6800 - problems (stutters, 'hitching') etc ?

[flexy]

hi,

there are many treads around (here, nvnews, futuremark etc....) where they mention 'hitching' and stutters with the 6800 crads, especially the ultra.

Notice: the FPS are GREAT - and Fraps reports great FPS...but people report weird jerkyness, eg. in GTA:VC when you turn ...and many other games.

People go so far to say the card (with the problem) is worthless with online gaming since the jerkyness makes targetting and shooting very hard. They say it was much smoother on the 9800.

I'd really like more input on this...is it a bios-issue ? Nvidia drivers ? Audigy drivers ?

Some people claimed they found some solution ..but i didnt have time to read further...

thanks !!

(do a google search on 6800 and hitching)..or just go to the usual places and read

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

WTFATIFANBOI!

I just ran that search on google to humor you. You know why there are matches?








Because all those links quote ID talking about Ultra mode in Doom3 which loads 512MB textures. :roll: So please feel free to link to someone talking about their 6800GT or 6800U hitching in games. Thanks.



---Edit---

Once we started getting some links to actual examples this thread proved quite useful.

 

[Finnatic]

I am having the same problem in City of Heroes:

P4 2.53 ghz
Asus P4T533
2x256 RIMM4200 Rdram modules
BFG Tech Geforce 6800 GT OC
SB Audigy 2 ZS Platinum
120gb 7200 rpm hard drive
200gb 7200 rpm hard drive
Samsung 191T 19" LCD (1280x1024 60hz optimal resolution)

Tried uninstalling the 61.77 Nvidia reference drivers and reinstalling the last WHQL certified reference driver using Driver Cleaner 3.2 and cleaning up the cabs thru XP safe mode as per instructions. Tried some of the XP tweaks available on the net. Even dropped my LCD res to 1024x768 which isn't optimal, but thought that might help. Definitely a 6800 GT issue as my previous card (Geforce 4600 Ti 128mb) had no such issues... even at 1280 the game was still playable on the old card, but on the new card it's jerky and CPU utilization is thru the roof (97-99 percent).

This problem is referenced in the City of Heroes forums at www.coh.com under Community. I tried the recommendation they gave to revert the drivers for Nvidia back to the WHQL ones. I also tried disabling hardware acceleration in the sound card options. Nothing has worked for me so far.

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

http://www.hardocp.com/article.html?art=NjM3LDU=

All HardOCP could get out of CoH was 1024x768 2xAA and 8xAF though they have a fairly conservative view of playable. As with all MMOs, there's no way to control the amount of rendering that might end up being required. But CoH seems to be CPU and memory restricted more than GPU restricted which is what you're seeing with CPU utlization. Still, it's odd that the TI4600 performed better with the same settings.

 

[AlienSpoon78]

I have seen somewhat of the samething as well (running eVGA 6800 Ultra) - 1600x1200 Doom3 Ultra Settings when you first load a game it pauses for like 30 seconds (figured it was just loading the textures) - Then also I noticed it in UT2K4 (1600x1200) when first loading of the level it pauses out. Then last night I started on Joint Operations (1600x1200) it pauses out as well right after loading the level.

Now Ive ran DOOM3 and UTK4 on a PNY 5900 Ultra and never noticed this pause. Havent noticed it actually in game to my knowledge though.

DOOM3 - only ran across it once - in one of the pauses it BSOD and pointed at I think the NV4.DLL (definitely a Nvidia DLL file) - rebooted, reloaded the game and havent ran across it since. Also had DOOM 3 show corrupt textures after it paused and finally came back - had to exit and hard reboot to fix it.

You mentioned Audigy Drivers... not sure how this fits into the picture but I also have been having problems w/ my Audigy 2 - When I have Windows set to Quadrophonic or Surround System and I set a game to match this setting. Namely Doom3 and Joint Operations during the pause I tend to lose all sound (approx about 80% of the time) until I exit and restart the game... sometimes I can be in game a game for a little bit and it loses the sound there - to get around this lately I have just been setting windows to Stereo Desktop Speakers - and 2 Speaker setup in the games and never ran across the problem again. -- but only a work around and not a solution since I lost 2 of my 4 speakers (Klipsch 4.1).


Now I am annoyed that this is something happening to other people other then myself (which I figured I had something set incorrectly)

 

[cluster550]

I have had the same issues with my system (see my signature). I'm using all of the latest drivers, but I haven't done any Windows updates (came with SP1). I also experienced pause upon loading Doom 3 with ultra settings but not with other things. I turned back to just high settings in Doom 3 and this stopped, but still in Doom 3, UT2004, Deus Ex: Invisible War, and maybe Call of Duty I get random pauses for several seconds shorly (within 10-15 minutes) after loading.

I also get the lose of sound problem in Doom 3 (don't have Joint Operations). I'm running 5.1 on my Klipsch ProMedia speakers.

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

Looks like you're all using Audigy's. Odd correlation. Anybody try removing it and see if the problem persists?

 

[Chopstick217]

Try disabling fast writes in the bios. Also, check the bios of your 6800GT/Ultras. If you have the 05.40.02.10.14 bios, then you ll need to flash your bios. Hope this helps.

