Cure for the Zoom CTD-issue

[CasperVg]

The Zoom Crash to Desktop seems to happen most when you are zooming in or out using the scroll wheel. Most CTD's aswell happen on Multi Core (dual, quad, ...) processors. A known cure is:

1. Opening SC4
2. Press ALT+TAB and then CTRL+ALT+DELETE
3. Locate Simcity4.exe
4. Right click -> select affinity -> select maximum one processing core -> press okay
5. Leave Taskbar & Play.

However, you will have to do these steps each time you fire up SC4.

But, there is a program called "SMP Seesaw" that will let you controll the core that is used for any application, including SC4.
SMP Seesaw is an utility for dual-CPU or dual-core computers that controls how Windows balances the compute load between the two processors. By default, Windows balances the processing load to both CPUs as evenly as possible among all programs. SMP Seesaw provides a convenient means to change the processor affinities for all running programs at once. In particular, the most common use is to dedicate one of your processors to a single program, thereby improving the performance or responsiveness of that program.
In order to make it so SC4 is used on one core, use these steps.

1. Fire up SC4 & SMP Seesaw.
2. Locate Simcity4.exe in the "Both CPU's" section, select it.
3. You can now chose two things, or you move Simcity4.exe to a CPU, or you isolate it.
Moving it means that SC4 is does not use the other Core, but other running processes can also use the Core SC4 is on.
Isolating it means that SC4 uses one Core, and all other processes use the other one.
4. Minimize SMP Seesaw and play SC4 without Core-related Crashes!

Known things:
- You may have to refresh the screen, in order to see the Simcity process.
- Isolating SC4 on one Core, means all other processes need to run on one core (so for these processes it's like running on a MonoCore processor)
- You have to keep SMP running as long as you play, but it has a really low footprint.

SMP is totally freeware, and has a professional version that can support up to 32 processors (! That'd be a high-end computer !).
You can download this program here: Click me to download SMP!

Have fun,

Casper

[niaba]

You can also set the affinity of a program permanently by using imageCFG.exe (here). It works fine for me and means you don't have to go through the trouble every time you start the game.

[SC4BOY]

You can also use the SC4 START UP MANAGER (SUM) which allows you to limit the game to one processor. Dont' do both though .. It doesn't work.. SUM and imageCFG use conflicting methods.. Either used individually works fine though. SUM is a very handy program for people who use much custom content in the plugins folders. .. and for those who use SC4 tools also .. among other things, it registers a custom file manager under windows (XP or Vista) and controls what programs running under it "sees" as files.