SOLVED: My game crashes to Desktop ¡¡¡

[BruceAtkinson]

So, I will start off with a confession:  I know I am pushing the limits, as my main Plugin folder is over 10GB in size, and my Regions folder is just over 2GB.  I know I should reduce the size of my Plugins, however with a few tweeks to my operating system, I have been able to enjoy this game for many a year!  You have noted that at one time my RAM was 4GB, at present--the computer I am using-in which the game was reinstalled to-is at 6GB of DDR3 RAM.  I just upped my Virtual  Memory to 40000MB.  Now, basically this laptop is mainly for SimCity, so I can go higher on the indexing/Virtual Memory.  In fact I haven't tried launching the game at this higher parameter yet, I will do so after this reply....
  In regards to renaming my Plugins folder...when I did this, I did it properly and even then the whole game would not launch, so I couldn't attempt to load any of my custom regions and/or cities.  So in regards to your last statement, I am quite sure we can rule out my Plugins folder...as during the actual initial load, the game doesn't even get to that point--
  Hope this shreds some light on the issue!
And again, thanks ever so much for all of your help
-Bruce

[Andreas]

I wonder if the latest Windows update that came in a few days ago might cause the issue. A year or two ago, Microsoft basically broke the game by removing the copy protection driver from Windows, rendering it useless, and people were either forced to remove the update manually, or get a digital copy of the game. I can't remember what the effect was, IIRC, the game wasn't crashing, but simply not loading, but who knows what might have happened this time. In any case, try to find out when the latest updates were installed, and remove them for another test.

[BruceAtkinson]

Andreas...thanks so much for this tip...I have been aware of the issues with certain updates from Windows, and even though this issue started suddenly in the last week of August, I will take a look at the most recent updates and do what you suggest.
  This is how it all began, and I will not burden you with all the details, but in a nutshell...whilst on vacation, I launched SimCity and played for about two hours in a city and all was normal, than a couple days later I went to launch again, and my current issue developed. 
  Now, since I have upped my VM as late as today, unfortunately it hasn't helped, I have the same issue.  What I am thinking now is that I should re-name my Plugins and Regions folders--to safeguard them- and re-install my game--and then re-activate my Plugins and Regions.
  Not sure if I should do that or not...see, when one is semi-retired, such as me--sometimes I have too much time on my hands

[Wiimeiser]

What's the update code? Mine's KB4457128, and the game ran just fine for me just now. Though my plugins folder is just shy of 4GB...

[BruceAtkinson]

Hello once again, something further to my issue...an interesting observation...when attempting to start the game, and going in to task manager--when using SC4 Launcher, only the Launcher is running and not the actual game...now when just launching the game with the standard shortcut, and looking in to Task Manager you can see that the SC execute is running and then after a time--just disappears.

[mgb204]

If when you run the game, it starts briefly and then closes without error, then that suggests the issue is this one. Note this is only an issue for those using the Disk-Based versions of SC4, you can use a work-around on Windows 7 to resolve it.

You mentioned before that you could get to the Region View screen, it would only crash loading a city. If you can get this far, then it's probably a very different issue. But everything you've just described sounds like the SecDrv.dll removal update.

[BruceAtkinson]

Thanks for the reply...however I got rid of that update a couple of years ago, and I checked my laptop again to see if it was added again, and I have no trace of it.  I am wondering if it is the disk itself...as one could imagine it is old, ( like me!), but it is weird, as I have mentioned--the game loaded fine one evening whilst on vacation and then a couple days later--it started this issue.
  Just to repeat the behavior:  Due to the largeness of my Plugins folder--the game usually takes 25 to 35 minutes to completely load.  It loads in two stages, at least that is what I call it.  So using Quick Launcher, when initializing it will come up with the SimCity icon and ask permission--which I have it programmed to do, then you can hear the disk starting up, and then the screen goes black with only the cursor visible...and you can actually see by the indicating light that the computer is loading.  Then after 25 to 35 minutes the logo appears and then it goes to an empty region, (my choice), and then I would tell it to go to a region of my choice--it loads and then I go to a desired city and can play for hours.  Now...it doesn't get to the first stage.  This is what it does:  It will begin the loading process, and after say 20 minutes it will just reject everything--with the screen still black and then go straight back to the full desktop.  Or it will, on occasion, just stay on the black screen until I go to task manager and end task.
   Very strange--so I am looking at the interface of the commands, but can't find anything that has changed...also I have checked twice in regards to my Plugins folder, both of them...and nothing indicates there is a conflict.  I am using the latest NAM version plus I have used for years the Cam mod as well...

[twalsh102]

There is something I'm missing here, so I want to verify what you have already tried.

It sounds like you tried getting the game to run by renaming your Plugins folder (which effectively gets you an empty Plugins folder).  Is this correct?

If so, I couldn't find what the result was when you tried to start the game with an empty Plugins folder.  This is important.  If you can't get the game to start with no custom content, it's no use placing all your custom content back your Plugins folder.

Can you please post what switches you have appended after the executable?

Have you tried starting your game from the shortcut created when the game installed, rather than through Quick Launcher?  What is the result?  Until you have succeeded in getting the game to start correctly in a vanilla state, without any other programs (i.e. Quick Launcher), and with NO custom content, then nothing can be ruled out.

