How do I get Sim City 4 Deluxe to work on Windows 7 Laptop? 32bit

[andyp02uk 0]

Hi,

I need some help I have downloaded Sim City 4 deluxe from game.co.uk (obviously legally) but after I have installed it I double click to open it and all that happens is a black screen flashes on and off like its struggling to load it then it goes off. I have tried everything suggested on websites such as going into properties and disabling different things. I thought perhaps my laptop might be 64 bit which seems to stop the game from working but my system says its 32bit.

My laptop is:

Processor: Intel Celeron C900

Windows 7 Home Premium

Memory: 2048mb DDR2 RAM

Hard Drive: 160GB

Graphics Card: SiS Mirage 3 Graphic

Any help would be appreciated, thanks

[jason leo 485]

Have you try to add the command lines to the shortcut of the game ?

Nonny Moose already explain about the command lines in this (post #7)

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Should work fine on that machine but check the external control panel in the operating system for your graphics card and make sure all the 3D stuff is set to "application selected" or equivalent wording.

[lhrob 213]

EDIT: Never mind my first response. I didn't see the part where you said your system is 32-bit. The thing is, I have a Win7 64-bit system and had the same issue you do. Even though you say your system in 32-bit, go ahead and set the game to run in Windows XP (Service Pack 2) compatibility mode. That might help.

[Za 164]

Make sure the files are going to the Program Files folder - the one without the (x86) suffix. I seem to remember hearing that has an effect.

Been running it on a Win 7, 64-bit with little problem and that was all I remember doing.

[andyp02uk 0]

Tried all these things and its still flashing with a black screen then goes back to desktop

only thing i didnt do was this as im not sure how to:

Should work fine on that machine but check the external control panel in the operating system for your graphics card and make sure all the 3D stuff is set to "application selected" or equivalent wording.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

It is a little late to ask, but what version number does your game show. To find out, look in Exception Reports find the newest .txt file and look at the header. Somewhere there is a line that specifies the version of your game. If it is less than 638 you have missing patches.

Here is one of mine. The highlighted line is the one to consider:

Exception time: 10/17/2012, at 14:31:21.

Exception code: 0xC0000005 (-1073741819) ACCESS_VIOLATION.

Current thread ID: 40 (0x00000028).

Version information:

Application/module path: C:\Program Files\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe

Application/module version name: SimCity 4

Application/module version: 1.1.641.0

System version: Windows NT 5.1

System memory: 2048 Megabytes total, 832 Megabytes free.

[andyp02uk 0]

Exception time: 12/22/2012, at 15:12:46.

Exception code: 0xC0000005 (-1073741819) ACCESS_VIOLATION.

Current thread ID: 3072 (0x00000c00).

Version information:

Application/module path: C:\Program Files\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe

Application/module version name: SimCity 4

Application/module version: 1.1.641.0

System version: Windows 4.0

System memory: 256 Megabytes total, 224 Megabytes free.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Well, you have the digital download version. Is it from Steam or Origin or another vendor? Where did you get a version of windows that calls itself Windows 4.0? All the dumps I've seen so far have been saying Windows NT x.x.

Are you on Windows 8 notwithstanding you said Windows 7. This implies a different kernel.

And what is a modern machine doing with only 256MB? Rather small.

And here is a Windows 7 crash report (just created)

Exception time: 12/24/2012, at 12:07:03.

Exception code: 0x80000101 (-2147483391) .

Current thread ID: 35 (0x00000023).

Version information:

Application/module path: C:\Program Files\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe

Application/module version name: SimCity 4

Application/module version: 1.1.641.0

System version: Windows NT 6.1

System memory: 2048 Megabytes total, 2048 Megabytes free.

  Edited December 24, 2012 by A Nonny Moose