"Could not initialize the hardware driver. Using the software driver instead." Error when running SC4 on Ubuntu 15.10

[Oren 4]

I'm unable to run SC4 in hardware mode. When I launch SC4, I receive these error messages:

Hardware Error
Could not initialize DirectDraw.

SimCity4
Could not initialize the hardware driver. Using the software driver instead.

I'm using Ubuntu 15.10 together with Wine 1.9.1.

Installing DirectX 9, 10 and 11 libraries, didn't fix the problem.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Well, I went directly from 14.04 LTS to 16.04 LTS.  Using wine-1.9.10 (Staging).  No problems.  You should upgrade wine at least.

My old machine couldn't run 15.10 because of graphics driver problems and the new machine came loaded with 16.04.  I do not have a love affair with Long Term Support releases but sometimes it is good to have them around.  I make disks for all of them.

[Oren 4]

I'm already using the latest version of wine. I don't think getting SC4 to work should be dependent on upgrading to Ubuntu 16.04 LTS. 

I tried removing the DirectX 9 and 10 libraries and installing all the other DirectX libraries listed. I tried using switching d:directX with d:Hardware. Didn't fix the problem. Should I try using DirectX 9 instead?

 

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Let me have a look at my set up ... I have only d3dx9 and d3dx11 loaded, and have not loaded 10 at all.  Probably use winetricks to take out 10.  Here is a snap from winetricks showing what I have checked off.

Directx 9.0c is the version of choice for SC4D since it came out.  If you have the disks, you will find they have Directx 7, but I don't think it would help much.

[NCGAIO 562]

On 24/05/2016 at 4:23 PM, A Nonny Moose said:

Directx 9.0c is the version of choice for SC4D since it came out.  If you have the disks, you will find they have Directx 7, but I don't think it would help much.

Sorry friend but is incorrect.

framework render maxis has DX7 programmed either using Direct Draw to create and manipulate surface and use d3dim700.Dll to 3D.

The errors detected are exe SC4 messages that may be originate of inadequate path or libraries corrupted until  to incompatibility 3D acceleration or video driver.

If such claims to be hardware and need to check if driver is compatible and do not forget to uninstall the application (including keys) before new DX installation so that the reinstallation get ddraw compatibility.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

I generally don't argue with experience.  You can see from my last post that I am using DX9.  This is on my week old machine with an AMD Radeon R7 240 with 2 GB on-board using the Linux default driver.

I do agree that you should purge any versions of directx you have installed in your wine prefix then install DX9 using winetricks.

[NCGAIO 562]

2 hours ago, A Nonny Moose said:

I generally don't argue with experience.... 

 You can see from my last post that I am using DX9.  This is on my week old machine .......

 

Sorry but I do not understand ... you're saying I'm wrong?

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

No, I am saying that what you said to too technical for most of us.  Your knowledge of the inner workings of computer graphics is sometimes overwhelming.  It is always well for the pot not to call the kettle black.

[Oren 4]

Thank y'all for the suggestions.

I've Tried :

1. Uninstalled and reinstalled SC4 and wine. 
2. Purged and reinstalled all Windows libraries.
3. Installed additional DLL's from this list on wine's AppDB: https://appdb.winehq.org/objectManager.php?sClass=version&iId=20075&iTestingId=85599.

Here is the terminal output I'm getting when SC4 fails to start:

fixme:winediag:start_process Wine Staging 1.9.10 is a testing version containing experimental patches.
fixme:winediag:start_process Please mention your exact version when filing bug reports on winehq.org.
fixme:service:scmdatabase_autostart_services Auto-start service L"SecDrv" failed to start: 2
fixme:module:load_dll Loader redirect from L"uxtheme.dll" to L"uxtheme-gtk.dll"
fixme:uxthemegtk:load_gtk3_libs Wine cannot find the libgtk-3.so.0 library.

What is auto-start service L SecDrv?

I'm thinking that the original SimCity 4.exe is corrupt, because I never had this problem when starting the game using the no cd fix exe. I searched for a no cd fix, but I couldn't find one. Does anyone know where I could find it?

