CTD Windows 8 tried everything

[Ernestmaxis 209]

Hello Community

 

I have Windows 8 and installed Simcity 4 but it is inpossible to play the game.

Minimal time before crashing to desktop is every half hour of something and hour.
 

I installed Simcity 4 on C-direction:
So my install path for this game

C:\Program Files\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe

I have updated Simcity 4 with the latest patch

I have changed bot sgr with notepad
Video Cards.sgr
Graphics Rules.sgr

Both document are customiced correctly no doubt about that!
With msconfig I start Windows and play Simcity 4 only with one CPU.

 

I have customed the Simcity4 Icon. So when I start Simcity 4 I use the this command line
"C:\Program Files\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -CustomResolution:enabled -r1680x1050x32 -f CPUCount:1

I have installed the 4gb patch from this site..
http://www.ntcore.com/4gb_patch.php

I even tried to play with game with no plugins but that wasn't really the issue.

Systems specs:
Intel® Core I5-3330 CPU @ 3.00 GHz
RAM 8 GB
64 -processor

Video card
AMD Radeon HD 7800 series

But the the game still keeps crashing.
What are my options?

[CaptCity 4,666]

Hello Community

 

I have Windows 8 and installed Simcity 4 but it is inpossible to play the game.

Minimal time before crashing to desktop is every half hour of something and hour.

 

...

 

I have customed the Simcity4 Icon. So when I start Simcity 4 I use the this command line

"C:\Program Files\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -CustomResolution:enabled -r1680x1050x32 -f CPUCount:1

 

 

Don't know if it was a typo, but noticed you didn't have a hyphen (-) in front of CPUCount:1 in the command line. Also, have you tried a different compatibility option for running the game?

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Agree.  It could be just a syntax error in the command line.

 

Syntax of options <space><hyphen><option word>[<colon><value>] with one exception which is the display option -rhhhxvvvxdd where:

hhh is the horizontal pitch of your monitor

vvv is the vertical pitch

dd is either 16 or 32 to the number of bits in the colour.

x is a separator in this case and must be exactly letter x.

 

The -r option must be preceded by the -CustomContent:enabled phrase.

[Ernestmaxis 209]

I will try it tonight. I didnt see the details with the cpu1 commandline. Thanks for that!

[Ernestmaxis 209]

 

Hello Community

 

I have Windows 8 and installed Simcity 4 but it is inpossible to play the game.

Minimal time before crashing to desktop is every half hour of something and hour.

 

...

 

I have customed the Simcity4 Icon. So when I start Simcity 4 I use the this command line

"C:\Program Files\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -CustomResolution:enabled -r1680x1050x32 -f CPUCount:1

 

 

Don't know if it was a typo, but noticed you didn't have a hyphen (-) in front of CPUCount:1 in the command line. Also, have you tried a different compatibility option for running the game?

 

I have tried many command lines not all are functional or really having effect from crashing to desktop.

But I didn't changed the resolution of Simcity4 so I play widescreen but I can't prefent it from crashing.

These are all the shortcuts command lines i know about.

http://www.citybuildergames.com/index.php?topic=2639.0

But with msconfig I allready start my Windows 8 with only one CPU. I can't understand was the game will be unbalanced.

So any other options of just save the game every 5 minutes and restart the game?

Greeting Ernest

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Crash prevention is in two parts:

 

1. Use the -CPUCount:1 option on the target command line;
    
2. Do an internal save (CTRL+s) every 10 to 15 minutes to reset the garbage collection.
    

 

As a matter of interest, you might find this a better list of options.

[Ernestmaxis 209]

Crash prevention is in two parts:

 

• Use the -CPUCount:1 option on the target command line;

   

• Do an internal save (CTRL+s) every 10 to 15 minutes to reset the garbage collection.

   

 

As a matter of interest, you might find this a better list of options.

Nonny Moose I really apperciate your help both I allready have tried the-cpucount:1 shortcut line.

I feel like wining but I do save the game every 5 minutes.

I see many many topics with crashes to desktop but i have tried them all.

Is the steam version as unbalanced as the normale version?

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

No.  The Steam version, despite it's private structure, is the same program. (1,1,641).

 

The best solution until Windows 10 (which may be a new box of bugs) is to upgrade to Windows 7.

 

We are dealing with a legacy program of vintage 2003.  This requires Tender Loving Care and more computer knowledge than the average modern user.  O/S makers, particularly the ones that charge license fees, really don't give a damn about supporting older stuff.

 

One thing about using Linux is that there are enough geeks around to make running just about anything legitimate possible.

[Ernestmaxis 209]

The only problem is I cant update windows 8 to Windows 7. So i have reinstall everything to get it working (wich is not guaranteed)

[T Wrecks 10,209]

Have you tried software rendering? Have you tried running the game with unedited SGR files? What about standard resolutions like 1024x768 or 1280x1024?

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

And one more suggestion is to hide the SGR files completely (change the file extension) and let the game run cold turkey.

[Ernestmaxis 209]

I have tried to play with unedited SRG files the default settings giving my glitches ingame didn't work for me.

Played the game with normal default settings.

I have tried to start the game with software rendering (the option ingame region before opening map) and crashed to desktop immediately while loading.

I have tried many different shortcut lines it didn't had much effect ingame. I didn't try this shortcutcommandline underneed cause I don't know what it means.

Code: (Rendering Mode)

-d:DirectX/Software/OpenGL

Change the rendering mode of the game, either using DirectX or OpenGL libraries or software rendering

I backup my mods and lots outside the pluginbox and checked every plugin to see if there was a conflict between every mod of file (this cost me 2 days)

First I always started Windows 8 with only 1 CPU.

I opent ms config and restart my pc with only 1 CPU cause I have Quatro core.

I start the Simcity4 and analyse with Task manager how much procent (%) usage is taking for only 1 CPU.

Task manager say it cost my almost 95% or 99% usage for the Simcity4 proces but ingame i didn't see much problem?!

With ms config I undo the 1CPU start of Windows 8 so it would start with all 4 CPU's.

I start the game and open Task manager and search for Simcity4.exe and change the affinity to 1CPU and priority high. After changing theae settinga Cpu usage was 27% ?

With these settings I can play the game 30 minutes before it crashing to desktop. Im not satisfied but it is much better then every 5 minutes before CTD so maybe I need to accept it?

For all the helpers who replied thanks a lot for your attentions and your advice

[MandelSoft 2,769]

Question: do you use a HD terrain mod? If you do, it will crash immediately in software rendering mode, since software mode is unable to handle textures greater than 256x256 pixels. If you do, remove that and try again playing the game in software rendering mode.

[Ernestmaxis 209]

I will try that tommorrow.

I use runamuck terrain mod It is a HD terrain mod.

I always thought I couldnt play software rendering either when I have plugins (bats and lots) with Hd texture included.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Stop fooling around with MS config which is too much work.  just use the command option in the target box of your shortcut, namely:

 

-CPUCount:1

 

This marks the program to be only dispatched to one core at a time and no multitasking.  While the game has some limited multitaksing ability it will usually CTD within 5 minutes if not restricted to a single thread.  On really fast machines, program garbage accumulates to cause CTDs, but if you do an internal save (CTRL+s) the garbage is collected and the time to crash is reset.  A save about every 15 minutes can keep the game going for hours.

 

Here is the writeup on command options for the shortcut.