Computer Problems...

[Park Kraken]

Ok, I recently bought and started playing Sid Meier's Railroads!, and it's an awesome game, basically Railroad Tycoon 2+3 combined along with several other cool features, it's a really fun game for people who love trains, but I'm running into problems.

Now, I'll get a message saying that my video card drivers are out of date when I start the game, but I can't find any up to date drivers.

Anyways, I'll run the game, and it's smooth smailing, until about ten-fifteen minutes later, when the game will freeze for a moment before my computer restarts.

It could be the video card drivers issue, but I wanted advice from the experts here before I tried to solve it.

My CD-ROM is also old, so could this pose a problem as well?

My video card is a Nvidia GeForce FX5500 graphics card, and does really well on my other games. I've tried downloading updated drivers from their (Nvidia) website, but it won't let me. I'll go a license page, yes I accept, then nothing.

So, an alternate solution; If it is my video card that's the problem, and if I'm not able to download updated drivers, then would an ATI Radeon 9550 graphics card be a good replacement? That's the best looking I've seen in my price range in the local area.

[Khendon Sevon]

Have you tried googling for your latest drivers?

No. It's not your CD-ROM. (Unless it has an issue causing it to halt every 10-15 minutes on every application utilizing it).

[Yog]

My video card is a Nvidia GeForce FX5500 graphics card, and does really well on my other games. I've tried downloading updated drivers from their (Nvidia) website, but it won't let me. I'll go a license page, yes I accept, then nothing.

That sounds like a browser issue. Anyway, here is a direct link to the video driver.

Windows XP/2000 32-bit, US-English, Forceware 93.71
http://http.download.nvidia.com/Windows/93.71/93.71_forceware_winxp2k_english_whql.exe

Make SURE you have windows XP/2000 32 bit, otherwise I will find you alternative link.

[Turbogeek]

Ok, I recently bought and started playing Sid Meier's Railroads!, and it's an awesome game, basically Railroad Tycoon 2+3 combined along with several other cool features, it's a really fun game for people who love trains, but I'm running into problems.

Now, I'll get a message saying that my video card drivers are out of date when I start the game, but I can't find any up to date drivers.

Anyways, I'll run the game, and it's smooth smailing, until about ten-fifteen minutes later, when the game will freeze for a moment before my computer restarts.

It could be the video card drivers issue, but I wanted advice from the experts here before I tried to solve it.

My CD-ROM is also old, so could this pose a problem as well?

My video card is a Nvidia GeForce FX5500 graphics card, and does really well on my other games. I've tried downloading updated drivers from their (Nvidia) website, but it won't let me. I'll go a license page, yes I accept, then nothing.

So, an alternate solution; If it is my video card that's the problem, and if I'm not able to download updated drivers, then would an ATI Radeon 9550 graphics card be a good replacement? That's the best looking I've seen in my price range in the local area.

If something freezes 10-15 minutes in, I very much doubt drivers are at fault - I would be more inclined to think actual hardware or a bug, depending on consistenty of crash or what exactly you are doing at the point of the crash. It CAN be your CD-Rom, I've seen that same thing on one application, crashing almost spot on at a regular point, yet every other application was fine. Changing to another CD-ROM did fix the issue and in fact I had a real bastard of a time with a server install until we realised the CD was at fault - and yet it was clean with other disks and this disk I was usuing worked in other machines fine. I'll say that if it was related to the CD, I wouldnt be surprised. CD-ROMs do wear out and flaky performance on certain disks yet fine on others is indeed a sign.

More info is needed to be honest to exactly pin it down. My head says possible bug issue is most likely.

[Park Kraken]

I'm starting to think it's more of a processor or RAM issue than CD-ROM issue. The only thing I've noticed so far is that the game issue happens whenever I build my railroad empire up to a fairly good size. I could have a single track between two cities with a train running for several hours without any problems, but once I start connecting more cities, add more trains, etc., then that is when the restarts start to occur.

Recommened requirements are Intel Pentium 4 2.0 GHz processor and 1 Gig of RAM. I have an Intel Pentium 4 Celeron 3.0 GHz processor and 1 Gig of RAM, so I'm not sure what the issue could be, unless some RAM has gone bad. How do you do a system check on RAM?

[Yog]

More info is needed to be honest to exactly pin it down. My head says possible bug issue is most likely.

I am leaning towards bug issue myself. I had freezing in that game as well, particulary as the the train network starts to get big. My computer does not restart though.


How do you do a system check on RAM?

http://www.memtest86.com/

[Khendon Sevon]

I met one of the programmers for that game. Nice guy.

That being said. Have you checked to see if there are any patches for the game or if anyone else is having the same issue? Check the game's forums. Ask this question there. You'll find specialist.