Can't start in Window Mode

Go to your my documents/game/galciv2 folder, open Prefs.ini, and change the "Fullscreen=0" option to "=1". 

I tried that... I'm stuck in the same sort of problem... screen is outta whack now. I switched to windowed mode, then switched back, but it appears to be stuck.

Help!!

Delete the prefs.ini to restore the default settings. 

Make sure that your desktop resolution is set to at least 1024x768 and 32 bit color, otherwise you might have problems with windowed mode.

Delete the prefs.ini to restore the default settings. Make sure that your desktop resolution is set to at least 1024x768 and 32 bit color, otherwise you might have problems with windowed mode.

Thanks... I figured that out. Dunno why you have to delete the .ini file, instead of just editing it... but it's back to normal.

I think the GC2 desktop environment is goofing up my window mode, though.

Ironic...

Well, you could edit the prefs.ini to restore the defaults, but if you don't know what they are, it's easier to just delete it.

If you exclude GC2 from WindowBlinds, that should fix the problem with windowed mode.

 

If you exclude GC2 from WindowBlinds, that should fix the problem with windowed mode.

How do you do this?

Do you have the WindowBlinds icon in the systray? Right Click on in and choose Configure WindowBlinds.

Under Settings, choose Per Application

Click Add per application

Browse for GalCiv2.exe

Choose Total exclusion

OK... I don't seem to have that icon. I wasn't sure I had the app running... is it part of the galciv2 desktop environment that comes with the collector's edition?

Ok... I've removed the GalCiv2 themed desktop, but I still get the distorted (and quite unuseable) main menu when I try to run in windowed mode.

Also, despite my attempts to simply edit the .ini file to restore the full-screen mode, it doesn't work. I have to delete the .ini file to return to normal.

I'm sure someone at Stardock must have a way to reproduce this error...

I've removed the GalCiv2 themed desktop

Smartest thing you could do there. Sadly, their themed desktop is buggy as all hell. I don't remember what specific program it goobered up of mine, but every time I would mouse over the menu for it, it would shrink the window and do something else crazy.

Ahhh, zmud I think. Anyhoo, I just removed it. It was nice eye-candy but if it is going to mess up other apps it can go bye bye.

Smartest thing you could do there. Sadly, their themed desktop is buggy as all hell. I don't remember what specific program it goobered up of mine, but every time I would mouse over the menu for it, it would shrink the window and do something else crazy. Ahhh, zmud I think. Anyhoo, I just removed it. It was nice eye-candy but if it is going to mess up other apps it can go bye bye.

Yeah, it's not exactly a ringing endorsement for Stardock's Windows utilities.

I'd still like to know why trying to run in window mode goofs up the game for me.

Usually it's a driver issue.  

To update or re-install your video drivers:

1) Go to the website for the manufacturer of your video card, usually Intel, NVidia, or ATI and download the latest drivers.
2) Right click on your my computer icon and choose properties
3) Click on the hardware tab
4) Click on the Device Manager
5) Select your video card under Display adapters and right click on it. Choose Uninstall.
6) Reboot
7) Cancel the Found New Hardware wizard when you log back into windows
8) Install the drivers you downloaded (you may need to reboot again after installing them).

 Also, if you try to run GalCiv2 in a secondary monitor, that doesn't always work, depending on your drivers.

Thanks... I went through the whole video driver drill when I put Civ4 on this machine.

It's an IBM ThinkPad T42. Ati Radeon Mobility 7500 video.

The game works as long as I *don't* try to run in windowed mode. Otherwise, it's goofed up, and when I switch back (even via manual .ini file edit), it remains goofed up. Only deleting the .ini file seems to resolve the issue.

Are you using the Omega drivers or drivers from IBM?  The Omega drivers often work better than the the drivers provided by the laptop manufacturers.