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

[WyteWatt]

pelikan what resolution please and what level of FSAA and AF ? Thanks

 

[idNut]

I figured out where the fastwrite is and changing that does more bad than good: it completely lags out my computer. I think the problem is the 8X being enabled and not the 4X. I recall seeing my friend change it but he can't remember where; I can recall BIOS though. I have no idea where to change this. I checked BIOS and nothing but the aperture size and AGP/PCI frequency. I've looked through ATI's software thoroughly and haven't found anything on 8X and 4X. I'm really getting mad since I payed top dollar and I wasn't even notified that this wasn't running 100%. If it was running maybe even 40% I'd be happy but it's like 20% and it's terrible.

Sorry if I'm too vague but it's new year's and hopefully you had a safe and enjoyable one.

 

[Goi]

The place to modify your fastwrite status and AGP mode is in the Control Panel's Display Settings, under Advanced->SMARTGART(tm)

 

[idNut]

Well, I tried to change the AGP times but it stays at 8X even if I click on 4X and restart. I'm still getting an awful framerate in UT2k3 w/ a resolution of 1024x768 and everything on normal w/ hardware sound. I get roughly 60 frames that then drops to sometimes 30. Another thing is that I found a "Radeon 9700 SEC" and it says it's PCI. I disabled that and set the AGP to default but still no change. WHAT IS THIS PROBLEM?! WHAT'S THE WORST THAT CAN HAPPEN BY FLASHING MY BIOS? I'm getting very upset here. BBL to see replies.

 

[Goi]

The worst that can happen is when your system crashes/hangs/reboots while in the flashing process, or for some other reason you reboot your system before the flashing process is complete. In this case, you will NOT be able to boot up your system since you have no BIOS. You would end up with nothing, zilch, nada, on your screen, till you replace your BIOS chip.

 

[warrenpeace]

"I figured out where the fastwrite is and changing that does more bad than good: it completely lags out my computer. I think the problem is the 8X being enabled and not the 4X. I recall seeing my friend change it but he can't remember where; I can recall BIOS though"

I know i can set the AGP multiplier in bios on my board, other boards vary though (on my last oem board i couldn't). Flashing the bios may ad that feature if it isn't available now for yours.

My mobo is agp 4x to begin with. I have an msi kt3ultra2 with an athlon xp2100 and a 9700pro. I was doing some experiments today after reading about all these issues (none of which my machine exhibit). Turning fastwrite on or off, either through the ATI control panel and/or through bios (my board has this option) makes little or no difference at all in 3dmark 2001se or UT2003 benchmark scores.

In ut2003 benchmark, with fsaa at 8x and AF at 16x full time, not aplication set, my 1024x768 and 1280x960 scores are always identical whithin one fps (59.whatever for botmatch), and my 1600x1200 score is one fps less than those (58.whatever for botmatch), so my system is aperently CPU limited. Also i keep hearing people say to switch from hardware+EAX sound to software sound for better scores. This never had any effect whatsoever on my scores with my radoen 8500 or 9700pro, both run with an audigy platinum.

My 3dmark 2001se scores are in the mid 13,000 range with fastwrite on or off.

 

[idNut]

AH!

What're the chances of something going bad whilst flashing and since there are four BIOS updates do I have to flash it four times starting with the earliest update? If something does go wrong, God forbid, will the BIOS recovery feature (disk) help me? This sucks and ATI is being a bunch of jag-offs and sending me to their stupid FAQ guide when I already looked there a million times.

 

[UncleBastard]

idNut, how many fps do you get in the flyby and bot match when you run the benchmark.exe in your UT2003 system folder? Also how do your other games run?

I'm not saying you're wrong and you don't really have a problem but is it at all possible that you're expecting to much? I have a 9700 pro and a 2.5ghz cpu and when I play ut2003 the frame rate does sometimes drop into the 30's. All my games work and I don't think I'm having problems with any of them. UT2003 is a very demanding game and just because the 9700 is the fastest card out at the moment doesn't mean its the end all solution when it comes to high frame rates. When the action heats up the frame rate is going to drop. Like I said I'm not saying you're wrong. Maybe you do have a problem. This is just my opinion so don't get angry with me

 

[Dacalo]

the game rocks on my rig: P4 2.66ghz, 512MB, Radeon 9700

not even overclocked

 

[idNut]

I get 100 on outdoor level flybys but it seems to hover in the 50s w/o any bots on the screen and during the game it drops to the 30's with everything on normal! My friend has a slower processor and is running on an geForce4 4600 TI and gets great frames on normal, which has what I've been trying to get it to run better on. I was expecting this to be the God-card of gaming that wouldn't let any game drop below 70fps but I was way off it seems. My other games run pretty good since they're mostly just first-person shooters powered w/ the Quake III engine but my old computer did that just fine on a geForce2 MX400 PCI. This has made my life miserable lately. I spend $1100 to get this packing machine w/ 8X AGP, the whole nine yards and it's not putting out nearly as good as I suspected. I dunno, I never did really like ATI ever since when they were competeting with 3dfx back in the day. Happy new years.

