Game doesn't start / "white screen"

from Stardock Forums

My old PC recently went bust, so I wanted to install galcivII on my old notebook, which should still meet the requirements.

So, brand new reinstall from Impulse done

Old symptoms: game loaded until the start menu. There all buttons were empty and after a few secs I got a white screen, where I only could get out with ctrl+alt+del

read some threads here then and tried some stuff:

- DLed some fonts from stardock and extracted them, but that was apparently not the problem as all files already existed

- read in some threads  that one should change in prefs.ini the fullscreen from 1 to 0, did that.

On next startup of Dark avatar it asked me to enter my serial number (why now? why not on the several attempts before? but nvm)

From now on I don't even see the intro window anymore and I get a white screen almost immediately

Any idea? I see a lot of errors in my debug.err-files, but no idea why this could be after  afresh install.

Debug Message:  Version v2.01 Dark Avatar last updated on: Mon Nov 24 16:26:43 2008
Debug Message:  Checking DX Version.
Debug Message:  *********DXDiag info follows.*********
System Info
Time: 10/4/2009, 21:28:54
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
Machine Name: AMA-TARGA
Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.090206-1233)
Languages: German (Regional Setting: German)
System Manufacturer: ACTEBIS:SAM
System Model: 755CA3a
BIOS: Version 1.00
Processor: mobile AMD Athlon(tm) XP-M 2600+,  MMX,  3DNow, ~2.0GHz
Physical Memory: 1024MB RAM
Page File: 301MB used, 1392MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS


Display Info
Display device 1:
Device Name: \\.\DISPLAY1
Card Name: ATI MOBILITY RADEON 9600/9700 Series
Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.
Chip Type: ATI Radeon Graphics Processor AGP (0x4E50)
DAC Type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
Key Device: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_4E50&SUBSYS_23101584&REV_00
Display Memory: 64.0 MB
Current Display Mode: 1024 x 768 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor Name: Standardfernseher
Monitor Max Resolution: 640,480
Driver Name: ati2dvag.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.6925
Driver Date: 2/25/2009 23:41:10
DirectX Acceleration Enabled: Yes
 


Sound info
Sound device 1:
Description: VIA AC'97 Audio (WAVE)
Default Sound Playback
Default Voice Playback
Hardware ID: PCI\VEN_1106&DEV_3059&SUBSYS_81231584&REV_50
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Driver Name: viaudios.sys
Provider: VIA Technologies, Inc.
Driver Version: 6.14.0001.3870
Driver Date: 6/16/2003 11:05:40
Type: WDM
Other Drivers:
Acceleration Level: 3
Cap Flags: 0
Min/Max Sample Rate: 0, 0
 
