Troubleshooting: SimCity 4 on Windows 8

[Ionic-Elm 13]

I've seen a lot of people post they cannot run SimCity 4 on Windows 8, so I figured I'd post some troubleshooting steps. Note that some of these steps may help in other versions of Windows.

1. New drivers

In Windows 8, Microsoft tries to give you the latest drivers, however, this may not work 100% of the time. I'd reccomend going to your graphic card provider's site and seeing if they have a native Windows 8 driver available. Here are the sites to the major graphics card producers and their driver section:

Intel (Intel GMA): http://downloadcenter.intel.com/default.aspx?lang=eng

nVIDIA (GeForce): http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us

AMD/ATI (Radeon, Radeon HD): http://support.amd.com/us/Pages/AMDSupportHub.aspx

You can check what card you have by going to the classic desktop, right clicking Computer, then Properties, and then go to Device Manager. It should be under Display adapters.

2. CPUCount trick

It is possible you are trying to run SimCity 4 on multiple processors. Since SimCity 4 was developed when multi-core processors were rare, it runs best on a single core. To fix this, right click your SimCity 4 shortcut on the desktop and click Properties. Under "Target", write "-CPUCount:1" without the quotes after the quoted path of the game. Example, here is how I have my shortcut configured:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -w -r800x600x32 -intro:off -music:off -audio:off -CPUCount:1

3. Make sure your SimCity 4 copy is updated to support modifications.

This should be simple enough, there are many posts on how to update your SimCity 4 installation to support modifications. The Steam/Amazon Digital/other digital game shop copies are pre-updated however, so no updates needed if you have that.

If you have any more tips, please tell me so I can add them to the post! Thank you.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Does anyone know whether the Windows 8 kernel is much different from the Windows 7 one? If it is not much different, then the solutions for Windows 7 should apply.

If anyone has an SC4 exception report from a Windows 8 run, please post the first 20 lines so we can see what the real version of W8 is with respect to the kernel.

[Ionic-Elm 13]

Does anyone know whether the Windows 8 kernel is much different from the Windows 7 one? If it is not much different, then the solutions for Windows 7 should apply.

If anyone has an SC4 exception report from a Windows 8 run, please post the first 20 lines so we can see what the real version of W8 is with respect to the kernel.

I assume it's the same as 7. Command Prompt shows it's version 6.2.9200, but yeah someone post the debug log the first you get an exception report.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Sounds like the same meat with different gravy. I guess they are still using NTFS? It isn't any more broken than most file systems.

[charlie121 0]

Hello, thanks for this guide, but I cannot find the "target" area when I click properties on the icon. I have tried the icon in my app folder, and also a copy of the icon on my desktop. Where is this target field?

By the way, I am using Windows 8.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Well, if they are still using shortcuts that have existed since Windows 95, you find your target (command) line by right clicking the shortcut and selecting properties. There is a text box in the properties page that has the program's complete pathname enclosed in quotes (because it has spaces in it). This is the target/command line. If you need to add options, you put them after the final quote preceded by one space for each one. For example:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Maxis\SimCity 4\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -CPUcount:1

[charlie121 0]

Well, if they are still using shortcuts that have existed since Windows 95, you find your target (command) line by right clicking the shortcut and selecting properties. There is a text box in the properties page that has the program's complete pathname enclosed in quotes (because it has spaces in it). This is the target/command line. If you need to add options, you put them after the final quote preceded by one space for each one. For example:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Maxis\SimCity 4\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -CPUcount:1

Thanks for the reply. I understand completely how to get to properties. I have uploaded images to show you every option I see in my properties menu for the simcity shortcut. None of the paths are in a textbox that I can edit or add to. Click here for the album of images.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Your game is from Origin, which has a very strange structure. Do you even have a desktop link that loads the game or do you have to log into Origin first?

I seem to remember something about command line options having a separate being in the Origin set up. Anyone care to help this member?

I have no feel for the set up that Origin uses, so I am sorry I can't help you without being on your site.

[dancanman 8]

Well, if they are still using shortcuts that have existed since Windows 95, you find your target (command) line by right clicking the shortcut and selecting properties. There is a text box in the properties page that has the program's complete pathname enclosed in quotes (because it has spaces in it). This is the target/command line. If you need to add options, you put them after the final quote preceded by one space for each one. For example:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Maxis\SimCity 4\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -CPUcount:1

Thanks for the reply. I understand completely how to get to properties. I have uploaded images to show you every option I see in my properties menu for the simcity shortcut. None of the paths are in a textbox that I can edit or add to. Click here for the album of images.

That's the application itself, you need to make a shortcut to it in order to apply the cpucount trick. right click on the .exe, mouse over "send to" and then click "desktop". Right click on the shortcut that appears, click properties, and you should be good to go. It's not an origin thing, it's a Windows thing.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

On the General tab of properties, what do you get when you click the Advanced button on the lower right?

[h.amaris593 0]

Can anyone help me with this? I have a MSI GT60 with a Nvidia GTX 770M running windows 8.1, but Sim City only recognizes the intel card. I have modified the the graphic.s.. and the videocard file but it's not working, the game is totally laggy.

 

In Video Cards:

 

PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_11E0&SUBSYS_10E81462&REV_A1 -----> Is 11E0 my ID. hardware?-----> Is this right? -card 0x11E0 "NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770M"-

 

In Graphic Rules:

 

stringMatch cardIdentity "NVIDIA*GeForce GTX 770M*"

 

I wrote them like this in their respective file, any mistake?

Thank You.

 

 

 

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

You may have to disable the Intel graphics chip altogether.  Check your configuration during the POSTs, and you may be able to shut it off.