my card doesn't support hardware buffering. As far as I know the game doesn't need it, but I'm not sure. It would be rubbish if that was the problem, I never listen to sound on games anyway!

 

[Zydor]

You have installed yourself to death by now .....

But .... for a fair number of people a total purge of Civ - in detail - from the PC, not just an auto deinstall & reinstall has worked. Sometimes bits are left behind in the red-eyed 3.45am attempts that cause issues on a reload, particularly the cache files that reside in a hidden directory.

You have done so much, and the discs loaded ok on the other one, its worth a shot:

Download Patch V1.52 (or move it out of the game directory if you already downloaded via the game interface) via

http://www.2kgames.com/civ4/downloads.htm

Before Patching
Windows add/remove in control panel remove Civ - success or failed do the following

Manually Delete any remaining the Civ IV Directories in:

- Programs/Firaxis
- My Documents / My Games
- C:\Documents and Settings\USERNAME\Application Data\My Games\Civilization IV\ Its a hidden directory if not seen just check you have "show hidden files" switched on

- Delete Windows/Temp files
- Delete Browser Temp files

Load from discs
Load Patch V1.52

Pray

Regards
Zy

 

[Dadstauf]

The game will not load for me. The windows wait cursor blinks and ... NOTHING. I have the 1.52 patch loaded. Any help would be appreciated.
A DxDiag file is attached.

Note:
I start it up with MS IDE to debug and get DLLs loaded, etc. but then it errors as follows:
Loaded 'C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\d3dx9_26.dll', no matching symbolic information found.
Loaded 'C:\Program Files\Firaxis games\Sid meier's civilization 4\Mss32.dll', no matching symbolic information found.
Loaded 'C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\dsound.dll', no matching symbolic information found.
Loaded 'C:\WINDOWS\WinSxS\x86_Microsoft.Windows.Common-Controls_6595b64144ccf1df_6.0.2600.2180_x-ww_a84f1ff9\comctl32.dll', no matching symbolic information found.
Loaded 'C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\comctl32.dll', no matching symbolic information found.
Loaded 'C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SERWVDRV.DLL', no matching symbolic information found.
Loaded 'C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\UMDMXFRM.DLL', no matching symbolic information found.
HEAP[Civilization4.exe]: Invalid Address specified to RtlFreeHeap( 00140000, 0012F750 )

 

[stubbs]

having played af ew games, with regular crashes, i down loaded the latest patch..total disaster... the game won't load and gives unintelligible error messages. reading this thread confirms my opinion of the total stupidity of the software developers. having paid our hard earned cash for a brilliantly designed game in concept, it doesn't actually work! and what does the manufacturer do? persist in deploying patches that don't solve the problem. what we shol udall do is return the games and demand a refund. buying a computer game should be no different than buying any other product-if it doesn'y work it's the manufactuer's responsibility.why are we all so tolerant of these guys?

 

[dubious]

I had the "starting cursor blinks and nothing happens" problem after previously working fine. Turned out to be my firewall software had to be told to permit the patched version 1.52 to connect to the internet. Try shutting down ALL other programs and applets (anything running in the system tray). Then see if it starts. If so, re-enable each "absolutely necessary" applet one at a time to see which one is causing the problem. The general recommendation is to shut down all applets, but I refuse to make myself vulnerable for any game, especially one which demands internet access. But the less you have running the less swapping to disk and the better the game runs.

 

[Dadstauf]

The problem I previously described went away when I created a new user in Win XP. Maybe the other user name had the firewall issue. I will have to check that later.