No menu, spinning world visible.

[Tinamil]

I start the game, I get this error in 1024x768 and in 1280x1024 resolutions, and if I run in windowed mode. I can hear everything, but the screen is just blue during the intro movies, I hit enter or escape and skip through them, and then I get to the menu screen, but there is no menu, just Civ 4 logo at the top and the spinning world. I am running dual monitors, but it also happens if I turn off the second monitor using the control panel, or if I switch to using the other monitor as my primary.

Here is my DxDiag for my video card.
---------------
Display Devices
---------------
Card name: RADEON X850 Series
Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.
Chip type: RADEON X850 XT (0x5D52)
DAC type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_5D52&SUBSYS_00721043&REV_00
Display Memory: 256.0 MB
Current Mode: 1280 x 1024 (32 bit) (75Hz)
Monitor: HYUNDAI ImageQuest L90D+ Digital
Monitor Max Res: 1280, 1024
Driver Name: ati2dvag.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.6575 (English)
DDI Version: 9 (or higher)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 9/14/2005 22:58:47, 241664 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: n/a
WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
VDD: n/a
Mini VDD: ati2mtag.sys
Mini VDD Date: 9/14/2005 22:58:28, 1339392 bytes
Device Identifier: {D7B71EE2-1E12-11CF-5C6A-7820A1C2CB35}
Vendor ID: 0x1002
Device ID: 0x5D52
SubSys ID: 0x00721043
Revision ID: 0x0000
Revision ID: 0x0000
Video Accel: ModeMPEG2_C ModeMPEG2_D ModeWMV8_B ModeWMV8_A ModeWMV9_B ModeWMV9_A
Deinterlace Caps: {6E8329FF-B642-418B-BCF0-BCB6591E255F}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,1) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
{3C5323C1-6FB7-44F5-9081-056BF2EE449D}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,2) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{552C0DAD-CCBC-420B-83C8-74943CF9F1A6}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,2) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{6E8329FF-B642-418B-BCF0-BCB6591E255F}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,1) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
Registry: OK
DDraw Status: Enabled
D3D Status: Enabled
AGP Status: Enabled
DDraw Test Result: Not run
D3D7 Test Result: Not run
D3D8 Test Result: Not run
D3D9 Test Result: Not run

Card name: RADEON X850 Series - Secondary
Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.
Chip type: RADEON X850 XT (0x5D52)
DAC type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_5D72&SUBSYS_00731043&REV_00
Display Memory: 256.0 MB
Current Mode: 1280 x 960 (32 bit) (85Hz)
Monitor: SyncMaster 997DF/927DF/997MB/927MB/927DFI/927MBI
Monitor Max Res: 2048,1536
Driver Name: ati2dvag.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.6575 (English)
DDI Version: 9 (or higher)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 9/14/2005 22:58:47, 241664 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: n/a
WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
VDD: n/a
Mini VDD: ati2mtag.sys
Mini VDD Date: 9/14/2005 22:58:28, 1339392 bytes
Device Identifier: {D7B71EE2-1E32-11CF-5C6A-7920A1C2CB35}
Vendor ID: 0x1002
Device ID: 0x5D72
SubSys ID: 0x00731043
Revision ID: 0x0000
Revision ID: 0x0000
Video Accel: ModeMPEG2_C ModeMPEG2_D ModeWMV8_B ModeWMV8_A ModeWMV9_B ModeWMV9_A
Deinterlace Caps: {6E8329FF-B642-418B-BCF0-BCB6591E255F}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,1) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
{3C5323C1-6FB7-44F5-9081-056BF2EE449D}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,2) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{552C0DAD-CCBC-420B-83C8-74943CF9F1A6}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,2) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{6E8329FF-B642-418B-BCF0-BCB6591E255F}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,1) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
Registry: OK
DDraw Status: Enabled
D3D Status: Enabled
AGP Status: Enabled
DDraw Test Result: Not run
D3D7 Test Result: Not run
D3D8 Test Result: Not run
D3D9 Test Result: Not run

 

[Storm_ca]

I'm having the exact same problem. I'm running on a laptop with a radeon mobility 9200 card. Anyone have any possible solutions?

 

[Afro]

Same problem here with a 6600GT
Succeeded in seeing the intro video but big menu problems. Upgraded my drivers to the latest version (81.85) and now it's getting even worse (no intro movie, just blue blue bluuuuuuuuuuue) and no menu

 

[burzumy]

Same problem here, as mentioned in another thread. I am using a Nvidia 5950 on a desktop, all requirements exceeded by far. Updating my drivers had no effect, still just blue until I can see the spinning globe. No menu, but if I hit enter enough, something starts - I can hear the voiceover, and sound through out, but i just get a black screen.

 

[Phyr_Negator]

same, GeForse6800 gt, latest AMD nForse 4 drivers 6.66(yea=D).

 

[Storm_ca]

Anyone have any solutions yet? I've read the key may be to update the drivers to have version 8.18 (my card is a radeon mobility 9200 btw) However, I've tried updating through compaq, radeon, as well as several packages which can be downloaded online which supposedly give you the latest version of the drivers (but I never end up with version 8.18). Is this in line with anyone's experience, or are there others using a radeon mobility 9200 who can share their situations?

 

[Tinamil]

I FIXED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I did both things in there, the first one didn't help. But after I did the art unpack, and the instructions aren't quite right, but it's easy to figure out, it worked for me.
http://www.2kgames.com/civ4/support_ati.htm

 

[Afro]

Already tried this unpack solution but no change.
I upgraded my nvidia drivers to the official 81.87 Beta but no change too, Earth is spinning and Menu are invisible.
I start wondering if this DirectX9 necessary update for Civ4 is not the source of this ?

 

[Phyr_Negator]

drivers fixed it

 

[armus]

***FIXED***

for my Laptop, HP NC6000 with ATI 9600 Mobile version. ATI tells me to use ONLY HP drivers which are old.

I found these: http://www.station-drivers.com/page/atidriv mobility.htm

Installing things fixed the missing intro/menu.

I hope this helps someone,

-armus