I've been playing SimCity 4 quite frequently for a while now. Most of the time, the game ran pretty well on my desktop with the occasional crashes due to the usual suspects, i.e. multicore and affinity issues. However, for the past month or so, it's been crashing very frequently, sometimes before it even finishes loading or just when I alt-tab between programs. It was getting very frustrating for me. I tried the Datpacker, I tried whatever multicore or affinity fix I could find, and I even tried purging the plugins folder to no avail. I was about to give up on SC4 and decide that it just hated my computer when I finally brilliantly decided to check my exception reports. ::)
Up to a certain point, I was getting the 'normal' CTD's from the game, but then all my exceptions started looking like this:
Quote from: Exception ReportException time: 09/21/2009, at 00:04:37.
Exception code: 0xC0000005 (-1073741819) ACCESS_VIOLATION.
Current thread ID: 5376 (0x00001500).
Version information:
Application/module path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe
Application/module version name: SimCity 4
Application/module version: 1.1.610.0
System version: Windows NT 6.0
System memory: 3064 Megabytes total, 1124 Megabytes free.
Exception module: C:\Windows\system32\D3DIM700.DLL.
Exception address: 0x72f21f97. Section:Offset: 0x01:0x00020f97.
Registers
EAX: 00000000
EBX: 00000000
ECX: 05519e94
EDX: 05519e94
ESI: 05516ca0
EDI: 02e86734
CS:EIP: 0023:72f21f97
SS:ESP: 002b:0017fbbc EBP:0017fbc8
DS:002b ES:002b FS:0053 GS:002b
Flags: 00010202
Loaded Modules
Address Size Module Path
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0x00400000 8158830 SimCity 4.exe C:\Program Files (x86)\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe
0x77460000 1441792 ntdll.dll C:\Windows\SysWOW64\ntdll.dll
0x76f40000 1114112 kernel32.dll C:\Windows\syswow64\kernel32.dll
0x769b0000 811008 ADVAPI32.dll C:\Windows\syswow64\ADVAPI32.dll
0x766d0000 983040 RPCRT4.dll C:\Windows\syswow64\RPCRT4.dll
0x75430000 393216 Secur32.dll C:\Windows\syswow64\Secur32.dll
0x73e70000 28672 WSOCK32.dll C:\Windows\system32\WSOCK32.dll
0x76a80000 184320 WS2_32.dll C:\Windows\syswow64\WS2_32.dll
0x76d00000 696320 msvcrt.dll C:\Windows\syswow64\msvcrt.dll
0x767c0000 24576 NSI.dll C:\Windows\syswow64\NSI.dll
0x76450000 942080 WININET.dll C:\Windows\syswow64\WININET.dll
0x76b40000 364544 SHLWAPI.dll C:\Windows\syswow64\SHLWAPI.dll
0x75570000 589824 GDI32.dll C:\Windows\syswow64\GDI32.dll
0x76ba0000 851968 USER32.dll C:\Windows\syswow64\USER32.dll
0x76550000 12288 Normaliz.dll C:\Windows\syswow64\Normaliz.dll
0x76560000 1253376 urlmon.dll C:\Windows\syswow64\urlmon.dll
0x76300000 1331200 ole32.dll C:\Windows\syswow64\ole32.dll
0x76ab0000 577536 OLEAUT32.dll C:\Windows\syswow64\OLEAUT32.dll
0x76110000 1998848 iertutil.dll C:\Windows\syswow64\iertutil.dll
0x75600000 11599872 SHELL32.dll C:\Windows\syswow64\SHELL32.dll
0x75210000 458752 DSOUND.dll C:\Windows\system32\DSOUND.dll
0x751d0000 204800 WINMM.dll C:\Windows\system32\WINMM.dll
0x75190000 233472 OLEACC.dll C:\Windows\system32\OLEACC.dll
0x75170000 106496 POWRPROF.dll C:\Windows\system32\POWRPROF.dll
0x74e90000 32768 VERSION.dll C:\Windows\system32\VERSION.dll
