In Need of Assistance with a Crashing Issue

[MsProll21 0]

Greetings

I'm wondering if someone can help me. Until recently my game crashes to the desktop. Sometimes it will just close to the taskbar and I'll just reopen it. Other times, it'll close completely and I'll have to restart the program. Today it crashed completely twice within a ten minute period. I'm running the SC4 Deluxe Edition.

I have all the usual mods---NAM, SAM, some industrial mods from BSC, the Coastal Development Kit from PLEX, Super Demand Mod (which I'm not using right now) and a few others.

My laptop system specs are: Acer Aspire 5050 running Vista Home Premium, AMD Turion 64 2.2Ghz CPU, 2GB of RAM, ATI 1100xpress graphics, shared 256mb of memory, 8GB of free space left on the hard drive (I will be upgrading it in about 2 weeks)

The most recent program I installed was the System Mechanic software (which is a registry cleaner)

I'm currently using AVG for the AV. At first I thought the AV might be causing this, as this happened on the desktop whenever I ran The Sims 2, so I would disable it whenever I played, but this isn't the case with SC4.

I know there is an issue when laptops overheat, however that isn't the case with mine. I have ran temp test as well as use a cooling dock. Plus this doesn't happen with any other programs I use on this system.

Sorry for the extent of this message but I wanted to provide as much info as possible in help with determining a solution.

Thanks in advance 

[MsProll21 0]

Well after further investigating, I linked the crashing to the 90 degree GLR piece that's part of the NAM.

I removed my Plugins folder and placed that on the desktop. I kept the NAM in just to see if in fact it was the GLR piece. I ran the game, it ran for a good while, I made some changes in the city, etc. Then I attempt to place the 90 degree angle piece I needed to complete my GLR network and BOOM----it crashed.

I haven't yet placed all my plugins back into the prespective SC4 folders, but I'm 110% sure it was that piece. Too bad though, it would really make my Network complete but I'll have to figure out something else.

If anyone else had this happen or can offer a better suggestion, please, respond. Thanks

[SC4BOY 21]

I believe that is a known issue I recall seeing on SC4D.. Sorry I don't have a link

[MsProll21 0]

I've been trying to find some solutions on the forums, but most relates to overheating which isn't the case for me.

I really, really think it's that GLR piece. I placed my plugin folder back and the game ran for a good 10-15 minutes then I saved, made some mayoral fixes, etc everything was normal, THEN I tried placing that piece....and it crashed within seconds.

It's definitely conflicting with some other mod I have only I don't know which one and I really don't want to spend the time trying to find out. I'll just stick to underground and elevated rail from now on.

If someone can lend some help to this or another possible solution, it's much appreciated.

[WJ_Webhog 12]

What if you remove all custom content from your plugins folder but the NAM...

Does it still crashes when you place that piece? Does it crashes when placing that piece in a newly created city?

If it no longer crashes I would think it is conflicting with another plugin you usually use.

If it still crashes, then I would think the problem comes from the NAM. However I believe I have used this piece before without issues.

I recently had problems myself with puzzle pieces and transit enabled lots. Most of the time it will crash when I hover a puzzle piece over such transit enabled lots...

EDIT: by the way I think I read somewhere that the issue resides in the exe and this is well known and cannot be fix: if you hover a puzzle piece over a transit enabled lot it may often crash. The other way round is not true... This is why it is recommended to plop first all the puzzle piece and leave space for where you want to plop stations and add that at the end.

Regards, 

[MsProll21 0]

Originally posted by: WJ_Webhog

What if you remove all custom content from your plugins folder but the NAM...

Does it still crashes when you place that piece? Does it crashes when placing that piece in a newly created city?

If it no longer crashes I would think it is conflicting with another plugin you usually use.

If it still crashes, then I would think the problem comes from the NAM. However I believe I have used this piece before without issues.

I recently had problems myself with puzzle pieces and transit enabled lots. Most of the time it will crash when I hover a puzzle piece over such transit enabled lots...

Regards, quote>

After an even further investigation, I did just that WJ.....tried placing the piece in a new undeveloped city. No crashes. Before that, as I mentioned in my previous post, I ran the game with only the NAM in the plugin folder, no probs.

On more thought, when it did crashed, it happened as I hovered that piece over another transit network (as you stated what happened with you). In the other city I tried it in, I was able to place a long GLR network, well connected using various puzzle pieces (w/o hovering) and was successful!

I may just blow this city to smitherens and start over, laying the GLR network first this time

Thanks for the suggestions....Whew, I'm glad this is finally figured out.

[MsProll21 0]

Just an update in case anyone is wondering

I oblietated the city where I was having so much trouble with the GLR puzzle piece. I began reincorporting the land, laying my GLR network first in my planned R-C zones. No crashing, no problems.

I guess the city just needed an apocalypse

Thanks to everyone who've contributed to this thread. Much appreciated.