Hi there! You are currently browsing as a guest. Why not create an account? Then you get less ads, can thank creators, post feedback, keep a list of your favourites, and more!
Theorist
Original Poster
#1 Old 18th Jun 2013 at 6:23 PM
Default SimCity 4 is frying my processor core!
Hello all.

I'm running SimCity 4 Deluxe on my Windows 7 with Intel i5 processor (4 cores).

The game is so old, that it doesn't know how to respond to being handled by four processors. That's why the game crashes every 15 minutes to two hours (how long I have managed to keep it running this way). Luckily, I've found what the problem was. It was just a matter of telling the system to allow only one processor core to handle the game. (I've done it by placing -CPUCount:1 at the end of the shortcut target.)

I started the game again, and it was all fine. Woke up the next day and continued playing, everything was perfect (though I was a little worried if the game would crash again or not, so I've been saving the game every 20 minutes).

I decided to have some lunch, so I minimized the game by pressing the Windows button on my keyboard. I do that with every game I play.

Usually, Sims2, Sims3 or SimsCS sits quietly in the background, causing no lag at all while I'm using other apps, and they barely use any processors. But unfortunately, that wasn't the case with SC4.

I came back to my room to play the game again, but I smelled smoke. Oh my god. I was so fucking scared... then I noticed my laptop's fan is going crazy!! I checked my task manager to see what's causing the issue... only one of my CPU cores (the one that was handling SC4) was at 100% (but it would run even higher I believe, if it had space).

I shut down SC4, turned off and unplugged the laptop, and let it sit for awhile.

The next day (I haven't turned my computer on ever since), I tried switching which core was handling SC4 - when the game launched, I opened task manager and under Afinity (or something like that - my system is on Croatian) instead of CPU0 I checked CPU1. I played for awhile (tried to recreate what I made yesterday), minimized the game and turned on task manager.

The CPU1 usage was going up... and up... and up... and up...

Basically, SimCity 4 is frying my processors. Does anyone know why, and how I can stop that?

(While the game was assigned to all four processor cores, all four of them were handling the game nicely (little to no activity), but the game would crash after time.)

Taken from here.
Advertisement
Mad Poster
#2 Old 26th Jun 2014 at 7:07 PM
@DJ.: Sorry to revive this old thread, but it certainly has me worried!

I went to our local games exchange today looking for Sims 2 Open For Business. They didn't have it, but they did have copies of SimCity 4, and I bought one for £2.50 (about 3 Simoleons in the currency we all understand!). I really bought it to be able to create my own terrains for The Sims 2, but I admit I was attracted to SimCity when it was new, but never got round to buying it. So, having bought a version of it, I thought I might as well try playing it. I started looking for anything about SimCity 4 on MTS, and your thread was the first thing I found.

I chose the base game version of SimCity 4 rather than the Deluxe version, because I was thinking about my computer's limited graphics capabilities. (It's a Packard Bell netbook with an Intel integrated graphics chip, but I've being playing The Sims 2 (Double Deluxe) successfully on it for 18 months, so I assumed it would have no trouble with an even older game.) ...And then I read your thread!!

How did it work out? Did it destroy your computer, or did you manage to recover it.

I haven't even installed SimCity 4 yet. It makes me think I should maybe only use it as a tool to create terrains on, and never actually play it. Any thoughts anyone?
Lab Assistant
#3 Old 4th Jul 2014 at 11:35 PM
SimCity need to run on one core only. You can open the task manager, then the tab processes, there a right click on the SC4 exe and look for properties (i think this is the english term for it, mine is different...)
Then search the field, where you can write in, and add: -CPUCount:1

Aside from that: Rush Hour is a really needed addon, it fixes a lot of bugs in the game, and without you can´t use mods. Also you will need the patches. Everything related to the game, help, patches, EA-Goodies, you will find it here: http://www.simtropolis.com
There is a big community like here in Sims, friendly and helpful.
Theorist
Original Poster
#4 Old 7th Jul 2014 at 1:06 PM
Quote: Originally posted by AndrewGloria
How did it work out? Did it destroy your computer, or did you manage to recover it.
The computer, thank goodness, worked fine ever since. I think what it really needed was just to be shut down for a day or so. For around a week straight, I've only checked emails on it, and done nothing that would cause stress to it. It's the same computer I play TS2 on, and the same one I'm typing on now; so I'd say it's survived the worst.

I've uninstalled the game ever since, and I haven't installed it again, merely because I shat my own pants now that I re-read what I wrote above.

I don't think you would be required to have a strong graphics card to handle something as easy as SC4. I could be wrong though, but seeing that the game is non-3D and older than TS2, I don't think it'd cause as much strain as playing Deluxe on it.

I would follow the above poster's guidelines - it appears that old games as this one don't run well on multiple processors. Assign only one CPU to the game and play it. If it doesn't heat up (your computer), I'd say you're fine. If it does, I wouldn't continue playing the game if I were you.

The same goes for minimizing the game; if your processor seems to remain chill and doesn't act up, you're fine, but if it starts heating up, something's wrong. Good luck.
Field Researcher
#5 Old 9th Jul 2014 at 2:23 AM
Do you happen to have a 64-bit operating system? People have had trouble with SC4 being installed in the Program Files (x86) directory.

I'm thinking all through the night
I could be yours just like before
Rewrite another try
'Cause we've had the loneliest time
Mad Poster
#6 Old 9th Jul 2014 at 11:48 AM
Thanks everyone! I only have a single core processor and Windows 7 32-bit, so I might be ok, but I'll be very careful with SC4. It's not worth wrecking my computer for a 3 Simoleon game!

DJ, I'm glad your computer recovered. The only place I've seen smoke coming from a computer is inside some of my Sims' houses! And then I want them to take the thing into the garden until the repairman comes. I don't think I'd go to sleep in a house with smoke coming out of a TV or a computer!

Does anyone know if I can use SC4 to make neighbourhood features for TS2?
Theorist
Original Poster
#7 Old 9th Jul 2014 at 12:17 PM
Quote: Originally posted by Port_A_Build
Do you happen to have a 64-bit operating system? People have had trouble with SC4 being installed in the Program Files (x86) directory.
I do have a 64-bit OS, but I never install games on my C: drive. My games usually go on a second partition, under "Game Files" or "Programs and Apps" folder. Could that be the reason why SC4 started freaking out even more?
Field Researcher
#8 Old 9th Jul 2014 at 12:53 PM
Quote: Originally posted by AndrewGloria

Does anyone know if I can use SC4 to make neighbourhood features for TS2?
That is the only thing to make neighbourhoods in this game!

I am MOHAAPlayer on Discord
Field Researcher
#9 Old 9th Jul 2014 at 5:44 PM
Quote: Originally posted by DJ.
I do have a 64-bit OS, but I never install games on my C: drive. My games usually go on a second partition, under "Game Files" or "Programs and Apps" folder. Could that be the reason why SC4 started freaking out even more?
Only if the directory requires admin authorisation to change. Is there proper airflow under your laptop and around the vents? You could also try blowing a fan onto it.

I'm thinking all through the night
I could be yours just like before
Rewrite another try
'Cause we've had the loneliest time
 
Back to top