Possible MAF work around...

[Vehem]

There were major MAF problems with large mods prior to BtS. Mostly around the save/load process. Players were able to allocate more memory to Civ as a work around as well, it helped but didn't solve the problem.

Gyathaar tracked down the problem and submitted the fix to Firaxis during the BtS beta. This thread is an excellent read (especially anything from Gyathaar): http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=224178

It may also be worth pinging Gyathaar to get some direct advice and any more details on exactly what he did.

Thanks - very interesting read there

From what I can see - it's down to the user to add a switch to their XP Boot.ini and any 64-bit version of Vista shouldn't have problems at all as they're already allowed to allocate greater that 2GB at once if the flag is set?

 

[Vehem]

Right - this seems to work for adding the switch to an XP machine, but it will be altering your system's boot settings. The version posted below assumes you have 1 OS listed in your boot options. Multiboot systems need to be handled manually.

I'd only recommend this to people who are fairly confident in their abilities. Using Bootcfg should mean that you can't create an invalid boot.ini (it's Microsoft's tool for editing the files), but if something does go wrong it may require a little knowledge to fix it.


================================================

Method 1
Start>Run>"cmd"
This will open the command prompt - black screen, often called the "DOS window"

Type "bootcfg /addsw /mm 3072 /id 1" (without the quotes)

Bootcfg is a tool for editing Boot.ini. It's written by Microsoft and supplied with XP by default. /addsw tells it that we're "Adding a Switch". //mm 3072 tells it that the switch is /maxmem and we're setting the value to 3072. /id 1 tells it that we want to add it to the first OS listed.

Doing it this way means that you're using the MS tool to do it, which should minimize the risk of creating an invalid boot.ini.

If it works, you should see...

SUCCESS: Added the switches to the OS entry "1" in the BOOT.INI.

...alternatively, if the switch is already set to a different value, you'll see

ERROR: Specified OS entry already contains /maxmem switch.

That means you're going to need to edit the switch using Method 2.

==============================================

Method 2
Boot.ini is just a text file.

It looks something like like...

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn /usepmtimer

It can therefore be opened in a text editor. Don't open it in Word. If opening it in Word seemed like a good idea, use Method 1 instead.
At the end of the Operating System entry for XP (which is the only OS in the example) we want to add /maxmem=3072

... like so...

[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn /usepmtimer [b]/maxmem=3072[/b]

This method is directly editing a hidden system file. If you don't know how to find a hidden system file (in the root your Windows drive), then I'd recommend using Method 1.
If you edit the file in a drastically incorrect way, odds are it won't boot. That is what makes this method more dangerous than the first one.

Don't overwrite any of the other entries with the example above - you just need to add the /maxmem=3072 switch to your existing entry.

==========

Using either method, you'll need to reboot before you'll see any difference in-game.

 

[Thunder_Gr]

Very nice link Kael, I went through the whole thread(Oh, my, it was a long thread).

There are fixes for windows vista also. The portion posted by Vehem may not work in every computer. It may be needed to add a /userva= from 3008 to 2500. This should be done if windows do not work corretly without it.
A smaller thread containing details is http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=225205&page=1 ,which concentrate on the results from the thread Kael linked to.

I will try it, and I hope it will work for everyone!

 

[[to_xp]Gekko]

so with Vista 32-bit I should try this command?

"bootcfg /addsw /mm 3072 /id 1 /userva= from 3008 to 2500"

 

[Thunder_Gr]

bcdedit /set IncreaseUserVA 3072

This should do it for vista 32bit.
The From 3008 to 2500 indicates a value you must put in order for your system to work. This value has been reported to be as high as 3008 on some systems and as low as 2500 on others.
Some systems do not need the /userva parameter

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=306422 has the procedure as simplified as I could find it.

 

[[to_xp]Gekko]

ah, I see. I already used that command a while ago after reading that thread ( some kind soul had posted it in the RoM forum ) . thanx anyways

 

[Thunder_Gr]

I have positive feedback. Windows XP professional service pack 2, 2GB memory dual core cpu, NVidia 7600 Graphics adapter. Just adding the /3GB switch with no other changes allowed to reach turn 200 in a Huge map, standard speed game, with the Scions, and no MAF so far. Upon release of .50 I was not able to get past turn 150 without a non-fixable MAF. All graphics settings set to High.

I also completed drowsing 3 times without getting crashes or MAFs.

