Tigger_1979

I play loads of different games on my computers and I always have come back to SimCity 4 always, but at the moment I am starting to fall out of love with the game as it is always randomly crashing the whole computer to a black screen. Ctrl Alt Del or windows Start button does not even get me back to the Windows Desktop. I always have to resort to restarting the computer and replaying the region. I have been regularly saving but over a nights play I can have the game crash about about 6 times. The game when it isn't crashing appears to run nice quick and smoothly and I have not noticed anything that could cause the problem I am using: SimCity4.exe Deluxe Ed version: 1.1.638.0 Windows Vista 64 SP2 Home (Now upgraded to Windows 7 Home Premium) Intel Core 2 Duo 3.16GHz CPU (this has been vaired from standard to overclocked, and still crashes) 8.00 GB RAM (same crashing with 4.00 GB, 8GB only allows the screen to refresh quicker) XFX GeForce 8800 GTX XXX Graphics card, ( I have tried running different screen resolutions but the crashing still happens and doesn't seem to affect it) C: (Windows runs on) 139 GB Total 78.3 GB free E: (Sim City 4 Currently installed on) 931 GB Total 838 GB free Pagefile/swapfile is Windows managed over both C: and E: drive over 20GBs usable from DxDiag. I am currently running the shortcut below and have tried playing with screen Res, Affinity and Priority to see if any help. C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe /C START "Simcity 4" /high /affinity 1 "E:\Games\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -CustomResolution:enabled -r1920x1200x32 I get the same problems as when I ran the game with standard settings E:\Games\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe or C:\Program Files\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe I have not modified the game except for the original SimCity4 upgrades that would auto download from the website, so my Plugins folder is empty. Looking in the Exception Reports folder nothing has been produced for over 9 months, probably because SimCity crashes my whole computer and so it may not have time to produce the report. I have read about scroll wheels on your mouse and so tried playing with a mouse that did not have a scroll will but even with this it would also crash. Any other ideas/help would be very helpfull Cheers Will

What Graphics card do you have? and do you have Software or Hardware set?

I found the biggest fix was changing from Hardware to Software, also I have a feeling its a combination of all the changes I made: 1. Software instead of Hardware 2. Shortcut is C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe /C START "Simcity 4" /high /affinity 1 "E:\Games\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -w -introff -CustomResolution:enabled -r1920x1200x32 3. Adjusted Nvidia Control Panel > 3D Settings > Adjust image settings with preview > picked 'Let the 3D application decide' Also I have just realised that I have not set to run as admin or Windows XP compatible mode.

I can't believe it I am running Sim City on the same PC I started this thread with and now woth Windows 7 and I have not had a crash after playing solidly since my post on the 25th July. I am even happy to let the GF play the game again, I trust it that much now not to crash. Loving Sim City 4 again

hmmmm is there an issue with DDR3 memory and Sim City 4??? My Graphics card has DDR3 and Motherboard uses DDR2, Hardware mode usese the graphics card and Software uses Motherboard. Currently I have found that Sim City 4 regularly crashes when I use Hardware mode and has crashed yet when I use Software mode. Are people finding similar results?

Are you currently using the setting Hardware? try using Software. Also I see you are using an Nvidia graphics card, have you had a look at what you have set in Nvidia Control Panel, I have found the best setting for Sim City was to pick 'Let the 3D application decide' I have tried a lot of ideas and currently I have got a working Sim City 4 at the moment, using the setup I have posted in the below post: https://www.simtropolis.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=24&threadid=110101&STARTPAGE=2&FTVAR_FORUMVIEWTMP=Linear#1747248

The above configuration in my previous post appears to be working at the moment with no problems.