Sound device 1:
Description: Modem Nr. 0 Line-Out (emuliert)
Default Sound Playback
Default Voice Playback
Hardware ID:
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 81
Driver Name:
Provider:
Driver Version:
Driver Date:
Type: Emuliert
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:  Going Fullscreen
Debug Message:  Preparing to change display settings.
Debug Message:  Using hardware vertex processing
Debug Message:  Using multilsample setting: D3DMULTISAMPLE_4_SAMPLES
Debug Message:  Attempting to create D3DDevice at resolution 1024 x 768, Windowed: 0, Multisample: 4
Debug Message:  Game Resolution: 1024 x 768
Debug Message:  Running fullscreen.
Debug Message:  HAL (hw vp): ATI MOBILITY RADEON 9600/9700 Series
Debug Message:  D3DPRESENT_INTERVAL_DEFAULT
Debug Message:  Refresh rate: 60
Debug Message:  Bit Depth: 32 bit.
Debug Message:  *********Checking D3DDevice Caps***********************
Debug Message:  A full-color cursor is supported in hardware at high resolution modes.
Debug Message:  RGB in format 6:6:6, Masks reported as ff0000:ff00:ff
Debug Message:  Now Fullscreen
Debug Message:  Shell initialization complete
Debug Message:  GalCiv2 is activated.
Debug Message:  ***** Initializing Game *****
Debug Message:  Timer Frequency is 0 369e99
Debug Message:  Initializing sound card.
Debug Message:  initailizing bink
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask Movies\techs\*.bik
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask C:\Dokumente und Einstellungen\AMA\Eigene Dateien\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\Gfx\Movies\*.bik
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask C:\Dokumente und Einstellungen\AMA\Eigene Dateien\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\sfx\*.wav
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask C:\Dokumente und Einstellungen\AMA\Eigene Dateien\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\Music\*.mp3
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask C:\Dokumente und Einstellungen\AMA\Eigene Dateien\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\Event Music\*.mp3
Debug Message:  Create setup screens.
Debug Message:  Clear galaxy settings.
Debug Message:  Clear influence.
Debug Message:  Clear up laws.
Debug Message:  Clear first time events.
Debug Message:  Clear wonders and trade goods.
Debug Message:  Clear sector mapper.
Debug Message:  Set mouse.
Debug Message:  Set update timer.
Debug Message:  Clear data definitions.
Debug Message:  Killing ship styles:
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask C:\Dokumente und Einstellungen\AMA\Eigene Dateien\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\ships\*.xml
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask C:\Dokumente und Einstellungen\AMA\Eigene Dateien\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\shiptemplates\*.xml
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask C:\Dokumente und Einstellungen\AMA\Eigene Dateien\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\ShipStyles\*.xml
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask ./Data/\FleetFormations\*.fleet
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask Gfx\Planets\C0*.png
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/1SideN*.png
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/1SideE*.png
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/1SideS*.png
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/1SideW*.png
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/2SideN*.png
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/2SideE*.png
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/2SideS*.png
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/2SideW*.png
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/3SideN*.png
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/3SideE*.png
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/3SideS*.png
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/3SideW*.png
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/4SideN*.png
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/4SideE*.png
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/4SideS*.png
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/4SideW*.png
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask C:\Dokumente und Einstellungen\AMA\Eigene Dateien\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\ships\*.shipcfg
Debug Message:  Reading Star Names
Debug Message:  Reading Star Names... Done
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask ./Data/English/Tutorials/*.xml
Debug Message:  Error flipping back buffer to primary buffer.
Debug Message:  D3DERR_DEVICELOST
Debug Message:  Device lost
Debug Message:  Attempting to reset device.
Debug Message:  Device Validated. Attempting to restore resources.
Debug Message:  WM_CLOSE message received.
Debug Message:  GameUninitialize start
Debug Message:  Killing Galaxy
Debug Message:  Killing threads.
Debug Message:  Kiling civs.
Debug Message:  Killing ships.
Debug Message:  Killing rallypoints.
Debug Message:  Killing misc objects.
Debug Message:  Killing stars.
Debug Message:  Killing anomalies.
Debug Message:  Killing asteroid fields.
Debug Message:  Killing asteroid field mining bases.
Debug Message:  Killing space resources.
Debug Message:  Killing colonies and planets.
Debug Message:  killing scenario.
Debug Message:  Clearing Turn Event Log
Debug Message:  Clear galaxy settings.
Debug Message:  Clear influence.
Debug Message:  Clear up laws.
Debug Message:  Clear first time events.
Debug Message:  Clear wonders and trade goods.
Debug Message:  Clear sector mapper.
Debug Message:  Clear data definitions.
Debug Message:  Killing ship styles:
Debug Message:  Killing Galaxy: Completed
Debug Message:  Shutting down sound system.
Debug Message:  Clearing sound and music handles.
Debug Message:  GameUninitialize end
Debug Message:  Destroying Window.
Debug Message:  Main Shell terminating normally

 

5,680 views 2 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

The video driver is failing and causing the game to lose control of the video card--see if there are any newer drivers available from the manufacturer. If not, you might also try an older driver (sometimes issues like this can be introduced in new versions).

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

ok....that seems to be some problem.

Game asked me to install the latest driver, which I did. Now I admit I have no clue how to get an older driver. I still remember that 10 years ago one could pick any driver version on the producer homepages, but nowadays? They only offer you the most recent one and that's it. (or better you got to DL a program which then DLs the driver for you).

Anyone got more insight into those ATI drivers and knows how to get an older driver?

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