ATI Crossfire Issue - Battlefield 2 1.2 Patch

[imported_Crusader]

KNOWN ISSUE
ATI CROSSFIRE CARDS
- Crossfire cards with 256 Megs of memory, running in CrossFire mode will run
out of memory at very high resolution settings.
On very high resolutions, such as 1920x1440 with 6x antialiasing. In CrossFire
mode the ATI drivers are more restrictive
about where resources are allocated, and as a result run out of memory sooner
than with a single board. This running out of memory causes
the device context creation to fail. The result is that the game just sits in a
loop with a black screen. If you experience a context creation failure
change your resolution to a lower setting (e.g. 1024x768 or even lower).

I dont know if I was a Crossfire customer if I'd like that solution (1024x768 or even lower).
I think its pretty safe to say that SLI > Xfire. I dont use either, but I definitely take into consideration the multi-GPU capabilities of a card when I purchase one. I knew Xfire wasnt the best way to implement multi-GPU, but this is disappointing (although much more disappointing to those who actually bought it and enjoy BF2).

 

[Bull Dog]

and how many people with Crossfire only have 256MB of memory?

Those with X8xx Crossfire cards -- Limited to 1600x1200 anyhow.....moot point.
Those with X13/X16 cards which wouldn't have enough horsepower to render at 1920x1440 w/6xFSAA
Those foolish enough to Crossfire a X1800XL and a X1800XT Crossfire card. -- Well anyone dumb enough to do this deserves this problem

Oh and I should mention that most (all?) people who did go multi-GPU with X18 cards would have gone X1800XT x2 instead of XL+XT because the additional cost would have been minimal.

 

[imported_Crusader]

It just sucks that 256MB SLI cards can run high resolution with AA/AF and 256MB Xfire setups cannot. Its a shame that this cant be fixed with a driver update, but methinks its a crucial design failure.

 

[MegaWorks]

Originally posted by: Crusader
It just sucks that 256MB SLI cards can run high resolution with AA/AF and 256MB Xfire setups cannot. Its a shame that this cant be fixed with a driver update, but methinks its a crucial design failure.

OMG you convinced me not to buy ATI products anymore! :roll:

 

[fierydemise]

Crusader who says it can't be fixed with a driver update? I don't see anything in the text you quoted about not being able to fix it with a driver update, since the issue is based on resource allocation it would seem to me that a simple driver update would fix the problem.

 

[Steelski]

Originally posted by: fierydemise
Crusader who says it can't be fixed with a driver update? I don't see anything in the text you quoted about not being able to fix it with a driver update, since the issue is based on resource allocation it would seem to me that a simple driver update would fix the problem.

Exactly, thats what a programable memory controller is there for.
I'm sure this issue will be resolved for the minority running corssfire with these settings and less than 512mb cards.

 

[Capt Caveman]

OP = Troll

 

[Greenman]

Thanks for the info Crusader, I'll be sure to get 512 meg cards when I decide to set up a crossfire system. Though it will prolly be fixed with a driver update by then. Anyone with 256meg cards should contact ATI and ask about a driver update to address the problem. On the rare occasion that I?ve had an issue with ATI hardware, I?ve found their support to be outstanding.

 

[Acanthus]

We actually have seen evidence in the past that ATi cards do in fact use more of their onboard memory. Its evident in the link here where you can see the ATi cards gaining a much larger advantage at high resolutions in almost every modern title, where as the Nvidia 7000 series appears to see little if any benefit across the board.

 

[CrispyFried]

Originally posted by: Crusader

KNOWN ISSUE

On very high resolutions, such as 1920x1440 with 6x antialiasing. In CrossFire
mode the ATI drivers are more restrictive

its a driver issue, not a crossfire issue.

 

[Killrose]

Here are some BF2 benchies that are pre-Patch 1.2 and show how well thge X-fire'd 256mb 1800XL does:

FS

Also the game limmits you to 4xAA as well, though I don't know if it can be over ridden. The quote you provided mentioned 6xAA being used. Also remember this is an nVIDIA the way your ment to be played game. This will no doubt be fixed in another game patch, though I doubt ATi will wait for EA crappy more ram is better coders to come out with a fix to their own breakage. This 1.2patch has caused far more grief with all users of hardware, not just X-fire people.

This is a fault with EA, not with X-fire. Nice try :disgust:

 

[n7]

You guys can flame the OP all you want, but the fact is, there are tons of issues related to Crossfire.

ATi really needs to fix their implementation IMO, as right now, the only way i could myself buying dual video cards is if i was going SLI.

/this coming from the owner of a nice ATi card & an okay Crossfire mobo

 

[Greenman]

Originally posted by: n7
You guys can flame the OP all you want, but the fact is, there are tons of issues related to Crossfire.

ATi really needs to fix their implementation IMO, as right now, the only way i could myself buying dual video cards is if i was going SLI.

