View Full Version : Poor performance - drivers?
Just wanted to get some advice here -
I've been running SHIII on my new, much-improved system, but I keep having performance issues - namely when I switch between external and internal views, or between different compartments, my FPS drops to completely unplayable rates. ALT+TAB twice fixes this, but doing it too often (as I'm forced to) causes occasional graphics glitches and save corruption.
I've tried it on two sound cards, with different drivers, neither of which are perfect; but it's still the same, so I've more or less ruled this out.
What else could it be? Video drivers?
If anyone's been in a similar situation and has something to share, please do!
The core of it is...
(Windows 2000)
Pentium 4 3Ghz
2Gb Dual Channel DDR RAM
GeForce 6800OC, 128mb (drivers 84.21)
For audio, I tried both my on-board SoundMax card (crap) and my old but fairly decent Turtle Beach card. The results performance-wise are more or less the same, that's why I'm skeptical that this is the problem after all.
Gizzmoe
06-06-06, 10:50 AM
Try an older video driver:
http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp-2k_archive.html
tycho102
06-06-06, 11:36 AM
I've got a AMD64 2ghz, a Turtle Beach Montego, a 6800GT (running at stock Ultra levels), and the 87.24's. WinXP 32-bit, with SP2. Definately no complaints at 1600x1200. Even the subpen runs at ~33fps.
Remember that there are battles going on all over the map. If I had to guess, within maybe 200km of your current position. I have intercepted a task force, and had the Luftwaffe bomb the hell out of all the surviving destroyers and battleships while I was diving to "escape". The frame rate routinely drops during these simulated battles, even when you're out in the boonies of the mid-Atlantic.
No, I'd know if it was the battles - I'm certainly well-aware of how the game usually works. It has nothing to do with the battles and everything to do with the switch between internal/external views.
Still trying out drivers, going back to older ones didn't help so far.
Well I would never have guessed...
Thanks for the help guys, but it looks like a mod issue. Will see how I can deal with this...
Big Fan of your mods CCIP, though I wonder what a Canadian is doing with a Soviet id.
Sounds like your computer tech head has gotten you into exotic trouble, and for some unfathomable computer genius reason you have decided to run gameware on a business operating system.
Your just going to have to bite the bullet, be like the rest of us, and run it on XP like God, & Washington DC intended. :|\\
REALLY liked your Lights mod. Ill always remember standing on the bridge when that first Sunderland spotlight hit me like a ball peen hammer right between the eyes. The pain was exsquissite.
Your rock dude, but really, quit larking around with those nancys over in filing, & get out there in the sea again on XP.
Your Pal
Manock
I doubt it's the OS, since it ran just fine and dandy on this before!
I think I got over most of it by updating drivers and checking over my mods, though some of the need to ALT+TAB hasn't gone away. I guess I'll live with it but, if it gets worse, XP it is.
Oh, and it's not Soviet, it's Continuously Computed Impact Point (also Cisco Certified Internetwork Professional, though I'm not one). Though there's irony to the Soviet thing, since I was technically born in the CCCP :p
Deep Six
06-07-06, 01:36 PM
I would have to say it's a driver issue, I had the very same thing happen to me when I installed the latest Nvidia 91.31 drivers (Beta) from Nzone. every time I switched views I had a massive drop in FPS I then went back to my much loved and tested Force ware 84.66 drivers from Guru of 3D..... You can get the Jelly belly cert drivers or I go for the Force ware ultra "Sedona" 84.66. The Nvidia 84 set of drivers are well loved in the gaming/overclocking community for there stability. Now if you have trouble with these drivers then pop on over to Tweaks R us and get there XTremeG 84.56 v3, another great modified and STABLE driver well suited to Geforce 6600GT cards
here are your links : http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?id=2 this is for the "sedona"
And go here : http://www.tweaksrus.com/index.php?option=com_docman&task=cat_view&gid=127&Itemid=41/
This will take you straight to the Extreme downloads page....:rock: :rock:
Remember if you are going to install new drivers you must get a good cleaner to get all the left over reg settings that do not disappear when you un-install your previous driver and can recommend one very cool program that's free called Drive cleaner pro get it from here : http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?id=8.
As a quick guide un-install your current drivers using the control panel Add/Remove, once you have rebooted run Drive cleaner pro setting the cleaner for Nvidia once that has cleaned out all that was left over then install your new driver, CAUTION if you are going to install the 84.66 Sedona when it asks you do you want it to clean your files say NO just continue with your install as you have already cleaned out any residing nvidia reg edits...Hope this helps.....and if these don't work try any of the other of the driver sets at both sites..... BOY do not go anywhere near the new 91XX drivers as they are totally crap and at the moment have issues with AA properly working above 2X !!!!!
Deep Six
Thanks Deep Six!
Actually, the Sedona drivers didn't work well for me, but they confirmed exactly what you thought - the performance was noticably worse on them in exactly the places where I had problems before, indicating that this is indeed a driver issue.
I'll try 84.56 now and see how they work.
Nope, still no luck :(
I guess I'm at a point where I can at least live with it and have the issue at manageable levels. I've tried over a half-dozen different drivers at this point.
Unless someone has had this specific problem and knows a solution, I guess I'll let it go and live with it for now.
Kpt. Lehmann
06-07-06, 04:22 PM
Hi CCIP,
It could be something as simple as one of your RAM sticks or a MOBO capacitor going south.
You might make a trip to your computer guru... or DIFFERENT computer guru for some diagnostics.
