Windows 10 reinstall help

[IBBubba 2]

Hello 

I had SimCity 4 on my Win 10 machine when it was new. After the crash and reinstall of everything, I finally got around to reinstalling SC4. I got a digital copy from Amazon in 2013 and still have the disks too. I can start the game but it CTD after the loading screen. my pc is a quad-core CPU with 8G of ram and a 4G Radeon video card. I have SC4Launcher and that does not work also. 

Is there any workaround for this issue?

 

Thanks

[CorinaMarie 29,899]

I'm not familiar with SC4Launcher, but for the normal startup have you added the -CPUCount:1 ?

[rsc204 21,867]

Define "Loading Screen", do you actually see the SimCity 4 logo, does it make it to the Region View? At which point do you get an error message?

Note, if you tried to install the disk-version of SC4, this can not run on Windows 10. You can install the game, but it can't validate the DRM on the disks to play it. So you'll probably want to get your digital edition and use that instead if you are not already. In which case, don't forget to properly uninstall the disk version first, otherwise you could have problems.

[IBBubba 2]

My game goes to the SimCity 4 logo and CTD. it is a digital version I got from Amazon. 

[rsc204 21,867]

Usually this is caused by a compatibility problem with your graphics card. Right click on the shortcut for SC4, select Properties, then find the "Target" line. Add the following command to the end (note there should be a space between it and the current text):

-d:software

Then try running SC4 once more, is it now working?

[IBBubba 2]

Still, have the same issues CPU count is 1 too

I also updated the graphics card drivers

[rsc204 21,867]

Please can you post a screenshot of the shortcut properties or copy/paste the entire target line in a post. Because we really need to be sure the syntax is correct. If Software mode doesn't work, in addition to the default DirectX, any further troubleshooting gets quite complex. So it's imperative we're 100% sure those commands are being enacted beforehand.

[IBBubba 2]

12 hours ago, rsc204 said:

Please can you post a screenshot of the shortcut properties or copy/paste the entire target line in a post. Because we really need to be sure the syntax is correct. If Software mode doesn't work, in addition to the default DirectX, any further troubleshooting gets quite complex. So it's imperative we're 100% sure those commands are being enacted beforehand.

Here it is 

 

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -CustomResolution:enabled -r1920x1080x32 -w -d:Software -Cursors:fullcolor -Intro:off -gp -CPUCount:1

[jeffryfisher 2,176]

Where does the Amazon digital version install? That path looks suspiciously like the disk version that can't authenticate in Win10. Make sure that you have ONLY the digital version on your machine, and then make sure that your launcher is using its path.

[IBBubba 2]

I bought the digital version in 2013 when I built my previous PC.  I was using Win7 at the time and installed it where ever the installer put it.  I did have it running on this machine (Win10)until Sept. when I went thru the update crash. I am just getting around reinstalling it. 

I am including the config log Maybe this will help 

Quote

Log generated on 2/1/2019, 13:04

Flags
-----
hardwareDriver = false
DXT = true
fullscreen = false
MMX = true
FPU = true
backingStore = true
forcedFSAA = false

Strings
-------
userName = cmminnich
appName = SimCity 4
version = 1.1.641.0
osVersion = Windows NT 5.1
computerName = MARKS_PC
CPU = AuthenticAMD
sglDriverName = Software
sglDriverVersion = 1.0
driverName = aticfx32.dll
driverVersion = 25.20.15015.1002, GUID: D7B71EE2-249F-11CF-D277-181448C2CD35
cardName = Radeon RX 580 Series
cardVersion = Vendor: 1002, Device: 67df, Board: 34181462, Chipset: 00e7
cardIdentity = Radeon RX 580 Series
soundDriverName = 
soundCardName = Primary Sound Driver
buildType = Release

Numbers
-------
cpuSpeed = 3199
memory = 1024
freeMemory = 1024
screenWidth = 1920
screenHeight = 1080
screenBPP = 32
videoMemory = 3072
textureMemory = 3072
textureStages = 1
bogoFPS = 0
bogoMPPS = 0

