Totally Updated, but only get a blank black screen at launch

from GalCiv2 Forums
Dear, GCII gurus. I will start at the beginning. It has been a few months since I play GalCivII. I upgrade my computer before moving to Japan, I am running an AMD 64 Dual Core Processor x86 Family 15 Model 35 Stepping 2 AuthenticAMD ~2411 Mhz
BIOS: BIOS Version/Date Phoenix Technologies, LTD ASUS A8N-SLI DELUXE ACPI BIOS Revision 1002, 11/26/2004 Twin 512MB GeForce 7900GTX in SLI...I've got 2GB devoted to Virtual memory, run in 32 colors 1024x780 screen resolution (I included all this as I noted these while reading the help lists). Anyway. I just joined TGN to buy Space Rangers 2, and I saw updates for GalCivII...so I updated my GalCivII, but now when I go to run the game, as soon as I hit launch, it just flicks to a blank, black screen. No music, no nothing, I tried uninstalling everything and starting from scratch. No dice....I just downloaded all the latest drivers from nVidia (which is a pain, cause you gotta delete all your existing drivers and restart several times)....and the drivers were updated pretty recently.
3,709 views 7 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Sorry to continue use, I guess I hit post somehow. Anyway I just wanted to ask for you HELP! I'm not dense, but I cannot figure out why the game won't work   . Space Rangers 2 downloaded fine, installed fine and launched just as I hoped it would. Thanks in advance!   
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Please go to C:\Program Files\Stardock\Totalgaming\GalCiv2 (or wherever you installed the game at), open the debug.err file you find there in notepad, and copy/paste the contents into a post here. This will give us some technical information that can help troubleshoot your problem.
Ashes of the Singularity II
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
OK here is the text from the debug.err file Debug Message: Version v1.4x last updated on: Mon Oct 23 17:43:56 2006
Debug Message: GalCiv2 is activated.
Debug Message: Checking DX Version.
Debug Message: *********DXDiag info follows.*********
System Info
Time: 11/21/2006, 03:47:02
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
Machine Name: MICC-SW
Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.050301-1519)
Languages: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: alienware
System Model: alienware
BIOS: Phoenix - Award BIOS v6.00PG
Processor: AMD Hammer Family processor - Model Unknown, MMX, 3DNow, ~2.4GHz
Physical Memory: 2048MB RAM
Page File: 382MB used, 3557MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS


Display Info
Display device 1:
Device Name: \\.\DISPLAY1
Card Name: NVIDIA GeForce 7900 GTX
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip Type: GeForce 7900 GTX
DAC Type: Integrated RAMDAC
Key Device: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0290&SUBSYS_034310DE&REV_A1
Display Memory: 512.0 MB
Current Display Mode: 1024 x 768 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor Name: Plug and Play Monitor
Monitor Max Resolution: 1600,1200
Driver Name: nv4_disp.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.9371
Driver Date: 10/22/2006 12:22:00
DirectX Acceleration Enabled: Yes



Sound info
Sound device 1:
Description: SB Audigy 2 ZS Audio [A000]
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: PCI\VEN_1102&DEV_0004&SUBSYS_20021102&REV_04
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Driver Name: ctaud2k.sys
Provider: Creative
Driver Version: 5.12.0001.0402
Driver Date: 6/19/2003 17:33:02
Type: WDM
Other Drivers:
Acceleration Level: 3
Cap Flags: 0
Min/Max Sample Rate: 0, 0



Debug Message: *********END dxdiag info.*********
Debug Message: Entering WinMain
Debug Message: ******* Starting Game Shell *******
Debug Message: Going Fullscreen
Debug Message: Preparing to change display settings.
Debug Message: Using multilsample setting: D3DMULTISAMPLE_4_SAMPLES
Debug Message: Could not create the render device using default format. Switching to 16bit
Debug Message: Using multilsample setting: D3DMULTISAMPLE_NONE
Debug Message: Could not create the render device.
Debug Message: InitializeDirect3D Failed.
Debug Message: Now Fullscreen
Debug Message: Shell initialization complete
Debug Message: WM_CLOSE message received.
Debug Message: GameUninitialize start


Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Try opening the file prefs.ini located in My Documents/My Games/GalCiv2, find the line that says Fullscreen=1 and change it to Fullscreen=0, then save it and run the game.
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Game fired up right away. I saw the intro, but then it froze up on the screen with the intro music and where you choose a game. Let me try again.
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Nope it fires up great, gets my hope up, but on the first screen, with the music and long list of New game, continue game, load game, campaign, metaverse, etc down the right side...NOTHING is CLICKABLE, not even Quit....its just a static screen. adding the lastest Debug Message: Version v1.4x last updated on: Mon Oct 23 17:43:56 2006
Debug Message: GalCiv2 is activated.
Debug Message: Checking DX Version.
Debug Message: *********DXDiag info follows.*********
System Info
Time: 11/21/2006, 16:50:19
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
Machine Name: MICC-SW
Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.050301-1519)
Languages: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: alienware
System Model: alienware
BIOS: Phoenix - Award BIOS v6.00PG
Processor: AMD Hammer Family processor - Model Unknown, MMX, 3DNow, ~2.4GHz
Physical Memory: 2048MB RAM
Page File: 420MB used, 3519MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS


