Windows 7 Video Memory

[Rhidalin]

Some facts first.

Motherboard, MSI-k9n2-sli
Memory - 2x2GB OCZ 1066SLI
Processor, AMD Phenom x4 9850 black (Agena, AM2+ socket)
Video, EVGA GTX-260+ 878mb(566 processor, 1066 memory, 1222 shader core, slightly higher than stock but factory overclocked)

Some more facts. I get around 60 fps with crysis maxed out, IL2 fps is ridiculous maxed out, BFBC2 maxed out is around 75 to 90 fps depending on map.

Standard video resolution is 1024x768 at 75hz refresh (yea, sue me, it's still a tube but I can see it in daylight)

Now for the issue:
I was running Windows XP Pro until February with no issues running Aces High with 1024 textures and a few extra settings using NHancer bumping up the AA to 4x8 Supersampling. (nvidia external video settings) Frames never dipped, ever, save one extreamly rare Tuesday when a furball of approximately 50 planes from bish, nits and rooks (yes, 150 planes) was over the ocean and most within vis range. In that case, it dipped down to 45 briefly and the fan actually sped up a little. The vid monitor in game showed around 258mb of video memory used.

I have upgraded to Windows 7 Pro 64-bit because of work and volunteer work. All my other games run fine, including IL2 after learning it should be installed outside the programs folder. AH however does not. I get repeated polygon overloads and worst of all, it shows 3mb of used video memory.

I'm kind of stumped and I've searched the forums trying to find something similar and have not. I'm willing to try anything at this point. I know for a fact that windows is reporting the correct video memory (windows xp compatibility) because my video editor which relies heavily on directx and my cuda processor still allows me to have around 30 minutes of video stored in memory.

Thanks for your time,
Rhidalin, aka Splurts, aka Glock, aka nope, wasn't me

[TequilaChaser]

Some facts first.

Motherboard, MSI-k9n2-sli
Memory - 2x2GB OCZ 1066SLI
Processor, AMD Phenom x4 9850 black (Agena, AM2+ socket)
Video, EVGA GTX-260+ 878mb(566 processor, 1066 memory, 1222 shader core, slightly higher than stock but factory overclocked)

Some more facts. I get around 60 fps with crysis maxed out, IL2 fps is ridiculous maxed out, BFBC2 maxed out is around 75 to 90 fps depending on map.

Standard video resolution is 1024x768 at 75hz refresh (yea, sue me, it's still a tube but I can see it in daylight)


I have upgraded to Windows 7 Pro 64-bit because of work and volunteer work. All my other games run fine, including IL2 after learning it should be installed outside the programs folder. AH however does not. I get repeated polygon overloads and worst of all, it shows 3mb of used video memory.

I'm kind of stumped and I've searched the forums trying to find something similar and have not. I'm willing to try anything at this point. I know for a fact that windows is reporting the correct video memory (windows xp compatibility) because my video editor which relies heavily on directx and my cuda processor still allows me to have around 30 minutes of video stored in memory.

Thanks for your time,
Rhidalin, aka Splurts, aka Glock, aka nope, wasn't me

I quoted a few things in Bold and also colored one RED.......

why are you using "windows xp compatibility mode" for aces high in Windows 7 64 bit OS?, Aces high does not require it , especially with the PC set up you have being a quadcore with 4 gigs of memory....

next, is your aces high installation , ALSO outside of program files folder? like you mentioned regarding IL2?

next, I , personally ( and heard same from many others), have found that if it is possible with your monitor, using 1280x1024 will give you better results

verses 1024x768.......  I had better results using my old  21" CRT and I have better results using my now 19" LCD.....

what video drivers are you using? the latest Drivers ( or 1 of the newest drivers out for Nvidia ) have been pulled off the websites, BY NVIDIA themselves, for causing malfunctions........

I suggest you check each and every one of the things, I questioned you about your post.......

hope this helps, 

[Rhidalin]

Okay, compatibility mode was off, the only reason I mentioned that is that Win7 can by default if a software manufacturer tells them, run the software in compatibility mode by default, however I do have the aero desktop disabled during gameplay under advanced options because it rips into precious video memory in some of the larger games.

Changed resolutions and 1280x1024 changes the used memory from 3mb to 5mb of 2668. Neither of which makes any sense considering the average size of aircraft skins

It is installed outside programs folder in root:/Hitech Creations/Aces High and I am the owner of that folder (checked that just to be sure)

I have last weeks Nvidia drivers. I did fail to mention that I have a second monitor but disabling the aero desktop blacks it out while in a directx or opengl full screen and it's pretty much as if it isn't there.

[1701E]

If last week's drivers are 196.75 (Edit for fix, stay away from this driver version!), roll-back to something older.

As for the Memory use thing, that's just what AH shows, it's not really using 3MB...clearly.  I have the same thing, it's something about W7's way of handling Video memory I think.  If you want, EVGA Precision can show you the correct memory usage in an On-Screen Display (along with many other options to show).  I have the GTX 260 896MB and it shows 5.7MB used when EVGA shows 200-500MB.  If it truly is using 3MB, there's obviously a problem.

Just to be sure:  Leave all NVidia Panel settings at default, go into the game settings ("Video settings" from start splash screen) and check that V-sync is not disabled and check all other settings there and in-game.  If the settings and Video driver are fine, a DxDiag may be needed.

Just a few things to check.

As a comparison I run: AMD 4850e/2GB RAM/GTX 260/W7 Pro and get 50+ FR with maxed settings (4K shadows) showing 5MB VRAM used.

Hopefully ya get it working somehow, sometime.

[Rhidalin]

I'll give that a go. What makes me believe that number though is the fact that polygons stack up and aren't drawn. I'll take a look into the DX side of things and drop the AA. It's just got me puzzled, even with utter inefficiency, this game should fly (no pun intended) 

[Skuzzy]

NVidia's drivers on Windows 7/Vista make use of sharing video RAM with system RAM, which is why the reported RAM use is so low.  Apparently, NVidia only loads on the video card what is needed for any particular fram at any given moment.  This scheme works against us.

First things first.  Restore the NVidia card settings to the defaults and try using the 190.38 drivers.