0x73c10000 831488 OPENGL32.dll C:\Windows\system32\OPENGL32.dll
0x73dd0000 143360 GLU32.dll C:\Windows\system32\GLU32.dll
0x70490000 937984 DDRAW.dll C:\Windows\system32\DDRAW.dll
0x71250000 24576 DCIMAN32.dll C:\Windows\system32\DCIMAN32.dll
0x76db0000 1613824 SETUPAPI.dll C:\Windows\syswow64\SETUPAPI.dll
0x73640000 49152 dwmapi.dll C:\Windows\system32\dwmapi.dll
0x72cc0000 143360 MSVFW32.dll C:\Windows\system32\MSVFW32.dll
0x73880000 544768 COMCTL32.dll C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft.windows.common-controls_6595b64144ccf1df_5.82.6001.18000_none_886786f450a74a05\COMCTL32.dll
0x75490000 393216 IMM32.dll C:\Windows\syswow64\IMM32.dll
0x767d0000 819200 MSCTF.dll C:\Windows\syswow64\MSCTF.dll
0x73280000 122880 ShimEng.dll C:\Windows\system32\ShimEng.dll
0x73550000 180224 apphelp.dll C:\Windows\system32\apphelp.dll
0x6bf30000 2179072 AcGenral.DLL C:\Windows\AppPatch\AcGenral.DLL
0x73760000 524288 UxTheme.dll C:\Windows\system32\UxTheme.dll
0x74050000 483328 NETAPI32.dll C:\Windows\system32\NETAPI32.dll
0x77430000 28672 PSAPI.DLL C:\Windows\syswow64\PSAPI.DLL
0x73660000 81920 MSACM32.dll C:\Windows\system32\MSACM32.dll
0x75330000 20480 sfc.dll C:\Windows\system32\sfc.dll
0x75320000 53248 sfc_os.dll C:\Windows\system32\sfc_os.dll
0x75030000 122880 USERENV.dll C:\Windows\system32\USERENV.dll
0x73e80000 81920 MPR.dll C:\Windows\system32\MPR.dll
0x76540000 36864 LPK.DLL C:\Windows\syswow64\LPK.DLL
0x76930000 512000 USP10.dll C:\Windows\syswow64\USP10.dll
0x74cf0000 1695744 comctl32.dll C:\Windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft.windows.common-controls_6595b64144ccf1df_6.0.6002.18005_none_5cb72f96088b0de0\comctl32.dll
0x10000000 53248 fgmgr.dll C:\Program Files (x86)\FlashGet\fgmgr.dll
0x754f0000 471040 comdlg32.dll C:\Windows\syswow64\comdlg32.dll
0x03300000 2445312 xfire_toucan_39183 C:\Program Files (x86)\Xfire\xfire_toucan_39183.dll
0x72b20000 20480 MSIMG32.dll C:\Windows\system32\MSIMG32.dll
0x7c340000 352256 MSVCR71.DLL C:\Windows\system32\MSVCR71.DLL
0x768a0000 540672 CLBCatQ.DLL C:\Windows\syswow64\CLBCatQ.DLL
0x74b50000 303104 rasapi32.dll C:\Windows\system32\rasapi32.dll
0x740d0000 81920 rasman.dll C:\Windows\system32\rasman.dll
0x74010000 200704 TAPI32.dll C:\Windows\system32\TAPI32.dll
0x74b40000 49152 rtutils.dll C:\Windows\system32\rtutils.dll
0x03970000 294912 SimCity 4 Extra Ch C:\Documents\SimCity 4\Plugins\SimCity 4 Extra Cheats Plugin.dll
0x73ec0000 135168 NTMARTA.DLL C:\Windows\system32\NTMARTA.DLL
0x77050000 299008 WLDAP32.dll C:\Windows\syswow64\WLDAP32.dll
0x73ea0000 69632 SAMLIB.dll C:\Windows\system32\SAMLIB.dll
0x73fe0000 184320 WINTRUST.dll C:\Windows\system32\WINTRUST.dll
0x75070000 991232 CRYPT32.dll C:\Windows\system32\CRYPT32.dll
0x75050000 73728 MSASN1.dll C:\Windows\system32\MSASN1.dll
0x766a0000 167936 imagehlp.dll C:\Windows\syswow64\imagehlp.dll
0x73f80000 241664 rsaenh.dll C:\Windows\system32\rsaenh.dll
0x73f40000 217088 ncrypt.dll C:\Windows\system32\ncrypt.dll
0x73ef0000 286720 BCRYPT.dll C:\Windows\system32\BCRYPT.dll
0x71e70000 86016 GPAPI.dll C:\Windows\system32\GPAPI.dll
0x71990000 237568 slc.dll C:\Windows\system32\slc.dll
0x71d40000 110592 cryptnet.dll C:\Windows\system32\cryptnet.dll
