Screen Error?

Open the file prefs.ini (located in My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2) with notepad, and find the line that says fullscreen=1. Change it to fullscreen=0, save, then try running the game.

As to the launcher, Mcafee considers any VBscripts as being malicious without actually examining what they do. The launcher uses VBscript, thus the false positive. I don't believe that Mcafee has an option to make exceptions to the script scanning, so your simplest course to avoid it telling you that every time you run the game is to edit the target in the shortcut's properties so it points at galciv2.exe directly rather than at gc2launch.exe.

No dice. I changed the prefs.ini file to fullscreen=0 but I still only get half of the screen.

In that case, please post the contents of your debug.err file. It should be located at C:\Program Files\Stardock\Totalgaming\GalCiv2; just open it with notepad and copy/paste everything to a reply here.

Debug Message: Version v1.4x last updated on: Mon Oct 23 17:43:56 2006
Debug Message: GalCiv2 is activated.
Debug Message: Checking DX Version.
Debug Message: *********DXDiag info follows.*********
System Info
Time: 12/28/2006, 09:05:37
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
Machine Name: WARREN-1
Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.050301-1519)
Languages: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Gateway
System Model: W3050
BIOS: Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
Processor: AMD Sempron(tm) 3000+, MMX, 3DNow, ~2.0GHz
Physical Memory: 448MB RAM
Page File: 408MB used, 648MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS


Display Info
Display device 1:
Device Name: \\.\DISPLAY1
Card Name: NVIDIA GeForce4 MX Integrated GPU
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip Type: GeForce4 MX Integrated GPU
DAC Type: Integrated RAMDAC
Key Device: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_01F0&SUBSYS_927A1509&REV_A3
Display Memory: 64.0 MB
Current Display Mode: 1024 x 768 (32 bit) (75Hz)
Monitor Name: Plug and Play Monitor
Monitor Max Resolution: 1600,1200
Driver Name: nv4_disp.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.6176
Driver Date: 7/12/2004 04:50:00
DirectX Acceleration Enabled: Yes



Sound info
Sound device 1:
Description: NVIDIA(R) nForce(TM) Audio
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: NFORCE_VAD
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Driver Name: nvapu.sys
Provider: NVIDIA Corporation
Driver Version: 6.14.0442.0030
Driver Date: 5/25/2004 18:58:04
Type: WDM
Other Drivers:
Acceleration Level: 3
Cap Flags: 0
Min/Max Sample Rate: 0, 0



Debug Message: *********END dxdiag info.*********
Debug Message: Entering WinMain
Debug Message: ******* Starting Game Shell *******
Debug Message: Preparing to change display settings.
Debug Message: Using multilsample setting: D3DMULTISAMPLE_NONMASKABLE
Debug Message: Game Resolution: 1024 x 768
Debug Message: Running in windowed mode.
Debug Message: HAL (sw vp): NVIDIA GeForce4 MX Integrated GPU
Debug Message: D3DPRESENT_INTERVAL_IMMEDIATE
Debug Message: Refresh rate: 0
Debug Message: Bit Depth: 32 bit.
Debug Message: *********Checking D3DDevice Caps***********************
Debug Message: A full-color cursor is supported in hardware at high resolution modes.
Debug Message: Border size reported as 6 by 32
Debug Message: RGB in format 6:6:6, Masks reported as ff0000:ff00:ff
Debug Message: Now windowed.
Debug Message: Shell initialization complete
Debug Message: ***** Initializing Game *****
Debug Message: Timer Frequency is 0 369e99
Debug Message: Initializing sound card.
Debug Message: initailizing bink
Debug Message: Create setup screens.
Debug Message: Clear galaxy settings.
Debug Message: Clear influence.
Debug Message: Clear up laws.
Debug Message: Clear first time events.
Debug Message: Clear wonders and trade goods.
Debug Message: Clear sector mapper.
Debug Message: * Collectors Edition *
Debug Message: Set mouse.
Debug Message: Set update timer.
Debug Message: Clear data definitions.
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2\ships\*.xml
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2\ships\*.shipcfg
Debug Message: Reading Star Names
Debug Message: Reading Star Names... Done
Debug Message: TitleWnd: Quit Button.
Debug Message: Posting WM_CLOSE message.
Debug Message: WM_CLOSE message received.
Debug Message: GameUninitialize start
Debug Message: Killing Galaxy
Debug Message: Killing threads.
Debug Message: Kiling civs.
Debug Message: Killing ships.
Debug Message: Killing rallypoints.
Debug Message: Killing misc objects.
Debug Message: Killing stars.
Debug Message: Killing anomalies.
Debug Message: Killing space resources.
Debug Message: Killing colonies and planets.
Debug Message: killing scenario.
Debug Message: Clearing Turn Event Log
Debug Message: Clear galaxy settings.
Debug Message: Clear influence.
Debug Message: Clear up laws.
Debug Message: Clear first time events.
Debug Message: Clear wonders and trade goods.
Debug Message: Clear sector mapper.
Debug Message: Clear data definitions.
Debug Message: Killing Galaxy: Completed
Debug Message: Shutting down sound system.
Debug Message: Clearing sound and music handles.
Debug Message: GameUninitialize end
Debug Message: Device not cleared. 1 counts left.
Debug Message: D3D not cleared. 1 counts left.
Debug Message: Destroying Window.
Debug Message: Main Shell terminating normally

Update your driver for a start.

http://www.nvidia.com

Your graphics controller falls into the below minimum requirements category but should run the game (I think), albeit slowly. See the Wiki article.

Supported_Video_Chipsets

You probably should increase your virtual memory while you're at it, though that has nothing to do with your video issue.

I had this same issue when I first got the game. The video drivers are what cleared it up for me.