Crashes

Please go to C:\Program Files\Stardock\Totalgaming\GalCiv2 (or wherever you installed the game at), open the debug.err file you find there in notepad, and copy/paste the contents into a post here. This will give us some technical information that can help troubleshoot your problem.

Ok, here's what it says:

Debug Message: Version v1.4x last updated on: Mon Oct 23 17:43:56 2006
Debug Message: GalCiv2 is activated.
Debug Message: Checking DX Version.
Debug Message: *********DXDiag info follows.*********
System Info
Time: 12/8/2006, 22:23:16
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
Machine Name: YOUR-27E1513D96
Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.050301-1519)
Languages: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Compaq Presario 061
System Model: EL426AA-ABA SR1710NX NA610
BIOS: Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
Processor: AMD Sempron(tm) Processor 3400+, MMX, 3DNow, ~2.0GHz
Physical Memory: 254MB RAM
Page File: 343MB used, 567MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS


Display Info
Display device 1:
Device Name: \\.\DISPLAY1
Card Name: NVIDIA GeForce FX 5500
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip Type: GeForce FX 5500
DAC Type: Integrated RAMDAC
Key Device: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0326&SUBSYS_00000000&REV_A1
Display Memory: 128.0 MB
Current Display Mode: 1024 x 768 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor Name: Plug and Play Monitor
Monitor Max Resolution: 1600,1200
Driver Name: nv4_disp.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.6176
Driver Date: 7/12/2004 15:50:00
DirectX Acceleration Enabled: Yes



Sound info
Sound device 1:
Description: Realtek AC97 Audio
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_4370&SUBSYS_2A27103C&REV_02
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Driver Name: ALCXWDM.SYS
Provider: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
Driver Version: 5.10.0000.5910
Driver Date: 8/29/2005 17:11:00
Type: WDM
Other Drivers:
Acceleration Level: 3
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_4_SAMPLES
Debug Message: Game Resolution: 1024 x 768
Debug Message: Running fullscreen.
Debug Message: HAL (sw vp): NVIDIA GeForce FX 5500
Debug Message: D3DPRESENT_INTERVAL_DEFAULT
Debug Message: Refresh rate: 60
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: initailizing bink
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: Reading Star Names
Debug Message: Reading Star Names... Done
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Compaq_Owner\My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2\Dread Lords Campaign\*.sav
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Compaq_Owner\My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2\Logos\*.sav
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Compaq_Owner\My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2\Metaverse\*.sav
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Compaq_Owner\My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2\Mods\*.sav
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Compaq_Owner\My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2\Portraits\*.sav
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Compaq_Owner\My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2\ships\*.sav
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Compaq_Owner\My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2\temp\*.sav
Debug Message: TitleWnd: Quit Button.
Debug Message: Posting WM_CLOSE message.
Debug Message: WM_CLOSE message received.
Debug Message: GameUninitialize start
Debug Message: Killing Galaxy
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: 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: Clear data definitions.
Debug Message: Killing Galaxy: Completed
Debug Message: Shutting down sound system.
Debug Message: Clearing sound and music handles.
Debug Message: GameUninitialize end
Debug Message: Device not cleared. 1 counts left.
Debug Message: D3D not cleared. 1 counts left.
Debug Message: Destroying Window.
Debug Message: Main Shell terminating normally

And I apologize for being so rude earlier, it's been a loooong week.

-Spencer

You should increase your swap file to at least 2GB. With your low amount of ram and small swap file, it is not surprising you get out of memory errors. This game can eat up over a gig really fast, and it is not uncommon to use well in excess of 2GB.


You should also update your video drivers. Yours are over 3 years old, and the game really requires up to date drivers.

Yeah well, bewteen school and gas I don't have a lot of money to toss into my computer right now. Besides, the video works fine.

-Spencer

You don't need any money to update your video drivers. Just go to their sight and download the new ones, about 42MBs and version 93.71 for XP.

You also do not need money to increase your swap file, since it is just space on the hard drive allocated for that purpose.

Right-click My Computer, choose 'Properties'.
Go the 'Advanced' tab and click 'Settings' for Performance.

Go to that 'Advanced' tab and click 'Change' for Virtual Memory.

Drive C will probably be highlighted.
Click the radio button for 'Custom Size' and set both Initial Size and Maximum Size to 2048 (which will give you a 2GB swap file) or 3072 for a 3GB swap file.

Then click 'Set'. Then 'OK' your way back out.

You may have to reboot for the changes to take effect, but you will be prompted if that is the case.

You don't need any money to update your video drivers. Just go to their sight and download the new ones, about 42MBs and version 93.71 for XP.

You don't need money, you do need allot of patience! In my experience, it is never easy to update drivers. Not unless your lucky enough to have an auto update feature (pure heaven).

manufacturers have a way of setting up their websites in a way that suggests people who want to update drivers are trying to do somthing unusual and unexpected.

Nvidia drivers are not difficult to update.

Download the new drivers to a folder, run the file to extract the driver files.
Go to Add/Remove Programs and run the uninstall for the Nvidia Video Drivers.
Reboot.
Cancel the Hardware Found dialog.
Go to the folder the drivers were extracted to and run the Setup.exe file.
Reboot.
Set the desktop resolution and refresh rate.
Done.

Really, I found it quite easy to download and install the drivers. Just like Moostek13 said. And the site is easy to navigate. Just click ont he link for the drivers and put in your system and the graphics card family. The only thing that was bad is I'm on dialup. I used a download manager to resume downloading when I had time.

I even download the updated drivers from ATI, for my new card that I'm waiting for. I haven't installed it though... I don't have the card yet.

Just make sure, especially since you are going to a different brand card, that you uninstall the Nvidia drivers prior to shutting down the machine to swap cards.

Thanks. I'll do that. I actually didn't think about that.