Random CTDs + computer shutdowns during play -> Probable issue with sound cards.

After MANY tests, I've isolated the causes of my CTDs.

from GalCiv2 Forums
After many tests, I've concluded that my CTDs/computer showndowns, which makes this game unplayable, are probably caused by my sound card/drivers/who knows what bug. I've been able to play this game without CTDs or shutdowns by completely removing my sound card (physicaly) and my drivers from windows. The game worked fine... Strangely, when I plug the sound card and only inactivate the drivers in windows (as the following debug will show), the game randomly crashes... BTW my computer runs everything else fine and stable (Half-life 2 and Windows firin'stance)

I would love to play this game someday... As I paid for this game and EXPECT it to work...

So I hope you'll use this information to correct this bug that makes the game unplayable: for me and others...





Debug Message: Version v1.0X.2 last updated on: Tue Mar 7 15:02:59 2006
Debug Message: Could not find a TGN Serial No.
Debug Message: *********DXDiag info follows.*********
System Info
Time: 4/24/2006, 19:02:53
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
Machine Name: ORDIDELAMORT
Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.050301-1519)
Languages: French (Regional Setting: French)
System Manufacturer: VIA Technologies, Inc.
System Model: VT8367-8233
BIOS: Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) XP 2000+, MMX, 3DNow, ~1.7GHz
Physical Memory: 512MB RAM
Page File: 186MB used, 1063MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS


Display Info
Display device 1:
Device Name: \\.\DISPLAY1
Card Name: NVIDIA GeForce4 Ti 4600
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip Type: GeForce4 Ti 4600
DAC Type: Integrated RAMDAC
Key Device: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0250&SUBSYS_87251462&REV_A2
Display Memory: 128.0 MB
Current Display Mode: 1152 x 864 (32 bit) (75Hz)
Monitor Name: Écran Plug-and-Play
Monitor Max Resolution: 1600,1200
Driver Name: nv4_disp.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.8421
Driver Date: 3/9/2006 16:29:00
DirectX Acceleration Enabled: Yes



Sound info
Sound device 1:
Description:
Default Sound Playback: No
Default Voice Playback: No
Hardware ID:
Manufacturer ID:
Product ID:
Driver Name:
Provider:
Driver Version:
Driver Date:
Type:
Other Drivers:
Acceleration Level: 0
Cap Flags: 0
Min/Max Sample Rate: 0, 0



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 multilsample setting: D3DMULTISAMPLE_NONE
Debug Message: Game Resolution: 1024 x 768
Debug Message: Running fullscreen.
Debug Message: HAL (sw vp): NVIDIA GeForce4 Ti 4600
Debug Message: D3DPRESENT_INTERVAL_DEFAULT
Debug Message: Refresh rate: 75
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: ***** Initializing Game *****
Debug Message: Timer Frequency is 0 369e99
Debug Message: Initializing sound card.
Debug Message: Failed to startup Miles Sound System.
Debug Message: initailizing bink
Debug Message: Failed to open digitial sound driver for Bink.
Debug Message: waveOutOpen() failed.
Debug Message: Error initializing BinkSound.
Debug Message:
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: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Maxime Tremblay\Mes documents\My Games\GalCiv2\*.StarSystems
*DEBUG ERROR: ***Unable to find required tech ImpossibleTech for PirateShip. ***
*DEBUG ERROR: ***Unable to find required tech ImpossibleTech for Starbase. ***
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Maxime Tremblay\Mes documents\My Games\GalCiv2\ships\*.shipclass
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Maxime Tremblay\Mes documents\My Games\GalCiv2\ships\*.shipcfg
Debug Message: Reading Star Names
Debug Message: Reading Star Names... Done
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: CustomRaceWnd: Cannot find OBJID CustomRace_Description_Text
Debug Message: CustomRaceWnd: Cannot find OBJID CustomRace_Tab_Homeworld
Debug Message: Creating Galaxy
Debug Message: Set galaxy size.
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 space resources.
Debug Message: Killing colonies and planets.
Debug Message: killing scenario.
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: Creating Random Map
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Stars
Debug Message: Number of Unplaced Stars: 0.
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Planets
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Anomalies
Debug Message: Num Anomalies: 217
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Resources
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Done
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Creating Civs
Debug Message: Altarian Republic: Intellence -> 10
Debug Message: Arcean Empire: Intellence -> 10
Debug Message: Torian Confederation: Intellence -> 10
Debug Message: Yor Collective: Intellence -> 10
Debug Message: Iconian Refuge: Intellence -> 30
Debug Message: Creating Civs... Done
Debug Message: Updating ZOC.
Debug Message: Updating ZOC.
Debug Message: Galaxy Create... Done
Debug Message: UIBeginGame called with g_ulLocalPlayerID = 0
Debug Message: setting size 16 x 0
Debug Message: setting size 16 x 0
Debug Message: setting size 16 x 0
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: setting size 16 x 0
Debug Message: setting size 16 x 0
Debug Message: setting size 16 x 0
Debug Message: StarportWnd: Cannot find OBJID StarPort_Planet_Logo_Image
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Destroying ship Altarian Republic Colony. Orbiting: 0
Debug Message: Destroying ship Torian Confederation Colony. Orbiting: 0
Debug Message: Destroying ship Iconian Refuge Colony. Orbiting: 0
Debug Message: Updating ZOC.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Altarian Republic (2): Researching: Galactic Warfare
Debug Message: Arcean Empire (3): Researching: Space Militarization
Debug Message: Torian Confederation (4): Researching: Xeno Research
Debug Message: Yor Collective (5): Researching: Xeno Research
Debug Message: Iconian Refuge (9): Researching: Xeno Research
Debug Message: Carinoids (12): Researching: Galactic Warfare
Debug Message: Andians (16): Researching: Galactic Warfare
Debug Message: Pirates! (26): Researching: Galactic Warfare
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Destroying ship Arcean Empire Colony. Orbiting: 0
Debug Message: Destroying ship Yor Collective Colony. Orbiting: 0
Debug Message: Updating ZOC.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Yor Collective (5): Researching: Space Militarization
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
Debug Message: Altarian Republic (2): Researching: Xeno Research
Debug Message: Torian Confederation (4): Researching: Space Militarization
Debug Message: Digital support not enabled.
1,924 views 3 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Sounds to me like it could also be an issue with your sound card - I'd guess you paid good money for that and expect it to work also - have you posted your demands to the sound card manufacture too? That would be fair.

What sound card are you using? There is no info in the debug.err log. Have you made sure your sound card is using the most updasted drivers? Is it installing correctly? Could be a bad card. Hard to see if there is an issue if there is no info to go by.
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
As statesman said we don't have enough to go by. If you'd care to put your card in and try it again. Then post the new debug.err that was generated with the sound card and its drivers. We would have more to go on.

How much do you value you the sound card? I mean you can get a halfway good one at Wally (Wal-mart) for around $30, I picked up a SoundBlaster 24bit there.
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Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Yeah, if your complaining about your sound card you really should list the model and driver info for it. Also, if you can download SmartException so you can provide better info to the devs.