 

[Acanthus]

Originally posted by: Finnatic
I am having the same problem in City of Heroes:

P4 2.53 ghz
Asus P4T533
2x256 RIMM4200 Rdram modules
BFG Tech Geforce 6800 GT OC
SB Audigy 2 ZS Platinum
120gb 7200 rpm hard drive
200gb 7200 rpm hard drive
Samsung 191T 19" LCD (1280x1024 60hz optimal resolution)

Tried uninstalling the 61.77 Nvidia reference drivers and reinstalling the last WHQL certified reference driver using Driver Cleaner 3.2 and cleaning up the cabs thru XP safe mode as per instructions. Tried some of the XP tweaks available on the net. Even dropped my LCD res to 1024x768 which isn't optimal, but thought that might help. Definitely a 6800 GT issue as my previous card (Geforce 4600 Ti 128mb) had no such issues... even at 1280 the game was still playable on the old card, but on the new card it's jerky and CPU utilization is thru the roof (97-99 percent).

This problem is referenced in the City of Heroes forums at www.coh.com under Community. I tried the recommendation they gave to revert the drivers for Nvidia back to the WHQL ones. I also tried disabling hardware acceleration in the sound card options. Nothing has worked for me so far.

You are cpu limited, and dont have enough ram.

 

[Acanthus]

Id also like the mods to take a look at the IPs of all these accounts, as they are all under 20 posts... and obviously posting sensitive info that could be trolling (i dont own a 6800 so i cant flat out call them liars)

 

[flexy]

Originally posted by: HeroOfPellinor
WTFATIFANBOI!

I just ran that search on google to humor you. You know why there are matches?

Because all those links quote ID talking about Ultra mode in Doom3 which loads 512MB textures. :roll: So please feel free to link to someone talking about their 6800GT or 6800U hitching in games. Thanks.

you obviously dont know at all what you're talking about.

The issue is not in Doom3, as to m knowlegde.

Originally, i read about this issue on beyond3d (?) and i followed the discussion on futuremark and nvnews and other websites.

If you look for a tread to flame ATI vs. NV go somewhere else...i just want to get the best card in fall and it doesnt matter for me whether its NV or ATI

Addendum:

Audigy drivers ? Could be possible ! Also..someone said he had good results installing Nforce chipset drivers AFTER the graphics driver.

Btw. we are not talking about longer 'pauses'...but people claiming under certain circumstances there is 'jerkyness' or similiar while the FPS seem to be fine. It just is not/doesnt look 'smooth'....pauses and freezes are another issue.

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

Originally posted by: flexy

Originally posted by: HeroOfPellinor
WTFATIFANBOI!

I just ran that search on google to humor you. You know why there are matches?

Because all those links quote ID talking about Ultra mode in Doom3 which loads 512MB textures. :roll: So please feel free to link to someone talking about their 6800GT or 6800U hitching in games. Thanks.

you obviously dont know at all what you're talking about.

The issue is not in Doom3, as to m knowlegde.

Origially, i read about this issue on beyond3d (?) and i folowed the discussion on futuremark and nvnews and other websites.

If you look for a tread to flame ATI vs. NV go somewhere else...i just want to get the best card in fall and it doesnt matter for me whether its NV or ATI

You said:

(do a google search on 6800 and hitching)..or just go to the usual places and read

That's what I did. If you have some specific links, then POST them and we can all see what the system specs and conditions were like and try to make some kind of determination.

 

[flexy]

>>> That's what I did. If you have some specific links

second....

 

[flexy]

Link 1...the original article where i was looking for a comparison 6800/X800....and the guy was mentioning these 'hitches' in his review.
Review at 3dextreme

Futuremark Forum

NVNews talks about freezes etc...

Overclockers UK

Might have to go thru that links and start at the beginning, i might have forgotten others...dont know.

The issue just popped up as said when i read that FIRST comparison and he mentioned it and said there are discussions goingon and efforts to solve it.

OF COURSE i am interested since i PLAN to get a 6800GT soon....

Edit: in the first review, read where he does the tests with Battlefield Vietnam and GTA:VC

SNIP >>>
Game play Results
Things started to get interesting here. While both cards benchmarked just great there was a slight issue with the eVGA 6800 GT in BF: Vietnam. When starting a map the GT would have issues when turning and the screen would have to redraw, it created a ?hitching? effect. The GT maintained high frame rates while using FRAPS however there was a few minutes of this hitching and it appear later on when turning quickly. This is an issue that started to generate attention at a few different nVidia forums. Everyone is hoping to see this issue resolved quickly. Our suggestion for Battlefield Vietnam would have to go to the flawless gaming experience delivered by the Sapphire X800 Pro right now.
SNIP >>>

same for GTA:VC and other games...and i followed it and i am eager to know what the cause of this is and whether there is a solution

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

Seems the problem was solved for those guys as the poster mentioned above, by disabling fast writes. At first, when I saw the testbed at 3dextreme used an Audigy 2 as well, I began to believe in a stronger correlation...maybe it's a combination.

