UT2k3 is extremely hard to run w/ 9700 Pro...

[idNut]

Is it my computer or is this game simply just hard to run? Take a look at my rigs to see what I'm running in detail (The Beast). I have everything on Low and Normal with mostly all details off and I still get around 30 fps and it looks super choppy. I'm not extremely pleased with this card because it also has a lot of problems running BF1942.

 

[Tab]

What are the specifications of the rest of the rig?

 

[idNut]

Like?

 

[Sarge1]

UT2K3 should be rockin on that rig. Sounds like a driver problem to me. If you just switched from a different card to the 9700, you need to make sure the previous drivers are completely removed before installing new ones. Suggest removing all drivers, tweak utilities, and registry entries for this card or any previous cards. If you're uninstalling Radeon drivers try removing tweakers 1st, then the ATI Control Panel, then the drivers, then registry entries. Then install new drivers.

 

[Excelsior]

Don't run it with 8x, do 4x AGP. Turn fastwrites off. And check out the rage3d forums.

 

[Sarge1]

Radeon 9700Pro?

Excelsior, don't tell me you already got that new card?

 

[Brian48]

You wouldn't happen to have HW 3D audio+EAX enabled, do you?

 

[BFG10K]

While UT2003 is a pretty demanding game your rig should be able to run it quite well for the most part. Make sure you have the latest BIOS and chipset drivers for your system and make sure you aren't running any background programs such as virus scanners.

Also, use software sound for the game's sound options.

 

[cmdrdredd]

I run HW 3D + EAX and get around 65fps on almost all the maps.

 

[pelikan]

I just bought the 9500 Pro. I now run UT2003 with all the highest settings. It runs smooth as silk. I only have an 1800+ on a via 266a chipset. You should be able to kill that game. You should reformat and follow the guides at http://www.tweaktown.com for operating system and UT2003. That will do it.
And enable vsync!

 

[BFG10K]

I run HW 3D + EAX and get around 65fps on almost all the maps.

If you run with software sound your framerate will increase, quite dramatically in some cases.

And enable vsync!

That's a very bad idea, especially since he's trying to improve his performance.

 

[pelikan]

And enable vsync!

That's a very bad idea, especially since he's trying to improve his performance.[/quote]

Enabling Vsync elimiated screen tearing on my system, which is a performance issue. With a refresh rate of 75, I can't see the difference if it goes higher anyways. And the tearing I get with Vsync disabled looks like crap. Many other people have had the same experience, but I know that many people do not enable Vsync. So I guess I should have suggested it as an option that may help rather than an imperative.

 

[Goi]

How'd you find out the in-game FPS in UT2K3?

Also, does turning off Fast Writes really help performance? I thought it only helped in some compatibility/stability issues? I just found out that Fast Writes has been enabled all along on my 9700 Pro. Maybe that's why UT2K3 has been bombing out with GPFs now and then...

 

[BFG10K]

Enabling Vsync elimiated screen tearing on my system, which is a performance issue.

Screen tearing isn't a performance issue. If anything it could be loosely classed as a compatibilty issue.

With a refresh rate of 75, I can't see the difference if it goes higher anyways.

The main problem with vsync is that you'll often get 37.5 FPS too. Can you see a difference between that and 75 FPS? I know I can.

And the tearing I get with Vsync disabled looks like crap.

Raise your refresh rate or better yet, increase your eye candy to bring the framerate down. Why impose an artificial cap on your framerate when you can do it naturally and increase your eye candy at the same time?

If you've got power to burn put it to good use; don't just blindly cap it.

So I guess I should have suggested it as an option that may help rather than an imperative.

If you want maximum performance you should disable vysnc. That is a fact.

How'd you find out the in-game FPS in UT2K3?

stat_fps or just statfps (I forget which one it is).

Also, does turning off Fast Writes really help performance?

It can do, especially on systems that are bottlenecked by their main memory.

 

[pelikan]

Fast writes can cause instability.

To see fps in UT2003 hit the ~ key and type in "stat fps"

 

[idNut]

I just got the new DirectX9 drivers since I've downloaded the DX9 SDK and it has improved my performance a little. I do run it on Hardware Sound and I play around with EAX but it doesn't sound a whole lot different. This computer came with a blank hard drive that I put Windows XP directly so I'm not going to reformat because that would be pointless. I've heard there MIGHT be a conflict with my motherboard and the Radeon 9700, although. I honestly don't know anything about motherboards and BIOS. I downloaded MSI Bios 1.3 and SiS AGP Driver Setup r1.12 software but haven't used it. I read in the README for MSI something about flashing the motherboard and that doesn't sound like a good idea so I'll stay away from that.

But like I've said, the game runs with a pretty low framerate (sometimes 35 :Q) with everything turned up to max and hardware sound on. Software and hardware make a big difference in their realm and also affect the framerate drastically. When I had software on it sounded like sh!t but had my frames in the 100s with everything on max but the sound. I'm still not sure that this card is running correctly but the sound really does affect the my frames.

