3d engine failure - again

HKLE · 06-28-10, 01:12 AM

Hi folks

Tried to revive my old SH3 GWX and got the "3d engine failure" error again.

Now - I basically know, how to get rid of this error in my Windows 7 machine, but I do not want to turn the graphics driver back.

My working solution was to get rid of Nvidias own driver in favour of the one proposed by the Windows system itself. At least, this worked in the past.

I do not want to stay with this solution forever, as I want to participate in new developments.

Any idea, what "button" to turn - is there a special DLL in the driver software, which causes this malfunction ?

I post this here, as I did not find a technical forum here at subsim (maybe I'm blind) - the modders may have had similar experience ?

My system in part
GeForce GT 260
Windows 7 (engl)

help or ideas are really appreciated, as I want to revive the special SH3 adventure again ...

Gerald · 06-28-10, 04:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HKLE

Hi folks

Tried to revive my old SH3 GWX and got the "3d engine failure" error again.

Now - I basically know, how to get rid of this error in my Windows 7 machine, but I do not want to turn the graphics driver back.

My working solution was to get rid of Nvidias own driver in favour of the one proposed by the Windows system itself. At least, this worked in the past.

I do not want to stay with this solution forever, as I want to participate in new developments.

Any idea, what "button" to turn - is there a special DLL in the driver software, which causes this malfunction ?

I post this here, as I did not find a technical forum here at subsim (maybe I'm blind) - the modders may have had similar experience ?

My system in part
GeForce GT 260
Windows 7 (engl)

help or ideas are really appreciated, as I want to revive the special SH3 adventure again ...

You can try to roll-back your driver,and also use a different update tools to avoid problem in library (dll files)....good luck!

HKLE · 07-26-10, 01:53 AM

Hi folks

Sorry for taking so long to come back to this topic.

I hesitate to just go back 1/2 year of driver development to just play this game. There are so much other items, which require more actual driver software, that this solution as the only way to go seems a bit odd to me.

Yesterday I tried to get back to the old settings by deinstalling the Nvidia driver - but had no success, as Windows 7 downloaded a Nvidia driver version (again). So - SH3 came up with "3D initialisation failure" again.

Is there no other option than this hazzle ?

Out of frustration, I finally started SH4 after a long time (Monsoon version) - but to me, besides the nicer graphics, the gameplay itself is going "too easy" on me.

Is there a driver I can use - Windows 7 drivers as such do not seem "downloadable" to me - I always have to get them by "Windows update" with no real option to save an install version ????

Thanks for taking time to read (and hopefully give some useful Feedback)

Dave · 07-26-10, 02:13 AM

If you go to the Nvidia site you will be able to save the various drivers to desktop and pick which one to use

Dave

java`s revenge · 07-26-10, 03:53 AM

And i advise you to use the free program "driver sweeper" to
get rid of the old driver. Use it in safemode.

Dave · 07-26-10, 05:03 AM

I have just remembered that i had this problem about 2 years ago and it turned out to be that the Refresh rate setting in the Nvidia control panel was

59Hz instead 60Hz, when i changed it to 60Hz the problem was solved

Dave

HKLE · 07-26-10, 07:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by java`s revenge

And i advise you to use the free program "driver sweeper" to
get rid of the old driver. Use it in safemode.

Thanks for the fast feedback. Maybe one of the older Vista drivers may do the trick ??? And I'll give the driver sweeper a try. My problem is to have a working driver software in installable form - Windows 7 system drivers just come with "windows update".

I jumped from XP directly to Win7 and back in october 2009, there were no Nvidia drivers for the new system. SH3 worked fine. Once I installed some newer Nvidia drivers, the malaise started right away.

The 59 Hz problem - I heard - is more a cosmetic problem. Win7 miscalculates the figure, which by itself is unchanged. I tried in the past to change the settings to 60 Hz - just to find out, that it immediately went back to the funny 59 Hz readings .... My monitor never showed any problems at all at these settings. It is supposed to run at 60 Hz. But thanks for your comment !!!

java`s revenge · 07-26-10, 11:46 AM

Do you have a laptop?

You can better download a driver from the nvidia site.
In the past i had also strange driverproblems for my win7 system.
I am using version 197.45 now and have no problems with it.

HKLE · 07-26-10, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by java`s revenge

Do you have a laptop?

You can better download a driver from the nvidia site.
In the past i had also strange driverproblems for my win7 system.
I am using version 197.45 now and have no problems with it.

Downloading now 197.45. Lets see.

No - its a desktop system Intel core 2 duo 2,4 GHz, 4 GB RAM (even if I do not need it now), GTX 260 and Creative SB XFi. It usually has enough power for the games or applications I use ....

HKLE · 07-26-10, 02:52 PM

Hi folks

Nvidia 197.45 is working for me - but just after some additional tweaks:

Sh3.exe - compatibility mode XP SP3 + disable visual themes (I always did that in the past already, just to be complete)

but: Go down from my 1920x1200 settings to at least 1280x1024 - then SH3.exe will start; above this screen resolution, it crashes without any message (SH3.exe seems to do nothing)

I remember, that back in october, I could keep my settings (1920x1200), but anyway - I found a working solution and that counts - thanks so much guys, you made my day !!!!!

