Problem with 4 Gb Patch Install

[mrbisonm]

I saw this thread ( http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=16082.0 ) , talking about a 4 Gb patch ( http://www.ntcore.com/4gb_patch.php ) and thought it would be quite helpful for my game to get a better play out of it with larger regions and so I installed it on the SC4 Start icon.

Now, the icon is dead, totally dead, clicking on it brings nothing.
Does anyone know how to get this fixed without installing the whole darn game again?

My game is Deluxe with everything you need concerning the patches. (1.1.638.0)

Thanks

Fred

[epicblunder]

Hey fred,

When you run the patcher you need to point it to the .exe in C:\Progs\Maxis\SC4\Apps and patch the simcity4.exe. 

Patching the sc4 start icon probably killed that icon, so you'll need to remake the shortcut.

[mrbisonm]

Hey fred,

When you run the patcher you need to point it to the .exe in C:\Progs\Maxis\SC4\Apps and patch the simcity4.exe. 

Patching the sc4 start icon probably killed that icon, so you'll need to remake the shortcut.

I changed the shortcut, and I indeed have patched the simcity4.exe in C:\Progs\Maxis\SC4\Apps. That is what I meant by SC4 Start Icon (sorry, couldn't think of the right name for it at the time of writing) Thanks

Fred

[epicblunder]

Well if the app is patched i don't know why it would crash unless your processor&OS is only 32bit instead of 64bit.  At least the patch makes a backup so at least you can always delete the new .exe and use the old one if all else fails (rename> delete the .backup) instead of a reinstall.

[catty]

My previous computer was a 32-bit and I used the 4gb patch for Cities in Motion mainly as it had been having problems saying it was out of memory, etc when it wasn't which the patch fixed or at least the memory problems stopped ... so I was happy either way

[mrbisonm]

Well if the app is patched i don't know why it would crash unless your processor&OS is only 32bit instead of 64bit.  At least the patch makes a backup so at least you can always delete the new .exe and use the old one if all else fails (rename> delete the .backup) instead of a reinstall.

I have 64bit and it doesn't crash, it simply does not start, but then I thought about the thing that I installed a No CD Key many years ago and since it is the same .exe, I thought that this was causing the problem and the 4Gb patch "killed" the exe.
So, I deleted the "dead exe and re-installed the No CD Key again and hey.....it's working again.......of course without the patch. Some things are better without improving it and I will stick to what I have and content myself now.

BTW, where is the backup supposed to be??

Thanks for all the help, epic and catty, it is much appreciated.
Problem solved.

Fred

[epicblunder]

BTW, where is the backup supposed to be??

Same directory.  The patch just copies the original .exe and patches that, and renames the old one to appname.exe.backup

[Indiana Joe]

No CD Key

Cracking the game exe like that will definitely keep you from installing the 4GB patch.  You need an original, legal, unaltered SC4 exe in order to apply the patch.  It has to recognize the file exactly.

[Kitsune]

No CD Key

Cracking the game exe like that will definitely keep you from installing the 4GB patch.  You need an original, legal, unaltered SC4 exe in order to apply the patch.  It has to recognize the file exactly.

Actually - the game is sold without the CD key. I know steam has it,  and some other places. I happen to play mine with a legal copy that doesnt need steam, because my CD cracked. The thing about 4gb patch is that the new NAM has it as part of the installer. This will lead to some headaches in the future when people have to reinstall game and the NAM is no longer stable, and also if people try to patch an already patched game. The latter may have happened to mrbisonm.

[mrbisonm]

Let's get something very clear here as I like it, no missunderstanding. My game is legal, probably more than most of you. It was bought on simcity.com back in 2004/2005 (I think), when the Deluxe came out. In 2003 I bought the first SC4 game in the first week it came out and I played it until 2004/2005 when the disc died on me. After having bought the Deluxe Version the year after, I downloaded a "No CD Key", to make sure that I don't have to buy the SC4 CD's every year or so, because I played it every evening. (now it's every second evening)

This IS legal to me! It does NOT make me a Criminal and that's it! And if you think it is not, well, I invite you to come and knock on my door and tell me that right in my face. I will then give you all the logical reasons explaining why it is legal to me and after we will have a beer or coffee/tea together and talk about simcity for the rest of the day.  .

BTW, my game has been giving me 57, no 59 regions, all filled so far with 14 GB's in my Plugins, including NAM, SAM,RHW etc and every Mod possible (which work together) and has Never given me any problems, nor crashes or whatsoever, except for that lousy little 4Gb Patch that is supposed to easy up on my game  .......Ha, I've gone without it for 10 years. Am I complaining?    No!........ Probably some of You are.



