G400 + Direct3D = ?

[Kruzin]

You might try changing your 3com drivers. There is a known issue with some of their cards, which is fixed by using their "stripped down" version of the drivers (sorry, no link handy)...

[Jorden]

One possible thing too: Check if windows has your monitor set to plug&play detection (screen-properties, advanced, monitor).
If it does, uncheck this possibility, reboot and use the PD options only !!!

It helped me alot (thanks MattRags), for I couldn't even get into Windows with my G400 installed on the first day...

Jorden.

[finn]

G400 + Direct3D = ?

I have HUGE problems getting my G400 work in Direct3D! Does anybody else have this problem?! I can't even get the bundle Expandable to work. As soon as I'm about to "enter the game" it crashes out to window again. When I try the DirectX diagnostics it crashes on me too. DirectDraw seems to work all right, but when I press "test Direct3D" it crashes.
I have a P3-450 on a MS 6163. SB Live! and a 3Com NIC and a Tekram SCSI adapter. I have installed all the latest drivers I can find and I've upgraded my graphic BIOS. The G400 doesn't share IRQ with anything else, either. I just don't know whats wrong?!?!?!

... help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope...

[Scytale]

Not sure if that Kenobi guy is around today, but could you try to disable busmastering? It will not be a workable solution (too slow) but it might be an indication for what's going on.

[finn]

Well, it's getting rather hopeless overhere
I can't even use the OpenGL screensaver. Somethings very strange with my OpenGL drivers. I did disable busmastering, and that helped me getting into Star Wars Podracer and now it works like a charm! (thanks Scytale!).
But the rest is really miserable
I've set the monitor not to be PnP, but that doesn't help very much... thanks anyway Jorden!
The NIC is a 3Com 905B-TX and I've got the latest drivers for is, so I don't think that was the problem either... *sigh*

well, do any of you have another idea what might be wrong?!

My G400.drv (in the Dxdiagnostics, under monitor) says it isn't certified, but i guess none of you guys have a certified driver yet, or am I wrong?!

I can't think of were much else to do...

[finn]

Ooops, sorry for all the sad smileys!! I didn't realise I used so many...

anyway, thanks again!

[Kruzin]

What are your IRQ assignments?
Have you tried changing various BIOS options (cache, USWC, aperture size, etc)?
What res/color depth are you trying?
What OS are you using (95/95b/98/se)?

And no, there are no MS certified drivers for G400 yet...

[This message has been edited by Kruzin (edited 09-06-1999).]

[finn]

The G400 is alone on IRQ 11 (along with something like "Irq controller for PCI sharer". don't know the name in english...)
00-system timer
01-Keyboard
02-"interuptcontroller"
03-SCSI adapter
04-"Irq controller for PCI sharer"
05-SBLive!
05-3com
05-"Irq controller for PCI sharer"
06-floppy
07-LPT1
08-CMOS
09-SB16 emulation
10-USB
10-"Irq controller for PCI sharer"
11-G400
11-"Irq controller for PCI sharer"
12-Mouse
13-FPU (I think)
14-IDE controller
15-IDE controller

I'm using 1600x1200x16 most of the time...
(the OpenGL screensaver works in 256 colors, though)
I'm using win98. I'm not sure if its SE. It says "4.10.1998" so I guess its the old one...
and I think I've tried most of the settings in BIOS, but I'll have a look...

[Rags]

Have you tried using the reg. hack to force AGP 1X? This has helped alot of users.

Rags



------------------
That's your wife on the back of my horse!!

[finn]

Ok, now I've gone through my BOIS settings and I have some questions...
- What should the AGP aperture size be?! 32 Mb?!
- Shall I disable video BIOS cacheable?!
- Shall I disable video RAM cacheable?!

I've tried different settings, but that doesn't seem to help very much...

Rags, were can I find the Reg hack to force 1X AGP?!?! I haven't tried it!

[Hunsow]

- Whatever works for you, try it out.
- YES
- YES

http://www.murc.ws/Downloads.html

[This message has been edited by Hunsow (edited 09-06-1999).]

[GD]

These two options in the BIOS will cause the system to run slower. Anyway the aperture size typically must not exceed the main memory in your PC. However there are currently no games which would try to put so many textures in the system's main memory so there's no problem with that.

Did you try to reinstall the DirectX drivers from the Matrox's CD? Do not install only the core, install the whole package.

A clean install would be the best solution...

Anyway that PCI sharer (PCI steering device for IRQ sharing or sth like that) is required for busmastering devices... I didn't know that too until I posted a thread about it here at the forums (thanx everyone :-) )

hope it helps

[Kruzin]

AGP aperture size can exceed your system RAM. It does not dedicate that much memory to the video subsystem, and whatever memory it does allocate is not locked only to video. It just lets it use it if needed. For example: My aperture is at 256meg (double the amount of RAM I have), and DX reports something like 74meg available to AGP. That doesn't mean that 74meg is unusable by other apps....just that it can be made available to video if needed.

Myself and others have also seen that large AGP tests (like the 32meg texture test in 3dmark99) run faster with larger aperture sizes, without having negative affects because of it...

So it's just a matter of what runs best for each individual. Try the different settings, and go with whatever works best on your setup...

[Hunsow]

>These two options in the BIOS will cause the system to run slower.

Not true, it makes no difference whatsoever speedwise. It can only cause problems.