 

[Vehem]

I have positive feedback. Windows XP professional service pack 2, 2GB memory dual core cpu, NVidia 7600 Graphics adapter. Just adding the /3GB switch with no other changes allowed to reach turn 200 in a Huge map, standard speed game, with the Scions, and no MAF so far. Upon release of .50 I was not able to get past turn 150 without a non-fixable MAF. All graphics settings set to High.

I also completed drowsing 3 times without getting crashes or MAFs.

Good to hear - thanks

 

[Breez]

Point A:

I read in the link provided above Page One (I fully admit to going brain dead quickly and did not read that entire thread)

/maxmem just says how much physical memory windows is allowed to use, /3GB is the one that allows programs to use up to 3GB memory

Should I use
- /maxmem 3072
or
- /3GB
or
- Both


Point B:

My co-worker and I have been playing multiplayer via IP and getting MAF errors 2-3 times per night.

So last night I did the /maxmem 3072 ... He did not. I am host.

We did not get a single MAF all evening. (3.5 hours of play)

 

[Thunder_Gr]

Point A:

I read in the link provided above Page One (I fully admit to going brain dead quickly and did not read that entire thread)



Should I use
- /maxmem 3072
or
- /3GB
or
- Both

Any but not both

Point B:

My co-worker and I have been playing multiplayer via IP and getting MAF errors 2-3 times per night.

So last night I did the /maxmem 3072 ... He did not. I am host.

We did not get a single MAF all evening. (3.5 hours of play)

Well done!

 

[RogueThunder]

Huh. This would explain why I cant recall ever having seen a mem alc failure. Im running 2k3, with its crazy special memory management... 4GB of system ram on a 32bit OS, among other things XD... Tehe.
(used to only have 2gb of ram, still didnt get them. Got a vram error once, but thats another matter)
Wish you folks all luck.

 

[[to_xp]Gekko]

2k3? what OS is that?

 

[Thunder_Gr]

2k3? what OS is that?

Perhaps Windows Server 2003???

 

[[to_xp]Gekko]

I want it! I hate having 4 gigs of RAM and having this damn 32-bit Vista only "see" 3...

 

[RogueThunder]

2k3? what OS is that?

Perhaps Windows Server 2003???

I want it! I hate having 4 gigs of RAM and having this damn 32-bit Vista only "see" 3...

Hahaha, yes its Windows Server 2003 Standard Editon x32. It actually does a trick where it extends the memory map to a 36bit map. Which, after a few workarounds and such allow that to work, let it recognize up to 32GB of memory. Albeit standard edition x32 is limited to 4GB of system ram. (Datacenter, for instance, I think does more... and I could have say, 26GB of vram, and it wouldn't cause me issues.)

Any college and many highschool students can get a free copy of 2k3 standard and 2k8(32 and 64bit, same key, for 2k8) off a M$ program called DreamSpark (www.dreamspark.com)

I will note, Windows Server 2003, has its share of issues. Realtek audio drivers and all Wireless drivers(Anything that uses that "plug the adapter in and have the installer detect it" step, doesn't work. Requiring you to track down the raw driver files and load them manually) are a PAIN in the rear. And some other OS features are significantly changed.

Lets not talk about 2k8. That is... my other boot... I have been troubleshooting to make usable over the last 4 months. Good news? No Realtek driver issues, in fact, included fully working ones. Bad news... ALOT OF STUFF.

Anyway, 2k3 is basically the newer version of the modern NT kernel, returned to its roots. For those who don't know, windows xp is "just" a rebuild of windows 2000. Between W2k SP4, and XP late beta/some early SP0 disks, Have the same kernel version number. Tho, as of SP1 and SP2, much less SP3, a lot of underlying kernel and system components have been significantly altered.
2k3(RC2 SP2, anyway), has about one latter major number than XP SP3. And has a bunch of secure kernel stuff that's new. But for the most part, its the same OS in function.

And so ends my informative thread-jack. Enjoy XD Feel free to pm me with questions and the sort... lets just not hijack this thread any farther XD.

 

[Serastrasz]

I often got MAF when loading and quickloading a game.

I tried a bit to find out what causes this problem and now I think I know it. I had Tamed Wilderness and Wild Lands on (Thought -> halv barbs , normal animals). Even loading in the first Turn causes MAF. Playing the same scenario without tamed wilderness everything seems fine.

EDIT: Later in the game there are MAF everytime I load. So TW seems to be not the only thing causing that problem...