Currently the game has been running without a crash for a few days (I bet I have now jinxed it), so as it is working I thought I would add a post with how I am running the game, too look back when I next get loads of issues. Shortcut is as follows: C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe /C START "Simcity 4" /high /affinity 1 "E:\Games\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -w -introff -CustomResolution:enabled -r1920x1200x32 all game properties are maxed out and I am running the game in Software Mode. Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit Virtual Memory : System managed over both hard drives Visual Effects : Adjust for best appearance Bios changes to allow memory to run correct speeds and voltages for the memory, no other Overclocking. Nvidia Control Panel Program Settings (Driver version 257.21) : Ambient Occlusion : Not supported Anisotropic filtering : Use global setting (Application-controlled) Antialiasing - Gamma correction : Use global setting (Off) Antialiasing - Mode : Use global setting (Application-controlled) Antialiasing - Setting : Use global setting (Application-controlled) Antialiasing - Transparency : Use global setting (Off) CUDA - GPUs : Use global setting (All) Extension limit : Use global setting (3) Multi-display/mixed-GPU acceleration : Use global setting (Multiple display performance mode) Texture filtering - Negative LOD bias : Use global setting (Allow) Texture filtering - Quality : Use global setting (Quality) Threaded optimisation : Use global setting (Off) Vertical sync : Use global setting (Use the 3D application setting)

I am currently going to give the Graphics setting of Software a go as I have just realised I haven't tried that for a while. When using Software does that mean it will not use the graphics card at all???

I have spoke to Crucial and I have been given a program called memtest86 which I ran and it showed no errors, dam. Anyone else getting problems in Windows 7, have they also ran the Windows Memory Diagnostic tool. Also I wonder if the Windows 7 tool actually tests the memory on the graphics card as well? As this could be the difference. I am currently speaking with XFX support to see if they have any ideas, but they aint being very helpful. Might I recommend everyone who is having problems to report the issue the the memory and graphics card manufacturers and hopefully someone there will be able to find out the cause, if more and more people report the issue.

hummmm thats gonna be about £100 to replace the memory, I will have to take it up with Crucial. I think I will have to try and 100% confirm some how that the memory is the issue here before replacing the modules.

Ok I think I have found the issue, but I am not sure how to fix without buying new bits. I ran the Windows 7 Memory Diagnostics Tool, which you can find in Start > Programs > Admin Tools, I first ran this on a standard test and all passes with flying colours. I then ran the test on Extended and at this reported that there was problems with the memory. The only problem know is thats where the Memory Diagnostic Tool stops and doesn't give any ideas with how to fix the issue. Is it worth everyone else who has been having problems running Sim City and it crashing to also run this same tool, also anyone who has never had problems could they also run the tool on extended and see if it passes.

Just to update I am running 800W+ and probably currently only max the power to 600W and get the same problem on Windows 7.

Anyone got any new ideas of fixing the Windows 7 and Vista issue with Sim City, as I am having loads of problems at the moment and have tried everything, with adjusting the shortcut that is. Low and High Priority single CPU core or all Windowed and full screen Run with Admin and XP SP3 compatiable and finally (which does appear to help a little) switched on the Nvidia settings recommended for the game.

Dam I have had a few crashes again, but since I closed this thread as fixed I have changed from Vista to Windows 7. The crash has been occurring in a small region with only a pop of 15k, but another region a large one with 200k+ pop has been working fine (just a little slower). One thing I have noticed when it crashed (well the only time I could get back to the desktop and not need a restart of the computer). I noticed the Sim City Electronic Registration had tried to load. Has anyone else noticed this and could the reasons for the crashes be that the game is just trying to register itself. Which I dont think we can do anymore??? Also Current shortcut to Sim City is as follows: "E:\Games\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -CPUCount:1 -CPUPriority:low -w -introff -CustomResolution:enabled -r1920x1200x32

Final update to this thread, I have been playing Sim City 4 with the following shortcut settings: "E:\Games\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -CustomResolution:enabled -r1920x1200x32 I have not switched of any of the cores off, still using both of them, on Normal priority and running the Hardware setting in Sim City. All I have done different is change the NVIDIA settings in my previous post and all appears to be running fine. I currently have done 200 years and the last 50 of them the pop has been around 400k. It seems obvious really to allow the people who design the graphics card to work how the game should be played on it.

