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[HollywoodHigh]

OMFFFFFFFG!

I've finally upgraded my computer and ran to the store for Civ 4 only to find out I cant get it running....

MY PROBLEM...

I installed it and when the initial "2k" graphics come up they are sooooo sloooow. Also when it gets to the play screen fianlly, its in "hyroglyphics" like language everywhere.

I inherited this Gateway and heres the specs as I know them:

Windows XP / Service pack 2
Processor: AMD Athlon processor, MMX, 3Dnow, ~ 1.2 GHz
Memory: 368MB Ram
Page file: 225MB used, 664MB available

I have my old comp., a DELL that I put in a small memory card and a ATI card a year or so ago. Im thinking I should pull them out and put them in the Gateway.

Thanks in advance...

!!HELP ME!!

 

[Mulholland]

Fist off. Try to find your graphics card make and model. go to Start-->run and type in dxdiag. Post back on you graphics card specs. and we'll see if we can help from there.

 

[T.A JONES]

Wo! That Jumbo Smilie is over the top man. Your total hollywood , Rock on!
Sorry but your computer, that sh#t gotts to go. Its crampin your style big time bro. I can't help but say thrown that all away. Start fresh!

I know it sounds rough but Its gotta be done if ya wanna arock out to this one compadre. Again sorry your computer bites man Thats a real downer

ADD: Welcome to Civfanatics btw

 

[HollywoodHigh]

Fist off. Try to find your graphics card make and model. go to Start-->run and type in dxdiag. Post back on you graphics card specs. and we'll see if we can help from there.

This computer hasnt been shelved and not upgraded since 2004.

Device:

S3 Graphics Pro Savage 8A26 (microsoft)
Manufacturer. S3 Graphics, Inc.
Approx. total memory 16.0 MB
Chip Type: Pro Savage KM133

Drivers:

Main driver: s3gnb.dll
Version: 6.14.0010.0012
Date: 8/4/04

 

[Mulholland]

No chance in hell that graphics chip wil run it. Even 256 MB cards have trouble pushing civ in late stages of the game. Seems like an integrated chip too so I dont know if your ATI card will even fit into that MOBO.

 

[HollywoodHigh]

 

[Mulholland]

oN THE BRIGHT SIDE NOW IS THE BEST TIME IN HISTORY TO BUY A COMP[UTER.

 

[HollywoodHigh]

Is my problem memory or do I need an upgrade at video card?

 

[Thrallia]

OMFFFFFFFG!
I inherited this Gateway and heres the specs as I know them:

Windows XP / Service pack 2
Processor: AMD Athlon processor, MMX, 3Dnow, ~ 1.2 GHz
Memory: 368MB Ram
Page file: 225MB used, 664MB available

I have my old comp., a DELL that I put in a small memory card and a ATI card a year or so ago. Im thinking I should pull them out and put them in the Gateway.

This computer hasnt been shelved and not upgraded since 2004.

Device:

S3 Graphics Pro Savage 8A26 (microsoft)
Manufacturer. S3 Graphics, Inc.
Approx. total memory 16.0 MB
Chip Type: Pro Savage KM133

Drivers:

Main driver: s3gnb.dll
Version: 6.14.0010.0012
Date: 8/4/04

Is my problem memory or do I need an upgrade at video card?

1) The processor MIGHT be able to run Civ, but it will do so very slowly, you need something faster than an Athlon MMX, even a Sempron would be better!

2) Your RAM needs to be a minimum of 512MB, but preferably larger. The pagefile system is probably fine provided you upgrade to 512MB or more of RAM.

3) Your graphics card....is really terrible, it would probably struggle with Fallout 1. I assume it is an integrated card, but if it is old enough that the integrated card is 16MB, you may not have an AGP slot, only PCI slots...which mean upgrading the graphics card is almost out of the question(PCI cards are expensive compared to similar-performance AGP cards and very rare now as well) It also cannot possibly be compatible with DirectX9.0c, which is also a Civ requirement.

Your problem is basically all the main parts of the computer....but it is not too expensive to fix this(relatively).

If you know enough about computers to replace everything on your own, you should upgrade the CPU, RAM, Video Card, and Motherboard. To get it to Civ4 specs, it'd probably cost you 250-450 bucks, depending on how recent the technology you buy was created.

If you don't, I recommend buying a new computer at Best Buy, CompUSA< Circuit City, etc. Tell them when you go in that you need it to run Civ4, if the salesman hasn't played Civ4, don't listen to him and find a salesman that has...to run it well, you need a system that more than meets the recommended specs, not the required specs.

 

[HollywoodHigh]

Thanks... where I am at now after 5 hours of experimenting is...

I updated the memory a little to 386MB and I put in a ATI Radeon 9200 graphic card that is letting me play the "scenerios" but I have problems playing regular pick a world games.

Im closer than before and I also know that having my ATI drivers in doesnt work at all. It changes the graphics to safe mode looking.

Im still toying with it.

Thanks again

 

[GVBN]

oN THE BRIGHT SIDE NOW IS THE BEST TIME IN HISTORY TO BUY A COMP[UTER.

Exactly. Dual core processors are dirt cheap

I put in a ATI Radeon 9200 graphic card that is letting me play the "scenerios" but I have problems playing regular pick a world games.

Radeon 9200 is 4-5 years old. It will not run Civ4 well

 

[Macha]

No chance in hell that graphics chip wil run it. Even 256 MB cards have trouble pushing civ in late stages of the game.

My 64MB card runs it fine.

 

[HollywoodHigh]

At the moment Im playing it fine. I t is running on 386MB and I plan on switching one of the 128MB for a 256MB memory stick in the near future.

It occasionally at start up of new world will be a "black out screen" with only music, I just restart until they give me the gameplay characters.

Im suprised to be getting the graphics though after stripping the Ati from the old Dell.

The other thing is that it will not run correctly if the Ati drivers and Hydrovision are installed in control panel. So theyre not.. Weird.

Thanks guys....

 

[Macha]

At the moment Im playing it fine. I t is running on 386MB and I plan on switching one of the 128MB for a 256MB memory stick in the near future.

It occasionally at start up of new world will be a "black out screen" with only music, I just restart until they give me the gameplay characters.

Im suprised to be getting the graphics though after stripping the Ati from the old Dell.

The other thing is that it will not run correctly if the Ati drivers and Hydrovision are installed in control panel. So theyre not.. Weird.

Thanks guys....

Hint: If you want ppl to answer DON'T post in all bold.