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Help and Support Forums => Technical Support => Topic started by: BBQ_Bob on August 28, 2004, 01:42:30 AM

Title: Disco sucks!
Post by: BBQ_Bob on August 28, 2004, 01:42:30 AM
I just now put together a new machine with a ECS K7S5A mobo and a AMD 1.4 gig thunderbird series processor, using a PCI 64meg video card and currently have 256mb of SDRAM. The trouble is now when I am in the MA I get discoed after about 5-10 mins of flying time. My internet connection is cable, and I have tried changing some of the video settings with no luck. Any suggestions?
Thanks Alot.
BBQ Bob
Title: Disco sucks!
Post by: BBQ_Bob on August 28, 2004, 01:44:42 AM
I just now put together a new machine with a ECS K7S5A mobo and a AMD 1.4 gig thunderbird series processor, using a PCI 64meg video card and currently have 256mb of SDRAM. The trouble is now when I am in the MA I get discoed after about 5-10 mins of flying time. My internet connection is cable, and I have tried changing some of the video settings with no luck. Any suggestions?
Thanks Alot.
BBQ Bob
Title: Disco sucks!
Post by: BigR on August 28, 2004, 01:47:49 AM
when u say discod do you mean ur connection is kicking you off or do you get kicked to the desktop? If you get kicked to the desktop, it could be some sort of irq conflict, memory problem, or driver problem, and not an actual connection problem at all.
Title: Disco sucks!
Post by: BBQ_Bob on August 28, 2004, 01:59:35 AM
Thanks for the reply,
This is what happens, I will be flying and all of a sudden it will freeze up and you are right, I go to the desktop. All IRQ's seem to be normal and maybe I should mention that the memory is a single stick of 256 PC100. Now that you bring it up I am starting to think it just might be the memory. But I just wanted to see if anyone one else is having this problem.
Thanks,
BBQ Bob
Title: Disco sucks!
Post by: Octavius on August 28, 2004, 02:07:27 AM
Do you own a Linksys router?  If so, you might want to check into a firmware upgrade from their website.  

http://www.linksys.com/download/firmware.asp

I had this problem last year.  I first noticed it in another game (Planetside) where it would actually dump me after 15 minutes.  In Aces High I wouldnt see any dumps, but I would lose UDP after exactly 15 minutes.  You could set your watch to it.
Title: Disco sucks!
Post by: BBQ_Bob on August 28, 2004, 02:09:40 AM
Thats a negative on the Linksys router, I have a Netgear router but the firmware upgrade sounds like a good start. I will check mine and see if it needs.
Title: Re: Disco sucks!
Post by: Roscoroo on August 28, 2004, 03:04:57 AM
Quote
Originally posted by BBQ_Bob
I just now put together a new machine with a ECS K7S5A mobo and a AMD 1.4 gig thunderbird series processor, using a PCI 64meg video card and currently have 256mb of SDRAM. The trouble is now when I am in the MA I get discoed after about 5-10 mins of flying time. My internet connection is cable, and I have tried changing some of the video settings with no luck. Any suggestions?
Thanks Alot.
BBQ Bob


pci video card... ouch

im running a powercolour 9550 256mb in mine with the boxed drivers and it runs great (preload textures into the video )
you did update the sound drivers correct ? and drop the sound excelleration down a notch ?

i wonder if its crossing irq's since the vc is in an pci slot instead of the mb's agp slot ???
Title: Disco sucks!
Post by: Blooz on August 28, 2004, 11:32:18 AM
Barring the obvious like a rough internet connection, viruses, heat issues, physical connections, powersupply and hardware conflicts, I'm thinking that this system is on the low end hardware wise for the game to run well.

I would turn every game setting possible down to its absolute minimum.

Try using the texture cache feature if you can.

Also need to check for updated drivers for graphics and sound and check to see if major hardware components are sharing IRQ's.

Do you disco at random or does it happen at about the same time ingame? Is there anything you are doing at the time of disco (firing, using the mic, flying in high congestion area, etc?) that is consistent?

All I can think of right now.
Title: Disco sucks!
Post by: ace31st on August 28, 2004, 12:59:49 PM
blooz,

right now im im getting a 265mb mb  video card installed into my comp. its overclocked, so if it doesnt perform welll at 256 could i bring it down to 128? my proccessor is 1.1 ghz
Title: Disco sucks!
Post by: fuzeman on August 28, 2004, 02:41:45 PM
Ace, using Crtl i to check Video memory used, see how much of that 256Mb is being used. If its near the top and all used, you can try 128, if you have some room to spare I'd leave it at 256.
Personally I have 256 sdram and a 64Mb video card. My video memory has room to spare but my system memory was almost all used. I tried turning off skins on other planes and I freed up some system memory.
Title: Disco sucks!
Post by: ace31st on August 28, 2004, 03:19:00 PM
how do i turn it down fuze?
Title: Disco sucks!
Post by: Blooz on August 28, 2004, 03:38:00 PM
Overclocking isn't a good thing. It can cause trouble and do damage.
I would leave the card alone though for now to see how it performs.


In the video settings in game there is a window where you can reduce the texture size of the game graphics.