0x735f0000 24576 SensApi.dll C:\Windows\system32\SensApi.dll
0x71d00000 86016 Cabinet.dll C:\Windows\system32\Cabinet.dll
0x6b5c0000 3608576 atiumdag.dll C:\Windows\system32\atiumdag.dll
0x6b2f0000 2924544 atiumdva.dll C:\Windows\system32\atiumdva.dll
0x72f00000 835584 D3DIM700.DLL C:\Windows\system32\D3DIM700.DLL
0x73dc0000 24576 IconCodecService.d C:\Windows\system32\IconCodecService.dll
0x71e90000 733184 WindowsCodecs.dll C:\Windows\system32\WindowsCodecs.dll
0x73730000 163840 MMDevApi.dll C:\Windows\System32\MMDevApi.dll
0x73700000 135168 AUDIOSES.DLL C:\Windows\system32\AUDIOSES.DLL
0x73690000 417792 audioeng.dll C:\Windows\system32\audioeng.dll
0x737e0000 28672 AVRT.dll C:\Windows\system32\AVRT.dll
0x60000000 380928 ijl15.dll C:\Windows\ijl15.dll
0x08730000 253952 winphook.dll C:\Program Files (x86)\Portrait Displays\Pivot Software\winphook.dll
0x71d60000 208896 dinput8.dll C:\Windows\system32\dinput8.dll
0x73310000 36864 HID.DLL C:\Windows\system32\HID.DLL
0x6d510000 507904 DbgHelp.dll C:\Program Files (x86)\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\DbgHelp.dll
Call stack:
(Debug information (.pdb files) appears to be absent).
0x0001:0x00020f97 C:\Windows\system32\D3DIM700.DLL.
0x0001:0x0002357a C:\Windows\system32\D3DIM700.DLL.
0x0001:0x00023f77 C:\Windows\system32\D3DIM700.DLL.
0x0001:0x000207d7 C:\Windows\system32\D3DIM700.DLL.
0x0001:0x00032fb5 C:\Program Files (x86)\Xfire\xfire_toucan_39183.dll.
0x0001:0x00033d49 C:\Program Files (x86)\Xfire\xfire_toucan_39183.dll.
Stack data: (ESP is 0x0017fbbc)
0x0017fa3c 00000000 00004083 08400000 00000000 00000000 00c453c4 01400000 00000000
0x0017fa5c 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000
0x0017fa7c 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000
0x0017fa9c 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000
0x0017fabc 010101ff 010101ff 010101ff 010101ff 010101ff 010101ff 010101ff 010101ff
0x0017fadc 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000
0x0017fafc 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000
0x0017fb1c 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000
0x0017fb3c 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000
0x0017fb5c 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000
0x0017fb7c 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000
0x0017fb9c 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000
0x0017fbbc 3467e802 a06c5105 00000000 40fc1700 7a45f272 a06c5105 00000000 b0b25805
0x0017fbdc 4df23892 24685203 ac61e802 a06c5105 04000000 04fe1700 0d24347c a8a3377c
0x0017fbfc ffffffff 8f21347c 7d9d3403 38cef914 c0bb6103 9d243803 a86b5203 e0675203
0x0017fc1c a06c5105 2c68e802 a2030000 ee000000 78000000 dcfb1700 7cfc1700 7dd0fb72
0x0017fc3c 00000000 54fc1700 774ff272 a06c5105 2867e802 2e6c5203 88fc1700 d717f272
0x0017fc5c a06c5105 01000000 85f23892 24685203 2e6c5203 a06c5105 a09b3403 64fc1700
0x0017fc7c 04fe1700 b1c8fb72 00000000 b0fc1700 b53f3303 a06c5105 01000000 e0675203
0x0017fc9c 894c3303 1400ee02 1400ee02 00000000 e0675203 dcfc1700 494d3303 a06c5105
0x0017fcbc 06020000 1400ee02 1400ee02 949e5105 34305d03 00000000 e0675203 00000000
0x0017fcdc 00000000 4d6e8800 a06c5105 2000ee02 a2498800 247a0c01 300aed02 340aed02
