Save game load freeze

[redeyedrob]

System :
- Athlon 64 3700+
- 2GB Dual channel DDR400
- Asrock 939-DualSata2
- Gigabyte 6800 GT
- WD 74GB SATA Raptor
- Onboard sound & network

Software :
- Win XP Home SP 2
- DX 9.0C
- Forceware 81.98 WHQL Certified
- Civ 4 v.1.52

I started trying to play Civ 4 last night, but hit a problem straight away.

I generally 'cheat' at the start, saving at 4000BC and doing a 3 turn scout to make sure I dont put my first city 1 space away from something good

Having done this I went to load the 4000BC save - churns through the loading bar, gets to 'Finishing' then Blue Screen of Death - memory fault of some kind - page_fault_in_non_paged_area.

Bit worried, I rebooted, and tried to load from title screen - same thing although this time I got a driver_irql_not_equal_to BSOD.

Thought the save might be corrupted so started again, immediately saved and tried to reload (no turns played). Crashed again.

It doesn't always BSOD, I got a crash to desktop too and an immediate reboot.

I got fed up with this after a while and since it was too late at night to start investigating eroor reports etc I just started a game and played it for a bit. Crashed after about 4 turns.

At this point I gave up and went to bed.

I have had my system running completely crash free for about a month, although games wise I was only really running Counterstrike and X3. I did only install the SATA Raptor on Sunday though so if it is a hardware / driver isssue I would suspect that - I dont have any experience of SATA drives so I may have done something stupid.

Any ideas?

 

[Zanmato]

A 'driver_irql_not_equal' usually points to a hardware failure. The previous error you got in the game does look like a memory fault. Run a Memcheck. If it's resetting on the desktop I suspect you have a faulty RAM chip.
Also, you might want to check that all your hardware is powered enough as RAM is very suspectable to power losses/surges.

 

[redeyedrob]

Thanks for the reply.

I'll run a few sweeps of memtest86 tonight, although I did run it last time I installed new RAM and it was fine. Did tighten the timings a bit on the RAM so will restore to defaults too.

Power supply is not massive - 400W Antec - but should be sufficient. Will try removing everything apart from the bare esentials.

Will report back with results.

 

[redeyedrob]

No luck.

Removed all devices except DVD and HD, put graphics card on separate molex.

Restored RAM timings to default. Ran Memtest86 for 1 hour with no errors.

Still crashed. Reinstalled sound drivers (was getting buzzing noise which turned out to be mic input volume turned up too high) which seemed to sort it - loaded Civ, loaded a save fine. Reloaded it 4 times fine. Quit and tried to start a new game and it BSODed on me.

Reinstalled Civ and the patch again but still the same.

Twice on the BSOD since then it has fingered the audio driver tho so I am d/ling the latest version from Realtek now.

Have a nasty feeling if that does anything it will just get me back to being able to start a game but still crash on save loading...

Maybe I'm just a pessimist

Thanks again for the tips tho.

 

[redeyedrob]

Solved

Was the memory after all, left Memtest86 running all day and when I came back it had crashed.

Repeated overnight to the same effect.

Had 2 x 1GB sticks running in dual channel. Ran memtest overnight on each individually with no errors.

Civ runs fine with either. Suspect it is something to do with having them in dual channel, have not tried Civ with both running in single channel.

Now I just have to learn how to play...

Cheers for the advice Zanmato.