Dark Avatar hanging and crashing Vista

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

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kryo

Join Date 05/2003

+458

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.

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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.

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kryo

Join Date 05/2003

+458

Please post the top part of the debug as well, it's just as important as the rest.

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