Rules
-----
applying Sound
applying high sound detail
applying City Detail and Day/Night Settings
applying City Detail and Day/Night Settings>
applying high computer power
  option 9 = 3
  option 13 = 1
  option 15 = 3
applying Texture Quality and Building Variety Settings
applying Texture Quality and Building Variety Settings>
applying high memory
  option 3 = 3
  option 14 = 3
applying Variable Speed Automata
applying default
  option 10 = 1
applying Standard software
  option 0 = 1
  option 1 = 1
  option 2 = 1
  option 4 = 0
  option 5 = 0
  option 8 = 1
  option 7 = 0
  option 6 = 0
  option 11 = 0
  option 12 = 0
applying Standard software>
  option 0 = 2
applying Standard software>>
  option 4 = 1

Options
-------
Visual Effects       current:   2 recommended:   2
Cars/Sims            current:   2 recommended:   1
Shadows              current:   2 recommended:   1
Atmospheric effects  current:   1 recommended:   1
Water effects        current:   1 recommended:   0
Software/Hardware    current:   0 recommended:   0
Cursor               current:   1 recommended:   0
VariableSpeedAutomata current:   1 recommended:   1
Translucent UI       current:   1 recommended:   1
Graphic Detail       current:   3 recommended:   3
Building Load Speed  current:   3 recommended:   3
Texture Quality      current:   3 recommended:   3

Properties
-------
forcesoftwaredriver = false
renderdynamicview = true
renderstaticview = true
renderwatereffects = true
rendercloudsandfog = true
forcepointsampling = false
forcebilinear = false
forcenoalphablend = false
forcenoalphatest = false
rendershadows = true
renderdecals = true
usesecondstage = false
forcedebugtexture = false
renderparticleeffects = true
renderflorashadows = true
renderterrain = true
showupdateregions = false
usecursoreffects = true
drawlottextures = true
drawlotfoundations = true
drawlotwalls = true
forcetexturerepeat = false
usescreenshake = true
renderui = true
useupdaterectclipping = true
usevertexbuffers = true
showboundingboxes = false
useoverlayculling = true
rendersnapshot = false
noaddsigned = false
nopartialbackingstorecopies = false
usescreenflash = true
renderautomata = true
preferopaque = false
displayalertborders = true
drawlotopaquetextures = true
useviewcleanup = false
doautozoomandrotationchanges = true

viewoffsety = 0
viewoffsetx = 0
texturebits = 32
lodoffset = 0
shadowdebug = 0
maxparticlestarget = 10000
particlelodoffset = 0
effectprioritylevel = 5
backingstoremaxzoomall = 5
backingstoremaxzoombuildingsprops = 5
backingstoremaxzoomterrain = 5
backingstoremaxzoomflora = 5
shadowquality = 2
minvehiclezoom = 3
minpedzoom = 4
cursortype = 1
depthoffset = 2
debugtexture = 0
dirtyrectmergeframes = 1
sounddetail = 2
buildingvariety = 2
buildingloaderspeed = 1
modellodoffset = 0
stringtexturecachesize = 1024

particleeffectslod = 5
splattexturescale = 50
texbindmaxfree = 4
particledensity = 1
particledamping = 0
particlescale = 1
lightingupdatedelta = 0.0001
shadowmodelthreshold = 12
demolishmodelthreshold = 12
rendermodelthreshold = 6
rendermodelthresholdscroll = 40
particlesizethreshold = 300
maxvehiclepct = 1
maxpedpct = 1
opaqueuialphavalue = 0.55

[IBBubba 2]

Another thing, if I go to uninstall SC4 it doesn't show up in any of the uninstaller programs I have. I have to use the uninstaller in the folder SC4 Delux folder. Maybe this could be the issue

[rsc204 21,867]

3 hours ago, jeffryfisher said:

That path looks suspiciously like the disk version that can't authenticate in Win10

18 hours ago, IBBubba said:

My game goes to the SimCity 4 logo and CTD

If you see the SC4 Splash screen, it's not the problem, because the .exe doesn't even get that far without authenticating the DRM.

