Fixed ALL issues with Windows 7/Intel Graphics Compatibility!

[bluemonkey 10]

Okay, after much trial and error, and days of searching and putting together bits and pieces of every string I found, here it is:

 

C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe /c START "high priority sc4" /high  "C:\Program Files (x86)\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -w  -intro:off -d:Software -CPUcount:1

 

Part 1: The first part (C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe /c START "high priority sc4" /high  "C:\Program Files (x86)\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe") has been floating around the internet for years. I would give credit since its the biggest part, but I have no idea who said it first. Unfortunately, while this string worked great a few years ago, when Intel Core Duos and AMD Athlon IIs were the norm along with Nvidia Geforce cards, its out of date.

 

Why? Because Simcity 4 just doesn't play nice with Intel HD Graphics, which have only gotten near gaming grade in the past few years. Every other guide I've seen tells you how to force SC4 to use your discrete graphics card and avoid the Intel graphics, which it uses by default. However, many people, including me, don't have a discrete card and won't need one for the forseeable future.

 

Part 2: -w is for UAC and notification compatibility. You see, Simcity 4 on "stock" full screen doesn't minimize properly, so when a little bubble pops up in the taskbar saying "updates are available" or "installing new drivers" or "free iPads click here NOW!!!" or whatever, the game is "minimized". But since the game doesn't know how to handle minimizing and maximizing, what has actually just happened is a crash to desktop (CTD). Sure the game is still running, but good luck bringing it back onto the screen. This fixes it by having an "artificial" window. The game is still full screen, but Windows wraps an invisible window around it, so Simcity 4 doesn't have to handle minimizing itself. Warning: DO NOT enable custom resolution! This causes the game to go into a *actual* Window that takes up the full screen, but leaves a Windows frame and the taskbar visible. Panning with the mouse won't work and you can accidentaly resize the Window which MAY crash the game. You might not mind, but I found it an unpleasant experience, and if you do too then 1600x1200 is your maximum resolution if you want full screen. The only way to disable this if you do it is to delete and reset the entire shortcut string.

 

Part 3: -intro:off does exactly what it sounds like it does. When you start the game, all you'll see is a black screen then a Simcity 4 logo before it loads. I know you can skip with the space bar, but why do it when you don't have to?

 

Part 4: -d:software is the part that makes Simcity 4 work with Intel integrated graphics, aka MOST modern computers. You see, Simcity 4 can only use Directx with a (very short) preset list of graphics cards, and while you can add more graphics cards (guide ), Intel integrated doesn't have the information needed to edit those files. Simcity 4 can still use your integrated memory so will still run fast, it just won't be stuck with 3D graphics glitches such as this. There are guides which say that this will cause pixellation issues on the closest zoom, but I don't see their point since this is also true of the stock DirectX mode. There have been many guides saying this issue is due to "memory corruption," and the only solution is reinstalling Simcity 4. They are wrong, and if you don't believe me, try this string.

 

Part 5: -CPUcount:1 limits the game to one processor core. The game doesn't play nice with multiple cores. It USED to work pretty good with early generation Intel Core Duos and AMD Athlon IIs that had no integrated graphics or hyperthreading. However, modern processors with multiple threads per core, or 4+ cores, or integrated graphics will crash the game the moment it moves beyond a single core. However, if you have a slower processor (less than 2.0Ghz with less than 2MB cache), the game might be so slow on one thread that you should just tolerate the CTDs and use an Autosaver.

 

This has been tested in Windows 7, 8, 8.1, and WINE on Ubuntu, Puppy, openSUSE, and Mint Linux. If you use Windows XP, you should check if your processor has integrated graphics or multiple cores, because if it does you'll still need the -d:software and -CPUcount:1.

 

And if you can, install Network Addon Mod. If you don't want it don't use it, but it enables SC4 to use 3-4GB of RAM, which makes it insanely smooth even on maximum graphics settings, so you should at least install it.

[bluemonkey 10]

Don't even try Windows XP compatibility mode. Sure it will put SC4 into 32 bit, but you'll still have incompatible graphics.

[Compdude787 916]

The part about running in software mode is something that was widely known already, but it doesn't allow you to use any HD custom content. That's the stuff that doesn't appear pixelated at zoom 6 (the highest zoom). So changing to software rendering will cause a CTD if you have any HD props and/or textures. On Windows 7, I was actually able to get my game's graphics to work properly in hardware mode on an Intel HD Graphics 4000 onboard graphics chip. I just went on Intel's website and downloaded the driver version that was released prior to mid-2013, so it was before Windows 8.1 was released. Intel did something with their drivers to make it compatible with 8.1, but made it incompatible with older games (not just SC4).

Also, I don't understand why you don't think it's a good idea to set a custom resolution. This is necessary if you have a widescreen display like pretty much everyone has these days. Otherwise the game doesn't fill the entire screen.

