Having trouble updating

[Ibcabob]

Hi I'm not sure if this is the correct place to post this but I'm not sure where else.

My problem is that I download the update fine but when I try installing it, it will be almost done then an error will occur saying that I do not have Civilization installed and that a previous version must be installed first.

I have tried reinstalling it and that didn't work.

I have also tried starting from the very first patch and that didn't work.

I tried clicking the check for updates button in the advanced menu ingame.

I also have another problem with the game when it will sometimes flicker and after playing for a while the graphics will start to rip and tear.

I am running vista with 2gb of ram and a 2.33ghz processor

plz help

[snoopy369]

You probably should post this in Civ4-General ... I'll move it

What version of Civ do you have - CivilizationIV ('vanilla' ie basic), Warlords, or Beyond the Sword?

What patch are you trying to install?

[Ibcabob]

Thanks for moving it.

I am using Warlords and have tried to download all the patches i can find for it.

Thanks for the help

[snoopy369]

What sort of install did you have - CD/DVD or Steam or Direct2Drive?

[Ibcabob]

Install, as in civ install? I installed with a CD

[snoopy369]

What version of Warlords do you have now - this is shown on the Advanced portion of the main menu.

[Ibcabob]

build version: 2.1.3.0

[Ibcabob]

Wait, isn't the latest patch 2.08?? maybe that's why I can't install the patch...

Well if that's the case I feel a little dumb. But then what do i do about the flickering and tearing of the graphics?

[snoopy369]

2.13 is the newest patch, as far as I know.

That could be your graphics card and/or driver. What card do you have (including memory onboard)?

[Ibcabob]

Intel(R) G33/G31 Express Chipset Family

main driver: igdumdx32.dll

I just updated the driver a few days ago



286mb memory onboard i think

[Supr49er]

At least you aren't having trouble dating.

Welcome to Apolyton Ibcabob.

[Ibcabob]

Lol, thanks no truoble dating.

[snoopy369]

Originally posted by Ibcabob
Intel(R) G33/G31 Express Chipset Family

main driver: igdumdx32.dll

I just updated the driver a few days ago



286mb memory onboard i think

That could be your problem (also when you say 286MB memory, do you mean total system memory, or memory available to the GPU?)

That's not a discrete graphics card but an integrated video chipset that does not entirely support Civ4. It is enough for Civ4 to agree to run, but it uses software to emulate certain things that are supposed to be handled by hardware - which means that if your CPU isn't very, very good, it isn't going to be adequate.

I don't know if you're going to be able to run this all that well, particularly at any reasonably high settings. Try turning settings all the way down, turn off animations, definitely turn off AntiAliasing (AA)... maybe this will fix it If you have a desktop, then upgrade to a discrete video card (ATI/NVIDIA). If not, you may not have much of a choice... If I remember that is a desktop set, though, so that could be good news

[Ibcabob]

286mb on the card i think i have 2gb of ram and i have tried all resolutions and graphics settings maybe i should call the support number on the 2k site.

[snoopy369]

It's not a 'card', for sure, because Intel doesn't make cards. It's a part of your system, integrated, which does not generally have its own discrete memory - it's usually 'shared' memory, using your normal system memory.

Like I said - you may not ever be able to get Civ to run well. It's a matter of hardware; Intel GMA does not support hardware T&S, but rather does it via software emulation, which is NOT good for performance, and is not perfect anyway - it may not behave well with DirectX.

In the short term, what you can do is:

1. Turn off animations and antialiasing
2. Allocate as much memory as possible to your graphics card.
3. Make sure you have updated to the latest version of DirectX - do that by downloading the current updater and running it, even if it appears you have the latest version.

In the scheme of things, though, getting a discrete graphics card is the best solution, by far. Does your system have an AGP or a PCI-x16 (PCI Express) slot?`

[Ibcabob]

Hmm not sure. How do I check if I have a slot

and where could I download the directx downloader

[snoopy369]

DirectX can be downloaded from Microsoft, or gamesforwindows.com

If you know your make+model of computer, just post them here or google them to see what slots it comes with. Otherwise...
The AGP or PCI-X slot is a slot at the top of your PCI slots that is not quite the same size as them and usually a bit further away from the end of the case (so, 'forwards' towards the front of the case). It usually has plastic locking side levers (whereas normal PCI or PCI-x1 do not). It won't have anything in it (unless you have a video card, which you presumably don't).

AGP is the most likely unless you have a computer <2 years old. If you bought it around 2 years ago, it could go either way. If it's <1.5 years old, it is probably PCI express. However, you'd have to know for sure, as they are not cross compatible

AGP port is the top port in this picture (usually brown, but this varies):


PCIEx16:


They are different, but it can be hard to tell which ... pay close attention to the size of the 'smaller' part versus the 'larger' part. In theory the board will be inscribed with PCIE or AGP, as these pics are, but this is not always true.

[Ibcabob]

I bought my computer less than a week ago. The name of it is V50136 - Optima Intel Core 2 Duo . I think, I bought it on shopnbc. So from what you say I probably do have a slot. So what does something like this cost for a good one and a decent one. And which would you suguest

[snoopy369]

Hmmm, I don't actually see much in the way of information on that model as it looks to be a shopNBC specific model. I'd guess it has PCIEx16 but I wouldn't guarantee it.

You could get anywhere from $50 to $150 depending on how 'decent' you wanted. I haven't priced them in a while but IIRC either an 8600GT (nvidia) or an ATI 2400 (don't recall which version) is probably best price-performance.

[wodan11]

I just bought a new one last week Snoopy, Nvidia (BFG) 9600 which if I understand the reviews correctly is basically a repackaged 8800. But anyway it ran me about $170 on sale at BestBuy. Runs CIV like a dream. Of course you DO need a PCI express slot which I wonder if laptops would have.

Wodan

[Krill]

8800GT is the best, I think you an get a decent one quite cheaply nowadays

[Krill]

9600 =| 8800GT. I'll let Aeson spend the time to explain it though.

[Ibcabob]

Thanks everyone for all the help.