 

[UncleBastard]

But what are your actual numbers when you run the benchmark.exe thing. There should be two figures. One for flyby and one for bot match. No offense but while IMO it is a very good card games will go below 70fps so I think you expected a little too much. **BUT** it does sound like it should be running better than you describe it so again I'm not saying you're wrong.

 

[idNut]

Originally posted by: UncleBastard
But what are your actual numbers when you run the benchmark.exe thing.

Where is this?

 

[idNut]

dm-inferno
7.188020 / 38.873302 / 160.599625 fps
Score = 38.866371

dm-inferno <--Flyby
69.542107 / 145.957840 / 384.169373 fps
Score = 146.140945

Well, that's a neat little tool.

 

[UncleBastard]

If you installed UT in the default place it should be C:\UT2003\System\benchmark.exe

Just double click it and it'll bring up a little window where you pick a resolution and then it will run through a few tests. When its done it will go back to the desktop with a thing that says something like

flyby: XXX
botmatch: XXX

 

[idNut]

So what about my scores? The file name was lowframerate .

 

[idNut]

Here are some more:
BR-Anubis
6.378150 / 40.290279 / 77.824829 fps
Score = 40.320381

BR-Bifrost
18.214943 / 37.557404 / 99.269958 fps
Score = 37.577389

BR-Disclosure
12.771646 / 32.070728 / 65.569977 fps
Score = 32.090660

BR-IceFields
18.473997 / 48.219784 / 73.341576 fps
Score = 48.236439

BR-Skyline
14.726007 / 36.052090 / 80.094498 fps
Score = 36.071892

BR-Slaughterhouse
15.474691 / 47.378197 / 78.778305 fps
Score = 47.406456

BR-TwinTombs
3.424842 / 37.867191 / 71.377487 fps
Score = 37.889984

CTF-Chrome
26.614647 / 59.029804 / 113.361382 fps
Score = 59.042828

CTF-Citadel
12.017493 / 36.339771 / 79.467262 fps
Score = 36.362915

CTF-December
15.462225 / 43.312382 / 85.955482 fps
Score = 43.325027

CTF-Face3
13.893901 / 50.921951 / 95.087807 fps
Score = 50.966919

CTF-Geothermal
14.042237 / 45.026337 / 76.970551 fps
Score = 45.050632

CTF-Lostfaith
13.711412 / 30.393896 / 57.937874 fps
Score = 30.406391

 

[UncleBastard]

Did you run something out of the benchmark folder? Try Benchmark.exe in the system folder

C:\UT2003\System\benchmark.exe

 

[idNut]

Oh ok, here it is :disgust::Q

Flyby: 143.0
Botmatch: 50.9

Resolution: 1024x768

I expected the botmatch to reach at least 70 with this card.

 

[UncleBastard]

Hmmm. They do seem just a little low. It could just be that we have things set differently. I get 183 on the flyby and 64 on the bot match.

My settings are:

1024X768
In the D3d display settings I have the "main settings" slider set to balanced
UT2003 I have everything maxed. If I remember correctly it already had everything set on highest (I think it auto detects and sets things according to what kind of hardware you have.)

Do you have v-sync off? Are AA or AF on?

You have a 2.4gig CPU don't you? Mine is 2.5 but I wouldn't think 100 mhz would make such a big difference. Someone PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong on that. You have a 9700 PRO right? I have no experience with sis. Do they have chipset drivers? If so are they installed? Also I think it was already suggested but do you have your sound settings set for software sound?

 

[idNut]

Dude, do you have AIM or some sort of messenging program because I need to talk to you direct. With everything lowest that it can go I get 90 frames on 640x480.

 

[Brian48]

You didn't read what I wrote. Don't run the benchmark.exe as this by passes the audio system. Run the individual .bat files with and without 3d HW audio enabled. Disabling 3D HW + EAX should buy you quite a bit of fps.

 

[idNut]

dm-inferno
4.391683 / 56.963989 / 227.825104 fps
Score = 56.953785

That is w/ 1024x768 resolution w/ 32bit color and everything on normal w/ low sound detail and software sound. Tell me what you think!

 

[idNut]

(Sigh) That's it, I uninstalled UT2k3; that game can kiss my ass.

 

[BuckMaster]

I just installed my new ATI 9700Pro and XP2100. I have all my Video settings maxed out! I didnt look at the audio options.

Running from C:\UT2003\System\benchmark.exe

Flyby = 162.73
Botmatch = 61.89
@ 1024X768

I also played the game with bots the next settings up from 1024X768 everything max and ran so smooth!

Im running the Cat 3 drivers.