[zimmie 521]

I Haven't found the driver that will work for me yet (intel hd 4600 / win 7 64bit) but It does run without the graphic glitches in hardware mode for me if I switch to OpenGL . It looks and runs great but then I lose the ability to scroll around the screen. I can only move to a point using the mini map window. And there could be other issues that I haven't encountered yet because I haven't tried it for long.

 

Here's the argument to add to the target field of the shortcut for anyone interested....   -d:OpenGL

 

 

 

EDIT***  ok, it scrolls, just have press and hold the right mouse button.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Don't even try Windows XP compatibility mode. Sure it will put SC4 into 32 bit, but you'll still have incompatible graphics.

Sc4 is a 32-bit program.  So what are you talking about?

 

FYI, I have SC4 set up in both a 32- and a 64-bit wine prefix and both run the same.

[rsc204 21,866]

On Windows 7, I was actually able to get my game's graphics to work properly in hardware mode on an Intel HD Graphics 4000 onboard graphics chip. I just went on Intel's website and downloaded the driver version that was released prior to mid-2013, so it was before Windows 8.1 was released. Intel did something with their drivers to make it compatible with 8.1, but made it incompatible with older games (not just SC4).

 

I for one (and I'm sure others) would be very interested to know what driver revision you have that works correctly? Also, how on earth did you find it, I can't see any legacy drivers on Intel's website for this.

[Compdude787 916]

 

On Windows 7, I was actually able to get my game's graphics to work properly in hardware mode on an Intel HD Graphics 4000 onboard graphics chip. I just went on Intel's website and downloaded the driver version that was released prior to mid-2013, so it was before Windows 8.1 was released. Intel did something with their drivers to make it compatible with 8.1, but made it incompatible with older games (not just SC4).

 

I for one (and I'm sure others) would be very interested to know what driver revision you have that works correctly? Also, how on earth did you find it, I can't see any legacy drivers on Intel's website for this.

 

The driver version I have for the Intel HD Graphics 4000 is v8.15.10.2712, released March 27, 2012. I could probably use a newer one, but I figured that this version would be most optimized for Windows 7 and only Windows 7. (I'm sure you could use a newer one; after all, Windows 8, but not 8.1 ran the game w/o graphics issues) Intel used to have these older drivers on their website (the one I have is from August March 2012), but I just went on their website and they seemed to have removed them, which is pretty unfortunate.

 

However, they do have a specific driver for Linux, so I know that that is at least available if I ever decide to upgrade to Windows 10, which, in that case, I might end up doing a dual boot to Ubuntu or something.

[bluemonkey 10]

 

Don't even try Windows XP compatibility mode. Sure it will put SC4 into 32 bit, but you'll still have incompatible graphics.

Sc4 is a 32-bit program. So what are you talking about?

FYI, I have SC4 set up in both a 32- and a 64-bit wine prefix and both run the same.

 

I am well aware that Simcity 4 "IS a 32 bit program." What I am saying is that while 32 bit Windows will be emulated, a 32 bit graphics driver won't, and SC4 doesn't like that.

 

 

 

 

On Windows 7, I was actually able to get my game's graphics to work properly in hardware mode on an Intel HD Graphics 4000 onboard graphics chip. I just went on Intel's website and downloaded the driver version that was released prior to mid-2013, so it was before Windows 8.1 was released. Intel did something with their drivers to make it compatible with 8.1, but made it incompatible with older games (not just SC4).

I for one (and I'm sure others) would be very interested to know what driver revision you have that works correctly? Also, how on earth did you find it, I can't see any legacy drivers on Intel's website for this.

 

The driver version I have for the Intel HD Graphics 4000 is v8.15.10.2712, released March 27, 2012. I could probably use a newer one, but I figured that this version would be most optimized for Windows 7 and only Windows 7. (I'm sure you could use a newer one; after all, Windows 8, but not 8.1 ran the game w/o graphics issues) Intel used to have these older drivers on their website (the one I have is from August March 2012), but I just went on their website and they seemed to have removed them, which is pretty unfortunate.

However, they do have a specific driver for Linux, so I know that that is at least available if I ever decide to upgrade to Windows 10, which, in that case, I might end up doing a dual boot to Ubuntu or something.

 

Good for you, but as he said, they aren't available on the website, and those who upgraded won't have the luxury of rolling back. These instructions are for the vast majority who hit the update button 2 YEARS ago.

 

 

The part about running in software mode is something that was widely known already, but it doesn't allow you to use any HD custom content. That's the stuff that doesn't appear pixelated at zoom 6 (the highest zoom). So changing to software rendering will cause a CTD if you have any HD props and/or textures. On Windows 7, I was actually able to get my game's graphics to work properly in hardware mode on an Intel HD Graphics 4000 onboard graphics chip. I just went on Intel's website and downloaded the driver version that was released prior to mid-2013, so it was before Windows 8.1 was released. Intel did something with their drivers to make it compatible with 8.1, but made it incompatible with older games (not just SC4).

