How do I preload skins?

[Kermit de frog]

The option to preload skins is greyed out.

I have 3 sticks of DDR 3200 512mb.  (Total of 1.5GB)  I plan on adding a 4th stick of 512MB to increase it to 2GB to reduce stuttering that may be caused by texture swapping.

I've tried reducing the resolution and also reducing texture size from 1024 to 256.  The option continues to be greyed out.  Do I need to upgrade to 2GB before that option is available to me?  Do I need to let the game cache my skins again so that it will know if preloading is an option for me after reducing it to 256 texture size?

[The Fugitive]

if its greyed out it means you don't have enough memory to pre-load skins. Skins now take almost 2.5 gig of ram for a pre-load. Skuzzy says after the next update it will be over 3

I have 3 g of ram and still don't pre-load skins.

[Kermit de frog]

When I play AH, my computer as well as AH states that I'm only using 588MB of memory.  I temporarily have 2 sticks of 512 of the same type.

I also have the HI RES pack.

Why does it not use more memory?
Is there some kind of software that test to see if memory is operating in Dual channel mode?

[Keeler101]

I dont think 3 sticks will operrate in Dual channel , I usually get 500 to 700 mb memory used with just tex preloaded
 Check your mobo specs some require them in different slots to get dual mode, Check out cpuz it should tell what your mem is doing

[Scca]

Originally posted by Kermit de frog
When I play AH, my computer as well as AH states that I'm only using 588MB of memory.  I temporarily have 2 sticks of 512 of the same type.

I also have the HI RES pack.

Why does it not use more memory?
Is there some kind of software that test to see if memory is operating in Dual channel mode?

According to this link http://www.hitechcreations.com/ahgs/launch.html You have to run 1024 res to use the high res pack. And with that you need a pretty powerful vidso card.

[Kermit de frog]

Originally posted by Keeler101
I dont think 3 sticks will operrate in Dual channel , I usually get 500 to 700 mb memory used with just tex preloaded
 Check your mobo specs some require them in different slots to get dual mode, Check out cpuz it should tell what your mem is doing

I found out about needing pairs for dual channel to work and I'm familiar with my mobo settings for memory slot configurations.  I have cpuZ but that doesn't state whether I'm in dual channel mode or not.

I have:

ASUS motherboard  P4S800D-X
Pentium 4 3.0GHz w/ HT
2 Kingston DDR PC3200 512MB CL2.5
480W Antec Power Supply (22A on 12V)
BFG 7800GS OC 256MB AGP 8x
Audigy 2 Sound Card
Hauppage WinTV Tuner PCI
7 USB devices plugged in.
2 ATA/133 HD DRIVES  200 and 120GB
DVD Drive and a CD/RW Drive

[Keeler101]

What you got right there

[Kermit de frog]

mine is blank.

Now my mobo says I either need 4 identical sticks to run in dual mode or
2 pairs.  Each pair can be different, but the two sticks that make up the pair must be identical.

I currently have only 1 pair.  I hope buying a 2nd pair (1GB sticks qty: 2) will help this.  This memory thing is frustrating the crap out of me.  I'm a guy who studied memory (College).  FPM, EDO, SD, why I didn't see this info years ago is pissing me off.  Thanks for pointing that out Keeler.  

I think I got this dual ch project on the right track now.

So, that just leaves only 1 question left.  This game uses 588MB, why?  After I install my new 2GB of memory in the near future, I hope to see this 588 number go higher, much much higher.  In the end, I hope to decrease stutters I have with this game and to improve over all performance on my computer.

Edit: I currenty have KHX3200A/512R for the memory.

[The Fugitive]

If you are using the AH numbers to get that "588" number, its wrong. Skuzzy mentions this "Do not trust the video memory usage shown in the game. The video cards do not accurately report this figure." in this Post on the BBS. It also mentions a number of things about using the Hi-rez package.

[38ruk]

I think that you can trim down your skins folder of skins that you never see or don't really care to see. Then the preload option would be availiable . I pick my favorite planes first , then the most common ones seen in the arena's second . I would imagine that eventually we will all have to do this as windows XP has a max of 4GB of ram , and sometimes it has issues seeing all of it , it will often only show 3-3.5GB's. At the rate skins are going , we will prolly need more than 4GB's to preload all of them. Good Luck   38

[Kermit de frog]

So, I got 3GB of memory now.

BIOS POST Message says PC3200 Dual Channel 128x1 bit mode.
Great!

I log into Aces High and select the new option "preload skins".
Game loads up.
Great!

I fly a 262 and notice I'm using around 102MB of video memory.  I'm using 180MB of system memory and tex mem = 700MB.

I leave the game running and hit CONTROL ALT DELETE to see how much ram im' really using up.

Well, it says something like 1.06GB of memory used.  
I have 2 GB not doing anything.  At least I'm utuilizing my full FSB bandwidth.


I then go back to the Game.  Then BAM!  My computer locks up.  caps lock doesn't work, the sounds get louder for a few seconds then no sound.  I hit the windows key and nothing.  I press the power button on computer for 1 second, then I notice my TIR4 turns off, then aces high, then windows shuts down abruptly.
I can fly for 5 to 20min before it locks up.

Settings for memory are now CL3.0, 3t 3t 8t.

CPUZ still does not say "dual channel", but a program called everest says it's currently in dual channel.  My ASUS probe (fully updated) no longer displays Memory usage.  All it says is 0% used out of 3GB.  Then some kind of floating zero error and shuts down the program.


My BIOS could be updated, but update is only 1 month newer.  If it's my fluff'n DMI controller, I'm going to kick someones arse.  Any helpers?