SimCity 4 Steam won't run on my Win10 and it isn't the multicore CPU

[Thin White Duke 4,072]

What the title says. I'm using a launcher. It worked fine on my previous computer set and now I can't run it for more than 10 minutes or so. Hence why I've fallen out of the community over the past two years or so. Any help possible?

  Edited July 25, 2019 by Thin White Duke  
Edited for further elaboration

[rivit 3,404]

We could do with a few clues... What is the sequence of events? Does it die the same way every time? Did it ever work properly after those ch ch changes. Does it say anything as it fails?. Are there fault dumps in Documents/SimCity 4/Exception Reports? It would be good to have you back in the community.

Any other Steamers who have been though something like this?

[Thin White Duke 4,072]

I'll put the latest exception report in. didn't think to check them myself.I know it's encrypted, but even if I converted it to readable text, I probably wouldn't be able to do a lot with it myself. To me, it's gibberish. I've been browsing around the internet for a fix, but I haven't come across anything. The CPU thing seems to work all the time, except with my system. I'll give you some specs too, just to make sure.

 

i5-7300HG, 2.5 GHz 
8 GB RAM
Nvidia GTX1060

 

Spoiler

Exception time: 07/25/2019, at 20:41:11.
Exception code: 0xC0000005 (-1073741819) ACCESS_VIOLATION.
Current thread ID: 11992 (0x00002ed8).
Version information:
Application/module path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe
Application/module version name: SimCity 4
Application/module version: 1.1.641.0
System version: Windows NT 6.2
System memory: 2048 Megabytes total, 2048 Megabytes free.

Exception module:  C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe.
Exception address: 0x005b9feb. Section:Offset: 0x01:0x001b2feb.

Registers
   EAX: 00000000
   EBX: 00000004
   ECX: 00000000
   EDX: 00000000
   ESI: 00000009
   EDI: 8008d0cc
   CS:EIP: 0023:005b9feb
   SS:ESP: 002b:0019f9a4  EBP:0019fa6c
   DS:002b  ES:002b  FS:0053  GS:002b
   Flags: 00210202
DbgHelp.dll load failed. Attempting manual stack walk...
Call stack:
Address     Frame     Logical addr  Module.
0x005b9feb  0x0019fa6c  0x0001:0x001b2feb C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe.
0x007b1860  0x5612b23c  0x0001:0x003aa860 C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe.

Stack data: (ESP is 0x0019f9a4)
0x0019f824   d37e0000 00001d00 2ce0aa49 00000000 01000000 0e000000 ff3f0000 6c161d00 
0x0019f844   170000c0 68161d00 559a0577 90f81900 01000000 0c080000 00000000 0c080000 
0x0019f864   00002206 00600900 18080000 00002206 00000000 02000001 00000000 0c080000 
0x0019f884   00000000 8046ad49 2070be06 02000000 00000000 00000000 3e5d0477 00000000 
0x0019f8a4   00000000 01002206 00000000 ecf81901 30069f00 1b1a0100 00000000 882988de 
0x0019f8c4   00603e00 00002206 30f91900 74f91900 c0f81900 24249ea9 74f91900 f02b0777 
0x0019f8e4   84289ea9 feffffff 28f91900 f75e0477 170000c0 ccd00800 00002206 00000000 
0x0019f904   d8d00800 f8482206 00000000 03000000 00000000 ccd00800 00000000 00000000 
0x0019f924   cb019f00 48f91900 3e5d0477 04000000 3e5d0477 00000000 00000000 ccd00800 
0x0019f944   e830b200 84f91900 30069f00 00002206 00000000 35069f00 ccd00800 09000000 
0x0019f964   04000000 c0e37a00 5cf91900 148f7666 fcfd1900 d8f89e00 8863ae00 ffffffff 
0x0019f984   35069f00 52069f00 ccd00800 7d069f00 ccd00800 00000000 e29f5b00 ccd00800 
0x0019f9a4   08080000 948b002b fd555e00 c8d00800 948b002b 7d6a8200 c8d00800 148e7666 
0x0019f9c4   948b002b d84f532b 5b638200 948b002b f0698200 948b002b 46e47a00 02020000 
0x0019f9e4   19010000 09000000 20000000 dc4f532b d84f532b bc4f532b 00000000 00000000 
0x0019fa04   00020000 17010000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 efe57a00 148e7666 
0x0019fa24   d84f532b 00000000 8029ec3f 00000000 0000f03f 00000000 bc4f532b 00000000 
0x0019fa44   3cb21256 148f7666 148e7666 40faa800 1414f903 00000000 0000f03f 00000000 
0x0019fa64   8029ec3f 00000000 3cb21256 60187b00 bc4f532b 14404859 1414f903 5cfb1900 
0x0019fa84   c088ab00 98ae7666 dc0b9801 20000000 3cb21256 1414f903 94a09666 dca01256 
0x0019faa4   ccbf1256 ccbf1256 1008a800 143ba43d 6a3ba43d 6b3ba43d 00000000 ccbf1256 
0x0019fac4   9465f703 02020000 16010000 02020000 16010000 00fb1900 a5d09900 cad09900 
0x0019fae4   44345445 14404859 08fb1900 e8cc9900 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 
0x0019fb04   00000000 00000000 dee39900 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 

