Running SC4 Flawlessly

[Frankie_Grove 32]

These are proven to work tips for Windows 98/2000/XP

1. Start with the basics, your Hard Drive is an essential part of any computer, so taking care of it is top priority. First thing to be done, is Disk Cleanup, the program is located under the System Tools menu. This deletes internet temporary files, empties the recycle bin, and deletes files that are just wasteing space.

2. Another important tip, is Defragmintation of your Hard Drive (s). This helps to better organize your computer, and can give you some extra speed and Hard Drive space. This is also located under the System Tools menu.

3. RAM  is extremely importatant especially for SC4, the game can run at 256MB but with so much lag, it's not funny. Upgrade your RAM for best results. It is great to run the game at about 2GB of RAM. MAKE SURE YOU KNOW HOW TO PUT IT IN, ELSE YOU RISK DAMAGE TO YOUR COMPUTER!

4. Also, RAM is important to your computer, believe it or not, restarting your computer is a great idea, the reason is that it clears the contents of RAM and allows more of it to be used. If you run your computer 24/7 Then restarting could be the answer to your lag problems.

5. Organization of your plug-ins folder is also important, if you have files with more than one name, with a (2) or (3) after it, needs to be deleted or put into one central file. DO NOT delete important files, you wouldn't want to delete a prop or readme file!

6. This could be the most important of all the tips, it gives the most resources to the game. Close background programs, especially anti-virus programs, these programs can cause SSSLLLOOOWW gameplay, and can cause crashing. All non-essential programs need to be closed, this way your machine can give the most to your game.

7. On a further note, running your computer say..with XP and only 256 MB of RAM or less, you're asking for trouble. You can actually run out of RAM with XP on an older system, i've experienced it before. On the list of SC4 system requirements, it says 256 MB RAM for Windows XP because XP is a super-RAM eater (SC4 and XP get along quite nicely ). If you have XP and check your system information, it says available physical memory, if you have 256MB, only 140MB is devoted to SC4 at a given time!

8. For XP users who upgraded to XP using an older system: If you experience lag in the game, or you have less than 256MB, I suggest downgradeing to Windows 98, 98 has great drivers, and doesn't consume RAM. In the case of 98, with a 256MB stick, about 230MB is donated to SC4, so downgrade maybe your answer to lag problems!

.......Hope these Help! More great tips soon to come!

[tchaos713 5]

5. Organization of your plug-ins folder is also important, if you have files with more than one name, with a (2) or (3) after it, needs to be deleted or put into one central file. DO NOT delete important files, you wouldn't want to delete a prop or readme file!quote>

Actually, you do want to delete all non-essential files from your plugins folder.  That includes readmes.  There is debate about whether or not SC4 loads the readmes into memory, but better safe than sorry.  Also, some users (myself included) have reported speed gains by marking all files in their plugins folder as "read-only."

6. This could be the most important of all the tips, it gives the most resources to the game. Close background programs, especially anti-virus programs, these programs can cause SSSLLLOOOWW gameplay, and can cause crashing. All non-essential programs need to be closed, this way your machine can give the most to your game.quote>

If you disable your antivirus, make sure you also disconnect from the internet.

8. For XP users who upgraded to XP using an older system: If you experience lag in the game, or you have less than 256MB, I suggest downgradeing to Windows 98, 98 has great drivers, and doesn't consume RAM. In the case of 98, with a 256MB stick, about 230MB is donated to SC4, so downgrade maybe your answer to lag problems!quote>

While I agree that Windows 98 is a very good operating system, I have to point out that Microsoft discontinued support on July 11.  Windows 2000 is a good alternative that continues to be supported by new windows updates.

Overall, these are good tips.  Thanks.

[Frankie_Grove 32]

I just move readmes and other's like pics that go with readmes out of the plug-ins folder, to a seperate file outside, that way they are always there if i need them And even if Microsoft discontiued support for 98, 2000 has bad drivers, XP was biult to help compensate for that lack of quality in an OS. 2000 wasn't the best, it consumes more RAM than 98, even if only by a pinch And most Anti-Virus software can restart after restarting your computer.

[Michael1980 0]

That is pretty bad if SC4 loads all the Jpegs and readme's into RAM. Will check it today.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

SC4 looks at all files in the plugin folders (yes there are two of them, but you should keep away from the one in Program Files), assesses it, and only loads the whole file if it is an SC4 Database file with the characters DBPF in the first four bytes.  This means reading the first sector of each file into a buffer (the same one each time).  The more files that have to be seen, the more time things take, along with the load time for the data files.

I organize my plugins so that only data files are present.  Readme's and such generally wind up in My Downloads/Simtropolis completely away from the game.

[MiniMark 7]

Now correct me if im wrong, I don't think its possible to Downgrade XP. Still though I would rather have 98 Anyday...Now that was a Operating System

[prince_of_sims 0]

It's not possible to downgrade XP. It's not possible to downgrade ANY of the Microsoft operating systems. You have to either fully remove the newer operating system, or install the older one on the same partition as the new one, which causes the new one to get deleted. In any case, you will loose all settings and files, no matter how you downgrade.

[coolotter88 2]

you have to turn off explorer.exe to save more ram! explorer takes up alot of ram compared to the lighter more efficient shells that one can download off the internet. go do it now and replace explorer!