Thank you for helping and "listening", Now back to work, testing my MFP1 Pack ingame.

Fred


Edit: lol......you want to know the condition of my actual SC4 Deluxe CD's? Well, they're still brand new.

[NCGAIO]

 
And really funny how some things become myths on the internet when they are repeated thousands of times.

Resembles that  game that brings together several people into a wheel, whispering a phrase into the ear to see what sentence the last person will repeat ... is never equal to the original of course!

  - Myth: The /3GB switch expands the user-mode address space "of all programs "

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/oldnewthing/archive/2004/08/12/213468.aspx

note: The link leads to an old post  to not repeat the same subject   here, making this bigger is than it should be.

So just to help let some information.

For Windows the called "4GB patch" is documented by Microsoft a long time ago using the tool "Imagecfg 'to enable 32-bit applications to access more than 2GB of V.A.S usually destined  for processes since they comply certain conditions (does not seem to be the case of SC.) and used in  32bits system  that are configured to change the VAS or then in  64-bit S.Os

  - How to use the 4GT RAM Tuning feature

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/297812/en-us


To understand the use and some problems generated  with the " patch4Gb" recommend reading starting from "Differences in Addressable Memory"
the link below

  - 64-bit programming for Game Developers

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee418798.aspx

To see more problems just do the google search "LARGEADDRESSAWARE problems".

. The thing about 4gb patch is that the new NAM has it as part of the installer. This will lead to some headaches in the future when people have to reinstall game and the NAM is no longer stable, and also if people try to patch an already patched game. The latter may have happened to mrbisonm.

The choice of integration "patch4Gb" with the installation of the NAM was the chosen way to solve the problem of memory caused by the size of the new controller which forced many swap operations.

But it seems that the new version will also feature another solution with a flexible charging for some items which should alleviate the problem for those who do not want or can not use the patch.

And for those who have problems with cd-keys old a reminder to use 64 bits.

"Potential Compatibility Pitfalls

   
• All drivers for by 64-bit editions of Windows operating systems must be 64-bit versions. Requiring new 64-bit drivers has implications for copy-protection schemes that rely on old drivers. Note that kernel-mode drivers must be Authenticode-signed to be loaded by 64-bit editions of Windows."

[NCGAIO]

No CD Key

Cracking the game exe like that will definitely keep you from installing the 4GB patch.  You need an original, legal, unaltered SC4 exe in order to apply the patch.  It has to recognize the file exactly.

Posted separately to avoid mixing with the informative character of the previous post since the subject here is legal and in this case a question arises then.

If we observe that it is illegal under EULA distribute any version or processes that modify the exe so what is the status of "patch4Gb" ??

When the reference to NO cd key is just about the executable being oriented virtual image CD2 then i consider  just a trick to use the game without the cd while noting that also may violate the EULA when used to allow the use of illegal copies.

note: although mrbisonm has said that downloaded his, the same trick can be done with its own executable legally purchased and upgraded, then this case would be illegal only because the EULA forces you to occupy your CD drive with the disc?

[Indiana Joe]

There is nothing illegal about the No-CD key by itself.  It's just that the patch won't work if you have it.

I don't even think it would be possible to make it work.  I'm no coding expert, but I believe in order for such a patch to work, the contents of the file it's updating have to match what's expected for it to properly update.  And there's no way to predict all the various CD alterations.

[APSMS]

Is the No-CD key specific to SC4? If not (or perhaps even if it is), you might try installing the patch first on the unaltered version, and then install the No-CD key over the patched .exe to see if perhaps the 4GB patch carries through.

Not trying to beat a dead horse, but it's crazy enough that it might work.

And for reference, the patch worked fine on my copy of the game, which was stripped from the original CDs (both of them) years ago. Not that it works for everyone, but sometimes computers are fickle.

[mrbisonm]

No CD Key....illegal or not, I don't care, it saves my CD's and that i s what counts! And that's all.
Like I said I simply don't care, I paid for two versions of SC4, having done my part to keep the programmers working.

Now, I did some research, since I am not very informed about computers, and it seems that I cannot use the 4GB Patch anyways since my computer is 32 Bits, whatever that means. Probably too old. And all that stuff that NCGAIO talked about, I didn't understand (I don't speak Computer), except that it was told before.......lol.....Finding a thread that talked about this before is like finding a needle in a haystack for me......lol. Funny.

So, I continue as it was and have the same fun as before.
Thanks again.

Fred

[catty]

As mrbisonm has made it clear that he will continue to use a No-CD .exe in place of the original .exe and accept whatever problems that causes him as a result, this topic is now locked.

-catty
Moderator

EDIT: See this topic re SC4D policy on No-CD's

http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=16096.0