Guide: Running SimCity 4 on Windows 8

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Unfortunately Windows 8 has locked down such permissions.  As kergelen found, you need to pay more for the Professional version of Windows to unlock all internal permissions.  It's only going to get worse from Windows 10 on; Microsoft is shifting its core customer focus group to the casual user.  Power-user and server versions of Windows are now getting more expensive.

The only upside of this is that it makes the OS much safer; even the most blundering fool will be able to use a $2,000 computer and not damage it or get viruses.  Quite sad, IMHO.

This really baffles me though, it's one thing to make it harder to do, quite another to block you from doing it.

That's like saying you have to upgrade your door locks to a more expensive version if you want to unlock the doors as well as lock them because you can't be trusted to unlock your doors unless you pay more??? 

Hopefully in Europe this will be swiftly dealt with, the EU commission is already on the case here, arguing for consumers rights for an open computing platform for all.

There is only one open computing platform for all.  And for casual users (individuals) it is free.  It is called Linux, and comes in various decors.  The one I like and use is Ubuntu (http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop).  You can use it like Windoze for social networks and browsing, add the Windows Executive (wine) to run windows executables, and mono to run .NET programs.  For the casual user this may seem a bit geekish, but there is a Linux Corner thread (https://community.simtropolis.com/forums/topic/49342-linux-corner/?page=8#comment-1506529) to provide assistance.  However, this O/S is supported fully by the user community and the distributors (usually).

[kergelen 774]

Looks like it is a matter of file system permissions.  You'll have to delve into the system and find the file(s) where the profiles are kept.  Give write permissions to these files for your administration account and/or for your user account.  If you issue a write command without permission and don't get an error comment back, that's a rather dog in the manger attitude.

With my Linux system, I have a tool that tells me what files are involved in what application.  I don't know whether Windows has anything that matches the Synaptic maintenance tool for Linux.

SYNAPTIC(8)                        System Manager's Manual                       SYNAPTIC(8)

NAME
       synaptic - graphical management of software packages

SYNOPSIS
       synaptic [options]

DESCRIPTION
       Synaptic is a frontend for the apt package management system.  It allows you to perform
       all actions of the command  line  tool  apt-get  in  a  graphical  environment.  This
       includes  installing, upgrading, downgrading  and removing of single packages or even
       upgrading your whole system.

 

 

Unfortunately Windows 8 has locked down such permissions.  As kergelen found, you need to pay more for the Professional version of Windows to unlock all internal permissions.  It's only going to get worse from Windows 10 on; Microsoft is shifting its core customer focus group to the casual user.  Power-user and server versions of Windows are now getting more expensive.

The only upside of this is that it makes the OS much safer; even the most blundering fool will be able to use a $2,000 computer and not damage it or get viruses.  Quite sad, IMHO.

 

Hi there,

I've installed SC4 in a laptop and i'm having graphic glitches problems. 

My computer specs:

Windows 8.1 Home 64 bits

Intel Core I7-5500U  2.40 GHz

Integrated Intel HD Graphics 5500

Nvidia GeForce 840M

 

Last days I've followed the tutorial by Indiana Joe and all the instructions that I found here and in SC4devotion, like this topic. I also changed videocard.sgr, Graphicrules.sgr, try to force my computer to use Nvidia Geforce, and I install SC4Launcher by Logic_Bomb, but I still can solve the graphics problems. The xxxx_config_log shows that SC4 use the Intel HD Graphics 5500.  I try to force the game to use Nvidia card but don't success on it. I follow the tutorial about disable Windows User Account Control, but I can't modify the "Local Security Policy". 

I search information about the "Local Security Police" and I found that I can't modify it with Windows 8.1 Home. Only Windows 8.1 Pro or Enterprisse can modify it.

Any suggestions on how to force SC4 to use the Nvidia card? Is there anyone in the same situation? Any help will be aprecciate;

The only solution to your problem is to manually disable User Account Control by editing the Registry.  This unfortunately breaks your version of Windows in a few ways.  You won't be able to use Windows Apps, and it turns off all the Windows security features.  If you are smart about your computer/browsing habits, though, I think these features are just unnecessary and annoying anyway.  Just use a third-party anti-virus.

Anyway, here's the steps:

1. Open the Run command box by pressing Windows Key and R
2. Type regedit and hit OK
3. In the Registry editor, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
4. Find the value EnableLUA
5. Double-click on it, and change the value from 1 to 0
6. Exit the Registry editor.  Your computer will probably prompt you to restart to disable User Account Control.  Restart and then you should be able to use "Run with NVidia Processor" on SimCity 4.

The good news is that while this breaks some things in Windows, it is entirely reversible by simply setting EnableLUA back to 1, which re-activates UAC.

 

Thanks for your answers folks.

I've follow your instructions, Indiana Joe, and now I can run SC4 with Nvidia Processor. However,  I still have some graphic glitches, less than with the Intel card but glitches still appear. The config-log shows that sc4 is still using Intel Card. I've also tried to change manually the graphic card with the Nvidia Control Panel, and set diferent graphic options, but no way I can save the .exe profile, although I have EnableLUA disabled, set to 0.

Well, I'll try once again. If that don't solve the problem, I'll install the game again, just in case something is wrong in my current installation.

I have SC4 + RushHour expansion. I use Virtual Clone Drive to run it without the CD. Could it be the cause of the graphical glitches?

 

[rsc204 21,867]

Running from an ISO shouldn't affect it, if SC4 is still not correctly utilising the NVidia card almost certainly that's your problem there. Intel's drivers really don't play nicely with SC4 and a few older games, a shame really, otherwise it's quite a decent set of chips in the modern processors.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

The best solution for this problem without a lot of messing with the O/S is to run software rendering.  However, this is a no-no if you are using any HD textures.  Another possibility is to try OpenGL (-d:opengl) but this may also cause a problem with HD textures.

HD textures, IMHO, for a game like this from 2003 are an ego trip by the creators simply because they could do it.  Most users can get along without them.  I admit to using a few because I want the features being used.  Ny system accepts them, sometimes with strange results.  They work fine in directx.

[Indiana Joe 1,752]

Last thing I can think of is to make sure that you turn off any power-saving modes for your laptop (make sure it is in "high performance mode").

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Last thing I can think of is to make sure that you turn off any power-saving modes for your laptop (make sure it is in "high performance mode").

An Interesting point.  Laptops are meant to simply suspend when closed up these days.  It must be really tricky to get a cold boot.

[kergelen 774]

Hi again, 

Finally, after I've unsuccesfully tried several possible workarounds to run the game with Nvidia, I update to Windows 10.

The graphic glitches has disappeared so I can play again SC4. The Nvidia 840M is still not used, but it seems the game run well with the Intel 5500 HD and Win10.

I play in hardware mode with lots of HD content. Although the game doesn't run very fast, at least it runs not slower than in my old desktop computer.

Now let's see if I can use DAMN Manager, Lot Editor, Reader, and all the other tools.

 

Thanks for your help rsc, Indiana Joe and Nonny Moose

 

PD: I think it is the same situation that JIYIN reported on this post

  Edited November 4, 2015 by kergelen  

[CorinaMarie 29,899]

As part of our ongoing reorganization, this topic has been unpinned. You can still post in it and the master list is the Crashes and Problems - Look Here First thread.

-Cori