Author Topic: Poor Frame at bomber formations (Read 941 times)

WhiteHawk · « **Reply #15 on:** September 30, 2002, 12:51:57 PM »

thnx Bloom25..
hehe, I just went out and bought a 256 MB DDR pc2100
184 pin DIMM. (I guess I should have looked in my puter
to see what was in there). But it was only 37 bucks.
However, this is rated to run at 266 MHz. I wonder how I
can check the speed of my current RAM? There is definatley
something wrong with my system. the frame rate
hits are horrible, in some situations. I have my GF4 440
clocked at 285MHz and 440MHz. I would think a p4 1.7 GHz
should plow thru most any situation with a minimum of 20fps.
But it is like my RAM is being clogged with something.
One particular situation is when a Ju88 form is approaching
a fleet at low alt. Even If I am gunningthe ship, my FR sometimes
drops below 10. And It can remain at that level for a bit,
even after the Ju88's are gone.
Oh well, I'll plug in my new memory and see what happns.

Thnx for the help

bloom25 · « **Reply #16 on:** September 30, 2002, 01:23:17 PM »

I'd tend to agree with you, that seems pretty slow. You might want to try a clean driver install.

WhiteHawk · « **Reply #17 on:** September 30, 2002, 04:04:51 PM »

Well, thats the end of the game, the intel website seems to
imply that DDR 266/333 are compatable as well as
SDRAM 133 with my system, however, the small nothces
on the bottom of the DDR 266 dont match the male
nothc on my slot. After nearly breaking the DDR chipboard,
and before I noticed the notches, I saw the
'SDRAM 133 ONLY!' sticker by my RAM slots. There was
also one of these -->':D . Those bastards at compaq!

Well, off I go shopping for motherboards:) .

Thnx for all the help.

715 · « **Reply #18 on:** September 30, 2002, 09:13:56 PM »

I've never heard anyone have anything good to say about Compaq computers. They always seem to use the dirt cheapest components.

bloom25 · « **Reply #19 on:** September 30, 2002, 10:19:49 PM »

This is a Compaq? The fact they used that chipset doesn't surprise me at all.

(Probably a 5400 RPM hard drive too... I'd check that out as well.) Since you probably didn't get an OS disk, but rather only a "restore" disk you might have problems here. If you switch the motherboard you will probably need to reinstall the OS (and everything else) to get the system stable. If it's Windows XP you might have to reactivate as well. You are also going to certainly void Compaq's warranty.

I'm not really sure how to advise you to proceed here. Switching the motherboard to an 845E or G based board and using DDR Sdram will certainly improve total system performance. On the other hand given that this is a Compaq you probably don't have a Windows disk and you will certainly have to reinstall if you change the board. You'll also lose all Compaq tech support, but still be stuck with their sub-standard components.

Maybe the best way to do this is to hand the box down (or sell just the box) to a relative or someone else and piece a system together for yourself. You've got some RAM and you're planning on buying a MB anyway. It's also possible that the Compaq case won't fit a standard ATX motherboard and the power supply is most certainly not up to the task. A P4 or Athlon CPU is not that expensive either. Reuse your monitor, speakers, KB, mouse.

Before I did anything (given this is a Compaq), I would try to kill the loads of background tasks most Compaqs have running and try a clean driver install on the system. It's not a fast system by any means, but it should be able to deliver more than playable AH framerates.

Compaq is currently involved in a class-action suit filed against them by owners of SDRAM based P4 systems for overstating the performance of their systems vs P3s or Athlon based systems. (Other manufacturers are being sued as well.) I can't say I agree with the lawsuit, you typically get what you pay for when you buy a computer and those systems were typically no more expensive than a P3/Athlon system and no one is claiming the systems were so slow they weren't useable. They just weren't as good of a deal as they seemed to be.

I'd consider your options carefully here. I'd probably advise just living with the system as is unless you have about $700 - $800 to spend on a budget system that can handle gaming.

WhiteHawk · « **Reply #20 on:** October 01, 2002, 09:37:22 AM »

yea 715. I think youre right. Its a generic puter.
Ive had compaqs for 3 generations now. (I buy a new puter
every 2 years). And they arent bad computers, its just when
you ned to romp on the gas peddle, they sputter, and backfire.
Oh well, certainly appreciate the help. next puter is gonna
be a gateway, or a Dell.
BTW, I did find a motherboard that supports 533 FSB and
DDR 266 memory for under 200 bucks, but im fairly certain,
if I take mine apart it will never work again.