 

5 hours ago, IBBubba said:

-w

Try -f here instead of -w, this changes the game to run in Full Screen mode, which utilises a different part of the drivers. So it's possible one may work when the other does not. Likewise a third option exists, but only when using SC4Launcher, "Borderless/Seamless Fullscreen Mode", which again may work if the other two do not.

In short, any combination of Software/Hardware (DirectX) rendering, plus screen mode may be sufficient to get the game working. Ideally it's worth trying them all, SC4 Launcher does make this easier that having to use commands.

5 hours ago, IBBubba said:

-Cursors:fullcolor

Have you tried using -Cursors:color256 instead, some hardware can't support the fullcolor setting. 

[IBBubba 2]

I have tried almost everything I could think of before posting. I am now in the process of reinstalling SC4 without any success. I even tried to install on another drive in my machine (Wouldn't even load) 

Here is the current target line "C:\Users\cmmin\Desktop\SimCity 4 Deluxe Edition (Download)\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -CustomResolution:enabled -r1920x1080x32 -f -d:Software - -Cursors:color256 -Intro:off -gp -CPUCount:1

[rsc204 21,867]

Re-installing the game isn't likely to help you, because the core problem here is a compatibility issue with your Graphics Drivers/Card. If having tried all potential combinations of rendering modes to get SC4 working, still you are unable to get to the Region View screen, the only thing to do now is try different drivers for your ATI card. If it had worked previously, it stands to reason an older driver would have supported the legacy modes SC4 needs (DirectX 9). It's just a case of trying to get back to the same setup that was working for you prior to re-installing your operating system.

One other potential thing to try would be changing the compatibility mode of running SC4 to XP SP3. I've never personally found this to be necessary, but some users report it helping. It may also be necessary to run SC4 with full Admin rights, if your Windows account doesn't already have them.

[IBBubba 2]

6 hours ago, rsc204 said:

Re-installing the game isn't likely to help you, because the core problem here is a compatibility issue with your Graphics Drivers/Card. If having tried all potential combinations of rendering modes to get SC4 working, still you are unable to get to the Region View screen, the only thing to do now is try different drivers for your ATI card. If it had worked previously, it stands to reason an older driver would have supported the legacy modes SC4 needs (DirectX 9). It's just a case of trying to get back to the same setup that was working for you prior to re-installing your operating system.

One other potential thing to try would be changing the compatibility mode of running SC4 to XP SP3. I've never personally found this to be necessary, but some users report it helping. It may also be necessary to run SC4 with full Admin rights, if your Windows account doesn't already have them.

Thanks, I already tried that. Using an older driver is problematic as I just installed the latest version.   I just rolled the driver install back to 9/27/2017  sadly I do not have an older version. 

I retired to start the game and still the same.

[IBBubba 2]

I found the old drivers on the manufacturer's website going to try them now

 

[IBBubba 2]

Got the oldest drivers from the card manufacturers website I uninstalled the drivers and reinstalled the card drivers. I get the same result. 

[rsc204 21,867]

The general problem here is a little perplexing. Whilst I do know of some users who's hardware/drivers simply fail to work with SC4, it's pretty rare. Windows 10 is usually pretty good with keeping compatibility with older games and plenty of people can get it working. In any case, knowing you previously had it working, tells me so long as you can find the right configuration again, it should be fine. All I can really offer by way of suggestions is simply to try the various rendering options/driver combinations again. Perhaps you missed something along the way?

It's possible that some other software on your PC is messing with SC4, although unlikely. If you have anti-virus software, you could try white listing SC4 as an application. Otherwise I'm sorry to say, I'm all out of ideas.