WARLODS Windows error on programm launching

[fredisa]

I just got the Warlords extension pack for CIV 4 and have problems with windows when launching the game.
I use a TOSHIBA M60-189 laptop with XP home, Radeon Mobility X700 and apparently all the recommended config features.
CIV 4 works fine. I have downloaded 1.61 patch + 2.08 patch for warlords.
Installation of warlords confirm success.

On launching of the game, I am able to see the loading window before the program stops and an error window from Windows appears saying that warlords has caused serious error and that the program had to be stopped. On the same windows you have a link to inform Windows of the problem occurred. The error code is 0xc0000005.

I don't know where to start to try to solve the problem and any help would be VERY welcome .

If you need further info on specs please let me know.

NB : Both games are genuine and Warlords game works fine on another computer

[Solver]

0xc0000005 means memory access violation. It can be caused by a host of reasons, such as poorly installed drivers (in which case you reinstall them), defective game (not the case since yours works fine on another PC) or, quite commonly, faulty computer memory. Do you experience any other instability on your PC that could hint at faulty memory?

[fredisa]

Hi
Thnaks for your reply. We are also experiencing problems with 2 other games with lower system requirements. No other problems with computer (even with dvd player, video capture programs etc ...). Computer has been bought in May 06. I checked graphic card driver (ATI Radeon Mobiliy X700) and no update is apparently available even though the version installed is dated march 2005.
The thing I cannot understand is that civ4 works OK. Can it still be due to driver installation or faulty computer memory ?

[Solver]

Well, all problems with Warlords but not Civ4 confuse me. They're the same, technically, so this does have me stumbled.

Where does the loading window stop? You know, there are these stages, init sound, init XML, and so on. Which stage does it crash at, or does it crash immediately?

It's strange that you don't see newer drivers available. March 2005 is really old! I am checking Mobility Radeon drivers, and here's what I get:

http://ati.amd.com/support/drivers/xp/mobility-xp.html

Those are Windows XP drivers for Mobility-Radeon series, and the latest are dated December 13th, 2006. I don't know if this will fix your problem, but it can't hurt to update whatever drivers you can.

[fredisa]

Hi again
Windows crashes at the very begining of the game launching. I cannot even see the 'loading' window.
Regarding graphic card driver, I have already tried to install the above mentioned driver. I downloaded it but apparently the driver is not compatible with my computer (TOSHIBA).
However, I am also very surprised not to have any driver update since 2005 !!!!

Any other ideas ?

Thanks for your help

[Solver]

Very strange about the drivers... they definitely should work. Confused here!

[Petek]

Originally posted by Solver
Very strange about the drivers... they definitely should work. Confused here!

Solver,

Your link lists the laptop manufacturers that support the Catalyst drivers, and Toshiba is not among them. Most likely, Toshiba uses some "tweaked" version of the graphics card. ATI suggests that users of non-supported machines go to the manufacturers web page to look for updated drivers.

I visited toshiba.com, but couldn't find any newer video drivers for the M60-189.

fredisa,

Have you uninstalled/reinstalled the game? If not, that would be something to try.

Petek

[Solver]

Solver,

Your link lists the laptop manufacturers that support the Catalyst drivers, and Toshiba is not among them. Most likely, Toshiba uses some "tweaked" version of the graphics card. ATI suggests that users of non-supported machines go to the manufacturers web page to look for updated drivers.

Not that I am well familiar with laptops but I assumed it all to be just crap, as a video card's drivers should work no matter who put the computer together. Apparently not so in the world of laptops.

[fredisa]

Thanks Petek and Solver.
Indeed, I did try several times to reinstall the program on the computer (with and without patches). But not result.
Can an explanation be found in the fact that installation was sucessful on another computer thus locking the game for another installation on my laptop ?
Who do you think I should contact : Toshiba or Firaxis for further info ?

[Solver]

You can install Civ4 on as many computers as you have, technically. Civ4 doesn't even have CD keys, so no locking is possible.

I really don't like your old drivers, which are dated since before Civ4 was released. Hmm. Maybe you can try reinstalling the Civ4 version of DirectX. If I remember correctly, there's a setup file for it somewhere on the Civ4 CD, run it to make sure your DirectX is updated to the version that Civ4 wants.

[snoopy369]

Other users have had issues with Toshiba laptops for this same reason, IIRC. March 2005 is old enough it's probably not fully Civ4 compatible, after all ... and Warlords is not 100% identical to Civ4, IIRC. Though that's getting beyond my knowing and into my believing, which is dangerous territory

My suggestions:

1. Omega drivers? It's likely they allow you to use them with Toshiba. Go to this website and either download their newest version, or if that doesn't work get an older version from their archive (in fact, you can grab their version of your current catalyst driver and it will likely be more updated than yours). These are 3rd party drivers, so probably better than ATIs, and used by a lot of folks (but they're 3rd party, so inherent risk etc.)

2. UnPAK ... that fixed a lot of ATI problems. See stickied thread in this forum (#2 thread usually, I forget what it's called, something odd like "new renderer fix" or something)

3. Buy a laptop from someone other than Toshiba