[BruceAtkinson]

Thanks so much for the reply and your questions.  To answer your first questions...correct.  Regarding second question--no change in the attempt of loading the game...it does not load.  I have tried to start the game without using SC4Launcher and using only the shortcut from the initial game and it is the same result.
  You have asked about the switches that are appended after the executable...not sure what you mean:  Are you referring to the command line?
Bruce

[fantozzi]

Thanks so much for the reply and your questions.  To answer your first questions...correct.  Regarding second question--no change in the attempt of loading the game...it does not load.  I have tried to start the game without using SC4Launcher and using only the shortcut from the initial game and it is the same result.
  You have asked about the switches that are appended after the executable...not sure what you mean:  Are you referring to the command line?
Bruce

Yes, the command should be executed - so what is written in the command line after the command to execute the "exe" (the executable) is the "how" to execute the executable and therefore is the appendix to the executable.

At least I think so 

[BruceAtkinson]

  Ok here you go:  "C:\Program Files (x86)\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\SC4Launcher.exe"   and of course the original without the SC4launcher:  "C:\Program Files (x86)\Maxis\SimCity 4\Apps\SimCity 4.exe"

[fantozzi]

You may want to read this in the meantime

http://www.wiki.sc4devotion.com/index.php?title=Shortcut_Parameters

and play around with the commands given there and see if they give some effect.

[BruceAtkinson]

Fantozzi...thanks!  No I know what you mean by switches!!  So, I have employed some of what has been suggested on the link you provided, however I have done so when I use SC4Launcher, and have done for a couple of years...so I don't think it would be productive to modify the original target as they still display the same malfunction when loading...however I have changed some of the "switches" just now through the Launcher and as I write, the laptop is trying to load the game, (I am replying on a different computer at this time).  So I'll have to wait and see if what I have just done corrects the problem.  I do have another question:  The way I have the game configured is that I have the original SimCity4 with the addon Rush Hour, and not SimCity4 Deluxe...does that make a difference--I know it shouldn't--but one never knows.
  Another question:  Since there are two Regions folders and two Plugins folders situated in C: and the other two in Users/My Documents...should I employ the 'Custom Content' command in the SC4Launcher?

[fantozzi]

You are right, to my knowledge SC4Launcher doesn't make much else than those appendixes on the command line do. So you use this or that.
I don't use SC4Launcher and I use Deluxe, so I'm afraid, I can't help much on your questions.

But I guess, the important thing is if you can update your game to the latest version. If this works in my opinion it shouldn't make a difference. So version number should show 1.1.640.0.

[BruceAtkinson]

Thanks again Fantozzi...with your replies and those of others, I think we are getting closer to solving this!
  It seems to me though that my version is 640 or 641...does that make any sense?
  Anyway, I still have some time today, so I am going to play around with it for a little bit more--not saying what I have in mind, as if it doesn't work I am not wasting anyone's time
  However if you can think of anything else please don't hesitate to let me know!

[fantozzi]

Yes, me I was wrong. So version is okay you shouldn't worry about. So does the game launch with an empty plugin folder?

[BruceAtkinson]

Short answer is no....however I just found something odd...when I went in to the users/mydocuments section and looked in the SimCity4 folder I did see another Plugins folder that read Plugins-disabled...now there was nothing in that folder, it was empty and I did not create it...so I deleted it as it was never there before.  Strange

[fantozzi]

Okay, don't think to much about this folder maybe some software created it.
But remember there 2 (two) plugin folders. One is in your "My Documents" directory. But the other one is in the programs directory, something like "C:\Program Files (x86)\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Plugins" ... don't know. Both folders have to be completely empty for a proper testing.

[mgb204]

It seems to me though that my version is 640 or 641...does that make any sense?

You have 640, which is fully patched (it's noted in the exception report you posted). 641 is identical to 640, the only difference is that 641 denotes a digital re-release, but effectively they are the same in practise.

Thanks for the reply...however I got rid of that update a couple of years ago, and I checked my laptop again to see if it was added again, and I have no trace of it.  I am wondering if it is the disk itself...as one could imagine it is old, ( like me!), but it is weird, as I have mentioned--the game loaded fine one evening whilst on vacation and then a couple days later--it started this issue.

People use this logic all the time, but the fact remains it's not working now. Just like when a car breaks down, most likely it was working previously. So you shouldn't be too keen to rule out things, especially when the behaviour described exactly matches the problem. A lot of IT support issues come down to a checklist of things that need to be verified, as we tick things off, it narrows down the problem. Failure to tick an item from the list may mean running round in circles missing something more obvious.

We know the game doesn't load, Plugins or otherwise, so it's reasonable to rule out your Plugins as the problem.

MS will often re-package updates, for example, did you know the Monthly Roll Up's which have been the norm for a while now, contain all previous MS updates. However, the specific KB# of an update included in the monthly patches will not necessarily show as installed. Since it will take seconds to test if this is the issue, I'd recommend doing the following:

• Open a Command Prompt with Admin rights
  Click "Start", type in CMD in the search box, right click CMD.exe when it appears and select "Run as Administrator".
• Type in to the command line window:
  sc start secdrv
• Now attempt to run SC4, see if anything has changed?
• When you are finished, you should stop it again with this command:
  sc stop secdrv

All this does is briefly re-enable the driver MS disabled. Theoretically it's a security risk to keep it running, but a brief check like this is safe. Assuming your computer isn't already compromised, if you are the paranoid type, disconnect from the Internet whilst running with it on and you'll be perfectly safe.

[BruceAtkinson]

Hello mgb204...funny that you posted exactly what I was thinking...that possibly I got that update again...so I went in to my update history and it didn't show it installed, however it did show it as a pending one to install...and thank-you for the tip on the Monthy Roll-ups, and some of those I have allowed to update...so I will do as you suggest in this post, however I will have to wait until Tuesday to do so...and let you know how things worked out!
  Thanks again:
  Bruce