SC4 update keeps aborting

[rowanoak 0]

Recently I was having an issue with SC4 crashing as soon as I tried to open a new city in a new region created from an SC4M file. The problem was that any "snowcapped" plugin I used -- the only one I was using -- kept crashing the game as soon as I tried to start a new city. 

I thought maybe the problem lay somewhere else so I decided to reinstall the update over itself. However, the installation immediately aborted right after it started with only an "Install aborted" message -- no reason given. Shortly after that I noticed I couldn't boot up SC4 at all. Then I discovered that my aborted reinstall had deleted most of the files in my main SC4 folder (C:\Games\SimCity 4 Deluxe). 

Next, I decided to reinstall SC4. Since SC4 was now missing in the Control Panel's Add and Remove panel, I ended up using the uninstall program on the SC4 CD. This appeared to have removed all the remaining files because I checked both the main game folder and the Documents and Settings folder and all folders and files were gone. 

I reinstalled SC4. Next I booted the game and it seemed okay. Then I downloaded a new copy of the SC4 v1.1.638.0 update (SKU-1) but when I tried to update my new installation, the process aborted again - no reason given. I also did a virus scan and it was negative. 

Can anyone give me clue as to what may be happening here or how I can install my update? 

Thanks. 

Dave

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System info if anyone needs it: 

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XP Pro SP2 

SimCity Deluxe 

DirectX 9.0c (updated, July 2007 release) 

2GB RAM 

Intel Core 2 / 2.93GHz 

NVIDIA GeForce 7950 GX2 with SLI, 2048MB 

(2) 250GB Sata II HDDs / Raid 0 

Paging file 1790 MB 

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[ Edit ]  I think I finally got this message to format correctly.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Welcome to Simtropolis and our conversation.

The only thing I can think of is that you have the wrong version of the update which must match your game.  Check the first disk using windows explorer to find the SKU number.  For English speaking America it is 1.  Other areas have different SKU's and to get the correct update you go to the SC4 site and select help->update.

In any case, you will need to completely remove your game again.  Reinstall it, and see if that is the problem.

EDIT: P.S.  That kind of stream-of-consciousness post is very hard to read.  In future could you put a little whitespace in it here and there.  By whitespace we mean a couple of spaces after a period, and paragraph structure with blank lines between.  Thanks.

[rowanoak 0]

N_O_Body, 

My apologies for how my post looked. I initially wrote my post on another text program so I could run it through a spell check then pasted it into my post. It was originally formatted and looked the same in the message window. Somehow the formatting was deleted after I posted it. I have to admit even I can't hardly read it. Unfortunately I didn't see what happened until just now. Again my apologies.

Anyway . . . onto your reply. I checked and I am using the correct update. I received a reply from EA today (they replied promptly, which was a real surprise) detailing how to manually remove my CS4 installation including some registry entries. I followed their instructions, but had the same results. 

The problem, I discovered, was that I was trying to install the update from my D: drive where I store all my patches, installation programs, etc. Oddly the patch installed the first time from this drive before I had this problem. But I decided to eliminate all problems and copied the patch over to my C: root directory, booted it up, and it installed immediately. Go figure . . . 

Anyway, I appreciate your input. 

Dave 

[Edit]  I think the problem with my formatting is that I'm using Opera as my web browser.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Well, I am glad you have it solved.  Yes, SC4's stuff is rather simple minded.  Keeps wanting things on the C drive.

If you preformat a post, use the format window and say that the text is formatted.  That should fix your problem.

Thanks for the repair.  Looks much more intelligent now.

[rowanoak 0]

[Q If you preformat a post, use the format window and say that the text is formatted. That should fix your problem. [/O] 

Thank you! That's good to know. I'll do that. 

Dave

[Edit] Hmmm . . . the format toolbar does  not appear in Opera.  Guess when I post from now on, I'll use IE.