Video RAM error message, then black death

March 1, 2009 9:19 PM from

I just bought and downloaded Galactic Civilizations II- Ultimate Edition.

Upon clicking play, in any chapter, the following error message crops up:

"The video card is reporting less than 32 MB of Video RAM. It may not be able to run Galactic Civilizations II."

After that, the screen goes black and I have to end the program through Task Manager.

My video card is a Radeon 9600 with 128 mb of VRAM; I installed the most recent drivers for it and it made no difference.

Windows XP Pro, SP2, build 2600

ASUS P4T-533C/ 1280 mb RDRAM/ 3.06 GHz P4

Creative SB Audigy 2

Thanks for any help.

8,679 views 11 replies

Reply #1 March 2, 2009 9:50 AM from

GalCiv2 Forums Top

Please open your debug.err file in notepad, and copy/paste the contents into a post here. This will give us some technical information that can help troubleshoot your problem. The location you'll find the debug.err in varies depending on which game you're playing:

Dread Lords: My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2
Dark Avatar: My Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar
Twilight of the Arnor: My Documents\My Games\GC2TwilightArnor

Older versions may store the debug directly in the location the game is installed at.

Be sure to copy the debug immediately after the error occurs; if you start the game again, the debug will be erased and recreated for the new session.

Reply #2 March 2, 2009 10:24 AM from

GalCiv2 Forums Top

Dread Lords:

Debug Message: Version v1.52 last updated on: Mon Sep 8 14:39:01 2008

Debug Message: Checking DX Version.

Debug Message: *********DXDiag info follows.*********

System Info

Time: 1/19/2009, 20:12:06

DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)

Machine Name: BEGLEHUB

Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.070227-2254)

Languages: English (Regional Setting: English)

System Manufacturer: n/a

System Model: n/a

BIOS: Award Modular BIOS v6.0

Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.06GHz (2 CPUs)

Physical Memory: 1280MB RAM

Page File: 321MB used, 2348MB available

Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS

Display Info

Display device 1:

Device Name: \\.\DISPLAY1

Card Name: RADEON 9600 SERIES

Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.

Chip Type: ATI Radeon Graphics Processor AGP (0x4150)

DAC Type: Internal DAC(400MHz)

Key Device: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_4150&SUBSYS_00021002&REV_00

Display Memory: n/a

Current Display Mode: 1440 x 900 (32 bit) (60Hz)

Monitor Name: Plug and Play Monitor

Monitor Max Resolution: 1600,1200

Driver Name: ati2dvag.dll

Driver Version: 6.14.0010.6891

Driver Date: 12/1/2008 13:51:31

DirectX Acceleration Enabled: Yes

Sound info

Sound device 1:

Description: SB Audigy 2 Audio [FF00]

Default Sound Playback: Yes

Default Voice Playback: Yes

Hardware ID: PCI\VEN_1102&DEV_0004&SUBSYS_10021102&REV_04

Manufacturer ID: 1

Product ID: 100

Driver Name: ctaud2k.sys

Provider: Creative

Driver Version: 5.12.0001.1196

Driver Date: 8/11/2006 14:45:38

Type: WDM

Other Drivers:

Acceleration Level: 3

Cap Flags: 0

Min/Max Sample Rate: 0, 0

Sound device 1:

Description: Modem #0 Line Playback (emulated)

Default Sound Playback: No

Default Voice Playback: No

Hardware ID:

Manufacturer ID: 1

Product ID: 81

Driver Name:

Provider:

Driver Version:

Driver Date:

Type: Emulated

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: No compatible devices found.

Debug Message: InitializeDirect3D Failed.

Debug Message: Now windowed.

Debug Message: Shell initialization complete

Debug Message: GalCiv2 is activated.

Debug Message: WM_CLOSE message received.

Debug Message: GameUninitialize start

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Reply #3 March 2, 2009 10:26 AM from

GalCiv2 Forums Top

[removed for brevity]

Reply #4 March 2, 2009 10:27 AM from

GalCiv2 Forums Top

[removed for brevity]

Reply #5 March 2, 2009 10:49 AM from

GalCiv2 Forums Top

Looks like DirectX isn't reporting correctly--might want to try grabbing the latest web installer from microsoft and seeing if it can repair it.

