Where the heck can you get them? The reason I'm asking is because I gave them a Civ3 tech support this e-mail (very quick responsep- only 1 day)

So... I tried doing that and updating the drivers. The problem is that it isn't on their website, and using the normal tool (right click -> update drivers), it says that it can't update.

Searching on Google for updating the Dell Drivers doesn't give me a link to anywhere on Dell's website, something which makes me very suspicious. Could someone help me with this? Or maybe just tell me if it's downloadable to if I have to buy (!) it?

Oh, and I have Windows XP, if it helps anyone.

[ 06-07-2004, 07:35 PM: Message edited by: Assassin ]

Try http://members.driverguide.com/index...A0%3E%3E%A0%A0

Login: drivers
pass: all

[ 06-07-2004, 11:40 PM: Message edited by: Animal ]

That's odd. I got my computer just this January, and the most recent Dell driver I could find on the net is from 2003. =/ Ah well. Anyways to uninstall it if someting goes wrong?

Just set a system restore point.

if something goes wrong, you can roll back the driver using XP that is what I do when I get a faulty driver, no need to worry over a restore point there

Okay. I may be a bit dim about computers, but in order to install a new Monitor Driver, do I need the diskette they used to install the monitor.

Because as it stands, it still says "can't find a better replacement for your software than the one already installed".

ADD] Actually, the problem is that the device date is 2001 (!), and it still doesn't accept that anything else might be better than it. =/ Anyone know how to get around that?

[ 06-08-2004, 08:09 AM: Message edited by: Assassin ]

before you can update it, you have to have the update, it does not go online to search for somereason, so yeah, you either need the disk, or you need to download a new one, then update it from a specific location, and then to the file that you have it at

Yes, I have the updated files from Dell. Not on a disk, but on the hard drive. Then, I direct the update it to go to where the files are unzipped. But then I get the notice:

There is no better software detected for your hardware than the one currently installed.

ok, you should go to the properties of the hardware, click on update driver, instal from a specific location, do not search, I will chose the drivers to install, have disk, browse, then look for it in the unzipped file, that should work, if not, I am at a loss

Well, it worked, but the game still doesn't run properly... *sigh* Looks like another e-mail =/

it could just be your memory, I have that problem as well

Well, I easily meet the minimum and recommended specs for Civ3... If there's a problem, it's probably in the way that I'm set up...

well, not sure what more I can offer, not very good at that, hope it works out

Graphics card drivers would be my guess.

Monitor drivers rarely cause any problems with software. What's the original problem?

Well, my Civ3 looks like crap. I'll upload it when I get Geocities figured out.

http://www.geocities.com/goldrush945/asdfasdf.htm

Don't think it'll work, but what the heck.

[ 06-08-2004, 08:10 PM: Message edited by: Assassin ]

yeah, that looks more like a graphic card gone bad, have you changed the card recently? as with mine, I have 2 cards, a back up one in case the new one goes out, might want to check that out

I got the computer new this january. And all of my other, more demanding games work fine.

then it could be a bug in the game it's self, had that happen with LotR game before, and had to update the game with the new patches

no one else will be able to go to the site says you have exceeded your allocated data transfer

=/ Well, there really aren't any more places I could have uploaded it. Latest patches, etc. have been installed.

hmm, no idea then, I am at a loss for what could be causing it :(

send me the picture in my email, I will put it on my site so others can see it, and maybe get a better idea

sent

http://home.comcast.net/~lrmwiley/untitled2.GIF
anyone should be able to see it now [img]smile.gif[/img]

thx [img]smile.gif[/img]

you're welcome, hope someone can figure it out for you

Has it ever run properly?
What vid card/CPU/mem config are you running?
What version drivers for the vid card, and do you have the latest Direct X installed?

The more information you can provide, the easier it will be to diagnose, but right off the bat I'd say it's video card related.

No.

------------------
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 6/9/2004, 06:26:26
Machine name: MARCH2004
Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 1 (2600.xpsp2.030422-1633)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Dell Computer Corporation
System Model: Dimension 4600i
BIOS: Phoenix ROM BIOS PLUS Version 1.10 A08
Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.80GHz
Memory: 510MB RAM
Page File: 244MB used, 1006MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0b (4.09.0000.0902)
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
DxDiag Version: 5.03.0001.0902 32bit Unicode

---------------
Display Devices
---------------
Card name: NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip type: GeForce FX 5200
DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0322&SUBSYS_01B910DE&REV_A1
Display Memory: 128.0 MB
Current Mode: 1024 x 768 (32 bit) (75Hz)
Monitor: Dell M783s
Monitor Max Res: 1280,1024

I don't see anything obvious other than reporting 510MB RAM. It should be 512MB, but I'm not sure if this is a clue or not. You didn't include the DXdiag notes, are there any errors showing?

Run through DXDIAG and check to see if you have any problems showing, specifically in DX Files and Display tabs. If that checks out, disable all your Direct X features under DXDIAG and then enable them again to reset them.

Next, if you haven't already make sure you are using the latest Detonator drivers for your card. I'm not sure if Civ3 is an OpenGL game or not, but if it is you'll want to make sure you enable both V-sync AND triple buffering.

[ 06-09-2004, 05:48 PM: Message edited by: Animal ]

0 problems found in any one.

Yeah, that's something else. My other computer has 127 MB of RAM. All of my other games, like Gothic and Sacred both work fine, as does Disciples 2 and the like, so it should be fine.

What is V-sync/triple buffering? Where could I find them?

[ 06-09-2004, 06:03 PM: Message edited by: Assassin ]

I don't use nVidia any more, so I'll assume those are the latest.

V-sync limits the frame rate of the app to the frame rate set by the monitor. Most people turn it off because it gives them better results in 3dmark and the like, but it can also cause artifacting and tearing of the image if it's not enabled.

Triple Buffering works along side V-sync to increase the frame rate of the game while V-sync is enabled.

You should be able to find both settings in the control panel for your video card. Right click on the desktop and choose "Properties." Click the last tab, "Settings" and choose "Advanced." This will give you access to all the settings to tweak your card.

I agree, this game should run fine on your PC, and the fact that every other game does indicates that your hardware and for the most part your software/drivers are fine.

When I picked up my new video card 3 months ago, every game ran perfectly except NWN, which would run like shite. I finally got it running properly about 10 days ago. It turned out that NWN didn't like running of my drives which were striped in a RAID 0. I put it an a different drive just on the native IDE channel and it worked like a dream.

Unfortunately there's no hard and fast rule to troubleshooting. Every single PC is different, even though they may have the same components. Basically what it boils down to is testing and tweaking until you figure out what's causing it.

Good Luck [img]smile.gif[/img]

I have the sneaky suspicison that it's something wrong with the install files/the way it is installed. The city view is fine. Heck, almost everything else is fine. But the opening screen is always screwed up...

Well, if anyone's installed Civ3 before and it worked, here's what I did:
Civ3 Gold Edition -> Conquest -> patch Civ3 -> patch Conquests.

Anything I did wrong?

Although I haven't played Civ3, generally when installing an add-on or expansion it usually updates the core program automatically.

I would think it should be:
Civ3 Gold -> Patch Civ3 ->Conquest ->patch conquest
or:
Civ3 Gold -> Conquest -> Patch conquest