(Hope this helps some other people)

By the way: The 59 Hz settings stay as mentioned further above - there is no way to keep 60 Hz at least on my rig and with 197.45

For future: Sometime I shall go up to my previous version 258.96 and check, if 1280x1024 shall do the trick. I keep you posted on this

Echolot · 07-26-10, 03:47 PM

I had the same problem.
Since i have a dual-link-dvi-cable, no more errors "3d engine..blah".
1920x1200
5870 (the prob was with GTS250)
Win7 64bit

Gtuß.

Echol

t.

Dave · 07-27-10, 01:25 AM

I'm using XP and the refresh rate stays at 60hz, if i set it at that, prehaps
Windows 7 is configured different. Glad you got your problem sorted

dave

HKLE · 07-27-10, 01:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave

I'm using XP and the refresh rate stays at 60hz, if i set it at that, prehaps
Windows 7 is configured different. Glad you got your problem sorted

dave

Hi Dave

Yes - its a Windows 7 artifact.

By the way: I suspect, that later driver versions than 197.45 may have changed some critical dll's - if I have time, I may look for this.

SH3.exe with 197.45 just crashes above the 1280x1024 resolution - no 3d error message. The latest driver gives me the 3d engine error, so there is some additional problem.

Thanks again folks for your feedback

06-28-10, 01:12 AM	#1
HKLE Bosun Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Linz, Austria Posts: 61 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	3d engine failure - again Hi folks Tried to revive my old SH3 GWX and got the "3d engine failure" error again. Now - I basically know, how to get rid of this error in my Windows 7 machine, but I do not want to turn the graphics driver back. My working solution was to get rid of Nvidias own driver in favour of the one proposed by the Windows system itself. At least, this worked in the past. I do not want to stay with this solution forever, as I want to participate in new developments. Any idea, what "button" to turn - is there a special DLL in the driver software, which causes this malfunction ? I post this here, as I did not find a technical forum here at subsim (maybe I'm blind) - the modders may have had similar experience ? My system in part GeForce GT 260 Windows 7 (engl) help or ideas are really appreciated, as I want to revive the special SH3 adventure again ...

07-26-10, 01:53 AM	#3
HKLE Bosun Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Linz, Austria Posts: 61 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	no luck Hi folks Sorry for taking so long to come back to this topic. I hesitate to just go back 1/2 year of driver development to just play this game. There are so much other items, which require more actual driver software, that this solution as the only way to go seems a bit odd to me. Yesterday I tried to get back to the old settings by deinstalling the Nvidia driver - but had no success, as Windows 7 downloaded a Nvidia driver version (again). So - SH3 came up with "3D initialisation failure" again. Is there no other option than this hazzle ? Out of frustration, I finally started SH4 after a long time (Monsoon version) - but to me, besides the nicer graphics, the gameplay itself is going "too easy" on me. Is there a driver I can use - Windows 7 drivers as such do not seem "downloadable" to me - I always have to get them by "Windows update" with no real option to save an install version ???? Thanks for taking time to read (and hopefully give some useful Feedback)

07-26-10, 03:53 AM	#5
java`s revenge Ace of the Deep Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: at periscope depth Posts: 1,204 Downloads: 97 Uploads: 0	And i advise you to use the free program "driver sweeper" to get rid of the old driver. Use it in safemode. __________________

07-26-10, 11:46 AM	#8
java`s revenge Ace of the Deep Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: at periscope depth Posts: 1,204 Downloads: 97 Uploads: 0	Do you have a laptop? You can better download a driver from the nvidia site. In the past i had also strange driverproblems for my win7 system. I am using version 197.45 now and have no problems with it. __________________

07-26-10, 02:52 PM	#10
HKLE Bosun Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Linz, Austria Posts: 61 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	success ... !??? Hi folks Nvidia 197.45 is working for me - but just after some additional tweaks: Sh3.exe - compatibility mode XP SP3 + disable visual themes (I always did that in the past already, just to be complete) but: Go down from my 1920x1200 settings to at least 1280x1024 - then SH3.exe will start; above this screen resolution, it crashes without any message (SH3.exe seems to do nothing) I remember, that back in october, I could keep my settings (1920x1200), but anyway - I found a working solution and that counts - thanks so much guys, you made my day !!!!! (Hope this helps some other people) By the way: The 59 Hz settings stay as mentioned further above - there is no way to keep 60 Hz at least on my rig and with 197.45 For future: Sometime I shall go up to my previous version 258.96 and check, if 1280x1024 shall do the trick. I keep you posted on this

07-26-10, 02:13 AM	#4
Dave Sailor man Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 49 Downloads: 116 Uploads: 0	If you go to the Nvidia site you will be able to save the various drivers to desktop and pick which one to use Dave

07-26-10, 05:03 AM	#6
Dave Sailor man Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 49 Downloads: 116 Uploads: 0	I have just remembered that i had this problem about 2 years ago and it turned out to be that the Refresh rate setting in the Nvidia control panel was 59Hz instead 60Hz, when i changed it to 60Hz the problem was solved Dave

07-26-10, 03:47 PM	#11
Echolot Seasoned Skipper Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Berlin, Germany Posts: 718 Downloads: 575 Uploads: 0	I had the same problem. Since i have a dual-link-dvi-cable, no more errors "3d engine..blah". 1920x1200 5870 (the prob was with GTS250) Win7 64bit Gtuß. Echolt.

07-27-10, 01:25 AM	#12
Dave Sailor man Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 49 Downloads: 116 Uploads: 0	I'm using XP and the refresh rate stays at 60hz, if i set it at that, prehaps Windows 7 is configured different. Glad you got your problem sorted dave