Dark Avatar hanging and crashing Vista

from GalCiv2 Forums

Dark Avatar as started crashing after hanging. After the last crash, I cannot get past the first few screens to start a game. I have the latest update, a newish Vista computer with the latest video drivers and windows downloads. It's an Intel Core 2 Duo E4500 2.2 ghz machine with 2 gig of ram. Nvidia GeForce 8400GS 256mb PCO-e graphics card

the windows message says APPCRASH

                                                 GCD Dark Avatar.exe

                                                  1.7.0.0

                                                   47697 fbe

                                                   (next 3 lines repeat above)

                                                    C 0000005

                                                    0029913c

                                                    60.6001.2.1.0.768.3

I don't know if the rest is relevant. I assume you know the headings for each of the above lines. This did not happen on my previous machine running vista or before the last Dark Avatar update.

Cheers, Philip

1,540 views 3 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Please open your debug.err file in notepad, and copy/paste the contents into a post here. This will give us some technical information that can help troubleshoot your problem. The location you'll find the debug.err in varies depending on your game version:

Dread Lords, all versions:
C:\Program Files\Stardock\Totalgaming\GalCiv2

Dark Avatar 1.5-1.6 (non-Vista):
C:\Program Files\Stardock\Totalgaming\GalCiv2\DarkAvatar

Dark Avatar 1.6+(Windows Vista), 1.7+(non-Vista):
My Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar

Twilight of the Arnor:
My Documents\My Games\GC2TwilightArnor

Be sure to copy the debug immediately after the error occurs; if you start the game again, the debug will be erased and recreated for the new session.
Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top
I have uninstalled and reinstalled gal Civ II and Dark Avatar and the video drivers. Today I have again checked that all is the latest.
The debug error file is;



