My solution to resolve stutter and crash issue

[gamedream]

This game had two issues on my computer: one is stutter when wonder and another is 3-4 times crash per day.

Tuesday I found the default priority of Civ program is 'belownormal'. In common, it happens on debug version. I changed its priority to 'abovenormal' priority, those two issues don't happen on my computer again on Wednesday and Thursday. You can try it if you have same issue. Hope it helps.
Here is the procedure:
1. Run Civ4 to main menu.
2. switch to windows desktop by click Ctrl+Esc
3. Open 'Windows Task Manager' by Ctrl+Alt+Esc
4. Go to 'Applications' Page to find Civ4 application (civ*****)
5. Right click it then select 'go to process'.
6. 'Processes' page appear and the process of Civ4 will be highlighted.
7. Right click Civ4 process then select 'Set priority'
8. Change priority from 'belownormal' to 'abovenormal' (I don't try 'High').
9. switch back to Civ4 game.
10.continue to play.

my computer is as below:
amd3000+, 1G mem, 120G, 6800xt 128M.

 

[Sp00k13]

Thnx man that resolved my CTD's

nice one

 

[RedRum4Fun]

That sounds like a damn fine idea..and an easy fix at that..Wouldnt that be a smack in the face to think that I waited right up until the patch is soon to be released only to learn of a quicky that solves my CTD... Well seeing is believen
and Im gona try it out.
Thanks

 

[peanut35]

So I have an AMD2000+, runs at somewhere around 1.67. FX5900XT. 512.
Anyway, The game runs smooth at very small maps, and starts to slow later in the game in medium, and then really slow at large and above. Reducing the graphics significantly helped, but what's the point to do that, takes away so much of the game. I tried your idea, it helps on large a lot, but not enough to take away all of the sluggishness, but i highly recommend this fix as a temporary fix, particularly for those that are not very tech savvy. Only thing is, you have to do it every time you start the game back up, so it really is only a temporary fix.

But good Find!!!

 

[atomant]

Try checking the process priority after loading or start a game. Mine drops back to below normal. Others have reported this to be the case as well. The set change doesn't last for long.

 

[martind511]

Thanks for that! Worked a treat!

 

[gamedream]

This procedure needs to be done everytime when you play this game.
I tried to use a BAT file and use "start /abovenormal civXXXX.exe" to force the priority to "abovenormal", but this game changed it to 'belownormal' automatically when it started the menu.

Seems this game force to 'belownormal' in its initialization process, hope it fixed in coming patch.

 

[Moorkh]

Hmm... too bad this is not working for me. Still getting crashes every few turns.

(win2kp, celeronD2.8, 1GB DDR, GF5900xt)

 

[snepp]

Running at below normal process priority is normal behavior for Civ4 when it does not have focus. Once it has focus it changes back to normal. Perhaps this is different on WinXP, but on 2K changing to above-normal is a waste of your time as it will switch to normal the moment you return to the game.

 

[doubledanger]

So does this work effectively or not?

 

[Rodatam]

Wont work...
the weird thing is that i formated, and BEFORE the format the game was fine, but after reinstalling everything with the lattest drivers(and defragmented, shut off unneeded services, no virus or such) i get an overwhelming sound stuttering....

i i i i i i i mean mean mean the the the soldiers...ers...ers.... talk...k...k...k... like...likee..like.... that...that....t..

AND THAT HAPPENS WITH EVERY SOUND....

its driving me mad



Got an axp 2700+
1gb ram
9800XT
asrock k7s8x rev 3.01

drivers=
Cmedia ac97(sound) (2042)
agp (113)
latest catalyst
latest directx

windowx xp pro with sp2 and all the latest updates...

 

[dragontail]

My observations:

Launch Windows XP Task Manager on monitor 2;

Launch Civ4 on monitor 1, then load a saved game;

New process Civilization4.exe starts, eating most of the CPU;
During startup, the process priority changes several (didn't count) times between "Below Normal" and "Normal". When
the game is ready to accept player's input, the process priority stays at "Normal";

Switch Civ4 to background by ALT-TAB. The process "Civilization4.exe" still uses about 80% of CPU, but its priority has dropped to "Below Normal";

Use Windows Task Manager to manually change the priority to "Above Normal" or "High";
Switch back to Civ4 by ALT-TAB. As soon as the game is in foreground, it's process priority changes to "Normal"!

Switch Civ4 to background, the priority is "Below Normal";

Run a command line script to change the process priority to "High" every 10 sec, and switch back to Civ4;

The priority is back to "Normal", no surprise. After a few seconds, it's raised to "High", again, no surprise. It stays at "High" and never slips to "Normal". This is somewhat expected behavior since a normal program should not constantly monitor it's process priority.

Play until a wonder movie is shown. There comes the familier stuttering, at high process priority, surprise! (or not?)

Conclusion:
The program does run at low priority under certain conditions, but in normal game play, it is running at "normal" priority. Manually changing the process priority to "high" has no perceivable performance gain.

My config:

P4 3.0GHz HT
1024MB PC-3200
GeForce 6600GT AGP 128MB (OC'ed)
1920x1200 @85Hz, 2X AA
Santa Cruz Turtle Beach 5.1 (configed as 4.1)
Latest device drivers

 

[distrukt]

Right on man

I did this and gained about 10 fps!

Occasionall crashes still, but it runs alot smoother.

 

[gamedream]

I tried differenct ways on my computers again, here is what happened.

1. Only changed once (to abovenormal).
At main menu of civ4, switch back to windows task manager and change to 'abovenormal' then come back the game. Never carsh and stutter in standard map with 12 players to the end of game. (I completed it today).
And I can see the improvement of preformance. (Game seems more smoothly, no graphic stutter any more on fighting, it happened in last week before this change).

2. Changed two times.
At main menu of civ4, switch back -> change to abovenormal -> back to the game -> switch back -> find the priority was changed to 'belownormal' -> change it to abovenormal again -> back to the game.
It soon crashed.

3. Change to high priority.
half hour later, Game frazzed and had to reset.

I would say the first one resolved my issues, the game never crash, stutter and more smooth by it. However, I don't know the reason, maybe the developer can tell us why.

AM3000+, 6800xt 128m, 1G mem, 120G HD

 

[jestingwolf]

The game was being extremely slow (minimised it and was taking 15+ minutes to maximise... so I opened up task manager and it was listed as high priority... weird?