Crash then Reboot on Laptop

from GalCiv2 Forums
Have latest driver.

Debug Message: Version v1.5 last updated on: Thu Jan 11 13:39:19 2007
Debug Message: GalCiv2 is activated.
Debug Message: Checking DX Version.
Debug Message: *********DXDiag info follows.*********
System Info
Time: 10/24/2007, 12:59:16
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
Machine Name: JPL-PRIMARY
Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.070227-2254)
Languages: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Hewlett-Packard
System Model: Presario R3000 (PL988UA#ABA)
BIOS: Ver 1.00PARTTBL
Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.00GHz (2 CPUs)
Physical Memory: 382MB RAM
Page File: 536MB used, 960MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS


Display Info
Display device 1:
Device Name: \\.\DISPLAY1
Card Name: ATI MOBILITY RADEON 9000/9100 IGP
Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.
Chip Type: MOBILITY RADEON 9000/9100 IGP Series AGP
DAC Type: Internal DAC(350MHz)
Key Device: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_5835&SUBSYS_006B103C&REV_00
Display Memory: 128.0 MB
Current Display Mode: 1280 x 800 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor Name: Default Monitor
Monitor Max Resolution:
Driver Name: ati2dvag.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.6430
Driver Date: 3/26/2004 07:54:44
DirectX Acceleration Enabled: Yes



Sound info
Sound device 1:
Description: SoundMAX Digital Audio
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_4341&SUBSYS_006B103C&REV_00
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Driver Name: smwdm.sys
Provider: Analog Devices
Driver Version: 5.12.0001.4011
Driver Date: 4/2/2004 01:57:20
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: Multisample Type chosen in prefs not supported. Disabling multisampling.
Debug Message: Using multilsample setting: D3DMULTISAMPLE_NONE
Debug Message: Game Resolution: 1024 x 768
Debug Message: Running fullscreen.
Debug Message: HAL (sw vp): ATI MOBILITY RADEON 9000/9100 IGP
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 b2d2f610
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: * Collectors Edition *
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\JPL\My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2\ships\*.xml
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\JPL\My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2\ships\*.shipcfg
Debug Message: Reading Star Names
Debug Message: Reading Star Names... Done
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\JPL\My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2\Dread Lords Campaign\*.sav
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\JPL\My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2\Logos\*.sav
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\JPL\My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2\Metaverse\*.sav
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\JPL\My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2\Portraits\*.sav
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\JPL\My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2\ships\*.sav
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\JPL\My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2\temp\*.sav
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 C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2\Mods\Default\Data\Scenarios\*.gc2scenario
Debug Message: Creating 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: Galaxy Size Set: 4 x 4
Debug Message: Creating Random Map
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Stars
Debug Message: Number of Unplaced Stars: 9.
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Planets
Debug Message: *************** Failed To Place Planet ***************
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Anomalies
Debug Message: Num Anomalies: 42
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Resources
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Done
Debug Message: Setting Game Options
Debug Message: Creating Civs
Debug Message: Terran Alliance: Intellence -> 30
Debug Message: Drengin Empire: Intellence -> 30
Debug Message: Altarian Republic: Intellence -> 30
Debug Message: Arcean Empire: Intellence -> 30
Debug Message: Torian Confederation: Intellence -> 30
Debug Message: Yor Collective: 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: UIBeginGameHelper: New Game Started
Debug Message: UIBeginGameHelper: Mods are Disabled
3,414 views 9 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Physical Memory: 382MB RAM

Current Display Mode: 1280 x 800 (32 bit) (60Hz)

Driver Version: 6.14.0010.6430
Driver Date: 3/26/2004 07:54:44 (video)

Driver Date: 4/2/2004 01:57:20 (audio)

Debug Message: Game Resolution: 1024 x 768

Page File: 536MB used, 960MB available




Let's take from the beginning.

Physical Memory: 382MB RAM
Not enough for any serious game - which GalCiv2 [I]is[/I].
Up your physical ram to at least a gig.

Current Display Mode: 1280 x 800 (32 bit) (60Hz
Debug Message: Game Resolution: 1024 x 768
Set the games resolution to match your monitor resolution.
If you can't do it through 'Options', you can do it by editing the Prefs.ini file.

Driver Version: 6.14.0010.6430
Driver Date: 3/26/2004 07:54:44 (video)
Get some up to date drivers for your video card.

Driver Date: 4/2/2004 01:57:20 (audio)
Update your audio drivers.


Page File: 536MB used, 960MB available
Set your pagefile to be at least 2GB, and set it to be static - not dynamic.


And exclude the GalCiv2 folders (both in Program Files and in My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2) frrom real-time scanning in your anti-virus program.



And as a side note:
Laptops can overheat very easily when running at full power (as when hooked up to the AC adapter)
Running on battery will usually throttle the CPU usage down, which will reduce the heat generated.

An overheating CPU can cause a lot of problems...
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
If this computer can handle Sims2 with all the expasion packs it should be able to handle this game. And indeed it does...sometimes. I have 128 of video memoryand 3 ghz Pentium 4. I check to see if my memory needs to be upgraded. The game never goes over 75% of what I set. It is very possible it is simply overheating.
TouchTasks - Access tasks with ease on Windows touchscreens.
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Try playing only on battery power. If it doesn't crash, or crashes less, then it is probably overheating.
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Definitely update your video drivers. The game must have drivers no older than late 2005 to even think about running reliably. If HP doesn't have anything newer (it wouldn't surprise me), go to omegadrivers.net instead (Go to the archive section there and get Radeon Omega Drivers 3.8.252 (Catalyst 6.5)--newer ones dropped support for chipsets below 9200).

My Pavilion has identical specs and runs the game stably (slow, certainly, but stably) with those drivers.
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
When DA vs1.8e crashes I see a blue screen real quick. All I can make out before it reboots is something about BIOS. I do not understand why sometimes it albeit very rarely it works. Overheating is not the issue as I can play DL fine for hours upon hours and also DA crashes even if computer has only been on for 15min. Can anybody shed some insight?
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Did you update your video drivers?
Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I checked my drivers they are as of 2005.
Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Post your latest debug.err, then.
Reply #9 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Ok, when dealing with blue screen of death it's important to understand something about CPU protected mode. Specifically, it isn't possible for a game bug to cause a BSOD. Only kernel mode code can cause a BSOD, and it's either a driver bug or hardware failure... always. Next item to note is that Intel CPUs are protected against overheating, the chip itself will scale down the speed. However, your video card is not so smart. Also, the fact that another game runs for hours is totally meaningless, if it uses fewer pixel shader features or such, then it won't cause as much video card heating. The advice about your RAM being too small is bogus, that cannot cause a bluescreen either; although having more RAM is not a bad idea, it is not causing your problem. Your video card/driver is the most likely culprit as already mentioned. If you go to Control Panel -> System -> Advanced -> Startup and Recovery you can turn off automatic restart, which will give you a chance to read the error message.