More than likely you won't be able to cache 512 textures to the vid RAM. If you can pre load textures to vid RAM at 256 and have room left over that should work. If not you'll have to reduce the textures down to 128 to make them fit and have room left for the vid card to work proper.

You'll just have to experiment a bit and see how things go. If you have troubles, we'll be here.
Title: Disco sucks!
Post by: ace31st on August 28, 2004, 04:38:10 PM
sounds good blooz, so if i dont get fps at 256 i should turn it down to 128? where in game can i go to turn this down and where in windows can i turn it down?


never mind blooz i see where to go thanks man..

ACE
Title: Disco sucks!
Post by: ace31st on August 28, 2004, 08:12:37 PM
wait is there a way on windows i can stop the overclocking of the video card?
Title: Disco sucks!
Post by: fuzeman on August 28, 2004, 10:10:00 PM
I use a utility called Powerstrip to OC my video card when I do. I also only OC it slightly, I don't push it until I get weird things happening on the screen. The BIOS would control OCing of the cpu itself, to my knowledge. Here's a link to where you can get that one.
http://www.download.com/3120-20-0.html?qt=powerstrip&tg=dl-2001
Title: Disco sucks!
Post by: Blooz on August 28, 2004, 10:12:49 PM
I think overclocking is controlld by software provided with the card.

It also may be controlled by jumper switches on the card itself.

I'm guessing here. I don't know much about overclocking stuff.
Title: Disco sucks!
Post by: DAVENRINO on August 28, 2004, 11:13:26 PM
Quote
Originally posted by ace31st
wait is there a way on windows i can stop the overclocking of the video card?


Ace,
What makes you think your card is overclocked?  It is not overclocked unless you or someone else makes it so after you install it.  The 256 or 128 MB rating is the amount of RAM on the card and cannot be changed.
Title: Disco sucks!
Post by: ace31st on August 29, 2004, 06:43:54 AM
well there is "OVERCLOCKED" in big bold letters on the front of the box lol. its overclocked to 256 from 128.... so wat should i do gents? have the guy whos installing it overclock it or not? i want whats best for my computer
Title: Disco sucks!
Post by: Blooz on August 29, 2004, 08:56:55 AM
All you can do is install it and run it.

If it has problems then you'll need to adjust it.

Just hold on to all the documentation and software that comes with the card.
Title: Disco sucks!
Post by: DAVENRINO on August 29, 2004, 01:14:32 PM
Quote
Originally posted by ace31st
well there is "OVERCLOCKED" in big bold letters on the front of the box lol. its overclocked to 256 from 128.... so wat should i do gents? have the guy whos installing it overclock it or not? i want whats best for my computer


In the future, when you hijack a thread and ask for help it would be a good idea to say exactly which card you are talking about.  Here is a review of the Chaintech version -

"Today I'll be reviewing the Chaintech FX5500. This card sports 256MB DDR and a 128-bit memory interface..." -
http://www.tweaknews.net/reviews/fx5500/index.php

You can't overclock the amount of physical memory on any card.  

I would not overclock any card on the initial installation; especially if I didn't know what I ws doing.  This version of the card doesn't even have heatsinks on th RAM, thus probably won't overclock very far anyway.  I suggest you install it at the stock speed of 270/400 .
 Later, if you don't mind the risk of burning it up, you can try increasing it in small steps.

EDIT: BFG GeForce FX 5500 OC 256 MB AGP Graphics Card

Is this your card?  Looks like they charge you an extra $50+ to overclock the core from 270 to 290 (NOT 128 to 256).  If you use their drivers, you may not have any other options for clockspeed. May may  as well try it.  If you use the Nvidia reference drivers it may run at 270.
Title: Disco sucks!
Post by: ace31st on August 29, 2004, 02:42:46 PM
sorry about the hikacking heheh

yea its the BFG fx5500. ill keep it at overclocked just like you said. ill give it a shot. thanks a bunch


ah ok i see i have to keep it at OC .. thanks anyway.. yea im kinda not a tech wiz so i thought it was 128 to 256 lol :D


ace
Title: Disco sucks!
Post by: BBQ_Bob on August 29, 2004, 05:04:19 PM
Good news I have located the problem and corrected it. It all stems from the hardware acceleration. Open the display (on the desktop)  properties and click the advanced tab then click the troubleshooting tab and move the hardware acceleration slider by a couple of notches. No more crashes to the desktop.
Case closed thanks for all the responses.
BBQ Bob
Title: Disco sucks!
Post by: Glasses on August 29, 2004, 05:36:29 PM
Here I thought disco died before I was born.
Title: Disco sucks!
Post by: B17Skull12 on August 29, 2004, 06:01:09 PM
lol glasses!  got the kurt tank book yet?

erm um disco, nonthing you can really do but update firmware or buy a new router.
Title: Disco sucks!
Post by: Fruda on August 29, 2004, 09:43:08 PM
This is what happens when you neglect your PC by refusing to upgrade.
Title: Disco sucks!
Post by: BBQ_Bob on August 29, 2004, 11:20:50 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Fruda
This is what happens when you neglect your PC by refusing to upgrade.