Also, I don't understand why you don't think it's a good idea to set a custom resolution. This is necessary if you have a widescreen display like pretty much everyone has these days. Otherwise the game doesn't fill the entire screen.

 

Custom resolution by itself is obviously great, but it doesn't play nice with -w. As I said, -w is for UAC/notification compatibility, but the game is not *actually* in a window, its still full screen. Windows just thinks it is. Put the two together, however, and you get a*actual* window, taskbar (which can be autohidden but why bother), border and all. Scrolling off the edge of the screen doesn't work either. If this doesn't occur on your particular chipset or you can put up with it then great, but it was too much annoyance for me. And I am well aware of the HD props issue. This is not 2003 anymore, or for that matter 2009 (windows 7). Old drivers might be a workaround, but if you have a new computer with new drivers you can't roll back, you have to make sacrifices to play an 11 going on 12 year old game.

[mrojas6996 4]

On 21/10/2014 at 4:14 PM, Compdude787 said:

The part about running in software mode is something that was widely known already, but it doesn't allow you to use any HD custom content. That's the stuff that doesn't appear pixelated at zoom 6 (the highest zoom). So changing to software rendering will cause a CTD if you have any HD props and/or textures. On Windows 7, I was actually able to get my game's graphics to work properly in hardware mode on an Intel HD Graphics 4000 onboard graphics chip. I just went on Intel's website and downloaded the driver version that was released prior to mid-2013, so it was before Windows 8.1 was released. Intel did something with their drivers to make it compatible with 8.1, but made it incompatible with older games (not just SC4).

 

Also, I don't understand why you don't think it's a good idea to set a custom resolution. This is necessary if you have a widescreen display like pretty much everyone has these days. Otherwise the game doesn't fill the entire screen.

Dude, you're great! That fixed my problem on Windows 7!!

(I know, this post is old, but I wanna write something useful for anyone who needs for it)

If you (all the people that are having this problem) have a bit of time, download and install the Intel Driver Updater Utility and Display Driver Uninstaller.

That will be of much help in the future, I assure you , when you have installed the Intel D. U. U., select all the available drivers for your device, and install one of them, if you notice that your PC's (Or simcity, in this case) performance not convince you, run the Safe Mode, and with D.D.U., uninstall it and install another of the drivers thar you downloaded with Intel's DUU, and so... one of then have to work well on your PC and OS.

I discovered this due I buyed a generic on-boarded PC, with Intel HD Graphics, and Windows 7 x32 (I cannot use Windows 8.1 because run very bad my games, and Windows 10 eats my HDD), and the legacy driver from de CD-driver caused me that horrible glitches, and I don't wanted to run in Software Mode because... dude... it's slower (Being then, OpenGL my only Hardware acceleration, and runs well, but worst quality than Sw Mode). Now I'm able to run SC4 in DirectX Mode (Curiousely, Windows 10 runs the game pretty faster, with the same driver discard, I cannot understand why it can do that, but not take care of my HDD  ).

This is the DEFINITELY solution to this glitches (for me, at least).

Sorry for my bad english, I like these forums, and I love Simtropolis in general, it has so much content to enjoy and personalize my game so good!

Greetings! I hope that my comment helps to someone. Oh! Happy new year too!

[rsc204 21,866]

I'm glad to hear you've got things working, but I posted myself recently that Intel have recently updated thier drivers, for the first time I can run SC4 on my HD 4600 card, though having already bought an addon card I don't. But I did some testing and others seem to confirm my results:

Bear in mind, if you allow Intel to control updates for your Graphics, it's possible a futher update will bork things again. Playing legacy games is never straightforward, so it's a good idea to remember which driver works and keep a copy of it just in case you need to restore it one day.

[mrojas6996 4]

On 2/1/2017 at 6:14 AM, rsc204 said:

I'm glad to hear you've got things working, but I posted myself recently that Intel have recently updated thier drivers, for the first time I can run SC4 on my HD 4600 card, though having already bought an addon card I don't. But I did some testing and others seem to confirm my results:

Bear in mind, if you allow Intel to control updates for your Graphics, it's possible a futher update will bork things again. Playing legacy games is never straightforward, so it's a good idea to remember which driver works and keep a copy of it just in case you need to restore it one day.

Sorry I just came here by Google because I've never find solutions before, until now.

[rsc204 21,866]

27 minutes ago, mrojas6996 said:

Sorry I just came here by Google because I've never find solutions before, until now.

No apology required. I just linked to that thread to povide some more information/comments on the subject.

[CorinaMarie 29,894]

29 minutes ago, mrojas6996 said:

Sorry I just came here by Google because I've never find solutions before, until now.

I'm glad to see you stopped in here and took the time to write up your findings with the ideal of helping others. Don't worry about not being the first to discover this about the Intel Updated Drivers. Adding it to this thread might help other Googlers who arrive here and not in @rsc204's thread.