Reply #6 March 2, 2009 11:08 AM from

GalCiv2 Forums Top

I followed your link, after downloading the web installer is said that "the same or newer version is already installed" and closed. Is there a way to uninstall/ reinstall DirectX?

Here's the new debug file:

Debug Message: Version v1.52 last updated on: Mon Sep 8 14:39:01 2008

Debug Message: Checking DX Version.

Debug Message: *********DXDiag info follows.*********

System Info

Time: 1/19/2009, 20:12:06

DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)

Machine Name: BEGLEHUB

Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.070227-2254)

Languages: English (Regional Setting: English)

System Manufacturer: n/a

System Model: n/a

BIOS: Award Modular BIOS v6.0

Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.06GHz (2 CPUs)

Physical Memory: 1280MB RAM

Page File: 321MB used, 2348MB available

Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS

Display Info

Display device 1:

Device Name: \\.\DISPLAY1

Card Name: RADEON 9600 SERIES

Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.

Chip Type: ATI Radeon Graphics Processor AGP (0x4150)

DAC Type: Internal DAC(400MHz)

Key Device: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_4150&SUBSYS_00021002&REV_00

Display Memory: n/a

Current Display Mode: 1440 x 900 (32 bit) (60Hz)

Monitor Name: Plug and Play Monitor

Monitor Max Resolution: 1600,1200

Driver Name: ati2dvag.dll

Driver Version: 6.14.0010.6891

Driver Date: 12/1/2008 13:51:31

DirectX Acceleration Enabled: Yes

Sound info

Sound device 1:

Description: SB Audigy 2 Audio [FF00]

Default Sound Playback: Yes

Default Voice Playback: Yes

Hardware ID: PCI\VEN_1102&DEV_0004&SUBSYS_10021102&REV_04

Manufacturer ID: 1

Product ID: 100

Driver Name: ctaud2k.sys

Provider: Creative

Driver Version: 5.12.0001.1196

Driver Date: 8/11/2006 14:45:38

Type: WDM

Other Drivers:

Acceleration Level: 3

Cap Flags: 0

Min/Max Sample Rate: 0, 0

Sound device 1:

Description: Modem #0 Line Playback (emulated)

Default Sound Playback: No

Default Voice Playback: No

Hardware ID:

Manufacturer ID: 1

Product ID: 81

Driver Name:

Provider:

Driver Version:

Driver Date:

Type: Emulated

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: No compatible devices found.

Debug Message: InitializeDirect3D Failed.

Debug Message: Now windowed.

Debug Message: Shell initialization complete

Debug Message: GalCiv2 is activated.

Debug Message: WM_CLOSE message received.

Debug Message: GameUninitialize start

Reply #7 March 2, 2009 11:32 AM from

GalCiv2 Forums Top

Is there a way to uninstall/ reinstall DirectX?

End of quote

Not easily, at least. Since this looks like it sin't going to be a simple fix, please open a ticket with support@stardock.com. They should be able to assist better.

Reply #8 March 2, 2009 11:36 AM from

GalCiv2 Forums Top

I remember having DirectX problems and uninstalled it. I think I used DirectX Eradicator if I recall correctly. I also remember having to futz with dxdiag. I wish I could remember all of the steps, but perhaps this will prod someone else's memory.

Reply #9 March 2, 2009 12:00 PM from

GalCiv2 Forums Top

Quoting kryo, reply 7

Is there a way to uninstall/ reinstall DirectX?

Not easily, at least. Since this looks like it sin't going to be a simple fix, please open a ticket with support@stardock.com. They should be able to assist better.

End of kryo's quote

I assume that I "open a ticket" by just emailing support@stadock?

Thank you for your help.

(I downloaded the DirectX Eradicator and after it ran it said that it didn't support my operating system...)

Reply #10 March 2, 2009 1:24 PM from

GalCiv2 Forums Top

I assume that I "open a ticket" by just emailing support@stadock?

End of quote

Yep.

Reply #11 August 5, 2009 8:13 AM from

GalCiv2 Forums Top

hey i instill the game then i then i go to make it bigger on the screen then all i get is the screen goes black but the game still run's then i uninstill the game and instill it again and the screen is still blackcan someone help out

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