Excelsior - How do you change the 8X to 4X and change fastwrites?

Brian48 - Yes, I do and there is a very large difference as I noted before.

BFG10K - Nice name. So there is a way to update your BIOS? Could you get me a direct link to it for the MSI board I have (Check My Rigs)? I've looked but all I've gotten was this flashing business and I don't know what that SiS AGP file does.

pelikan - What sort of frames do you get on that 9500?

Goi - Stat fps in the console.

Appreciate the replies.

 

[BFG10K]

BFG10K - Nice name.

So there is a way to update your BIOS?

I have not seen a motherboard yet that couldn't have its BIOS updated. The first place to check is MSI's website - go to your motherboard section and look for any section that lets you download something.

 

[idNut]

Originally posted by: BFG10K

So there is a way to update your BIOS?

I have not seen a motherboard yet that couldn't have its BIOS updated. The first place to check is MSI's website - go to your motherboard section and look for any section that lets you download something.

I did just that and got this flashing garbage.

 

[Y23KC]

Flashing garbage? You never flashed a bios before? This is the direct link to the page you need for your bios. Just follow the directions and your bios will be updated. Those SIS 648 chipsets have been known to cause a few problems here and there but usually it's posting, booting, crashing, etc.

Try 4x and fastwrites like previously mentioned. You do that in your bios setup. Press del key when it posts to get to it.

 

[idNut]

Originally posted by: Y23KC
Flashing garbage? You never flashed a bios before? This is the direct link to the page you need for your bios. Just follow the directions and your bios will be updated. Those SIS 648 chipsets have been known to cause a few problems here and there but usually it's posting, booting, crashing, etc.

Try 4x and fastwrites like previously mentioned. You do that in your bios setup. Press del key when it posts to get to it.

Well, what does flashing do? I read on the file that you shouldn't do it if your computer is running fine. Is flashing another term for update?

What sort of frames should I be getting on a system like mine with everything maxed in UT2k3 w/ hardware sound and a resolution of 1152x864? This is what I really need to know.

EDIT: By the way, I downloaded that file and have it but have not flashed because I'm scared about what it'll do.

 

[Goi]

Originally posted by: idNut

Originally posted by: Y23KC
Flashing garbage? You never flashed a bios before? This is the direct link to the page you need for your bios. Just follow the directions and your bios will be updated. Those SIS 648 chipsets have been known to cause a few problems here and there but usually it's posting, booting, crashing, etc.

Try 4x and fastwrites like previously mentioned. You do that in your bios setup. Press del key when it posts to get to it.

Well, what does flashing do? I read on the file that you shouldn't do it if your computer is running fine. Is flashing another term for update?

What sort of frames should I be getting on a system like mine with everything maxed in UT2k3 w/ hardware sound and a resolution of 1152x864? This is what I really need to know.

EDIT: By the way, I downloaded that file and have it but have not flashed because I'm scared about what it'll do.

Flash is a term specifically used to describe the writing/updating of EEPROM and other types of non-volatile memory. Your computer's BIOS resides in such non-volatile memory, and so you can "flash" or update it. Normally new BIOS versions are meant to either increase compatibility, add/remove features or increase performance. Since the flashing process contains a certain degree of risk, manufacturers generally don't recommend you do it unless absolutely neccessary.

 

[BFG10K]

I did just that and got this flashing garbage.

Dude, that's exactly what you're after. Flashing is another term for updating the BIOS.

EDIT: By the way, I downloaded that file and have it but have not flashed because I'm scared about what it'll do.

In that case try everything you can think of to resolve the issue and then flash your system only as a last resort.

 

[Brian48]

Brian48 - Yes, I do and there is a very large difference as I noted before.

Then you're the exception (which is unlikely). Run an individual benchmark using the antalus.bat file with HW audio enabled and then with SW audio enabled. You WILL see a difference. Worse case scenario would be if you had an Acoustic Edge where it can be as much as 30%. Best case scenario would be either a Cirrus Logic or Creative card where it's only 12-15% performance hit.

 

[pelikan]

"pelikan - What sort of frames do you get on that 9500?"

I'm getting 140 flyby, 52.5 botmatch in the benchmark. I play UT2003 with vsync enabled - the lowest it goes is in the 50's.

 

[idNut]

So what should I do? I looked for the 4X and 8X thing but couldn't find it in the BIOS, same goes for the fastwrite business. I haven't got a clear response for flashing: what's the worst that could happen? It also says that I shouldn't flash it if I don't know what I'm doing and it's running fine. Is this video card problem considered abnormal and "not running fine"? Sorry if I keep pestering you but it's just I don't know WTF I am doing and I most definitely don't want to screw anything up.

Should I flash the BIOS?

Is my motherboard causing the decreasing performance?

With everything on max with only hardware sound in UT2k3 on a 9700 Pro with the resolution of 1024x768?

Where is 4X and 8X controlled along with fastwrite?