Monitor problem

[castelfam]

I have switched to a new monitor and I just hear the sounds after the ads for infogrames and firaxis come on. Total blank screen that CTRL+ALT+DEL does not get rid of. Must hard start computer. Here is a copy of DxDiag in attachment.

Here's what I have tried with no results:
Updating driver
Installing 1.29 patch
Disabling AGP (currently enabled)
Direct Draw and Direct3d acceleration tests successful.
Changing screen resolution (currently set at 800x600 pixels and 32 bit color)
Changing Hardware acceleration (currently set at full)(tried next level down-disabling cursor and bitmap accelerations)
Changing screen refresh rate (currently set at 60 hertz)(tried 70 hertz)

If you tell me to add in "refresh rate=XX", which *.ini file? civiii file was not found in a search-which folder?

I have the same problem when I try to run the CIV 4 demo and so far this is not encouraging me to buy it.

Thanks for any help.

 

[Padma]

Okay, I am assuming you are playing the original Civ3 (Vanilla), not PTW/Gold/Conquests/Complete.

Screen resolution must be *at least* 1024x768. (I'm not positive about color depth, probably at least 16 bit.)

The civilization3.ini file is created in your Civilization III folder, after you succesfully get a game started. The path is normally C:\Program Files\Infogrames Interactive\Civilization III. If necessary, you can create this file and insert some lines like KeepRes=1, Video Mode=1024, etc. in the file, and it will keep those settings when it writes the file, adding all the other settings.

One possible problem may be ther version of DirectX. IIRC, some people had problems with 9.0, and had to fdall back to DIrectX 8 to play Civ3.

I don't know if any of this will help, but I'm just throwing out ideas.

 

[castelfam]

Unfortunately changing screen resolution didn't help. Forgot-yes it's Civ III vanilla. and I'm using Windows XP home edition. I will try the directX 8 next. Thanks

 

[Afridelle]

castelfam: did you get your's working because it sounds a lot like the problem I had and adding those lines into the ini file didn't help me at all. I haven't checked my directX version though. *s*

Let me know if you got yours working. I can get mine to work about every third hardstart or so.

 

[eXquisition]

I have the same problem on XP and have tried all of that as well, You're lucky you can get yours to work as well.

I haven't added anything into the .ini file though from what I hear it hasn't worked for too many people...

I have directX 9 as well, how would you go back to version 8?
I find it hard to believe that that is the problem, as the system requirements expressly state that you need 9 but I would be willing to try...

Does ANYBODY have any other ideas?

 

[eXquisition]

Total blank screen that CTRL+ALT+DEL does not get rid of. Must hard start computer.

Are you hearing music as well? simply pressing the ESC key will exit the program for me... Its so simple I thought that maybe you hadn't thought to try?

 

[castelfam]

Can't go back to older driver or directx9 because it messes up other programs and yes tried escape and still black screen with music. This really doesn't make me want to spend $ on Civ 4 if I can't get civ 3 to run and I have the same problems with the civ 4 demo. Someone needs to make a patch for those of us with nvidia.

 

[Afridelle]

Yeah no way I'm getting Civ 4 anytime soon cuz I haven't even gotten to do much with Civ 3. I'm kinda saddened because I loved Civ 2.