1.3Ghz+GF3 = 3500?!

dunno · Jul 28, 2001

AMD Thunderbird 1.33Ghz, 266mhz FSB
256MB PC2100 DDR DRAM
Gigabyte GA-7DX, AMD 761 + VIA 686B (Using AMD AGP Miniport 4.80)
Visiontek Geforce 3 (Detonator 12.90)
Creative Soundblaster Live!
DirectX 8.0a
Windows ME

I recently did a format and fresh install of windows about a week ago so it should, if anything, be faster. I'm getting a score of about 3500 in 3Dmark2001 and I believe a system like this should be able to get about 6000, am I right? What the hell is wrong with my system?!

(Running at all default settings in 3Dmark: 1024x768x32, texture compression, no antialiasing, Pure Hardware T&L)

flamethrower205 · Jul 28, 2001

Check your anti-aliasing settings....

When I rule the world, Apple will only mean the fruit.

dunno · Jul 28, 2001

It's set at 'off'.

flamethrower205 · Jul 28, 2001

What are your drivers (nvidia's or visiontek's), is your AGP 4x, are fast writes enabled?

When I rule the world, Apple will only mean the fruit.Edited by flamethrower205 on 07/28/01 02:49 PM.

dunno · Jul 29, 2001

It's nVidia's references drivers. Visiontek only has 12.41 WHQL. AGP is at 4x and fastwrites are enabled on the motherboard BIOS but I don't think the Geforce3 supports fastwrites so it is disabled. AGP Aperture size is at 256MB, although I've tried 64MB and it makes no difference. It's on IRQ 11, sharing only with PCI IRQ Steering (should be ok, right?).

phsstpok · Jul 29, 2001

For 3D benchmarking make sure Vertical Sync Mode is set to Always Off. This should be done for both OpenGL and Direct3D.

With a GF3 it is probably best to return Vsync to Enabled when actually playing games.

noko · Jul 29, 2001

Really sounds like your AGP is not configure right. One way to check is to download PowerStrip3 at:

<A HREF="http://www.dangerousdog.com/downloads/videotweaking/powerstrip/powerstrip.htm" target="_new">http://www.dangerousdog.com/downloads/videotweaking/powerstrip/powerstrip.htm</A>

Once loaded:
1. Click on PS3 icon in taskbar
2. On open menu click on Options... then Adapter Information...
3. Under AGP system configuration section, make sure:
. . Hardware enabled checked
. . software enabled checked
. . Trasfer mechanism is either DMA or DiME
. . 4x or 2x is checked
4. In Diagnostic report
. . Buttons to the right (3 of them) has a copy to clipboard button(top bottom over the GL button)
. . . . copy the report to the clipboard and then paste here, this will tell us alot
. . . . about your setup.

Yes you should be getting over 5000 easily with your GF3, you should be able to get there without to much problems.

1.5 T-Bird
2.1 P4 Speed

dunno · Jul 29, 2001

Diagnostic report - generated on 7/28/2001
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PowerStrip build - 184
Windows build - v.4.90.73010104.1
DirectX build - v.4.08.00.0400
OpenGL renderer - (n/a)

System board
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CPU speed - 1333 MHz
Type - AMD 7DX-6A6S6G09C-00
BIOS - Award Bios, 05/24/2001
AGP aperture - 256 MB
AGP transfer mechanism - DMA
AGP non-local memory - 51.2 MB
AGP revision - 2.00
AGP transfer rates supported - 1x, 2x, 4x
Current AGP transfer rate - 4x
Sideband addressing - hardware support, but currently disabled
Fast write protocol - hardware support, but currently disabled
AGP texturing - Enabled

Graphics card #1
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Identity - NVIDIA GeForce3
Memory clock - 458.18 MHz
Engine clock - 199.66 MHz
IRQ - 11, not shared
AGP revision - 2.00
AGP transfer rates supported - 1x, 2x, 4x
Current AGP transfer rate - 4x
Sideband addressing - (n/a)
Display driver - nvdisp.drv, v.4.13.01.1290
DirectX driver - nvdd32.dll, v.4.13.01.1290
Attached monitor - Plug and Play Monitor ((Standard monitor types))
Monitor caps (1) - 1600x1200, 75kHz, 85Hz

