Problem with Windows 7 & ATI Mobility FireGL V3200

[TrustMe85]

Hello Civ friends,

I missed Civ 4, so I decided to install and play it again. I have a new system which should be able to play the game quiet well, but it doesn't. Unfortunatelly I am confronted with serious problems. I hope one of you can help.

The problem: The games installed without any problems and also started normaly, but after initialisation of a new game I have only one minute until the screen turns blue. Complete freeze, no error message. I guess it has something to do with the graphiccard.

My system:
ThinkPad T43
Intel Pentium M processor 2.27 Ghz
2,00 GB Ram
Windows 7 Professional 32 bit
ATI Mobility FireGL V3200

Action Log:
+ install of Civ 4 basic version without updates --> blue screen, while choosing a nation
+ install of the newest update: [V.1.7.4.0] --> blue screen in the game as descripted above
+ install of BtS with the newest patch [V.3.1.9] --> blue screen in the game as descripted above
+ install of the most recent driverversion for my graphic card [V.8.561] --> blue screen in the game as descripted above
+ I played around with compabillity modes of win7 for both: exe in civ folder and on CD [Win XP Service Pack 2] --> blue screen in the game as descripted above
+ reinstall of the graphic-drivers with mobbility modder from www.driversheaven.net --> blue screen in the game as descripted above
+ after I read that win7 & civ4 & comodo have problems working together I closed comodo before I started the game --> blue screen in the game as descripted above

Thanks for help,
Frank.

 

[Jerrymander]

What is the blue screen error message given?

 

[TrustMe85]

Jerrymander the blue screen gives no error message... the screen just turns blue, somethimes you still see the unit you moved at the time the screen turns blue.

Meanwhile I solved the problem half. It has something to do with IBM Powermanager, when I start the game at full performance configuration it will not be playable as described.

But when I start it on a "Maximum Battery Live" configuration I can play as long as I want... it seems that it has something to do with cpu-speed configurations. Until know I was not able to identify a solution for full performance without error. I will try it with deinstallation soon and post my findings.

 

[Mbala]

Thank you TrustMe85.
I'm playing on an Lenovo T60p with the ATI FireGl v5250, and I was experiencing frequent CTDs, strange BSODs, and even spontanous reboots.
Changed to "Longest Battery Life" in powermanager and no more problems. The game performace is a little lower than I would like, but it will make me able to play untill a new power management driver is released.

 

[TrustMe85]

Hello CIV friends,

I dealt now a litte more in detail with the blue screen problem off Civ 4 in combination with Windows 7 / IBM Power Manager and the ATI Mobility FireGL and want to post my findings:

- for dealing with the problem via IBM Power Manger, their is only one adjustment of the maximum performance scheme required. Set the system setting "Optimize fan control" to "Balance all parameters" and CIV 4 should work. (this gives a better performance compared to the "maximume battery life" sheme)
- on my configuration I have exactly the same problem with C&C Generals, which makes it obvious that this is not a civ specific problem
--> I bet it has something to do with the non-support of the Mobility FireGL cards by ATI. With the help of mobbility modder one can still live with that card, but in some cases the modded drivers may cause problems that lead to the blue screen as discribed
--> another more detailed hardware-reduction tool than IBM power manager (more settings) could help to get a litte more performance out of the card without blue screens... does somebody has a suggestion?

Greetings,
Frank.