0x0017fcfc 00000000 a0c89800 300aed02 9fea9800 247a0c01 68fd1700 1400ed02 447a0c01
0x0017fd1c 447a0c01 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 68fd1700
Instruction data: (EIP is 0x72f21f97)
0x72f21f17 f2 72 c3 8b 45 ec e8 12 ff fd ff c2 0c 00 90 90 90 44 69 72 65 63 74 33 44 44 65 76 69 63 65 3a
0x72f21f37 3a 53 65 74 54 65 78 74 75 72 65 00 90 64 3a 5c 72 74 6d 5c 6d 75 6c 74 69 6d 65 64 69 61 5c 64
0x72f21f57 69 72 65 63 74 78 5c 64 78 67 5c 64 33 64 5c 64 78 37 5c 66 65 5c 64 65 76 73 74 61 74 65 2e 63
0x72f21f77 70 70 28 33 32 36 29 3a 00 90 90 90 90 90 8b ff 55 8b ec 8b 45 10 85 c0 53 56 57 74 0a 8b 40 04
0x72f21f97 8b 00 8b 58 78 eb 02 33 db 8b 7d 08 8b 45 0c 8d b4 87 38 29 00 00 8b 0e 3b cb 74 2e 85 c9 74 05
0x72f21fb7 e8 f6 b7 ff ff 85 db 89 1e 74 07 8b cb e8 6b f9 ff ff 8b 4d 0c 33 c0 40 d3 e0 09 87 7c 29 00 00
0x72f21fd7 81 8f 6c 1a 00 00 00 00 80 00 5f 5e 33 c0 5b 5d c2 0c 00 90 90 90 90 90 90 90 6a 08 b8 51 ca fb
0x72f21ff7 72 e8 02 fd fd ff 8b 75 08 68 9c 20 f2 72 68 74 20 f2 72 33 db 56 8d 4d 0b 89 5d fc e8 3d f9 ff
If you're not familiar, Xfire is an online PC gaming community, and the Xfire client tracks your gameplay hours for different games and allows you to use certain features (chat, video and still capture, etc.) in any game. After some further investigating, it appears that the in-game feature for Xfire was somehow conflicting with SC4 and causing it to crash as much as it did. All I did was turn off the in-game capabilities, and the game works fine again. However, I don't have this problem with any of the other games that I have. Plus, without it on, it's an inconvenience to keep alt-tabbing out to chat with someone, and I like the screenshot and video capture features of it. Has anyone experienced this problem, and is there any sort of fix or workaround for it?
First (And likely unrelated to the actual problem, bear with me), it appears you're running a vanilla version of Deluxe...try patching it to the latest version:
http://www.sc4devotion.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=41&Itemid=
Run through the legal spiel, look for and download "SC4 Update( Rush Hour / Deluxe Version)" that's on the next page, install it. This'll make the game more stable, AND work better, no less! Might indirectly solve the problem right there (Along with fixing possible issues with plug ins). As for the direct issue, XFire, it may be simply be SimCity 4 not liking programs integrating themselves with it (Which seems to be what it does, by your description). SC4 already despises outside influences, notably when Nvidia/ATI cards control video settings, so Xfire may simply be something it can't deal with. In other words, I don't have a solution off the top of my head for you.
However, I also notice you're using Vista. SimCity 4 is not a fan of Vista, and performance issues can creep up. I suggesting setting compatibility to XP (Right click the .exe, properties, compatibility tab, check the box under box in compatibility mode, select XP). This may or may not help, sadly, but it's worth a shot.
Might be something else lurking in that exception report pointing to a possible cause beyond the obvious, but I'm not technically savvy enough to find it.