Debug Message: *********END dxdiag info.*********
Debug Message: Entering WinMain
Debug Message: ******* Starting Game Shell *******
Debug Message: Going Fullscreen
Debug Message: Preparing to change display settings.
Debug Message: Using hardware vertex processing
Debug Message: Using multilsample setting: D3DMULTISAMPLE_4_SAMPLES
Debug Message: Attempting to create D3DDevice at resolution 1024 x 768, Windowed: 0, Multisample: 4
Debug Message: Game Resolution: 1024 x 768
Debug Message: Running fullscreen.
Debug Message: HAL (hw vp): NVIDIA GeForce 8400 GS
Debug Message: D3DPRESENT_INTERVAL_DEFAULT
Debug Message: Refresh rate: 70
Debug Message: Bit Depth: 32 bit.
Debug Message: *********Checking D3DDevice Caps***********************
Debug Message: A full-color cursor is supported in hardware at high resolution modes.
Debug Message: RGB in format 6:6:6, Masks reported as ff0000:ff00:ff
Debug Message: Now Fullscreen
Debug Message: Shell initialization complete
Debug Message: GalCiv2 is activated.
Debug Message: ***** Initializing Game *****
Debug Message: Timer Frequency is 0 369e99
Debug Message: Initializing sound card.
Debug Message: initailizing bink
Debug Message: No files found matching mask Movies\techs\*.bik
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Users\Philip\Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\Gfx\Movies\*.bik
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Users\Philip\Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\sfx\*.wav
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Users\Philip\Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\Music\*.mp3
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Users\Philip\Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\Event Music\*.mp3
Debug Message: Create setup screens.
Debug Message: Clear galaxy settings.
Debug Message: Clear influence.
Debug Message: Clear up laws.
Debug Message: Clear first time events.
Debug Message: Clear wonders and trade goods.
Debug Message: Clear sector mapper.
Debug Message: Set mouse.
Debug Message: Set update timer.
Debug Message: Clear data definitions.
Debug Message: Killing ship styles:
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Users\Philip\Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\ShipStyles\*.xml
Debug Message: No files found matching mask ./Data/\FleetFormations\*.fleet
Debug Message: No files found matching mask Gfx\Planets\C0*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/1SideN*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/1SideE*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/1SideS*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/1SideW*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/2SideN*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/2SideE*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/2SideS*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/2SideW*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/3SideN*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/3SideE*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/3SideS*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/3SideW*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/4SideN*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/4SideE*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/4SideS*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/4SideW*.png
Debug Message: Reading Star Names
Debug Message: Reading Star Names... Done
Debug Message: No files found matching mask ./Data/English/Tutorials/*.xml
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Users\Philip\Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\CustomMaps\*.sav
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Users\Philip\Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\Dark Avatar\*.sav
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Users\Philip\Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\Gfx\*.sav
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Users\Philip\Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\Metaverse\*.sav
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Users\Philip\Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\SandboxGames\*.sav
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Users\Philip\Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\ships\*.sav
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Users\Philip\Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\ShipStyles\*.sav
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Users\Philip\Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\shiptemplates\*.sav
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Users\Philip\Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\temp\*.sav
Debug Message: Killing threads.
Debug Message: Kiling civs.
Debug Message: Killing ships.
Debug Message: Killing rallypoints.
Debug Message: Killing misc objects.
Debug Message: Killing stars.
Debug Message: Killing anomalies.
Debug Message: Killing asteroid fields.
Debug Message: Killing asteroid field mining bases.
Debug Message: Killing space resources.
Debug Message: Killing colonies and planets.
Debug Message: killing scenario.
Debug Message: Clearing Turn Event Log
Debug Message: Clear galaxy settings.
Debug Message: Clear influence.
Debug Message: Clear up laws.
Debug Message: Clear first time events.
Debug Message: Clear wonders and trade goods.
Debug Message: Clear sector mapper.
Debug Message: Loading Custom Map
Debug Message: Loading Data Defs
Debug Message: Clear data definitions.
Debug Message: Killing ship styles:
Debug Message: Loading TechDefs
Debug Message: Max num techs: 273
Debug Message: Loading ImprovementDB
Debug Message: Loading Component Defs
Debug Message: Loading ShipTypes
Debug Message: Loading ShipTemplates
Debug Message: Loading ParsedHardpoints
Debug Message: Loading AnomalyTypes
Debug Message: Loading RandomEvents
Debug Message: Loading UPIssues
Debug Message: Loading ResourceTypes
Debug Message: Loading InvasionTactics
Debug Message: Loading SBmodules
Debug Message: Loading PoliticalParties
Debug Message: Loading Planet Types
Debug Message: Loading Star Types
Debug Message: Loading AFMBModules
Debug Message: Loading ShipStyles
Debug Message: Loading Game
Debug Message: Loading: Game mode is normal.
Debug Message: Loading Galaxy
Debug Message: Sectors across: 5 x 5
Debug Message: Loading FOW Map
Debug Message: Loading ZOC Map
Debug Message: Loading Planets
Debug Message: Loading Stars
Debug Message: Loading Anomalies
Debug Message: Loading Resources
Debug Message: Loading AsteroidFields
Debug Message: Loading AFMiningBases
Debug Message: Loading Civs
Debug Message: Loading Colonies
Debug Message: Loading RallyPoints
Debug Message: Loading Ships
Debug Message: Loading Fleets
Debug Message: Loading Turn Event Log
Debug Message: Loading Treaties
Debug Message: Loading ENDGALAXYDATA
Debug Message: Updating ZOC.
Debug Message: UIBeginGame called with g_ulLocalPlayerID = 0
Debug Message: UIBeginGameHelper: New Game Started
Debug Message: UIBeginGameHelper: Mods are Disabled
Debug Message: Clear data definitions.
Debug Message: Killing ship styles:
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Users\Philip\Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\ShipStyles\*.xml
Debug Message: No files found matching mask ./Data/\FleetFormations\*.fleet
Debug Message: No files found matching mask Gfx\Planets\C0*.png
Debug Message: GalaxyWnd: Cannot find OBJID Scenaro_MoreDetails_FText
Debug Message: GalaxyWnd: Cannot find OBJID Scenaro_Details_FormattedText
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2\Mods\Default\Data\CustomMaps\*.gc2map
Debug Message: No files found matching mask ./Data/English/Scenarios/*.GC2Scenario
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2\Mods\Default\Data\Scenarios\*.gc2scenario
Debug Message: CustomPersonalityWnd: Cannot find OBJID Personality_Special_Title
Debug Message: CustomPersonalityWnd: Cannot find OBJID Personality_Special_Disctiption_Spinner_Back
Debug Message: CustomPersonalityWnd: Cannot find OBJID Personality_Special_Disctiption_Title
Debug Error: CustomShipStyleWnd: Unknown edit field ShipList_List_Entry type: CustomListEntry
Debug Error: CustomShipStyleWnd: Unknown edit field ShipList_Avalible_List_Entry type: CustomListEntry
Debug Message: WARNING: GetShipStylePrefix called for civ and civ has no ship style
Debug Message: LoadHardpointsFromPrefsFile failed to load ship config file: ./Data/ShipCfg/\(null)_ColonyShip.shipcfg
Debug Message: Error flipping back buffer to primary buffer.
Debug Message: Unknown
Debug Message: n/a
Debug Message: Unknown error when flipping back buffer to primary buffer.

This was after I tried to play today. I assume it applies to today's crash.

I bought my computer 6 weeks ago and inititally I had enjoyed some games but after updates prior to my first post the game crashes before I can even get started. I am not a tech savvy person ,just a normal computer user so i haven't tweaked or mucked around with anything.

One of the reasons I upgraded my computer was to get the most from Gal Civ. This is a bitter lesson in computer and game marketing.

Thank you for your easy instructions. I hope that this will help.
Galactic Civilizations IV
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Please post the top part of the debug as well, it's just as important as the rest.