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Author
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Topic: Got to say goodbye now
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Skinnyman
Cadet
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posted 05-19- 08:02 PM
   
I have attempted everything now that anyone has told me to try and fix my video problem to no avail. Looks like I won't be playing FS anymore. I'm pretty ticked off about it too. Just for one last crack at it here's my situation: DFI MB, Via 133 chipset, AMD 900mhz Tbird, 192 meg RAM, AOpen Nvidia Riva TNT2 M64 32 meg Video card and Windows ME. Plenty of cooling going on inside the case and on the Nvidia chip. Game freezes up after about 5 minutes of play. This is some of the things people have recommended as well as Activision, AOpen etc: I've tried it with just FSSDOE and no add ons (I mean straight off the CD without 1.5 even installed). I've tried lowering Windows graphics acceleration to "none", I've reinstalled the VIA 4 in 1 driver in "Normal Mode" (vice turbo), opened the case and blew house fan into case for cooling, reset bios AGP aperature to 32 (vice 64 (actually what is that supposed to be anyway, it's not actually mentioned)), played with all the different Nvidia Tweak settings for D3D. Dropped from Nvidia driver 6.5 to 5.32....hmmmm what the hell else have I tried? I don't know anymore. All I know now is I'm pissed that I got this souped up computer (old one was AMD K6-2 300mhz, 96 meg RAM, Creative Blaster Banshee 16 meg video, Windows 98) with speed out the ass and memory to run these freakin 3D games and I can't play anymore. I'm going to miss this place and I leave unhappily, though I thank everyone who has tried to help me in my frustration. I'm still open to suggestions, though I'd much rather have answers.IP: Logged |
Dinga
Pilot
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posted 05-19- 10:35 PM
Skinny Man I am no expert on video cards.First off can you run F SQN. in software without it locking up?Have you checked your Direct x setup tool? That may help If your getting no where you could try replacing vid card.Yours may be faulty.To me this sounds the best way to fault find for hardware snags.Goodluck and dont give up Skinny Man keep on nagging away at it and you will succeed.IP: Logged |
Jerry
Pilot
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posted 05-19- 11:26 PM
Have you tried the new patch so you can run OpenGL? Maybe it's just some sort of D3D problem. I know with my new computer I can't run SDOE in D3D above 800X600 resolution but have no problems in OpenGL.IP: Logged |
Psi
Pilot
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posted 05-20- 01:21 PM
Are you sure that it isn't the Windows ME???P IP: Logged |
Commando
Pilot
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posted 05-20- 01:28 PM
Try the old banshee in your new computer, if it works get a replacement TNT2 card or go for a Geforce2 MX.IP: Logged |
Da Wing Waxer
Pilot
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posted 05-20- 02:23 PM
I'm starting to think it's your video card too.I just put together the following system for a friend and SDOE runs with NO problems. 1GHZ T bird
256MB 266MHZ DDR ram
30GB ATA 100 HD
ATI Radeon 32 MB DDR video card You can see that the speed of your system si not the issue. There are certain brands to stay away from when buying computer components, and unfortunately, AOpen is one of them. I have heard nothing but complaints about almost every component they make and two computer stores have dropped them because of the # of returns and incompatibility issues AOpen parts have. The most solid performers as far as stability goes (for video cards) are:
Hercules/Guillemont
Leadtek
Creative
ELSA
Win ME Also , Psi, I run SDOE under WinME and a TNT2 card (leadtek) with no problems IP: Logged |
Skinnyman
Cadet
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posted 05-20- 02:33 PM
Thanks guys. I bought the video card on E-bay OEM, through a company whom I can't get in touch with (imagine that), so I'm stuck with it until finances allow the purchase of another one. I did receive an email from AOpen's newsgroup from someone saying that having a cooling fan on the video card's heatsink may actually cause a problem, so I'm going to give that one a shot as well as something else he mentioned (forget now). I was actually playing "Earth 2150" last night and the video froze up in that game too. It hadn't done that before. It's like each game has it's own special settings necessary somewhere in my system, be it the bios, Nvidia tweak screen etc. I guess I'll just call it a temporary quits on FS until I can do something about my video card. Anyone interested in taking this one off my hands?
Does anyone know what "AGP Aperature" is? It's a setting in my BIOS. Choices are 32M, 64M, 128M? I know the TNT2 is an M64, but I don't think that's the same thing, is it?
Oh yeah, I don't have the Creative card anymore to try it. Sold it upon getting the Nvidia.[This message has been edited by Skinnyman (edited 05-20-2001).] IP: Logged |
Psi
Pilot
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posted 05-20- 03:05 PM
Well this is a fact Skinny, no one should ever leave SDOE because he has a problem that has a remedy. All anybody has to do is ask and there are many people here that are willing to help. The reason that I mentioned you OS is because a looooong time ago I remember that some people were having problems running SDOE with Windows 2000, just a thought. Hang in there, we'll get you flying  P IP: Logged |
Skinnyman
Cadet
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posted 05-20- 08:42 PM
I know Psi. I've been involved with FS now for almost 2 years and the people here are probably 90% of what makes this game so awesome. It's just the frustration at this point of not being able to just sit down and enjoy the 10% that is the game itself without freezing up after 5 minutes. I'm going to spend the next few days trying a few more possibilities and then start looking at ways of producing some disposable income to buy a new card (if the answer can't be found any other way).
It's funny too. I have CFS 2 which I've been doing, not because it's any good, but just to get the flying fix somehow. I want to start playing with all these other new add-ons for FS that I've been downloading (making missions with it all) and I don't waste my time with it because it's not worth it right at this moment.
I'm still hanging in there. And as I said, still willing to try any suggestions.IP: Logged |
Skinnyman
Cadet
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posted 05-22- 03:53 PM
OK, I tried something that's giving me some answers, but I don't know how to read them. I uninstalled Nvidia's drivers from the system and let Windows ME install it's own Nvidia driver and aside from not being able to adjust the gamma so the games not so dark, the game didn't freeze. Instead it's back to corrupting (blotchy textures after 5-10 minutes of play). I tried installing different Nvidia drivers (7.58) and it's not installing properly. I know your supposed to reset your adapter to Standard VGA, but whenever I do that, ME reloads it's driver on it's own as soon as I restart. Anyone have the definitive way to change video card drivers in ME? And anyone able to read into this change in problems from Freezing to corruption?IP: Logged |
Jerry
Pilot
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posted 05-22- 04:00 PM
I think if you open in Safe Mode you avoid Window Me trying to install it's own drivers.IP: Logged |
wil
Pilot
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posted 05-22- 09:07 PM
That shouldn't happen Skinnyman.
Here's how I change drivers(Nvidia)in ME:
1.Change to standard VGA-PCI
2.Reboot
3.Install new Nvidia drivers.
Between step one and two, if you know what you are doing, you can go into the windows registry and delete the Nvidia listing.
I've been using Nvidia since the 128 card.
Buy no name brands like Aopen (at least here in Germany) and fire them up with the reference drivers. I guess I am lucky (knock on wood) that my Aopen Geforce2 is working. Feel free to email me if you have questions concerning this video problem.IP: Logged |
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