Device enumeration
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NVIDIA GeForce3 (020010DEh) - using IRQ11
AMD CPU-to-PCI/AGP bridge (700E1022h)
AMD PCI-to-PCI/AGP bridge (700F1022h)
VIA PCI-to-ISA bridge (06861106h)
VIA IDE controller (05711106h)
VIA Reserved (pre-class coded) (30571106h)
3Com Ethernet controller (920010B7h) - using IRQ10
Creative Labs Audio device (00021102h) - using IRQ7
Creative Labs Input controller (70021102h)
Bridgecom Ethernet controller (09851317h) - using IRQ10
Aztech Modem/serial controller (7897134Dh) - using IRQ3

dunno · Jul 29, 2001

I turn vsync to "Always off" using RivaTuner in both OpenGL and Direct3D so that isn't the problem.

noko · Jul 29, 2001

There is nothing wrong with your setup on your motherboard as indicated by PowerStrip. You have the correct bridge for CPU-AGP as well as PCI-AGP. PowerStrip indicates AGP4x with DMA with AGP texturing enabled.

I recommend you try your video card on another computer, hopefully a buddy or friend, maybe work if your boss doesn't mind playing some awesome games with a GF3.

Please do a benchmark using QuakeIII, a OpenGL game.

You do have DX8a or DX8.1beta installed right? if not then the 12:00 series and actually I believe from the 7:00 series and on requries DX8. Do this, open up DirectXDiagnostics by:
1. Click on the Start menu
2. In the Run command type in dxdiag
3. Report the DirectX version that you have on the System page.
4. Go to the Display page and run the two test there and let us know the results.
5. Also note any problems found in the notes section on the Display page.

You may have to exchange your card out because I am getting a feeling you have a problem with your card. Still we need to rule out as much possiblities as possible. Good luck.

1.5 T-Bird
2.1 P4 SpeedEdited by noko on 07/28/01 11:38 PM.

dunno · Jul 29, 2001

Ah I got it to work now. You were right, it was something wrong with my AGP drivers. I reinstalled the miniport drivers and now I got 5022 in 3Dmark2001. I guess it must of been a corrupt install or something last time. Well thanks for the help, all.

noko · Jul 29, 2001

Well that is great, time to start gaming. MaxPayne is an awesome game if you don't have it yet.

1.5 T-Bird
2.1 P4 Speed

lichocpu · Jul 29, 2001

Hey noko, i'm building myself a little system to accompany me in my long studying hours now that I'm starting at the University (Universidad Simon Bolivar, CCS Vzla) and i'm 'bout to do a trip to montreal to buy stuff that I can't order through the mail. I'm wondering what vid card should I buy, considering that I plan to buy a 1Ghz T-bird married with 256 MB of DDR RAM and a Gigabyte GA7dxC (or maybe an ASUS A7A266 Audio, which one is best?), and plan to play FS2K, Jane's USAF, BG2:SoA, and possibly some emulators and Airpro 2000.
I should remark that less than a month ago I bought the Hercules 3D Prophet 4500 and it is very good, but I don't like the fact that it doesn't run Final Fantasy 7 correctly, that just Pisses me of (im a real FF fan, when it existed on nintendo, I had the original game, but I never won it, but my parents did, and thanks to RPGS of the PC, NES and SNES I learnd to read, write and speak in english) so I would like your opinion on that video card, should I look for a new one (i.e. Radeon VE DDR?) or should I just resignate to install my old Viper V330 on my current rig, take the kyro for the flight sims (although in USAF i just couldn't see the AA at all) and get a PSOne and the original console version of the RPG's to stop whining?

Thannks a Bunch!

noko · Jul 29, 2001

The new FS2K2 coming out around Christmass time is based on hardware T&L, which will put your Kyro2 at a disadvantage in that case. If I was you I would keep your Kyro2 and get a 1.33 or 1.4 T-Bird instead of a 1ghz T-Bird. The cost for a 1.2ghz T-Bird over a 1ghz T-Bird is virtually nothing here in the States. Flight sims are CPU intensive and the great FSAA on the Kyro2 should give you the best quality. As for Final Fantasy I don't know if STMicro will get a driver that will work with it. I wouldn't recommend switcing to a Radeon or a GF2 series card. If you are going to upgrade then go with the GF3 (GainsWard) or a Radeon2 (if proven good).

