9800xt Problems

MelatoninMelatonin Babbler Join Date: 2003-03-15 Member: 14551Members, Constellation
<div class="IPBDescription">in need of help</div> actually putting the card in went smoothly (to my surprise) and it seems to be running fine on 'mid range' games like far cry and UT2004.

Im having major problems with very old games (half life) and very new games (doom3).

Half life is crazy, i dropped to 8fps in eclipse marine start, and am generally hitting about 30 - 50 elsewhere (my old 5200 actually out performed this :s).
[dev 1, fps_max 100 btw]

Doom 3 runs very nicely, high settings, 1024, everything on, but is plagued by tearing to the point of a snow storm effect in areas.
[using a variety of tweaks from the doom3 tweak thread]

im using catalysts 4.7, and directx 9.0c (was running 9.0b yesterday same problems).

advanced settings are AA x6, AS x2, wait for Vsync always off (for halflife, tried with always on for the tearing on doom3, no change) everything else on quality over performance.

I cant figure it out as like I say UT2k4 is running smooth as anything full settings, but i switch to NS and im dropping to some crazy fps.

If anyone has any advice, i would be very greatfull... all the ut2k4 in the world cant make up for a good game of NS.. doom3 would be a bonus.

Comments

  • RustySpoonRustySpoon Join Date: 2003-07-10 Member: 18069Members
    I know I'm not beeing very helpful again, but if I had a 9800xt I wouldnt play anything premilennial <!--emo&::nerdy::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/nerd.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='nerd.gif' /><!--endemo-->
  • CommunistWithAGunCommunistWithAGun Local Propaganda Guy Join Date: 2003-04-30 Member: 15953Members
    Make sure vsync is on. I turned doom3 to low so I'd get 60fps constantly because I dont get that on high usually, it tears like crazy. Enable vsync for ONLY doom3.
  • MelatoninMelatonin Babbler Join Date: 2003-03-15 Member: 14551Members, Constellation
    the 4.9 drivers seem to have killed alot of the tearing on doom3, its definatly playable now.

    im still worried about NS though <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif' /><!--endemo-->
    even with vsync off its a stupidly low fps.
  • SandstormSandstorm Join Date: 2003-09-25 Member: 21205Members
    Disable Fast Write if you haven't already. I find that new installs of Catalyst always reenable it.
  • SpoogeSpooge Thunderbolt missile in your cheerios Join Date: 2002-01-25 Member: 67Members
    Very common problem in HalfLife. Try <a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=76866' target='_blank'>this thread in the Tech Forum</a> for some answers. Not sure what to do with Doom3 <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif' /><!--endemo-->
  • MelatoninMelatonin Babbler Join Date: 2003-03-15 Member: 14551Members, Constellation
  • rabbityrabbity Join Date: 2003-07-02 Member: 17866Members
    if you get white squarish and checkered dots, if im not wrong, thats the sign that your 9800xt is overheating :(

    i have a 9800xt myself, but have yet to try doom3 on it :\
  • DiscoZombieDiscoZombie Join Date: 2003-08-05 Member: 18951Members
    I can only offer standard advice: ATI drivers can sometimes be annoying if you don't totally clean out the old drivers before you install new ones... so run Driver Cleaner and then reinstall the latest ATI drivers :> best advice I have...
  • MelatoninMelatonin Babbler Join Date: 2003-03-15 Member: 14551Members, Constellation
    edited August 2004
    well you know, im not entirely sure what tearing refers to (in terms of graphical appearance anyway).

    What I see is small white and red dots appearing over colour. they dont appear in the very dark or very bright areas, and i realise half way through this secntance i would be better with a screen shot, Ill edit one in later.

    they do resemble a checker pattern though when theres lots of them.


    *edit1* out of interest what kind of temperature should I be running at?
    right now im usually high 70s. damn summer
  • rabbityrabbity Join Date: 2003-07-02 Member: 17866Members
    edited August 2004
    during normal application, like on windows desktop, mine runs at around 72 degrees

    btw post your specs too
  • SwiftspearSwiftspear Custim tital Join Date: 2003-10-29 Member: 22097Members
    What Radeon manufacturer did you buy from?
  • XythXyth Avatar Join Date: 2003-11-04 Member: 22312Members
    To fix the snow problem just underclock your card like 10 mhz. That should get rid of most if not all of it. And 10 mhz dosen't seem to greatly affect your fps (I only noticed about a 2 fps drop, and that might have just been coincidence). The snow problem in Doom 3 happens on many of the radeon 9800's, Im not sure what it's from but it probably has somthing to do with the architecture of the core, since snow is all it seems to create, no artifacting or anything(artifacting is caused by overheating of the ram and is basically big stretched polygon things appearing randomly on the screen).

    As for crappy FPS in halflife, I'm getting that to. I used to get 100 fps after an immediate re-format, but then a week or to later I guess I downloaded something (windows update?) that caused me to start dropping again.


    I also second the question on the manufacturer of the card, mine is asus.
  • SwiftspearSwiftspear Custim tital Join Date: 2003-10-29 Member: 22097Members
    If you care that much about your HL FPS, get <a href='http://www.omegadrivers.net/' target='_blank'>Omega drivers</a>
  • MelatoninMelatonin Babbler Join Date: 2003-03-15 Member: 14551Members, Constellation
    <img src='http://server6.uploadit.org/files/Melatonin-shot00003.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
    ok, this is the problem, I assume this is tearing right?
    theres alot of red dots too, but kinda hard to make out because of the compression on the pic.

    heres my specs.

