[Solved] Game Crash Exit Without Save to Region (GOG version)

[thecitiescenter 3,045]

Hi All, hoping one of you technical experts could possibly shed some light on a rather-odd CTD issue I'm having. 

Background

• I just downloaded the GOG version of the game (my CD-Rom drive went kaput after giving me 15 great years).
• The CTD did not occur until I "switched over" to the GOG version (I had no issues when I was running SC4RH from the CD).
• I didn't do anything else to my computer or plugins folder since making the "switch".

Issue:

• Crash to Desktop (CTD) after pressing "Exit Without Save" to Region View.

Test Results:

• CTD only occurs when exiting to region.
• If I save (via CTRL-S) prior to exiting, I am able to load my City back up after re-booting the game.
• It seems to happen when I plop a Building or Lot.  E.g. If i open a City and plop a Landmark, Airport Lot, or something else, I will get a CTD after I hit CTRL-S, then try to Exit Without Save back to Region View (it doesn't make it to the Region View).  However, if I plop a road piece, Save (CTRL-S) then Exit Without Save to Region View, it'll go back to the Region w/o any issues (no CTD).  

Thanks:

If any of you have run into this issue or could shed some light, it'd be much appreciated!  Thanks in advance.

Best,

TCC

 

[rsc204 21,808]

6 hours ago, thecitiescenter said:

• Crash to Desktop (CTD) after pressing "Exit Without Save" to Region View.

I have two cities in a region that exhibit the same behaviour, after opening them I can save using CTRL+S, but if I try to return to Region View, a CTD always occurs. Since those cities, I religiously never use either the "Save and Exit" or "Save and Return to Region" options. I've in 5 years never had the problem return, however I was never able to correct the affected cities either.

So far as I can tell this is a form of save file corruption, if you switch focus while saving or try either of the Save/Exit options, it can happen that the save file doesn't write completely, which corrupts the file in this way. Certainly this is neither a new problem nor one unique to me, with a little digging no doubt you'd find many other similar topics.

If I recall it's specifically to do with the region-view screenshot, which is taken at the end of the save process. CTRL+S works because it doesn't update the screenshot, further attempts to do so are what brings the CTD. Hence why you can Quit without Saving and likely too very minor edits like a road piece, simply don't trigger a new screenshot, which changing placed buildings will. Once the save file is damaged in this way, there seems to be no method of restoring it. Although, you might try the latest SC4Fix, since it alters the save process, perhaps it can correct the error? If trying that, make a backup of the Region, just in case something screwy should happen. The slightly good news, apart from the annoyances of having to exit the game after playing such a city and no updating of it in Region View, at least you can keep playing the city. In my case, I've made many saves since and it doesn't seem to affect the main game-data.

[thecitiescenter 3,045]

2 hours ago, rsc204 said:

 The slightly good news, apart from the annoyances of having to exit the game after playing such a city and no updating of it in Region View, at least you can keep playing the city. In my case, I've made many saves since and it doesn't seem to affect the main game-data.

@rsc204 Thanks for the reply!  I was thinking along the same lines as well.  However... the funny thing is, when I boot the game back up after the crash the region view does get updated (on my latest test just now I plopped a bunch of airport terminal pieces then CTRL-S... it saved ok, but crashed  again when trying to exit to region... but when I booted the game up again those airport terminals did show up in region view. Weird.  

Yeah as far as I can tell this may just end up being an annoyance rather than something fatal - the fact that you seem to experience the same and have been able to continue playing those cities is reassuring for sure.

I’ll check to see if i have the latest sc4fix installed, I believe I do.

 

[thecitiescenter 3,045]

11 hours ago, thecitiescenter said:

I’ll check to see if i have the latest sc4fix installed, I believe I do.

Just checked and it looks like I'm running the latest SC4Fix (as far as I can tell).  The icon shows "SC4Fix r7".

 

[CorinaMarie 29,605]

1 minute ago, thecitiescenter said:

The icon shows "SC4Fix r7".

Yep. That's the one.

[Cyclone Boom 16,875]

I've got an idea...

Following on from what @rsc204 mentioned about the possibility of a corrupt region view snapshot thumbnail, it made me think of the possibility for deleting this when editing the file in Reader 0.9.3 (which I've tried previously), then hoping it gets saved again when doing so the regular Ctrl+S way.

 

Tutorial: Resetting City Snapshot Image

First of all, it's very important to make a backup of your city before attempting this. Super essential step! 

So what I've done is firstly opened up a test tile and then filtered by the PNG file type. This can be done clicking the Filters button and then making sure that PNG is the only checkbox enabled. Next click the Refresh button at the bottom for the list to update.

As follows:

(Initially they'll all be checked in this dialog.)