Wrong, this was an upgrade. This is what happens when you have a hardware issue after an upgrade!
I just hope that if anyone else is having the same type problem they will check their settings as I explained in the eariler post.
BBQ Bob
Title: Disco sucks!
Post by: Roscoroo on August 29, 2004, 11:58:09 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Fruda
This is what happens when you neglect your PC by refusing to upgrade.


actually my old gamer plays ah2 way better and with less problems then any of my high-end pc's

3 + yr old gamer
ecs k7s5a mb
1.3ghz duron "morgan" (L-2 cashe jumped to 256)
512 133 sdram
power colour ati 9550 256 mb with textures loaded in vid mem
350 generic ps

the problem pc
asus a7n8x-e del  (bios and drivers fully updated)
2400+  clocked at 12.0x166   (temps 46c -49c)
2x 256 2700 ddr
crucial radeon 9600pro 128mb ( 3.7 cat)
430 antec ps

now anser me this why does the asus pc with decent bells and whistles  have black screen , screen freezes, sound loops ,and several other things going on "Only in AH2 ??"

and yes ive got the sound excel turned down 2 notches

could it be a skin thing ???
Title: Why is this in the general posts?
Post by: zabe on August 30, 2004, 12:18:44 AM
Why is this in the general posts?
Title: Re: Why is this in the general posts?
Post by: fuzeman on August 30, 2004, 11:32:41 AM
Quote
Originally posted by zabe
Why is this in the general posts?


Looks to me like it is in the Tech Support section and not General discussion.

As with the sound cards working better at 3/4 acceleration this is a good thing to check on video hardware acceleration too, it seems if your having problems.
Title: Disco sucks!
Post by: Skuzzy on August 30, 2004, 01:23:05 PM
Rosco, that last system is using Cat. 3.7?  If so, then that is probably the problem.  Try the Cat. 4.3's.

You do not say what sound cards you are using.  If you are using the Reltek sound card, you can expect some problems.  That is the old Avance sound chip, which was problematic, at best, in DirectX.
Title: Disco sucks!
Post by: DAVENRINO on August 30, 2004, 03:47:45 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Skuzzy
Rosco, that last system is using Cat. 3.7?  If so, then that is probably the problem.  Try the Cat. 4.3's.

You do not say what sound cards you are using.  If you are using the Reltek sound card, you can expect some problems.  That is the old Avance sound chip, which was problematic, at best, in DirectX.


Skuzzy, Is this the onboard sound chip you are referring to?

Realtek ALC650 6-Channel CODEC
Integrated APU(Audio Processor Unit)
Dolby Digital (AC-3) Encorder
S/PDIF in / out interface

I am using tis ob sound with zero issues.  Never any vox problems and my acceleration is set to max.  Just curious.(http://tinypic.com/3u3hi)
Title: Disco sucks!
Post by: Roscoroo on August 31, 2004, 12:04:50 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Skuzzy
Rosco, that last system is using Cat. 3.7?  If so, then that is probably the problem.  Try the Cat. 4.3's.

You do not say what sound cards you are using.  If you are using the Reltek sound card, you can expect some problems.  That is the old Avance sound chip, which was problematic, at best, in DirectX.


i moved up from the 4.3's thats what is on my 9550 cd and running fine in my old pc ... but i was having problems with them in the Asus pc.

 4.7 cats   i think is what they are right now

  Card name: FIC A96P RADEON 9600 PRO 128M
     Manufacturer: ATI Tech. - Enhanced
        Chip type: RADEON 9600 Series (AP) Rev 0
         DAC type: Internal
       Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_4150&SUBSYS_9A201509&REV_00\00F000
   Display Memory: 127.0 MB
     Current Mode: 800 x 600 (16 bit)(optimal refresh rate)
          Monitor: Plug and Play Monitor
  Monitor Max Res: 1600,1200
      Driver Name: ATI2DRAG.DRV
   Driver Version: 4.14.0001.9138 (English) <<<--- im not shure
      DDI Version: 9 (or higher)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
 Driver Date/Size: 7/12/2004 21:29:30, 95456 bytes
      WHQL Logo'd: n/a

Sound Devices
-------------
            Description: NVIDIA(R) nForce(TM) Audio
 Default Sound Playback: Yes
 Default Voice Playback: Yes
            Hardware ID: NVAX\NFORCE_VAD\0000
        Manufacturer ID: 1
             Product ID: 100
                   Type: WDM
            Driver Name: nvapu.sys
         Driver Version: 6.14.0362.0000 (English)
      Driver Attributes: Final Retail
            WHQL Logo'd: n/a
          Date and Size: 8/13/2003 09:45:00, 311552 bytes
            Other Files: nvapu.sys
        Driver Provider: NVIDIA Corporation

so its the nforce sound
and im not used to the ati cat drivers numbering but i did DL the 4.7's and installed them correctly .   i lowered my monitor to 800x600 16bit  for now and im running 512 textures in game .
(do you think droping the textures to 256 may help ??? )

i may try going to a set monitor rate also (85hz is how i had it set on my old pc)

im being paitent and just trying one change at a time for now . but i really need to find the culprit soon .