Instruction data: (EIP is 0x005b9feb)
0x005b9f6b   b6 02 00 83 c4 04 8b c6 5e c2 04 00 cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc 56 57 8b f1 8b 7e 10 6a 0c e8 c6 
0x005b9f8b   2f 35 00 8d 48 08 83 c4 04 85 c9 74 06 8b 54 24 0c 89 11 8b 4f 04 89 38 89 48 04 89 01 89 47 04 
0x005b9fab   8b 46 14 40 5f 89 46 14 5e c2 04 00 cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc cc 56 57 8b 7c 24 0c 83 c7 04 33 f6 
0x005b9fcb   b8 08 00 00 00 3b f8 76 21 46 03 c0 83 fe 09 72 f4 57 e8 8c 66 43 00 81 cf 00 00 00 80 83 c4 04 
0x005b9feb   89 38 5f 83 c0 04 5e c2 04 00 8b 4c b1 6c 8b 01 ff 10 c1 e6 18 0b f7 89 30 5f 83 c0 04 5e c2 04 
0x005ba00b   00 cc cc cc cc 83 ec 08 8b 44 24 14 8b 54 24 10 56 8b c8 8b f2 81 e1 00 00 ff ff 81 e6 00 00 ff 
0x005ba02b   ff 25 ff ff 00 00 81 e2 ff ff 00 00 89 4c 24 18 3b f1 89 74 24 14 89 44 24 04 89 54 24 08 8d 4c 
0x005ba04b   24 18 72 04 8d 4c 24 14 3b d0 8d 44 24 04 72 04 8d 44 24 08 8b 31 8b 00 8b 54 24 10 03 c6 33 c9 
 

 

[rivit 3,404]

Thanks for that - its an access violation so a piece of code in SimCity is trying to access a part of memory, usually 00000000, that it shouldn't be allowed to reach.

This can quite literally be caused by anything - bad code or  bad data.  SimCity itself is pretty robust and doesnt usually cause issues of itself,  but broken plugins can cause CTDs to happen. Have you got simmaster07s SC4fix.dll in your plugins? This fix will catch a CTDs caused by hovering transit enabled lots over other transit enabled lots, and fixes some save file problems. Some others could sneak through.

Since its such a generic way for the program to die - we are going to have to do this the hard way ie check all the usual things. (that is unless someone can tie this to the exact place in the code in SimCity 4.exe where it failed)

Your machine should have no problems dealing with SC4. It's a very capable spec. Win10 itself doesn't put anything in the way either (I have had it running SC4 since it first came out).  I shall assume (because it does run) that:

• your machine is patched up to date, especially your GPU. WIn10 does keep itself well patched. 
• you have the shortcut items as you wish - ie screen resolution, cpu count and all of that.
• the Steam stuff all works as it should (I know nothing of this at all)
• the SC4 startup actually uses your Nvidia Gfx card and not the inbuilt Intel HD6000? 