Conveniently what this then allows is to open additional city files and the filters are still applied for displaying the PNG entries only.

When opening a file, you'll see how there are 4 listings for them. The first with the IID of 0x00 is the main thumbnail. I'm not specifically sure what the other 3 are, but they are related to the region thumbnail as I've proven with how they get re-created when saving again. For this reason I figure it's wise to delete all of them.

So at this stage, there'll be these 4 PNGs listed like so:

 

Next hold down the Shift key (or Ctrl them individually) to make sure all 4 are highlighted blue from the selection. Then right click to open the context menu and choose the Remove file option. This is stated in the singular form, even though the idea here is to "Remove files" for each of these PNG images.

It'll ask for confirmation:

Click Yes and then they'll be removed.
Reader would be very disobedient if it had other ideas.

Finally save the tile (it'll also ask for confirmation, and accept that also).

Next of all, load up the region where the tile is located. It'll appear with a general terrain due to the snapshot being removed. Then once entering the tile I found it loads as normal, and saving it again using the direct Ctrl+S method (or click the button) makes it get updated once returning to the region view screen.

It came as a surprise to me originally when I found that Reader can do this, and how I thought it needed the checksum for saving anything in the file. Maybe it's because of the sub-file structure, and how for any of the data within saved files needs to add up for how the file is formed.

Anyway, maybe this method might just help prevent the crashing upon returning to the region view.

Also let me know and I can assist with this if you'd like.

[thecitiescenter 3,045]

@Cyclone Boom Thanks, I appreciate your tip, good thought and I gave it a try.

Unfortunately, though, its still crashing to the desktop after hitting the Exit to Region Without Save button...

now, to make matters even more interesting... I tested another City on a completely different Region, and yes, it still does the same thing... so I don't think its related to a specific file being corrupted. 

I may try to do a complete uninstall and reinstall to see if that does anything...

Also, the installer I bought from GOG is setup_simcity_4_deluxe_edition_1.1.641_hotfix_(25621).exe

 

[CorinaMarie 29,605]

4 minutes ago, thecitiescenter said:

 setup_simcity_4_deluxe_edition_1.1.641_hotfix_(25621).exe

For reference, mine from GOG is: setup_simcity4_deluxe_2.1.0.9.exe dated 04 April 2017. When I hover over the installed SimCity 4.exe in File Explorer it is version 1.1.641.0.

[Cyclone Boom 16,875]

26 minutes ago, thecitiescenter said:

Unfortunately, though, its still crashing to the desktop after hitting the Exit to Region Without Save button...

That's a shame, so it must be something indeed which is more than just an individual tile. That is good to be proven, and suggests it could be worth reinstalling.

If you do go for the uninstall, just be wary how if you have any Plugins stored where the game is installed, these will likely be removed in the process. Any inside of the Documents folder should be preserved though, but a backup is probably a wise move in any case.

I just had a thought while typing this...

With switching to the GOG version, I wonder if using any startup switches are no longer applied now.

I seem to recall that the GOG version comes with the -CPUcount:1 parameter added based on user feedback, but perhaps this is no longer the case if they updated something and omitted this by mistake. So maybe check to make sure you're running the game the same way as you used to do with the launch options. They function identically, at least if not using the Galaxy client when installing SC4 directly (as it sounds like you've done).

[thecitiescenter 3,045]

4 hours ago, Cyclone Boom said:

I just had a thought while typing this...

With switching to the GOG version, I wonder if using any startup switches are no longer applied now.

I seem to recall that the GOG version comes with the -CPUcount:1 parameter added based on user feedback, but perhaps this is no longer the case if they updated something and omitted this by mistake. So maybe check to make sure you're running the game the same way as you used to do with the launch options. They function identically, at least if not using the Galaxy client when installing SC4 directly (as it sounds like you've done).

Startup switches are still applied, the CPU count is set to 1... I also went in and added intro:off and software rendering.  CTD still occurred before and after I added those.

Another thought... before I installed the GOG version I thought I had uninstalled SC4 RH, i clicked the uninstall.exe it asked me if I wanted to keep my saved cities - i said yes - then clicked next and I thought it had done its thing but upon further inspection now it doesnt seem like it uninstalled anything.  I tried to uninstall it again and nothing.  

I wonder if there could be some conflict between SC4 Deluxe GOG vs SC4 RH?  They are in completely different folders, though, FWIW...

Has anyone else had this issue with the original 2003 version uninstall.exe not working?  I also tried to uninstall via Control Panel > Programs but no dice there either.  Again this is the Rush Hour uninstall not GOG, which I havent tried to uninstall yet.