Your Kyro2 will perform much better with a faster CPU and in some games it will be faster then a GF2 Ultra.

1.5 T-Bird
2.1 P4 SpeedEdited by noko on 07/30/01 01:03 AM.

flamethrower205 · Jul 29, 2001

Dunno, somehow your score still doesn't seem to be as good as it should, there may be slight problem that evades us at teh urrent moment. Try using your manufacturers drivers.

When I rule the world, Apple will only mean the fruit.

lichocpu · Jul 29, 2001

tell me please about the mainboards, should i go with a via or an AMD? should I save in sound (us an integrated solution) or buy an oem board?

noko · Jul 30, 2001

Remember this isn't with an overclocked GF3, if he overclocked it the speed will go up pretty high.

1.5 T-Bird
2.1 P4 Speed

noko · Jul 30, 2001

With the SIS 735 boards coming out, Nvidia Nforce and the revised ALI Magic chip and the refined KT266 I really can't recommend anything yet. My money would be on the Nforce if the price is right but then there are too many unknowns with any new chipset.

1.5 T-Bird
2.1 P4 Speed

dunno · Jul 30, 2001

Err..I made an error there. I meant 5622, not 5022. Is that pretty good?

noko · Jul 30, 2001

Yep that is right on the money, by raising the FSB and overclocking your GF3 you would greatly increase your score in 3dMark2001, but who cares, enjoy your power house of a card in real games.

1.5 T-Bird
2.1 P4 Speed

lichocpu · Jul 30, 2001

Hey, the decitsion is for the next week, 'cause thats when I'm buying everything. I decided to keep my KyroII for now, install my old Viper V330 on this sistem (my mom won't play any Half-Life or stuff and my dad only plays Civilization CTP until I can buy any other Civ-Game to hook him up, but i think he liked more the SNES version of Sid Meyers Civilization, since we never got to play the PC version) and buy the AMD 1200 cpu, thet should theorethically improve my Kyro at games, specially USAF and FS2K. BTW, I read that someone bought his PC at the store that I'm buying all my stuff in my trip (MicroBytes) I'm buying the stuff there 'cause I won't go to USA, but montreal, and it's the next best thing than buying the stuff in Venezuela. So which motherboard would be good? (I can't wait too long, I'll probably stay for 4 weeks in Montreal but my investors (parents) will only be for a very few days) THanks

noko · Jul 30, 2001

If you are going to buy now and don't want to wait for the new mobo's coming out then a Asus A7M266 would probably be pretty good but look at these three mobo's here, I like the Epox 8K7A+, you can overclock with it and it has alot of features. Still looks like any of them would do alright. Myself I would stay away from the FIC board (I just hear to many complaints with FIC).

<A HREF="http://www6.tomshardware.com/mainboard/01q3/010711/index.html" target="_new">http://www6.tomshardware.com/mainboard/01q3/010711/index.html</A>

1.5 T-Bird
2.1 P4 Speed

lichocpu · Jul 30, 2001

Hey, Thanks for the advice. I just read about the MSI 6380 k7t266p. It's a via chipset. Is MSI a good Mobo company? many complaints about it?
THankx

noko · Jul 30, 2001

I've heard good and bad about alot of companies, usually MSI stuff is pretty good. Can't really tell you much more then that.

1.5 T-Bird
2.1 P4 Speed

lichocpu · Jul 30, 2001

thanks again, the MSI is the cheapest of the 3 boards I was interested in, the only thing is that it uses AMI BIOS and I've never worked with those bioses, heard that they are not very user friendly.
THanks

1.3Ghz+GF3 = 3500?!

Distinguished

Illustrious

Distinguished

Illustrious

Distinguished

Splendid

Distinguished

Distinguished

Distinguished

Distinguished

Distinguished

Distinguished

Distinguished

Distinguished

Illustrious

Distinguished

Distinguished

Distinguished

Distinguished

Distinguished

Distinguished

Distinguished

Distinguished

Distinguished

Distinguished

Share this page