I am running Windows XP, SP 3, with Norton Security Suite for Comcast, version 5.1.0.29.
I started having problems saving game files in Civilzation 3 Multiplayer Gold about a week ago - right after notification of a Norton Security Suite update. The problem is that saved game files "disappear" after saving. If I try to save over an existing file name, the old file disappears and the new one doesn't appear. This starts happening after the game has run for a few turns. If I repeatedly save to the same file name, the save will eventually "take", but it takes more tries as the game goes on (I guess this may be because the save files get more complicated, with more data to save). I haven't noticed any problems with any other applications.
Is there any chance this problem could be related to the Norton software?
I started having problems saving game files in Civilzation 3 Multiplayer Gold about a week ago - right after notification of a Norton Security Suite update. The problem is that saved game files "disappear" after saving. This starts happening after the game has run for a few turns. If I repeatedly save to the same file name, the save will eventually "take", but it takes more tries as the game goes on (I guess this may be because the save files get more complicated, with more data to save). I haven't noticed any problems with any other applications.
Is there any chance this problem could be related to the Norton software?
I am running Windows XP, SP 3, with Norton Security Suite for Comcast, version 5.1.0.29.
I started having problems saving game files in Civilzation 3 Multiplayer Gold about a week ago - right after notification of a Norton Security Suite update. The problem is that saved game files "disappear" after saving. If I try to save over an existing file name, the old file disappears and the new one doesn't appear. This starts happening after the game has run for a few turns. If I repeatedly save to the same file name, the save will eventually "take", but it takes more tries as the game goes on (I guess this may be because the save files get more complicated, with more data to save). I haven't noticed any problems with any other applications.
Is there any chance this problem could be related to the Norton software?
Hi,
Anything is possible I'm not going to confuse the thread but will let YANK see if he can guide you through to a safe place.
It sounds like the update didn't install correctly. The usual correction is to do a control panel uninstall, reboot and reinstall. Then run live update until all of the updates are downloaded and installed.
I am running Windows XP, SP 3, with Norton Security Suite for Comcast, version 5.1.0.29.
I started having problems saving game files in Civilzation 3 Multiplayer Gold about a week ago - right after notification of a Norton Security Suite update.
Can you describe the notification? Did it come in the form of a pop asking you to install an aleady downloaded upgrade? Or was it notification of a reboot requird after definition/program download. Any info you can provide will be helpful in our figuring out what type of update you received.
The problem is that saved game files "disappear" after saving. If I try to save over an existing file name, the old file disappears and the new one doesn't appear.
This is truly weird behavior and one I have not seen Norton casue - however there's always a first time.
This starts happening after the game has run for a few turns. If I repeatedly save to the same file name, the save will eventually "take", but it takes more tries as the game goes on (I guess this may be because the save files get more complicated, with more data to save).
At present all I can think of is that your system slows (processing all the addtional data). My old XP system (I only had 512 MB RAM) used to slow from time to time when saving large files. One more question, are the game files you are saving actually coming from the internet? I am thinking perhaps Norton could make it appear the saving process is slow when in fact Norton is causing the slow down of data to be saved by scanning the information from the internet prior to it arriving on your system to be saved.
I haven't noticed any problems with any other applications.
If this is just happening with a game (perhaps from info being saved from the net) and the other apps are already on your system (not coming from the net at the time they are saved), then there may not be anything wrong with your Norton install.
Is there any chance this problem could be related to the Norton software?
I am not a gamer and admit I do not know all that much about how the info is saved from the games, so I am not even sure Norton is scanning any info coming down from the net at the time of saving it - it has to do it sometime and I have heard of games really being slowed down due to AV programs. IOt would also make sense that the first few saves are no problem - but when the saves get larger, the scanning could take longer.
Is it possible to ask some fellow gamers who play Civilzation 3 Multiplayer Gold if they have ever encountered this - with Norton or any AV program?
Please provide the info about the notification method and any info you can about that and we'll go from there.
Hopefully someone else may come up with a suggestion also, but if the bottomline is that we need to try a frh insatll, I'll be glad to point you to instructions to do it.
I don't recall the exact notification of update - I think it was a pop-up indicating that an update had already been made (no reboot required).
The files being saved seem to be much smaller and simpler than many that had previously been saved with no problem. There's no internet involvement - the game is local on the PC, with no internet connection. To guard against disk slowdown or other problems, I ran the Norton Disc Optimizer and Registry Cleanup, but this didn't help. I also shut down the computer and rebooted, and uninstalled and reinstalled the game software, also with no improvement.
I'll check some of the Civ3 sites to see if anyone can help.
In the meantime, if you could point me to the process for doing a fresh install of Norton Security Suite, I'd appreciate it.
If you go here you will find instructions to remove your currect version, run the removal tool (which will clear out any fragments of current or previous install) and then instructions for a fresh install and update to Version 5.1.0.29.
Please aware that you must Export your ID Safe info is you sue it for log-ins as it will be removed when you run the removal tool. When you get to the link to download Norton security Suite, please click on the No Thanks on the popup asking about installing Constant Guard Protective Suite. That will permit you to see the Get It Now button which will start your download. It is very important to run manual liveupdate many times (as instructed with reboots as required) to bring your system up to date. Also if you use ID Safe - be sure to Import your data when you are totally updated.
If you have any questions on the procedure please ask before starting it.
Well, the situation has gotten more interesting. I removed NSS without any problems. When I restarted the PC, it went through CHKDSK, and corrected several items. The first thing that happened after completing startup was I got an error message:
Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime Library
Runtime Error!
Program: C:\Program Files\DISC\DISCover.exe
This application has requested the Runtime to terminate it in an unusual way.
Please contact the application’s support team for more information.
And the system could not "see" the CD drive. A bit of Googling found a procedure to edit registry entries, which fixed the CD problem. As a check, I then ran the game without NSS installed, and encountered no problems. At this point, I was inclined to think that there was some CD drive problem that reached the breaking point either because of, or coincident with, the "errors" detected during CHKDSK. I then reinstalled NSS, and the file saving problem recurred.
At this point, I'm inclined to conclude that NSS is causing the problem. I don't really have time to remove it again to check. I'll try that tonight and let you know what comes of it.
This morning I tested the game with NSS still installed, but all settings, tasks, etc. turned off. Game still didn't work.
Tonight I replicated the situation from last night. I uninstalled NSS and rebooted. After rebooting (no CHKDSK this time), CD drive was invisible, due to registry errors (last night had both upper filter and lower filter; tonight had only upper filter). After correcting the registry, I could see the CD. The game again works with no problems.
At this point, it looks like NSS (version 5.1.0.29) is causing the problem.
I'm not going to confuse the thread but will let YANK see if he can guide you through to a safe place.