Game's been fine the last two days but keeps crashing now

Are those 174.74 drivers still in beta? If so, you might give the WHQL stable ones a shot.

Yeah the 174 driver is still beta. Switched back to the 169 driver and tried it again. The game actually runs fine, the problem was that I was trying to play as the Krynn Consulate, all the other races boot up the game fine.

I am having this same problem trying to play this race...

Try deleting the Krynn's customracexml file from My Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar, then.

I am having difficulty playing any race in dark avatar... they dont load but i can play the dreadlord campaign just fine.. without any troubles. i bought the game today and downloaded the update..

Debug Message: Version v1.80g Dark Avatar last updated on: Wed Dec 19 15:10:23 2007
Debug Message: Checking DX Version.
Debug Message: *********DXDiag info follows.*********
System Info
Time: 4/9/2008, 15:42:29
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
Machine Name: JON
Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.070227-2254)
Languages: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: HP Pavilion 061
System Model: RK505AA-ABA m7674n
BIOS: Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU 6400 @ 2.13GHz (2 CPUs)
Physical Memory: 2046MB RAM
Page File: 495MB used, 3443MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS


Display Info
Display device 1:
Device Name: \\.\DISPLAY1
Card Name: NVIDIA GeForce 7300 LE
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip Type: GeForce 7300 LE
DAC Type: Integrated RAMDAC
Key Device: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_01D1&SUBSYS_03461043&REV_A1
Display Memory: 256.0 MB
Current Display Mode: 1440 x 900 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor Name: Plug and Play Monitor
Monitor Max Resolution: 1600,1200
Driver Name: nv4_disp.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0011.6375
Driver Date: 10/4/2007 18:14:00
DirectX Acceleration Enabled: Yes



Sound info
Sound device 1:
Description: Realtek HD Audio rear output
Default Sound Playback
Default Voice Playback
Hardware ID: HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0885&SUBSYS_103C2A36&REV_1001
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Driver Name: RtkHDAud.sys
Provider: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
Driver Version: 5.10.0000.5268
Driver Date: 6/14/2006 13:04:12
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 hardware vertex processing
Debug Message: Using multilsample setting: D3DMULTISAMPLE_4_SAMPLES
Debug Message: Attempting to create D3DDevice at resolution 1440 x 900, Windowed: 0, Multisample: 4
Debug Message: Game Resolution: 1440 x 900
Debug Message: Running fullscreen.
Debug Message: HAL (hw vp): NVIDIA GeForce 7300 LE
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: GalCiv2 is activated.
Debug Message: ***** Initializing Game *****
Debug Message: Timer Frequency is 0 7f298ef0
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:\Documents and Settings\HP_Administrator\My Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\Gfx\Movies\*.bik
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Administrator\My Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\sfx\*.wav
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Administrator\My Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\Music\*.mp3
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Administrator\My 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:\Documents and Settings\HP_Administrator\My Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\ships\*.xml
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Administrator\My Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\shiptemplates\*.xml
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Administrator\My 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: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\HP_Administrator\My Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\ships\*.shipcfg
Debug Message: Reading Star Names
Debug Message: Reading Star Names... Done
Debug Message: No files found matching mask ./Data/English/Tutorials/*.xml
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: 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 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: Star Frequency: 3 Max Num Stars: 36
Debug Message: Planet Frequency: 4 Max Num Planets: 144
Debug Message: Galaxy Size Set: 4 x 4
Debug Message: Creating Random Map
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Stars
Debug Message: Star Density: Loose clusters.
Debug Message: Number of Unplaced Stars: 7.
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Planets
Debug Message: *************** Failed To Place Planet ***************
Debug Message: *************** Failed To Place Planet ***************
Debug Message: Total planets placed: 65
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Anomalies
Debug Message: Num Anomalies: 167
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Resources
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Done
Debug Message: Distributing bonuses on planets...
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Asteroid Fields
Debug Message: Setting Game Options
Debug Message: Creating Civs
Debug Message: Drengin Empire: Intellence -> 40
Debug Message: Torian Confederation: Intellence -> 40
Debug Message: Dominion of Korx: Intellence -> 40
Debug Message: Creating Civs... Done
Debug Message: Updating ZOC.
Debug Message: Creating ships...
Debug Message: Updating ZOC.
Debug Message: Galaxy Create... Done
Debug Message: UIBeginGame called with g_ulLocalPlayerID = 2
Debug Message: UIBeginGameHelper: New Game Started
Debug Message: UIBeginGameHelper: Mods are Disabled

Seems my problem has migrated to more than just the Krynn now. Can only play as Terran, Krengin, and Drath now. Tried deleting all the customracexml's and didn't help any unfortunately.

Edit: Tried deleting all the customracexml's another time and all the races would let me get into the game. Since I was just seeing if they'd work I would retire to go back to the main menu and it crashed twice going back. This is when trying to play Dark Avatar, haven't tried it on Dread Lords. Just retired from a game now where I played the Krynn to restart the game and now that race is crashing again.


"Debug Message: Unknown error when flipping back buffer to primary buffer." and "Debug Message: Error flipping back buffer to primary buffer." looks to be the problem between each of the encounters, it's always the last thing it lists. Have no idea what it means though.

I was experiencing the same problem... now apparently fixed thanks to kryo's suggestion to delete the customracexml.

Good luck, Jacarr.

That's an error from your graphics card.  Since it works when you clear out all the custom races from the My Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar file, it may be saving bad data into your customracexml files. 

Try clearing out your My Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\ships and My Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\Metaverse\ships folders and see if that helps. 

I had this problem as well, clearing out all of the customracexml files and all the files in the ships directory fixed the problem, thank you CariElf!