[Raymond7cn 6,772]

Hi Steve, I have a random thought, I thought you could uninstall your GOG Version, If so, How about reinstall the Rush Hour to see if it's still fine, If you couldn't uninstall GOG, I guess you may could delete all registry information which belongs to Rush Hour from regedit.exe, But I'm not sure whether the GOG game will be affected by this way.

Sincerely,

-- Raymond

BTW, It will be dangerous if you modify the registry, so I suggest you backup all of them before you plan to do that, and In my computer, They're all at the directory [HEKY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\maxis(or Electronic\maxis)\…]

[thecitiescenter 3,045]

Update:

Ok, don't ask me how, but I was able to borrow an external CD-Rom drive and give it a test.  I can now confirm that the CTD does not occur when running SC4 RH via CD.  It seems to be related to the GOG version only... now I am thoroughly   ... I will try a re-install of GOG and see what happens next.  Btw, does anybody know if GOG has previous version .exe files available for download?   @CorinaMarie I saw that your .exe file has a different file name than mine... which seems to me means that they updated the file sometime between when you bought it, and when I bought it (a few days ago).  Perhaps there's a bug in the latest installer...?

Either way, Update y'all shortly and thank you all for all your help  brainstorming and troubleshooting this w/me!

[CorinaMarie 29,605]

@thecitiescenter

It sure sounds like some parts of your registry are pointing to the old disc based install and the other parts to the GOG one. You could peek in your registry and see if any of the entries look goofy. (Mine is in a different location than @Raymond7cn's for some reason.)

Here's where mine is located:

You'll be looking in the right hand pane for any path which looks unusual.

[thecitiescenter 3,045]

Ok, tried uninstalling/reinstalling the GOG version and still get the CTD at the same spot.

Here's my registry:

 

 

[CorinaMarie 29,605]

11 minutes ago, thecitiescenter said:

Here's my registry:

That looks perfectly normal to me.

I wonder if you also have entries from the disc version. Can you take a peek here and see?

 

Edit: I do see you have the Maxis one too in your screenshot.

[CorinaMarie 29,605]

In case you are checking, I edited when I looked at your s/s some more:

8 minutes ago, CorinaMarie said:

Edit: I do see you have the Maxis one too in your screenshot.

 

So, now the question is how comfy are you with actual editing and backing up your registry before doing something potentially dangerous? (I personally use ERUNT on my Win 7 comp which I've set to make a complete backup of my registry every single time I boot (or restart) my comp and I have it keep 60 days worth of those.)

[thecitiescenter 3,045]

@CorinaMarie I do have the Maxis one... and... i've already noticed that it is pointing to the GOG version under Folder and InstallDir.  I'll look into ERUNT right now.  

[thecitiescenter 3,045]

13 minutes ago, CorinaMarie said:

So, now the question is how comfy are you with actual editing and backing up your registry before doing something potentially dangerous? 

Ok all backed up...

 

[CorinaMarie 29,605]

3 minutes ago, thecitiescenter said:

Ok all backed up...

Alrighty! (Ofc, there's no guarantee this will help.)

Since there are no other games under that Maxis entry, right click on it and select Delete.

[thecitiescenter 3,045]

2 hours ago, CorinaMarie said:

Alrighty! (Ofc, there's no guarantee this will help.)

Since there are no other games under that Maxis entry, right click on it and select Delete.

Unfortunately... no dice.  I even went as far as finding as many references to Maxis and deleting them all.  Then a clean re-install of the GOG version. Not sure what else to do at this point.  

[CorinaMarie 29,605]

1 minute ago, thecitiescenter said:

Unfortunately... no dice.

Phooey.

 

1 minute ago, thecitiescenter said:

Not sure what else to do at this point.  

Curse a lot, cry, or both?

[thecitiescenter 3,045]

34 minutes ago, CorinaMarie said:

Phooey.

 

Curse a lot, cry, or both?

Short range solution: Beer time.  

Medium-Long Range (but hopefully shorter) solution: I suppose my options at this point are a.) continue running the CD version w/external CD Rom drive until the CD wears out or my computer crashes and then b.) Install the GOG version again on a clean and faster computer... maybe the solution to all of this is to "stimulate" the economy by buying myself a new machine... ofc, I'll need another stimulus check to pull that off, lol.

Anyhow, thanks again for all your help  @CorinaMarie!

And also thanks  @Cyclone Boom, @Raymond7cn and @rsc204 !

[Raymond7cn 6,772]

5 hours ago, CorinaMarie said:

Mine is in a different location than @Raymond7cn's for some reason

Hiya Cori, I'm sorry that i didn't describe it clearly, the location of registry comes from a backup registry which belongs to my prior rush hour SimCity, I have the same one as yours due to same GOG Version now.