 

[JBT]

all problem for me are fixed by disabling fast writes and it only happens when OCed anyways. Also I think by now the cards are shipping with the updated BIOS so you don't need that even or if you get an older one you can flash to a newer BIOS too.

 

[AlienSpoon78]

Thanks for the links to the other articles... Still not sure if my problem is same as the hitching and stuttering others are getting. Just that long initial pause right after it loads the game.

I'll try the fast write solution and also see about flashing the cards BIOS and see what happens... since I didnt mention it before my general specs are as follows...

ABIT IC7-G
P4 2.8c
Kingston HyperX PC3200 1G (2x512M)
Antec 550W TruControl
eVGA 6800 Ultra
SB Audigy 2 Platinum Pro
WD 74GB Raptor SATA
WD 250GB 7200K SATA
Sony 16X DVD
Plextor CDRW

 

[Acanthus]

If you get this "hitching" (which happens on all NV and ATi cards if your settings suck by the way). Increase your AGP aperture size to match the amount of memory on your card or larger (if you can afford the extra memory), and disable fast writes.

 

[Epsil0n00]

Originally posted by: Acanthus
If you get this "hitching" (which happens on all NV and ATi cards if your settings suck by the way). Increase your AGP aperture size to match the amount of memory on your card or larger (if you can afford the extra memory), and disable fast writes.

I just installed a 6800 (plain) last night as an upgrade from my GF3Ti200. Playing UT2K4 I noticed some jerkiness, not freezes of even a second, but it just wasn't smooth (especially noticible when you turn quickly). Now, granted, my CPU is a bottleneck in my setup to be sure... but I didn't notice these issues with the GF3 (and that was with a slower CPU). Even when I was running with the same settings as my GF3 the 6800 stutters. The graphics look great with the 6800, and the framerates are acceptible (though, I do think my CPU might be the limiting factor), but the stuttering is annoying... and CPU utilization is always at 100%. I would guess that the CPU being maxed out has something to do with the stuttering... I don't recal my CPU utilization being at 100% before installing the 6800, but I wasn't really paying attention to that either.

Here is my previous setup:
Athlon XP 1800+
Abit KR7A-RAID VIA KT266 @ 266fsb
GF3 Ti200
1 GB PC2100
SB Audigy

Here is my new setup with the 6800:
Athlon XP 2400+
Abit KR7A-RAID VIA KT266 @ 266fsb
GF 6800 (plain)
1 GB PC2100
SB Audigy

Any ideas on things to try.... how do you disable fast writes? How do you chage the AGP aperture size?
Thanks!
Epsil0n

Edit: Added Audigy card to the config details above

 

[sfmedic]

To change the AGP aperature size you need to go into bios setup. Usually when you first boot up your computer, the first screen when the bios settings are loading it will tell you to push delete to enter bios setup. Some bios may be different, you will need to check. Find your agp settings if you have a manual for your mobo it should help you with this. Then click on enable or disable for fast write. And under aperature set it to the amount of MB your video card is. I just did this last night on my own computer. I hope this helps.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

I use a GT&nF3 150 combo@the moment, have had 2 different nV and 1 ATi cards in this set-up, used beta forceware and sp2, now have official sp2, did not use driver cleaner, just removed dets/Cats/omegas with add/remove and have had zero issues. D3=perfect, FarCry=perfect, everything else=perfect. Whatever the stuttering and hitching is all about certainly doesn't effect my boxen.

 

[flexy]

Originally posted by: Epsil0n00
Epsil0n

you describe EXACTLY what this tread is about.

So...it would be great if you find a solution so we all 6800/GT/U owners/wanna buyers knwo whats going on !!!

Please...can you try to a) check whether your card has a newer bios (if its a bios issue)...and then, AFTER you install the drivers maybe install the VIA 4in1 again. WEIRD - you have a VIA board....hmmm....this doesnt look like chipset drivers issue since the ones with NForce have the same issue....

Otherwise, the usual applies..play around with BIOS settings (Video cache on/off, AGP aperture size....64MB, size of cards's mem)...DISABLE dual channel (prolly only applies to Nforce),, disable Fastwrites etc.... check drivers.


Much luck !!!!

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

Originally posted by: Epsil0n00
Thanks!
Epsil0n

Humor me, please. Are you using an SB sound card?

 

[sfmedic]

Aperature size sets a memory address for system memory to be used for textures. There have been theories that you set your AGP aperature size to half of your system memory. Thats not exactly true though, because now agp cards have more dedicated graphics memory and you don't to address system memory to graphics. AGP aperature settings are discussed in this website


http://www.rojakpot.com/freebog.aspx

hope this helps.

 

[Epsil0n00]

Originally posted by: HeroOfPellinor

Originally posted by: Epsil0n00
Thanks!
Epsil0n

Humor me, please. Are you using an SB sound card?

Certainly... In fact, I am using an Audigy (original series) card.

Flexy, I will do some testing later tonight and see what settings I am currently running (6800's BIOS version, AGP Aperture size, fast-writes settings, etc.) and let you guys know. Then I will try changing some stuff and get back to you...

Epsil0n