Game hangs on startup

Please post the entire contents of the debug file. You left out the most important information.

WHoops - Here it is in its entirety:

Debug Message: Version v1.3 beta 3X last updated on: Wed Aug 30 19:23:43 2006
Debug Message: GalCiv2 is activated.
Debug Message: Checking DX Version.
Debug Message: *********DXDiag info follows.*********
System Info
Time: 9/2/2006, 14:58:56
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
Machine Name: ***
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: VIA Technologies, Inc.
System Model: P4X266A-8233A
BIOS: Award Modular BIOS v6.00PG
Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.40GHz
Physical Memory: 1536MB RAM
Page File: 307MB used, 4232MB available
Windows Dir: E:\WINDOWS


Display Info
Display device 1:
Device Name: \\.\DISPLAY1
Card Name: NVIDIA GeForce 6800
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip Type: GeForce 6800
DAC Type: Integrated RAMDAC
Key Device: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0041&SUBSYS_00000000&REV_A1
Display Memory: 128.0 MB
Current Display Mode: 1600 x 1200 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor Name: SyncMaster 204T/204Ts/204B,SyncMaster Magic CX201Ts(Digital)
Monitor Max Resolution: 1600,1200
Driver Name: nv4_disp.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.9131
Driver Date: 6/1/2006 17:22:00
DirectX Acceleration Enabled: Yes



Sound info
Sound device 1:
Description: SB Audigy 2 ZS Audio [D000]
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: PCI\VEN_1102&DEV_0004&SUBSYS_20021102&REV_04
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Driver Name: ctaud2k.sys
Provider: Creative
Driver Version: 5.12.0001.0441
Driver Date: 10/7/2003 21:06:04
Type: WDM
Other Drivers:
Acceleration Level: 3
Cap Flags: 0
Min/Max Sample Rate: 0, 0

Sound device 1:
Description: Avance AC97 Audio
Default Sound Playback: No
Default Voice Playback: No
Hardware ID: PCI\VEN_1106&DEV_3059&SUBSYS_47104005&REV_40
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Driver Name: ALCXWDM.SYS
Provider: Avance Logic, Inc.
Driver Version: 5.10.0000.3800
Driver Date: 12/16/2001 20:27:06
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: Could not create the render device using default format. Switching to 16bit
Debug Message: Using multilsample setting: D3DMULTISAMPLE_NONE
Debug Message: Could not create the render device.
Debug Message: InitializeDirect3D Failed.
Debug Message: Now Fullscreen
Debug Message: Shell initialization complete

Your audio drivers could be updated, but that is not the problem, just a suggestion.

The game can not initialize the video.
What resolution do you have the game set to?

And, you might try first, uninstall the Nvidia drivers through Add/Remove Programs, and install the latest version from Nvidia. They have some newer ones out, and from what I have heard (although I am running the same version as you) 91.31 had problems.

But be sure to uninstall the old drivers first, or they may not install correctly. And that is often the cause of the problem your machine is displaying.

(I should probably take my own advise and see if the newer drivers might solve my 1.3b crashing problem)

Have updated video and audio drivers, same old debug.err though:Debug Message: Version v1.3 beta 3X last updated on: Wed Aug 30 19:23:43 2006
Debug Message: GalCiv2 is activated.
Debug Message: Checking DX Version.
Debug Message: *********DXDiag info follows.*********
System Info
Time: 9/2/2006, 15:53:43
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
Machine Name: ****
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: VIA Technologies, Inc.
System Model: P4X266A-8233A
BIOS: Award Modular BIOS v6.00PG
Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.40GHz
Physical Memory: 1536MB RAM
Page File: 178MB used, 4362MB available
Windows Dir: E:\WINDOWS


Display Info
Display device 1:
Device Name: \\.\DISPLAY1
Card Name: NVIDIA GeForce 6800
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip Type: GeForce 6800
DAC Type: Integrated RAMDAC
Key Device: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0041&SUBSYS_00000000&REV_A1
Display Memory: 128.0 MB
Current Display Mode: 1280 x 1024 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor Name: SyncMaster 204T/204Ts/204B,SyncMaster Magic CX201Ts(Digital)
Monitor Max Resolution: 1600,1200
Driver Name: nv4_disp.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.9147
Driver Date: 8/11/2006 21:42:52
DirectX Acceleration Enabled: Yes



Sound info
Sound device 1:
Description: SB Audigy 2 ZS Audio [D000]
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: PCI\VEN_1102&DEV_0004&SUBSYS_20021102&REV_04
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Driver Name: ctaud2k.sys
Provider: Creative
Driver Version: 5.12.0001.1164
Driver Date: 12/8/2005 11:55:46
Type: WDM
Other Drivers:
Acceleration Level: 3
Cap Flags: 0
Min/Max Sample Rate: 0, 0

Sound device 1:
Description: Avance AC97 Audio
Default Sound Playback: No
Default Voice Playback: No
Hardware ID: PCI\VEN_1106&DEV_3059&SUBSYS_47104005&REV_40
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Driver Name: ALCXWDM.SYS
Provider: Avance Logic, Inc.
Driver Version: 5.10.0000.3800
Driver Date: 12/16/2001 20:27:06
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: Could not create the render device using default format. Switching to 16bit
Debug Message: Using multilsample setting: D3DMULTISAMPLE_NONE
Debug Message: Could not create the render device.
Debug Message: InitializeDirect3D Failed.
Debug Message: Now Fullscreen
Debug Message: Shell initialization complete

Try deleting the Prefs.ini file, located in your My Documents\Games\GalCiv2 folder.
That will force the game to start with defaults. Then you can go back into the Options and set things like you want. But, don't set the game at a higher than desktop resolution because that sometimes causes problems. Usually it is best to run the game with the same resolution as the desktop.

And it looks like your motherboards onboard audio chip is still enabled. You should disable it. It takes resources needlessly, not to mention both it and the Audigy are listed as Sound Device 1. It could be causing a conflict.

And if you have an onboard video chip that is not showing up in the debug, but may still be enabled in the bios, you should disable it as well. It usually shows up in the debug, but I mention it just on the off chance.