I want my money back!
- Thread starter Kayigo
- Start date
shadow2k
Emperor
linjon1 said:
"Desktop Replacement" is a marketing term. They can replace desktops in some aspects, in that they do a fairly good job of many things now, without a noticable difference.
But a high end laptop still can't rival an even less expensive desktop + similar monitor in most cases, in terms of graphic instensive gaming. Heck even the LCD monitors aren't able to compare to CRT monitors when it comes to FPS. Just due to the way they display images, and why most serious gamers will prefer a normal CRT monitor to a flat panel LCD.
Without going into this too much, take just the video card for example. My video card, 256MB as well, would literally FRY a laptop. Most retail desktops as well. It hooks directly to the power supply, and has it's own heatsink (which I took off actually).
Or take cooling. My desktop is water cooled, just one small and silent fan to circulate air. Processor, Vid Card, HD's and memory are all cooled by water. It runs faster, because it runs cooler. Laptops run hotter than normal air-cooled desktops by nature because of the compact nature, and therefore, run slower and less efficient.
ATI is not the problem. My ATI card runs the game just fine.
I really hope you aren't downloading microsoft hotfixes from music download sites.
Just to clarify:
1) No, I never did get the game to install
2) The specific problem:
a) Put in first disc - installs without problem
b) Put in second disc - get the "catastrophic failure" message
http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/3520/error3gy.png
(thanks to herculesromanus for the picture)
3) As I pointed out yesterday, I have identified at least 30 people who have posted on this site with exactly this problem. If this is a problem with my setup specifically, then a lot of people share it.
1) No, I never did get the game to install
2) The specific problem:
a) Put in first disc - installs without problem
b) Put in second disc - get the "catastrophic failure" message
http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/3520/error3gy.png
(thanks to herculesromanus for the picture)
3) As I pointed out yesterday, I have identified at least 30 people who have posted on this site with exactly this problem. If this is a problem with my setup specifically, then a lot of people share it.
Armorydave
Prince
Sounds like you either need to fight your way through the Take Two or Best Buy bueracracy for a refund, accept a replacement copy or eat the $50. I don't think it would be worth my time lobbying Best Buy or Take Two for a refund (surprised Best Buy did not offer you a gift card in exchange, they might have if you were more persistent) and I would not be willing to accept Step 3 without first trying a replacement copy.
My first thought after seeing that error message would have been defective disk. I would have tried to install it on my other computer and if it did not work on that one return it for a replacement before messing around with my system.
My first thought after seeing that error message would have been defective disk. I would have tried to install it on my other computer and if it did not work on that one return it for a replacement before messing around with my system.
Wodan
Deity
Actually my first thought is bad sector on the hard drive. Run Norton Utilities. After done with that, go ahead and run Optimizer to defrag it. Then try again.
Wodan
Wodan
Greek Stud
Prince
My complaint is not about installation or computers. My complaint is that the maps cannot be as easily modified to resemble the real world. Civ 3 came closer to actually looking like real maps. It also sucks because Civ 4 scenarios wont produce the same scenarios as what really happened in the real world. Anybody want to hear me say the word real again?
Phoenix_56721
Prince
Kayigo said:
Sorry but when I read you're original post I thought you did finally get the game to install, because you were knocking to patches and stated that you will need a new graphics card to play the game. But you're not taking from experience so I believe you should have left out that portion to avoid confusion. Anyway have you checked to see if the problem is with you're CD/DVD ROM, My Wife is a is a Computer Tech and she has found that in some instances this is the problem when software won't install. Try hooking a external CD ROM to you're computer and see if the game installs..Good luck!
boarder
King
With 1.53 being imminent, not that this will fix your problem though.
Watch out for forest chops being nerfed to put only half the hammers towards settlers and workers, gee that'll slow the game down even more pressing end turn a few more times...boring we need the start speeded up not slowed down.
Watch out for forest chops being nerfed to put only half the hammers towards settlers and workers, gee that'll slow the game down even more pressing end turn a few more times...boring we need the start speeded up not slowed down.
well...
if i dragged a desktop, crt monitor, etc,etc into my office at work, someone may wonder. as i said before , my cheapo bestbuy hp with shared video memory plays it fine.
If it is not the ati card ( in my particular system), why do you suppose it crashes regularly with the 18 civ size in the later game .
i tried the catalyst drivers, and am now using the omega ones.
I didn't say music download site.
I was talking about cakewalk-com, as i also have sonar on my machine at home.
if i dragged a desktop, crt monitor, etc,etc into my office at work, someone may wonder. as i said before , my cheapo bestbuy hp with shared video memory plays it fine.
If it is not the ati card ( in my particular system), why do you suppose it crashes regularly with the 18 civ size in the later game .
i tried the catalyst drivers, and am now using the omega ones.
I didn't say music download site.
I was talking about cakewalk-com, as i also have sonar on my machine at home.
I think initially I had a similar error. There was something about an error extracting some archived file needing a PAK extracter because the one included in the installer malfunctioned. You can probably get new discs, but good luck with a refund.
Try a local consumer reporter. The bad press may help.