NEON DEON
06-07-06, 04:23 PM
If the game ran fine in the past, what is different about it or your computer or software on you computer now?
Well, my computer is different, for one... New mobo, new processor.
I'll keep trying. One thing I can say is that the problems are restricted to SHIII. Everything else runs great on it so far.
I'll check with the gurus, if I can find them. Again, the game does run OK for the most part, so it's not something I'm willing to spend a lot on.:hmm:
NEON DEON
06-07-06, 05:30 PM
Well, my computer is different, for one... New mobo, new processor.
I'll keep trying. One thing I can say is that the problems are restricted to SHIII. Everything else runs great on it so far.
I'll check with the gurus, if I can find them. Again, the game does run OK for the most part, so it's not something I'm willing to spend a lot on.:hmm:
Sometimes new MBs have a problem setting the chipset drivers. And--- sometimes peops will just install the mb and processor while retaining the old configuration of the OS. This could present a big problem with how the computer reacts. ADD that with 2000 (not going to have many plug n play drivers on tap)as opposed to a more friendly XP and you might have to nuke the whole hard drive (unless you have the OS partitioned all by itself)thing and start from scratch.
Vikinger
06-07-06, 05:52 PM
Lag issues can also be dependant on your harddrive.
Are u running an IDE disc or an SATA disc?
What ever u have u also need latest driver to thos.
Sugggestion is to use VIA 4:1 driver if your motherboard and HD supports it.
My self have an Raptor HD running in SATA mode and there is special drivers for thos that i have to use.
Reason it can be the HD is that windows use the swapfile, (virtual memory) and when it does it writes temporary info to your HD. And when that occour u can experince it as lag.
Check your comp if u have disc activity during your lag moments, then u know if thats the problem. And can be solved descent by updating the driver and defrag your hd.
Check also the manufacture site for your processor. Some offer updated drivers for the processor. Specially thos new dual core ones.
Good Luck
Vikinger.
finchOU
06-07-06, 09:04 PM
Oh, and it's not Soviet, it's Continuously Computed Impact Point :p
I see I'm not the only Aviator who likes sub sims!:)
I think I'm getting closer, guys. This may well be a sound issue as I suspected.
I'd just read that the old Montego card that I have doesn't work well with the newer Intel chipsets. That might explain some things :hmm:
Wohoo!
I think I got it.
I renistalled ALL my motherboard-related drivers from my original mobo disc, including a PCI one that seemed rather suspect. Removed the Montego card, went back to SoundMax. Looking good so far - I think this is it. :D
Yep - woohoo :D
Thanks guys, your advice helped. Especially thanks to Deep Six, because thanks to the drivers he suggested, I can now run the game at full Anti-Aliasing without any problems. Behold the sweetness:
http://img161.imageshack.us/img161/7687/wohoo11uo.jpg
;)
***
Oh, and PS
finchOU - yep, my heart is still with Falcon 4.0. CCIP has to do with the fact that I'm not a good fighter pilot (lately this is changing), but a pretty good bomber pilot. Although I've hardly touched CCIP bombing lately, instead cruising at high altitudes with my Block 42 and being a very, very careful bastage in general. It's not like those low-level CCIP passes I used to do, but I sure don't get shot down much anymore. :)
With my playing style, I seriously need to get me into an A-10 (but I haven't managed to really get into LOMAC) :hmm:
Sharp!
So thats what this sim looks like at full blast.
I ache for a desktop! Not this laptop Im running SH on.
Dont want to harp on your success but then again why not, you might not have had these driver issues if you were on XP. Ill stop there.
When Im at sea, and I see another Uboat clearly defined Ill know its you.
Manock
Deep Six
06-08-06, 06:27 AM
Alright !!!! Glad in some small way I could help. Just a query which drivers did you plug for in the end???
And that pic is Sharp !!!!
Here's apic of my screen at FSAA@4S and Anistropy at forceware 8
I'm using the 84.66 "Sedona's"
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g237/Redmark45/Teaser.jpg
Deep Six....:rock: :rock:
Has anyone else noticed that if you turn your antialiasin on from SHIII (SHIFT+PageUp) you sometimes get a fps boost? I get almost 10fps more, from 26 to 34fps!:up:
Alright !!!! Glad in some small way I could help. Just a query which drivers did you plug for in the end???
I ended up going with Xtreme-G 84.56 - in my case the 84.66 seemed to be slower (although it had some nice features).
finchOU
06-08-06, 08:09 PM
Oh, and PS
finchOU - yep, my heart is still with Falcon 4.0. CCIP has to do with the fact that I'm not a good fighter pilot (lately this is changing), but a pretty good bomber pilot. Although I've hardly touched CCIP bombing lately, instead cruising at high altitudes with my Block 42 and being a very, very careful bastage in general. It's not like those low-level CCIP passes I used to do, but I sure don't get shot down much anymore. :)
With my playing style, I seriously need to get me into an A-10 (but I haven't managed to really get into LOMAC) :hmm:
Ah try the real thing...started with sims and a dream as a kid...now Im livin it!!! ...but first time bombing we had no CCIP just using hard sites with mil settings
Very nice. :D
I think I'm destined for permanent status as a kid on that, since I've ended up going down a very different path (aiming for a PhD in a couple of years here...), but I'm always in awe when I can get near these things.
Good to hear you're enjoying it, well, I guess that's natural enough. I've known a few ground crew guys, and I think they all came out profoundly loathing planes in the end, well, at least in public :lol:
vBulletin® v3.8.11, Copyright ©2000-2025, vBulletin Solutions Inc.