/this coming from the owner of a nice ATi card & an okay Crossfire mobo

The OP is getting flamed because he has taken rollos place as the nvidia poster boy. He's a shill, his only reason to post here is to try and make ATI look bad and nvidia look good. He has a very clear agenda, and a totaly predictable spin on everything he says. And I'm not flaming him here, I'm stating facts. Do a search, read every word he's written since the day he showed up a couple weeks back and decide for yourself. No sane person lurks on a forum for SIX YEARS.

 

[Ackmed]

Originally posted by: Greenman
The OP is getting flamed because he has taken rollos place as the nvidia poster boy. He's a shill, his only reason to post here is to try and make ATI look bad and nvidia look good. He has a very clear agenda, and a totaly predictable spin on everything he says. And I'm not flaming him here, I'm stating facts. Do a search, read every word he's written since the day he showed up a couple weeks back and decide for yourself. No sane person lurks on a forum for SIX YEARS.

Bingo. His name fits well. He is a crusader on an eganda. As anyone with common sense can see.

I have doubts that is not EA's fault. Its not like BF2 has been bug free or anything. Its my favorite game in the past year, and I play it all the time. But it has had, and still has some serious bug problems. And as pointed out, the 256MB and 1920x1440 with 6x antialiasing is going to be a very, very rare setting.

 

[aznrice54]

Originally posted by: MegaWorks
OMG you convinced me not to buy ATI products anymore! :roll:

Me too, I'll go out and buy a 7800GTX, it's obviously superior to a X1900XT.

Originally posted by: Greenman
The OP is getting flamed because he has taken rollos place as the nvidia poster boy. He's a shill, his only reason to post here is to try and make ATI look bad and nvidia look good. He has a very clear agenda, and a totaly predictable spin on everything he says. And I'm not flaming him here, I'm stating facts. Do a search, read every word he's written since the day he showed up a couple weeks back and decide for yourself. No sane person lurks on a forum for SIX YEARS.

I'm with him.

 

[n7]

Ah sorry, i haven't been posting back here much.

Now that i stopped to look at the OP's name, yes, you guys are right.


I now remember seeing quite a bit of FUD...

 

[yacoub]

hay guys I heard the 7900GT is only going to have four pipes but NVidia is going to fix it by releasing a software patch that adds twelve more pipes to the PCB.

lol...

 

[JPB]

Originally posted by: Bull Dog
and how many people with Crossfire only have 256MB of memory?

Those with X8xx Crossfire cards -- Limited to 1600x1200 anyhow.....moot point.
Those with X13/X16 cards which wouldn't have enough horsepower to render at 1920x1440 w/6xFSAA
Those foolish enough to Crossfire a X1800XL and a X1800XT Crossfire card. -- Well anyone dumb enough to do this deserves this problem

Oh and I should mention that most (all?) people who did go multi-GPU with X18 cards would have gone X1800XT x2 instead of XL+XT because the additional cost would have been minimal.

Im gonna go and get the XT to run with my XL in Crossfire.....Because I dont need nor do I want a monitor to run those resolutions especially for the price of them. And your calling people stupid probably because your backing Rollo...nuff said.....Why call people stupid ? Let them make their own decisions based on what they want.

 

[Greenman]

Originally posted by: n7
Ah sorry, i haven't been posting back here much.

Now that i stopped to look at the OP's name, yes, you guys are right.


I now remember seeing quite a bit of FUD...

Actually, I owe you an apology. I didn?t mean to lecture you about Crusader, it just ended up sounding that way. The whole pseudo concerned act puts a knot in my burnoose.

 

[5150Joker]

I think OP = rollo on another ISP.

 

[SolMiester]

Who gives a ****** who he supports, we know who the flamers support too. We can all support who we like FFS! For some its cars, others its graphic cards. Get over it. This site is probably read my most manufacturers, its a gimmie they all have agents on here!.

As you were!

 

[fierydemise]

Crusader, I have a question for you, How did you find this? Do you usually look through the release notes of patches to find known issues?

 

[JPB]

Originally posted by: SolMiester
Who gives a ****** who he supports, we know who the flamers support too. We can all support who we like FFS! For some its cars, others its graphic cards. Get over it. This site is probably read my most manufacturers, its a gimmie they all have agents on here!.

As you were!

Surely your not referring to me. Cause I do support Ati and always will. I almost bought a 7800 GT card. Just because I support Ati, do you see me on here bashing Nvidia every chance I get like ALOT of people do...? And most will aggree, Ati's iq is alot better. But does that mean Im bashing NV?

 

[SolMiester]

Bashing NV no, just posters...and I wasnt referring to one, but all.

And I cant be bother to write anymore on the subject!

 

[imported_Crusader]

Originally posted by: fierydemise
Crusader, I have a question for you, How did you find this? Do you usually look through the release notes of patches to find known issues?

I play Battlefield 2 and recently installed the patch. Just was checking out the changes to the game, that was the only known issue so it stuck out to me.
I do usually read through patch update notes to see what they fixed, usually I see a lot of game exploits fixed that I wish I could have gotten in on.


To the others (mod wannabe's)- I'll post what I want, when I want. :thumbsup:
If the rules were enforced here, most of you would have gone with Rollo. Thats the truth.
Sorry.