Firstly, since it does run for some time, have you run it without custom plugins for longer than 10mins?  

If you run a brand new city, with your plugins, does it run for longer than 10mins?

Conversely does this always go down on an old city with all of your plugins loaded?

I'm picking this is data related...   Anyone else?

[Thin White Duke 4,072]

Those were essentially my thoughts as well, just little broader. The strange part about this that I forgot to put in is that the problems began right when I got this computer. My plugins folder now is the same that I had back then. Simply copied over. It is using the GTX (double checked to make sure). 

I know I've given you a hard nut to crack, and I'm sorry about that. Don't feel obliged to burst your brains over this one.

[rivit 3,404]

It would be good to know if it runs properly without custom plugins though... nudge nudge.  If it's data related we can chase it down by elimination.

[Thin White Duke 4,072]

I'll find out in a bit. Thank you for the help so far. 

[jeffryfisher 2,176]

10 hours ago, Thin White Duke said:

My plugins folder now is the same that I had back then.

What about your OTHER plugins folder, the one under program files (or program files x86)? You might have installed something like a DLL in there (e.g. SC4 Fix) and forgotten about it. Can you look at the old computer / disk to see what's there? If you find anything that's not already in your new computer's program-plugins folder, then copy it over.

[Thin White Duke 4,072]

Unfortunately, I can't compare directly with my old computer because it has been sacrificed to the laptop dogs. Would it be worth a shot at putting SC4Fix in that folder?

[CorinaMarie 29,934]

6 minutes ago, Thin White Duke said:

Would it be worth a shot at putting SC4Fix in that folder?

Yes. This is the single most important mod for the game.

[Thin White Duke 4,072]

I checked it out and I have SC4Fix.dll in both plugins folders. I guess I'll just have to go back and forth ripping out different recent plugins until I find the problem.

Thank you all for the help! It's good to see you again. 

[Thin White Duke 4,072]

Actually, after downloading and installing the new version of sc4fix, it seems to have improved. I still get that occasional crash when exiting a city or switching to another region, but I got those before too. Thank you everybody for the help. I feel kind of foolish for not remember to try that myself. I guess @simmaster07 deserves a big fat thanks! 

The only problem I have now is a more or less game breaking one that has been brought up earlier, but couldn't seem to be figured out. 

Spoiler

 

 

[rivit 3,404]

Glad to hear things have improved. Pinning down what's left could take a little while, but if you can play again then that's going to be good.

When you are good and ready I would suggest you tackle the "find the broken plugins" problem with SC4DataNode (shameless plug, here on STEX, see front page) to get down to the nitty-gritty of your plugins. But you will need to be prepared for a bit of a deep dive, so don't rush it. There's a good manual in there, and there is plenty of forum support here too. 

  Edited July 30, 2019 by Cyclone Boom  
Added DataNode link. ;)

[markussaage 762]

I agree with @rivit here. It sounds really like, faulty (and more than one) plugins are the culprit here. Had the same issue years ago. Couldn't play for more than a minute or two without a CtD.
Terrible... And yeah, there's only one way to find out as @rivit montioned: get down to the nitty-gritty and use the SC4DataNode tool, as well as a good app to find duplicate files in your plugins. And while you in it and if not done already: organize your plugins and try to optimize the loading order. That really helps and gives you a better understanding, how SC4 works with the files. It'll be a lot of work and headache, believe me. I had that, too. But at the end you'll be rewarded with the most stable game experience ever... I never have game crashes anymore

Kind regards!

[CorinaMarie 29,934]

On 7/30/2019 at 6:01 AM, markussaage said:

... as well as a good app to find duplicate files in your plugins.

I was wondering if you have a recommendation for which program qualifies as a good app.

[markussaage 762]

9 hours ago, CorinaMarie said:

I was wondering if you have a recommendation for which program qualifies as a good app.

Well, I do have one, because that's the one I use for years now. It's called Heatsoft Clone Cleaner Lite and it's free for private use. There's also a Pro Version available, you can see the pricing on their website.

http://www.clonecleaner.com/

Kind regards!