Animal · « **Reply #21 on:** October 01, 2002, 09:45:09 AM »

BUILD YOUR OWN COMPUTER.

Staga · « **Reply #22 on:** October 01, 2002, 09:59:38 AM »

Listen carefully what Animal whispered...

And read this: http://firingsquad.gamers.com/guides/buildsys/default.asp

and another one... http://www.pcmech.com/byopc/

bockko · « **Reply #23 on:** October 01, 2002, 05:55:24 PM »

i run a 1.8 gig p4 on sdram 133 (hey, the computer was a freebie from work!). I use the geforce3 ti 200 vid card. My frame rate rarely gives me trouble, never around buff's. When I had the oem gforce 2mx card, frame rates would suffer. The system itself should run quite well - dunno 'bout the vid card, is the the mx version? they never run as well as the non-mx cards. nyway, fyi, frame rates for me run near 85, get down near 50's in busy, smoke filled fields.

40-50 should not be your normal frame rate either. you should run near 80. what resolution are you set to? did you install the latest verion of directx? latest video drivers for your card?

later, bockk

bockko · « **Reply #24 on:** October 01, 2002, 05:58:05 PM »

forgot this: the p4 will run on 3 different types of memory, but if you have sdram, your mother board will only accept that type. Again, your performance issue sounds like driver or directx related.

get the latest detonator drivers from nvidia if you have not already.

bockk

BigGun · « **Reply #25 on:** October 01, 2002, 06:15:57 PM »

If aren't tech savy & cash isn't major issue...Buy an Alienware!!!!

WhiteHawk · « **Reply #26 on:** October 02, 2002, 05:26:24 PM »

Im gonna build my own computer

Win Lose or draw. I can use
this hunkashit until I get done. (Where do I get the box?).

Anyway, upon further surfing and downloading latest drivers and etc., I did this..

At compaq.com they have a 'Compaq/Nvidia unified driver'
file. I downloaded this and installed it. I also sent the
auto update to search for a new Nvidia driver, but whaaaat???
It just started to install the old version 29.42 I think it is.
I was running 40.41(I think..whatever the second to the last
driver was). I couldnt cancel before it was installed. So I
rebooted with the intent on reinstalling the 40.41's. But
mu puter rebooted clean as a whistle. (It had developed a
bout a 1 minute period of time before my icons would appear on
the desktop, and I couldnt access any programs while this was
going on.) So I said 'hmmm, I logged on AH and immedialty
searched for a good fleet battle. It didint take long..and
I dove in and mixed it up near the fleet. My FR dipped to 19FPS,
but it was extrememly busy and I was quite pleased.
But the real test, need a form of Ju88's to try to torp the
fleet. But instead got a form of a20's..thatll do, taking my 7
kills down to the deck in the Jug30, to try to bag a cupple a20's
was inadvisable, but I had a test to run. Right as I got close
to the a20's I checked the FR. It was stable at 17FPS. That is
playable for me and I was quite pleased. So here I will stay.
My Detenator 29.42 and compaq nvidia unified driver thing,

Running at 1200x1024 res and everything seemed very clean.
No,HD activity at critical moment. So dont know what the
problem was,but I think it is fixed for now.

bockko · « **Reply #27 on:** October 02, 2002, 10:34:24 PM »

du-u-ude, your system should do better than 19 around buffs, I do believe. did you check your rev of direct-x? you can run dxdiag to find out -- if you don't know where to find it, do a 'find' for directx or dxdiag. make sure it is 8.1 (or whatever rev is out), you may find a big performance gain if you have a base dx version. Also, before spending big $$ on rebuilding, you might want to get a non-mx card like a gforce 4 200, i think they are less than 200 bucks these days. well, wish you luck!

Vermillion · « **Reply #28 on:** October 03, 2002, 02:01:03 PM »

Also whats your video card??

GF4 440 ? Isn't that a MX card ?

The new GF4 MX cards perform about the same as the old GF2 MX cards, ie really crappy.

Any GeForce video card that has the letters MX is basically old technology packaged with a new Title, and you should stay away from it.

DAVENRINO · « **Reply #29 on:** October 03, 2002, 04:49:33 PM »

Whitehawk,
I built my first computer about 6 months ago and found it surprisingly easy (of course I did use an Nforce board). A good case/power supply is also very important. I live in Hawaii and Comp USA is the only real puter store here, so I ordered all the components online from Multiwave and NewEgg, both are excellent.