Display Info
Display device 1:
Device Name: \\.\DISPLAY1
Card Name: NVIDIA GeForce 7900 GTX
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip Type: GeForce 7900 GTX
DAC Type: Integrated RAMDAC
Key Device: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0290&SUBSYS_034310DE&REV_A1
Display Memory: 512.0 MB
Current Display Mode: 1024 x 768 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor Name: Plug and Play Monitor
Monitor Max Resolution: 1600,1200
Driver Name: nv4_disp.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.9371
Driver Date: 10/22/2006 12:22:00
DirectX Acceleration Enabled: Yes



Sound info
Sound device 1:
Description: SB Audigy 2 ZS Audio [A000]
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: PCI\VEN_1102&DEV_0004&SUBSYS_20021102&REV_04
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Driver Name: ctaud2k.sys
Provider: Creative
Driver Version: 5.12.0001.0402
Driver Date: 6/19/2003 17:33:02
Type: WDM
Other Drivers:
Acceleration Level: 3
Cap Flags: 0
Min/Max Sample Rate: 0, 0



Debug Message: *********END dxdiag info.*********
Debug Message: Entering WinMain
Debug Message: ******* Starting Game Shell *******
Debug Message: Preparing to change display settings.
Debug Message: Using multilsample setting: D3DMULTISAMPLE_4_SAMPLES
Debug Message: Game Resolution: 1280 x 1024
Debug Message: Running in windowed mode.
Debug Message: HAL (hw vp): NVIDIA GeForce 7900 GTX
Debug Message: D3DPRESENT_INTERVAL_IMMEDIATE
Debug Message: Refresh rate: 0
Debug Message: Bit Depth: 32 bit.
Debug Message: *********Checking D3DDevice Caps***********************
Debug Message: A full-color cursor is supported in hardware at high resolution modes.
Debug Message: Border size reported as 6 by 38
Debug Message: RGB in format 6:6:6, Masks reported as ff0000:ff00:ff
Debug Message: Now windowed.
Debug Message: Shell initialization complete
Debug Message: ***** Initializing Game *****
Debug Message: Timer Frequency is 0 369e99
Debug Message: Initializing sound card.
Debug Message: initailizing bink
Debug Message: Create setup screens.
Debug Message: Clear galaxy settings.
Debug Message: Clear influence.
Debug Message: Clear up laws.
Debug Message: Clear first time events.
Debug Message: Clear wonders and trade goods.
Debug Message: Clear sector mapper.
Debug Message: Set mouse.
Debug Message: Set update timer.
Debug Message: Clear data definitions.
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Anthony\My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2\ships\*.xml
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Anthony\My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2\ships\*.shipcfg
Debug Message: Reading Star Names
Debug Message: Reading Star Names... Done
Debug Message: WM_CLOSE message received.
Debug Message: GameUninitialize start
Debug Message: Killing Galaxy
Debug Message: Killing threads.
Debug Message: Kiling civs.
Debug Message: Killing ships.
Debug Message: Killing rallypoints.
Debug Message: Killing misc objects.
Debug Message: Killing stars.
Debug Message: Killing anomalies.
Debug Message: Killing space resources.
Debug Message: Killing colonies and planets.
Debug Message: killing scenario.
Debug Message: Clearing Turn Event Log
Debug Message: Clear galaxy settings.
Debug Message: Clear influence.
Debug Message: Clear up laws.
Debug Message: Clear first time events.
Debug Message: Clear wonders and trade goods.
Debug Message: Clear sector mapper.
Debug Message: Clear data definitions.
Debug Message: Killing Galaxy: Completed
Debug Message: Shutting down sound system.
Debug Message: Clearing sound and music handles.
Debug Message: GameUninitialize end
Debug Message: Device not cleared. 1 counts left.
Debug Message: D3D not cleared. 1 counts left.
Debug Message: Destroying Window.
Debug Message: Main Shell terminating normally
Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I assume you quit then via Alt-F4 or something similar (the debug says it quit normally)?

Something is definitely not working right--I'd suggest to eliminate driver weirdness by running Driver Cleaner (follow the directions in its help file carefully) then installing the latest nvidia drivers available on their website. Then give the game another go.