GF3 score is low...Suggestions?

[Bud]

Low score with GF3… Any suggestions??

MSI GF3 original 460mhzddr/200mhz core (stock speed)
I'm only getting 5500 points in 3Dmark2000 (will try 2k1 tonight)
I should be getting around 8000 in 3d2k….right?? I got 5000 on my GF2 gts (overclocked)

1.33 Athlon C
512mb pc133 crucial
420w psu (steady current to the 3.3v line)
Abit mobo via kt7
Via 4 in 1 ver 3.32 (should I update??)

Win98se

BIOS:
4X enabled
AGP Fast Write enabled
AGP read/write wait state =1

Driver: Nvidia 21.88 (I see there's a 23.11 today…..any driver recommendations for my card???)
DriectX 8.0
Mipmap: blended quality
Anti-aliasing : Determined by software (Should I force the anti-alias??)

I'm disappointed at the moment because I've got no real gain with MSI GF3 over my old Asus GF2 gts.
So any thoughts would be most appreciated.


"Get the facts first. You can distort them later." - Mark Twain
<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by bud on 12/04/01 12:54 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[phsstpok]

I'd say all your scores are way off the mark. I also have a KT7 and only an overclocked Duron. My old Geforce256 SDR (150/210) scored 5986 in 3DMark2000 and my current Geforce 2 GTS-V (value card) at 200/340 scores 7046. My 3DMark2001 scores are 2825 and 3442.

H*ll yes! Dump Via 3.32. I'm using 4.31v. What BIOS are you using? I found both WZ and 3R to be the most stable but be warned, anything after WW requires a fan with the RPM sender to be plugged into Fan Header #1. I also like modified BIOSes which enable me to disable ACPI which also helps stability. You can get these at <A HREF="http://www.biosmods.com" target="_new">http://www.biosmods.com</A>

If you are not comfortable with doing those updates then at least update the AGP driver to 4.05C. (I have not yet tried 4.10). There are big gains with later AGP drivers.

Also sometimes the nVidia drivers are bogged down by remnants of older versions. With Windows 98 they work best if all the old garbage is removed. You can use Detonator destroyer to do this (remember to use Control Panel to uninstall the driver first then run Detonator destroyer). You can get it at <A HREF="http://www.guru3d.com" target="_new">http://www.guru3d.com</A>. If Windows wants to reinstall a Geforce driver at boot up just cancel out it and install the driver manually.

Sometimes reinstalling Directx helps after installing an nVidia update but doing a clean install can be difficult. You need DirectX Uninstaller (which is hard to find now) or you need to delete the DirectX files manually. Also, DirectX Uninstaller only works properly if you run it with Windows in Safe Mode. It's an .inf file which which deletes files but cannot delete all the DirectX files in a normal Windows session.

My system

Duron 600@1007mhz, 106mhz FSB
Evercool ND-8 HSF
Abit KT7
OCZ PC133 and PC150 SDRAM both at 141mhz, CAS2, Turbo, 4K page mode, 4-way interleave
Visiontek Xtasy 5632 Geforce2 GTS-V overclocked to 200/340 (175/286 is stock)
Maxtor DiamondMax 40VL, 5400rpm, HD
Misc. ancient hardware

My 3DMark2000 scores
<A HREF="http://gamershq.madonion.com/compare.shtml?2031472" target="_new">http://gamershq.madonion.com/compare.shtml?2031472</A>
<A HREF="http://gamershq.madonion.com/compare.shtml?2097390" target="_new">http://gamershq.madonion.com/compare.shtml?2097390</A>

My 3DMark2001 scores
<A HREF="http://gamershq.madonion.com/compare2k1.shtml?2077605" target="_new">http://gamershq.madonion.com/compare2k1.shtml?2077605</A>
<A HREF="http://gamershq.madonion.com/compare2k1.shtml?2077624" target="_new">http://gamershq.madonion.com/compare2k1.shtml?2077624</A>

<b>We are all beta testers!</b>

 

[AEboy128]

I stopped believing 3dmark but i get 5200 in 3d2k with my radeon SE stock clocked in Windows XP. I'll try it in 98SE when i reload my system. Try the 4.35v drivers. try the new 23.11 det's and also try det destroyer.

My system: <A HREF="http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?rigid=8946" target="_new">http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?rigid=8946</A>

 

[Frocer]

I am pretty sure the Via 4-in-1 is your problem, get the latest version. Also, if there are any AGP driver for your mobo, get it, sorry I am not very familiar with that mobo, the first replyer should be able to answer more on that. I have pretty much an identical set up, but I have Asus A7M266 mobo instead, I know my score was boosted greatly by installing AMD's AGP miniport driver. Oh and mine is around 6600 with no O/C at all, with 23.11 driver

 

[Bud]

Thanks guys for the good advise. I reloaded all the drivers.

I forgot to mention the 3dmk2k settings I used were
@1024x768x32 triple buffer...if that makes any difference.

Anyway, after installing new drivers
via 4in1 (ver 4.31)
Nvidia 23.11
reload dx8.0a

I did see a descent increase in frames.
3dmk2k scored 6300. I think it’s probably still low because dx8 didn’t lend itself to that benchmark.
3dmk2k1 scored 5350. I think that’s descent....is it not? This was @1024x768x32 double buffer.

I’m embarrassed to mention my mobo BIOS ver. I keep meaning to flash a newer one...but I’m lazy.

All the best...

"Get the facts first. You can distort them later." - Mark Twain

 

[phsstpok]

I forgot to mention the 3dmk2k settings I used were
@1024x768x32 triple buffer...if that makes any difference.

That makes a big difference. The default for 3DMark2000 is 1024x768x16.

Run both benchmarks at default levels and let us know the scores. We'll have a better idea.

<b>We are all beta testers!</b>