Try a local consumer reporter. The bad press may help.
shadow2k
Emperor
linjon1 said:
There's a difference between saying it's "an ATI problem" compared to saying it's a problem with your particular video card that happens to be ATI. And honestly, from what you said, your computer seems to work just fine...for what it's designed for.
That's why you can run a smaller map with less civs with no problem. But it simply does not have the required computing power (or possibly just overheats itself) when trying to play large maps with max civs.
Answer this for me. Does it allow you to play the large map/18 civs for a while, then crash in the mid to late game? Assuming this is the case, it's because there are more cities, more units, more tile improvements...more of everything. Your laptop is not designed to handle it...partly because the game itself is designed poorly in that respect. It takes too much computing power at that stage.
Your computer works fine. Your video card is working as it was meant to. Your OS doesn't need a hotfix, ATI is not making a batch of faulty cards, or anything else. The game, with those settings and after having played for a bit...is just too much for that laptop to handle.
Next time it does that, check for this. Can you hear the fans in your laptop working? Is the bottom becoming warm to the touch in certain spots (memory, VC, battery)? When it crashes, is it crashing the entire OS, requiring a restart, or at least becoming unresponsive for a long time? If this is what's happening, you are overheating your laptop by asking it to do to much. It's not good for it. You will eventually fry the thing if you keep trying to do this.
azzaman333
meh
If the problem is with the second disk, get the DVD version.
Older than Dirt
King
There are 2 solutions. Monopoly: only one manufacuter of all computer stuff. Governmental: UN mandates all computer stuff - hard and soft - must always be compatible, diverse yet sensitive. Monopoly is best if you are the monopolizer. Governmental is best if you are nuts. Is this a dilema? I took logic at university in 1963 and Kennedy was still president and a lot of brain cell have died since then.
You know, shadow, you're a little confused.
You are the one making blanket, unsupported and unsupportable statements.
I said
"I suspect it's an ati problem."
( notice the word "suspect")
You said:
"ATI is not the problem. My ATI card runs the game just fine."
( You apparently haven't bothered to look at all the threads about ati cards)
"Your computer works fine. Your video card is working as it was meant to. Your OS doesn't need a hotfix, ATI is not making a batch of faulty cards, or anything else. The game, with those settings and after having played for a bit...is just too much for that laptop to handle""
And you know this, how??? I didn't say the card was faulty. Ever hear of a video driver?? Ever hear of problems with video drivers?? Ever hear of one card running a game, but another not??
I'm sure your water cooled machine is kewl, I'm sure you're an awesome gamer, dewddd...
Just make sure you connect the hoses properly.
It doesn't give you the ability to diagnose what is wrong JUST BY GUESSING.
My laptop does not crash , at all, even after running all day.
It sit's on an antec lap cooler, and does not get excessively hot.
It's not the fastest chip on the block, but it's faster than any other machine i have, with more memory, and actually more video memory than any other machine that i have, and I have 8.
AS i said before, just like dozens of others, i believe it to be an ati -related problem, inasmuch as everything else is way above min spec for this game.
You are the one making blanket, unsupported and unsupportable statements.
I said
"I suspect it's an ati problem."
( notice the word "suspect")
You said:
"ATI is not the problem. My ATI card runs the game just fine."
( You apparently haven't bothered to look at all the threads about ati cards)
"Your computer works fine. Your video card is working as it was meant to. Your OS doesn't need a hotfix, ATI is not making a batch of faulty cards, or anything else. The game, with those settings and after having played for a bit...is just too much for that laptop to handle""
And you know this, how??? I didn't say the card was faulty. Ever hear of a video driver?? Ever hear of problems with video drivers?? Ever hear of one card running a game, but another not??
I'm sure your water cooled machine is kewl, I'm sure you're an awesome gamer, dewddd...
Just make sure you connect the hoses properly.
It doesn't give you the ability to diagnose what is wrong JUST BY GUESSING.
My laptop does not crash , at all, even after running all day.
It sit's on an antec lap cooler, and does not get excessively hot.
It's not the fastest chip on the block, but it's faster than any other machine i have, with more memory, and actually more video memory than any other machine that i have, and I have 8.
AS i said before, just like dozens of others, i believe it to be an ati -related problem, inasmuch as everything else is way above min spec for this game.
5cats said:Well, I was able to run the v1.09 patch on my 600mhz Athlon with Win ME, no problem! So the minimum specs are a matter of opinion, since my old PC was waaaay below minimum.
Now I have a better PC
As for installing, I re-installed several times on my old 'puter, no problems! It could be you keep getting bad disks, IDK. At least they try to keep things going for Civ4.
Personally, I like Civ4 a LOT more than Civ3, with all it's add-ons.
To get no problem with Civ4 and WIN ME is remarkable!
King Flevance
Deity
shadow2k said:
I'll drink to that.
(just the bolded part)
Don't we love our shiny worthless graphics.
Actually that has change in the last year which is why it's hard to find any CRT monitors on BestBuy shelves anymore. The response time of LCD has greatly improve without the flickering of the CRT which is easyer on your eyes. So "ghosting" isn't a problem with most up-to-date LCDs as it was in the past.shadow2k said:
