Colin McRae DIRT crashes every time on Mac Pro '08: FIXED!

I wonder if anyone has played Colin McRae DIRT on a Mac Pro '08 with the nVidia Geforce 8800 GT....
Mine very annoyingly crashes every time I want to start a new game!

I have tried everything I can think of to get this game to work but to no avail... and I really hope someone can help me out.

My hardware:

Mac Pro (early 2008) 8 x 2.8 GHz
4 GB RAM
nVidia GeForce 8800 GT
Logitech MOMO FF wheel
... all latest Apple software and firmware updates have been applied too.

Windows:

Used a 2nd internal HD, and partitioned that drive in 2:
- Windows XP Pro 32 bits SP 2, all updates, Boot Camp drivers and latest nVidia and Logitech MOMO drivers.
- Windows Vista Ultimate 64 bits SP 1, all updates, Boot Camp drivers and latest nVidia and Logitech MOMO drivers.

Therefore I have a Windows Dual Boot situation, done specifically for gaming purposes (i.e. Win XP for older games, and Vista for the latest and gr8test)

Colin McRae DIRT:

Bought it today, and have tried everything I can think of...
Installed, 1.0 and crashed... updated to 1.1 and crashed... and updated to 1.2 and yep... crashed too...
All versions crash at the same time in the game... Every time I want to start a race (in every "mode"), Windows then alerts me of the crash, and immediately terminates DIRT.exe... both Vista and XP.
I have tried high and low video settings, tried low software enabled audio, and OpenAL.... NOTHING...!
I have even downloaded another copy from Usenet as I started to distrust my just purchased Retail DVD. I have also downloaded no-DVD patches.... the lot.

I am at a dead end.
I start to believe maybe some hardware config of the '08 Mac Pro (Hapertown CPU...or, this version of the 8800 GT.. or something) maybe the culprit.

So, I simply wonder if anyone has it running on similar hardware, and if so, did you run into similar troubles and have found out what to do..?

All other games work perfectly BTW.

Tnx for any replies.

No one...?

I mean if anyone has any experience with Colin McRae DiRT on the '08 Mac Pro please let me know...!

Tnx for you reply, jonnyr78!

I was starting to think I was the only one ever who wanted to play DiRT on an '08 Mac Pro...

Tried the following last night:
- Reinstalled Vista (format and new install), but this time the Ultimate 32 bits version.
- Done the Boot Camp drivers install from my Mac Pro restore DVD
- Installed all updates
- Installed the official SP 1 update (>> finally gave me my 4 GB RAM in 32 bits mode!!)
- Installed the latest Beta drivers of the 8800 GT card from nVidia's site

This time I didn't install my Logitech MOMO drivers, and didn't even bother to connect it either.
Then installed the game again off my retail DVD.

Started it...
Configured my grfx...
Chose a game...
....
.... and crashed again....! Same crash, same error.

I am getting a bit.. well.. irritable.

We have two chances left:
1) Win XP SP 3
2) the just available Boot Camp updates!

I'll be trying the no. 2 option tomorrow evening...

jonnyr78 said:

It must be something beyond the graphics card though as I;m having the same crash with an 2600HD again in xp and vista and x32 and x64 versions of both.

Sooo...for now I'm stuck. The only thing I an think it that it's something to do with the Xenon, but that's a bit beyond me. Fingers crossed for the bootcamp update...

Jonny (you can drop the 78)

Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure you're right about it not being a grfx card issue...

Update on my situation:
I have installed the Boot Camp 2.1 update on Windows XP SP 2. Rebooted, and now Windows couldn't find my GeForce 8800 driver...
So, I manually downloaded the latest nVidia Beta drivers and installed them.

All seems well, so I decided to give DiRT another try....
NOPE! Same crash, same error message.... getting fed up now.

I still can't find out what it is precisely. Googling on "crash and DiRT" gives you tons of hits: mostly YouTube movies of gr8 fun car "crashes" during gameplay.

Crap. I really wanted to play this game...

Final words:

This time I installed Windows XP Pro (32 bits) Service Pack 3.

Forget it.

THAT WOULD BE BRILLIANT!!!!

Gonna try it later this week!!!

Thank you, jonnyr78!!

YES!!! Got it working!!

Tnx to jonnyr78 for leading me to it

I give you the "workaround" I found.
It is not for DiRT but for Grid, but the same principle works:

Default
PROBLEM -

Grid will not start when using 8 cores (2 quad core processors), The game just sits at "Loading...Please Wait"

TEMPORARY SOLUTION UNTIL FIX IS INCLUDED IN PATCH -


Quote:
[1]

Go into the following folder :

[Standalone Game (using disk)]

32 bit - C:\Program Files\Codemasters\Grid\system
64 bit - C:\Program Files (x86)\Codemasters\Grid\system

[Steam Version (no disk)]

32 bit - C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\grid\system
64 bit - C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\grid\system


Quote:
[2]

Open the following file using Notepad or some other text editor :

hardware_settings_restrictions.xml

(If you wish you can copy the file and back it up first)


Quote:
[3]

Change the line with the following start :

<restrict_if name="cores" op="int_ge" value="8">

to match the contents of the line above so you end up with the following :

Quote:
<restrict_if name="cores" op="int_eq" value="8">
<restrict_add>
<threadStrategy parallelUpdateRender="true" workerMapFile="system/workerMap4Core.xml" forceFeedbackProcessor="3" dvdStorageProcessor="3" dataSetMonitorProcessor="1" renderProcessor="0" updateProcessor="2" fileStreamProcessor="3" />
</restrict_add>
</restrict_if>


Quote:
[4]

Launch the game again, the game will now only run on 4 cores but it will run. Hopefully a fix for this is forthcoming.

Click to expand...

IMPORTANT NOTE:
Just use the exact amount of the line above, not the amounts mentions in the quote.

[3]

Change the line with the following start :

<restrict_if name="cores" op="int_ge" value="8">

to match the contents of the line above so you end up with the following :

Quote:
<restrict_if name="cores" op="int_eq" value="8">
<restrict_add>
<threadStrategy parallelUpdateRender="true" workerMapFile="system/workerMap4Core.xml" forceFeedbackProcessor="3" dvdStorageProcessor="3" dataSetMonitorProcessor="1" renderProcessor="0" updateProcessor="2" fileStreamProcessor="3" />
</restrict_add>
</restrict_if>

Click to expand...

Attached is my working "hardware_settings_restrictions.xml" file.
You can download this and copy into your \DiRT\system\ directory.

Did you copy the xml file to your /DiRT/System/ directory?
I do think this .xml file only works with the 8-Core machines, maybe only the Mac Pro '08 model. 4-Cores or less, all seem to work fine with the default xml file.
If you do have an 8-Core Mac, and the xml file doesn't work for you, the essence of this editing is that the line which represents "value=8" is an exact copy of the line "value=4".
So, only edit the line after "value=8", matching the value=4.
In essence you are telling the game to do the actions which are made for 8-Core machines similar to the 4-Core machines. Somehow the pre-fabbed 8-Core actions don't seem to work well...

BTW..
I have also installed a couple of other racing games!!

- NFS Pro Street
- Colin McRae GRID

NFS Pro Street seems to work fine (with the no-DVD fix) if it's running version 1.0. The 1.1 update (with and without the no-DVD patch) seems to make this game crash on my Mac Pro running XP SP3. Not a bad at all.. but no match to..:

Colin McRae GRID is absolutely awesome!!
After installing, and applying the 1.2 update (and no-DVD fix ..) this game needed no modifications at all. So it seems to work well with this 8-Core Mac
I had to manually set the grfx to all max (all of 'em.. took some time, as every setting was set to low by default...) @ 1920 x 1200 rez, an OMG!! what a gr8 looking fun racing game it is..!
Even better than DiRT!

Demolition Derby is unbelievably fun.. wow... still got a grin on my face...
Bouncing around San Francisco in my BMW is so gr8 too...!

Sure. This is what I did:

First. Make a backup of the original hardware_settings_restrictions.xml file!!

Then:

- Open that file using Notepad (right-click, and select Open with...)

- Find this bit: <restrict_if name="cores" op="int_ge" value="8">
>this part is where you tell DiRT what to do/restrict when it finds your 8 Cores

- Then look at the line just below it (2 lines under): <threadStrategy parallelUpdateRender="true" ....

- Make sure you edit that line EXACTLY as the similar line which is used just above, for use for the 4-Cores.
That should read thus:
<threadStrategy parallelUpdateRender="true" workerMapFile="system/workerMap4Core.xml" forceFeedbackProcessor="3" dvdStorageProcessor="3" dataSetMonitorProcessor="3" renderProcessor="0" updateProcessor="2" fileStreamProcessor="3" />

And you're done

It works on my following Mac:
- Mac Pro '08, 8 x 2.8 GHz
- GeForce 8800 GT
- 8 GB RAM
- Windows XP Pro SP3 (only 2 GB RAM used/seen)
- Latest nVidia Drivers (both the 175.16, and 175.19 drivers work fine)
- Done the DiRT 1.21 Patch.exe, found here
- Also done the no-DVD fix, because I hate inserting the DVD every time.. (can find it by Googling to something like Game Copy World....)

Good luck, and have fun!

I can't find any differences..!

Let's get down to details then.
I see you own the same Mac, but here are some small differences:
- Windows SP 3 and you have SP 2
>> could it be that this games needs one or two SP2 updates? (not SP 3 necessarily, but maybe some other "minor" update..)
- I have the Soundblaster X-Fi PCIe card in it (can't imagine that this games needs such a sound card though...)
- You have also applied the 1.21 patch?

I have copied and pasted my whole hardware_settings_restrictions here (maybe you can find a difference then):

------------------------------------------------------------------------
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<hardware_settings_restrictions>

<cpu>
<restrict_info>
<restrict_if name="cores" op="int_eq" value="2">
<restrict_add>
<threadStrategy parallelUpdateRender="true" workerMapFile="system/workerMap2Core.xml" forceFeedbackProcessor="1" dvdStorageProcessor="1" dataSetMonitorProcessor="1" renderProcessor="0" updateProcessor="1" fileStreamProcessor="1" />
</restrict_add>
</restrict_if>
<restrict_if name="cores" op="int_eq" value="4">
<restrict_add>
<threadStrategy parallelUpdateRender="true" workerMapFile="system/workerMap4Core.xml" forceFeedbackProcessor="3" dvdStorageProcessor="3" dataSetMonitorProcessor="3" renderProcessor="0" updateProcessor="2" fileStreamProcessor="3" />
</restrict_add>
</restrict_if>
<restrict_if name="cores" op="int_ge" value="8">
<restrict_add>
<threadStrategy parallelUpdateRender="true" workerMapFile="system/workerMap4Core.xml" forceFeedbackProcessor="3" dvdStorageProcessor="3" dataSetMonitorProcessor="3" renderProcessor="0" updateProcessor="2" fileStreamProcessor="3" />
</restrict_add>
</restrict_if>
<restrict_if name="hyperThreading" op="bo_eq" value="true">
<restrict_add>
<threadStrategy parallelUpdateRender="true" workerMapFile="system/workerMap2Core.xml" forceFeedbackProcessor="1" dvdStorageProcessor="1" dataSetMonitorProcessor="1" renderProcessor="0" updateProcessor="1" fileStreamProcessor="1" />
</restrict_add>
</restrict_if>
<restrict_else>
<restrict_add>
<threadStrategy parallelUpdateRender="false" workerMapFile="system/workerMap.xml" forceFeedbackProcessor="0" dvdStorageProcessor="0" dataSetMonitorProcessor="0" renderProcessor="0" updateProcessor="0" fileStreamProcessor="0" />
</restrict_add>
</restrict_else>
</restrict_info>
</cpu>

<audio_card>
<audio>
<restrict_set name="mixing" default="software">
<allowed value="creative" />
<allowed value="software" />
<allowed value="default" />
</restrict_set>
<restrict_set name="reverbs" default="1">
<allowed value="0" />
<allowed value="1" />
<allowed value="2" />
</restrict_set>
<restrict_set name="voices" default="40">
<allowed value="40" />
<allowed value="50" />
<allowed value="60" />
<allowed value="70" />
<allowed value="80" />
<allowed value="creative" />
<allowed value="default" />
</restrict_set>
</audio>
</audio_card>

<graphics_card>

<resolution>
<restrict_logical>
<restrict_if name="width" op="int_le" value="639">
<restrict_set name="width" default="640" />
<restrict_set name="height" default="480" />
</restrict_if>
<restrict_if name="height" op="int_le" value="479">
<restrict_set name="width" default="640" />
<restrict_set name="height" default="480" />
</restrict_if>
</restrict_logical>

<restrict_set name="aspect" default="normal">
<allowed value="4:3" />
<allowed value="5:4" />
<allowed value="16:9" />
<allowed value="16:10" />
</restrict_set>

</resolution>

<multisampling>
<backbuffer>
<restrict_set name="level" default="4">
<allowed value="0" />
<allowed value="2" />
<allowed value="8" />
<allowed value="16" />
</restrict_set>
</backbuffer>
<colour_target>
<restrict_set name="level" default="4">
<allowed value="0" />
<allowed value="2" />
<allowed value="8" />
<allowed value="16" />
</restrict_set>
</colour_target>
<minimap>
<restrict_set name="level" default="0">
<allowed value="2" />
<allowed value="4" />
<allowed value="8" />
<allowed value="16" />
</restrict_set>
</minimap>
<codriver_icon>
<restrict_set name="level" default="0">
<allowed value="2" />
<allowed value="4" />
<allowed value="5" />
<allowed value="6" />
<allowed value="8" />
<allowed value="16" />
</restrict_set>
</codriver_icon>
<dynamic_envmap>
<restrict_set name="level" default="0">
<allowed value="2" />
<allowed value="4" />
<allowed value="8" />
<allowed value="16" />
</restrict_set>
</dynamic_envmap>
<static_envmap>
<restrict_set name="level" default="0">
<allowed value="2" />
<allowed value="4" />
<allowed value="5" />
<allowed value="6" />
<allowed value="8" />
<allowed value="16" />
</restrict_set>
</static_envmap>
<rear_view_mirror>
<restrict_set name="level" default="0">
<allowed value="2" />
<allowed value="4" />
<allowed value="8" />
<allowed value="16" />
</restrict_set>
</rear_view_mirror>
</multisampling>

<gamma>
<restrict_float_range name="level" default="1.0" min="0.5" max="2.5" />
</gamma>

<textures>
<restrict_int_range name="lod" default="0" min="0" />
</textures>

</graphics_card>

<shadows>
<restrict_set name="size" default="1024">
<allowed value="128" />
<allowed value="256" />
<allowed value="512" />
<allowed value="1024" />
<allowed value="1536" />
<allowed value="2048" />
<allowed value="4096" />
</restrict_set>
<restrict_int_range name="maskQuality" default="2" min="0" max="2" />
</shadows>

<groundcover>
<restrict_int_range name="layers" default="4" min="1" max="4" />
</groundcover>

<crowd>
<restrict_int_range name="lodQuality" default="2" min="0" max="2" />
<restrict_bool name="enabled" default="true" />
</crowd>


<particles>
<restrict_int_range name="max" default="3000" min="250" max="6000" />
<restrict_bool name="enabled" default="true" />
<restrict_bool name="collisions" default="true" />
</particles>

<vehicles>
<restrict_int_range name="characterQuality" default="2" min="0" max="4" />
</vehicles>

<wind>
<restrict_bool name="particles" default="false" />
<restrict_bool name="groundcover" default="false" />
</wind>

</hardware_settings_restrictions>
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Whoa...!

If it can't run on any of those computers, it would seem something is wrong with the install DVD.
The chances of the game not running on either of the other computers are really small.
The only "serious issues" with this game I have found is the 8-Core debacle. Ofcourse there are always a few that can have a minor issue with some grfx card, or sound card, but those are isolated incidents where the player can play the game but with some small problem.

Yours simply won't run on any computer! And a known setup (mine and yours) does work if the xml file is adjusted properly, like you have done.

Can't you return it then, and swap it for another... or maybe even for Race Driver GRID?

EDIT: Just one more question.... Have you tried to play the game without the no-DVD fix? So, a clean install of the game, applied the 1.21 patch, and started it with the real DVD inserted?