You may also want to try the following: Right Click Desktop screen Click 'NVIDIA Control Panel' Pick 'Adjust image settings with preview' from the '3D Settings' menu item then make sure you have "Let the 3D application decide" chosen and this will pick the best Graphics Card settings that NVIDIA recommend for the Sim City 4 game. And you don't even need to turn any thing off before hand, it just runs like normal instead, also seems a little quicker.

I would just like to update that I have still not had a single crash since making the alteration to the NVIDIA settings Right Click Desktop screen Click 'NVIDIA Control Panel' Pick 'Adjust image settings with preview' from the '3D Settings' menu item then make sure you have "Let the 3D application decide" chosen and this will pick the best Graphics Card settings that NVIDIA recommend for the Sim City 4 game.

I see you are using an NVIDIA graphics card, I would recommend trying the following, Remove all shortcut alterations and leave it as Standard. Open the 'NVIDIA Control Panel' Open '3D Settings' then 'Adjust image settings with preview' and change the setting from "Use my preference emphasising: Quality" to "Let the 3D application decide" . At the moment this seems to have fixed all my problems when I run Vista but my computer is a little higher spec.

I appear to have fixed my issue, I was looking at the graphics card settings and then noticed this obvious. Opened the NVIDIA Control Panel Opened the 3D Settings - Adjust image settings with preview and changed the setting from "Use my preference emphasising: Quality" to "Let the 3D application decide" As Sim City 4 is listed in the games that NVIDIA has altered settings to make the suitable for the graphics card I ran Sim City with no shortcut alterations except to run at max resolution of 1920x1200 Sim City 4 ran with no problems/crashes and also seemed to run a lot quicker, for a 350k pop region. As I am going to keep with the shortcut set like so: "E:\Games\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -CustomResolution:enabled -r1920x1200x32 with no changes to amount of cores, priority, Version of Windows Compatiable or if run in admin. I will update this thread as soon as I get another crash, but fingers crossed I don't think I will. If this is the fix then I think anyone using an NVIDIA graphics card should make the same changes, to let NVIDIA fix the game.

Memory is running standard speed and its from Corsair, I have a Asus motherboard, and all hardware drivers are upto date, I'm a bit pedantic with getting things running smoothly and always being up to date. At the moment I have set the game back to run on a single core and it seems to be running with no problems, following shortcut setup (but this was crashing all the time when I was playing with a small city). C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe /C START "Simcity 4" /high /affinity 1 "E:\Games\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -CustomResolution:enabled -r1920x1200x32 But Admin and Run in XP mode has not been turned on this time. And the City pop is around the 350k mark now.

I originally installed the game on the C: drive it crashed back then with the basic shortcut settings. Hardware issues could be the problem, but I have tried all the test programs and not found anything yet. The game has crashed under all settings I listed before I had anywhere near 250k pop at the start of the region and now the pop is upto about 300k the game seems to continously crash. When I say it crashes the computer, I mean it hangs and ctrl alt del, esc, start button, alt F4 doesn't get me back to windows that I end up resetting the computer and waiting for it to reload and try Sim City again. I have never had Sim City crash and been able to get back to Windows.

Cause Sim City 4 to Crash the whole computer. When I run this one large City it crashes after 1 or 2 minutes. So I am currently trying a few of the options to see if one particular option helps the game to carry on. - Running with a single core or the processor, - Running as High Priority - Run as Admin - Software or Hardware - Standard no alterations - Adjusting the pagefile/swapfile if anyone has anymore ideas I could try I am happy to try them out, no matter how strange they are.

I knew I would jinx it, just crashed twice. So I am currently going to try a few other options. Also I can reproduce the crash in a few seconds into the game at the moment.

At the moment I have not had a crash with Sim City 4 since changing my shortcut settings, back on the 1st Oct. Shortcut running both of the dual cores as: "E:\Games\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -CustomResolution:enabled -r1920x1200x32 and Compatiablilty for XP SP2 ticked also run as an Admin picked Also Sim City 4 Options, currently has 'Hardware' picked But at the moment I am using a young city of around 250,000 pop