I thought Steve's issue is may because his prior game didn't uninstall clearly before he install the GOG Version, and also I noticed that there was DbgHelp.dll load failed. in his log, it also reminded me a DbgHelp.dll not found error though there were many DbgHelp.dll in my computer, I solved it through cleaned my registry.

51 minutes ago, thecitiescenter said:

Install the GOG version again on a clean and faster computer

Yes Steve, we have the same view of it, but I thought your computer is ok, The GOG version probably has the same system requirements as your prior version, however a Faster computer is always deserving.

I'm sorry that I couldn't help you more since I'm not professional, But I wish you good luck there Steve, since I'm looking forward more great maps and Lots of yours! Good Luck My friend!

Sincerely,

-- Raymond

 

[Cyclone Boom 16,875]

@thecitiescenter

Discussing this with Cori and we've just had another thought...

As you may know, there is a small file located inside the Documents SimCity 4 folder named: SimCity 4.cfg

Right now mine is only 340 bytes in size, and it appears to be in DBPF form (the way SC4 files are formulated) when opening the header in a hex editor.

This is a configurations file which stores the game settings and preferences such as the last loaded region, along with the positioning of which tiles are focused on. Upon deleting this file it gets recreated with the default upon starting SC4 again, and so perhaps this is worth a try. It will cause the Graphic Options to be reset to default (so maybe take a screenshot of how they are), but perhaps this could be worth doing too just in case.

Then see what happens when switching between different regions, and make sure that the last loaded one appears when reloading the game.

Maybe even give the "Default Settings" button a press also in case that might help?  (Bottom right of the Graphic Options dialog.)

Since the game works fine still when testing with the disc based version, it seems to suggest an incompatibility which is unusual. Perhaps with installing the GOG game and by sharing the same settings file, and it might help with it being reset once it's recreated.

Another possibility is in case it might help to give your computer a restart, as that often is needed after making certain types of registry edits.

[thecitiescenter 3,045]

@Cyclone Boom Yeah I saw that file too during one of my test runs.  I deleted it and it didnt resolve the issue.  I even tried reverting to a previous version of it from the CD version.  No deal, unfortunately.

I’m currently trying to install the GOG version on a much older PC that was collecting dust in my closet.  We’ll see what happens in a few hours or so.

The only other thing thats crossed my mind - is there a possibility that theres a plugin that utlized an .exe file for install that maybe needs to be re-installed after i made the “switch” from cd to gog?  Like NAM or something?  

Im prob going to test by cleaning out the entire plugins folder next.  Will keep you all posted.

[CorinaMarie 29,605]

4 hours ago, Raymond7cn said:

Hiya Cori, I'm sorry that i didn't describe it clearly, the location of registry comes from a backup registry which belongs to my prior rush hour SimCity, I have the same one as yours due to same GOG Version now.

I apologize too. I've re-read your post and you did describe it for reinstalling the disc version and then saying where the registry information for that would be.

 

2 hours ago, thecitiescenter said:

I’m currently trying to install the GOG version on a much older PC that was collecting dust in my closet.  We’ll see what happens in a few hours or so.

Good luck. I hope that goes well.

 

[thecitiescenter 3,045]

Ok... brief update. I was able to get the GOG version installed on an older computer - which also had RH installed on it.  I purposefully did not uninstall RH... i wanted to see if the two could "coincide" and live peacefully which each other   ... and lo and behold, they can, as far as i could tell - and at least for this purpose.  No crash.  However... i did not load all of my plugins onto this computer (and probably can't... it's sort of a shell computer that I had laying around)... so ... now I am thinking there may be a plugin-related conflict... stay tuned.

[thecitiescenter 3,045]

Turns out my initial hunch (NAM) was correct.  I removed my NAM36 files and was able to exit to the region view without CTD.  I suspect its the 4gb patch that NAM installs... which, I believe, patches simcity4.exe ... which in my case, would've been the .exe file associated with the CD-Rom version.  Thus, when I installed the GOG version, it was not patched (at least I don't think it is).  Will test this hypothesis and report back, but I am pretty confident that this may be the cause. 

 

[CorinaMarie 29,605]

5 minutes ago, thecitiescenter said:

I suspect its the 4gb patch that NAM installs... which, I believe, patches simcity4.exe ... which in my case, would've been the .exe file associated with the CD-Rom version.

That makes sense. You do know you can apply said 4 GB patch independently of installing NAM. Yes?

[thecitiescenter 3,045]

Just now, CorinaMarie said:

That makes sense. You do know you can apply said 4 GB patch independently of installing NAM. Yes?

@CorinaMarie I was juuuust about to ask that!  Can you link me?  Thanks!!