    AMD XP2400+
    1Gb RAM
    Powercolor Radeon 9800XT 256
    KT400 mobo
    audigy2 ext.
    ill not bore you with mouse model etc.. <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->

    Xyth: how should I go about undercllocking my card? im a newb <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
  • XythXyth Avatar Join Date: 2003-11-04 Member: 22312Members
    First, did you mean it runs 70 degrees <i>celsius</i>? Because if it does... That is really hot. You might want to look into a PCI slot cooler where it is a little fan that fits onto an empty slot in the back of the case an exhausts air through it. I have one that faces my graphics card so it takes the heat directly off the fans and stuffs it out of the back of the case. Also you might want to look into a better Video card cooler. But since I doubt you have easy access to any of the above right now, here's how to underclock. First of all, I don't know much about Powercolor so Ill assume it didn't come with a program to auto adjust the clock speeds on the card. Asus, being the nice people they are, included a nice proggy called SmartDoctor that allows you to adjust the various speeds very easily. So inorder to change the clock speeds you will need <a href='http://www28.brinkster.com/chrisww1942/' target='_blank'>Radlinker</a>. This, when installed, adds a tab to your graphics card advanced settings (control panel>display>settings>advanced) that has 2 little sliders. One is for Core clock, and one is for Ram clock. Now just adjust the core down about 10 mhz (to do this easily you may want to click the advanced button in Radlinker and set the increments to 1.8 to 3.0, so it's easier to get it exact). And then click set, it should say "clock rates successfully set" then display just what they were set to. You can read on their website other stuff to do with the program, like have it automatically set the clock rates for the card depending on what shortcut for which game you pick. So you can play with normal clocks in other games.

    Good luck.
  • rabbityrabbity Join Date: 2003-07-02 Member: 17866Members
    :o
    so 72 degrees celcius is unacceptable? D:

    well looks like i have to cool it down too....can you most more info on this pci cooling fan thing?
  • XythXyth Avatar Join Date: 2003-11-04 Member: 22312Members
    <a href='http://www.xoxide.com/slotcooler.html' target='_blank'>Linky</a>

    They are basically slim enclosed fans/turbines where one side is open so that air gets sucked into it then blown out of the back of the case. You just position it so that the open end is facing the fan(s) on your video card. Also you can find these at a variety of lengths so that they can reach deeper into the case.
  • MantridMantrid Lockpick Join Date: 2003-12-07 Member: 24109Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-rabbity+Aug 13 2004, 08:25 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (rabbity @ Aug 13 2004, 08:25 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> :o
    so 72 degrees celcius is unacceptable? D: <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    72 degrees Celsius = 161.6 degrees Farenheit = HOT!
  • rabbityrabbity Join Date: 2003-07-02 Member: 17866Members
    so is one of those enough?
  • MelatoninMelatonin Babbler Join Date: 2003-03-15 Member: 14551Members, Constellation
    thanks again guys.
  • spinviperspinviper Join Date: 2003-05-08 Member: 16151Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-Melatonin+Aug 13 2004, 06:00 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Melatonin @ Aug 13 2004, 06:00 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> actually putting the card in went smoothly (to my surprise) and it seems to be running fine on 'mid range' games like far cry and UT2004.

    Im having major problems with very old games (half life) and very new games (doom3).

    Half life is crazy, i dropped to 8fps in eclipse marine start, and am generally hitting about 30 - 50 elsewhere (my old 5200 actually out performed this :s).
    [dev 1, fps_max 100 btw]

    Doom 3 runs very nicely, high settings, 1024, everything on, but is plagued by tearing to the point of a snow storm effect in areas.
    [using a variety of tweaks from the doom3 tweak thread]

    im using catalysts 4.7, and directx 9.0c (was running 9.0b yesterday same problems).

    advanced settings are AA x6, AS x2, wait for Vsync always off (for halflife, tried with always on for the tearing on doom3, no change) everything else on quality over performance.

    I cant figure it out as like I say UT2k4 is running smooth as anything full settings, but i switch to NS and im dropping to some crazy fps.

    If anyone has any advice, i would be very greatfull... all the ut2k4 in the world cant make up for a good game of NS.. doom3 would be a bonus. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Dev 1 does not help one bit, it calculates what fps you WOULD get. Turn that off.
    Put ati_npatch "0" ati_subdiv "0" in your autoxec.cfg. Also launch the Cataclyst control panel, go to opengl, compatiblity settings and turn on tripple buffering and OPENGL acceleration .
  • TestamentTestament Join Date: 2002-11-02 Member: 4037Members
    That does nothing for most people, Viper.
  • spinviperspinviper Join Date: 2003-05-08 Member: 16151Members
    Aww, sorry. It worked for me <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->
  • MelatoninMelatonin Babbler Join Date: 2003-03-15 Member: 14551Members, Constellation
    yep, thanks to xyths underclocking tip, Doom3 is now working perfectly! <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
    ive also got a slot fan on the way...

    but NS is still really low, fluctuating between 20 and 60, V sync is off so I really dont understand why... guess ill have to live with doom3 over NS..
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