 

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

It doesn't seem natural giving the propensity of wine to support anything but it sounds like the security driver for the disk set has been removed.  I wouldn't notice this because I have the digital version.

Here is the content of my wine log from today's run using Windows 7 decor.

Spoiler

fixme:winediag:start_process Wine Staging 1.9.10 is a testing version containing experimental patches.
fixme:winediag:start_process Please mention your exact version when filing bug reports on winehq.org.
fixme:module:load_dll Loader redirect from L"wined3d.dll" to L"wined3d-csmt.dll"
fixme:winediag:wined3d_dll_init Experimental wined3d CSMT feature is currently enabled.
fixme:d3d:wined3d_surface_blt Can't handle WINED3D_BLT_ASYNC flag.
fixme:d3d:surface_load_location Unimplemented copy from WINED3D_LOCATION_TEXTURE_RGB to WINED3D_LOCATION_TEXTURE_RGB for depth/stencil buffers.
fixme:imm:ImmGetOpenStatus (0x77cdb90): semi-stub
fixme:imm:ImmReleaseContext (0x20050, 0x77cdb90): stub
wine-1.9.10 (Staging)

 

All these fixme things are known things except the first two which are a reminder that this is a beta.  Generally speaking known problems are not a problem.  However, you have mentioned an item that is anathema around here.  We cannot discuss no-cd fixes.

The last line of the log is forced by my script to identify the version of wine.

If you are planning to run SC4D very often, I suggest you bite the bullet and pick up a digital copy (1,1,641) from Amazon, GOG or GamersGate.  Fully patched, no cd needed, and uses the original Maxis structure.

[Oren 4]

Fortunately, I was able to locate a working exe from backup.

Now I'm unable to use a custom resolution. Whenever I set the resolution to 1680x1050x32, the game always changes it to 1280x1024x32. Why is this happening?

This is the command line I use:

env WINEPREFIX="/home/obalaban/.wine" 
/opt/wine-staging/bin/wine "C:/Program Files (x86)/Maxis/SimCity 4/Apps/SimCity 4.exe" 
-intro:off -CustomResoution:enabled 1680x1050x32 -CPUCount:1 -BackgroundLoader:on -gp &>~/Documents/SC4.log

 

[Oren 4]

Update:

I successfully configured SC4 to work in hardware mode. Using winetricks, I selected 'Select the default wine prefix.' In then 2nd menu I selected 'Change Settings.' Then I set DirectDraw to OpenGL.

However I'm still unable to get my preferred resolution. Anyone have any ideas for how to fix this problem?

Quote

It doesn't seem natural giving the propensity of wine to support anything but it sounds like the security driver for the disk set has been removed.

The security driver was not removed. I found SECDRV.SYS in the Apps directory. I reinstalled the game using a duplicate CD, copied from the original disk.

  Edited May 27, 2016 by Oren  

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Quote

env WINEPREFIX="/home/obalaban/.wine" 
/opt/wine-staging/bin/wine "C:/Program Files (x86)/Maxis/SimCity 4/Apps/SimCity 4.exe" 
-intro:off -CustomResoution:enabled 1680x1050x32 -CPUCount:1 -BackgroundLoader:on -gp &>~/Documents/SC4.log

Syntax error in the options.  Try changing to -r1680x1050x32

All syntax options begin with <space><hyphen>.  It is a peculiarity of the POSIX standard which was being developed at the time the program was written that keywords must start with a hyphen, and there must be a keyword.

BTW, I use the staging version (it is the only one loaded) and this is my script.

Spoiler

#!/bin/bash
date
echo "Starting SimCity 4 Deluxe - DirectX rendering"
env WINEPREFIX="/home/john/.wine" \
wine "C:/Program Files (x86)/Maxis/SimCity 4 Deluxe/Apps/SimCity 4.exe" \
 -intro:off -CustomResolution:enabled -r1920x1080x32 -d:directx \
 -CPUCount:1 -f &>~/sc4.log
wine --version &>>~/sc4.log
date

I suppose coming off an SSD makes loading quicker, but I've used this on all previous versions of both Ubuntu and wine changing only the Program Files director as needed.