>=4GB ram=3d display problems with nvida based video card

[Ward Taylor]

Good Day
After upgrading my system from 2GB to 4GB of ram, I am having problems
with applications that display anything in 3d. This includes unreal
tournament as well as the built-in vista "media center" and aero. I do
not run with aero enabled, but tried it just as a test. After a reboot,
I can load an application that uses 3d once, and it will work fine, game
plays great, or I can watch a dvd. Upon trying to load a 3d application
again, the frame rate is abysmal, < 1 frame per second. This then also
affects 2d apps, they do not refresh areas of the screen in a timely
fashion. This happens with both the builtin vista drivers for my
graphics card and the latest 101.41 from nvidia. Dxdiag reports that my
video card has 487mb approx total memory, when it actually has 128mb
onboard, and the agp aperture size is also set to 128mb Other than this,
the system runs great. I am thinking that this is a driver issue, but
was wondering if anyone else had a similar experience or know of a work
around.
System specs:
Tyan 2875 m/b
2 opteron 246
4 gb ram
Gigabyte 6800 based agp video card w/128mb
Windows vista ultimate x64
Thank you for any and all replies

 

[Guest]

Things to check.

Make sure your BIOS is the latest and that the BIOS settings are correct.

Make sure your memory is not defective. Even though they are new and it
boots up doesn't mean that your new RAM is not defective. Make sure all your
memory are of the same brand and make.

Check your power supply. Just because it turns on doesn't mean your power
supply is giving out proper voltages.

Best advice I could make though is to call your Motherboard manufacturer for
tech support or visit their user forum. I don't think it is a Vista problem
but hardware issues. You might want to double check the Vista hardware
compatiblity list to make sure your components are Vista certified. If not,
your just beta testing your hardware.

 

[JW]

The KB article in the following link may prove helpfull:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929605/en-us

If you are using DDR2 memory are you using 4 Dimms or 3. With some MOBOs
Vista does not seem to like the fact that all memory is not running at the
same speed if you are using an odd number of DDR2 dimms.

 

[Ward Taylor]

Hi
Thanks for your input. The correct amount of ram is displayed in
windows and in the bios, just not the correct amount of ram on the video
card displayed in dxdiag. I have run memtest86, it reports no problems.
The system is up 24/7 running boinc and I never have any crashes. I
do not think that it is a hardware problem.
Thanks

 

[JW]

There is no problem and none of your real memory is being used by the video
card.
What you are seing is the total address space allocated to the video card
and not the actual memory on the card. This is discussed in the link I
provided you.

 

[Ward Taylor]

Through further troubleshooting, I have determined that a 3d app will
load and perform properly *before* vista's superfetch has completed
filling ram with it's cache, once it stops and the free ram is near 0 3d
apps don't work. I can duplicate this by loading an app that takes a
large amount of memory like a vmware virtual machine and then closing
it, before superfetch has finished repopulating the ram, a 3d app will
load and perform properly. I am thinking that either my bios(latest
version for this board), vista, or a driver is not properly handling the
software memory remapping feature.
Cheers

 

[Cal Bear '66]

I have 4GB of memory and an nVidia 7600 GS video card.
My RAM usage rarely tops out at 34% usage (Vista x86),
even with 3D games.

 

[Guest]

Good Day
After upgrading my system from 2GB to 4GB of ram, I am having problems
with applications that display anything in 3d. This includes unreal
tournament as well as the built-in vista "media center" and aero. I do
not run with aero enabled, but tried it just as a test. After a reboot,
I can load an application that uses 3d once, and it will work fine, game
plays great, or I can watch a dvd. Upon trying to load a 3d application
again, the frame rate is abysmal, < 1 frame per second. This then also
affects 2d apps, they do not refresh areas of the screen in a timely
fashion. This happens with both the builtin vista drivers for my
graphics card and the latest 101.41 from nvidia. Dxdiag reports that my
video card has 487mb approx total memory, when it actually has 128mb
onboard, and the agp aperture size is also set to 128mb Other than this,
the system runs great. I am thinking that this is a driver issue, but
was wondering if anyone else had a similar experience or know of a work
around.
System specs:
Tyan 2875 m/b
2 opteron 246
4 gb ram
Gigabyte 6800 based agp video card w/128mb
Windows vista ultimate x64
Thank you for any and all replies

I have exactly the same issue with Vista 64 bit and 4 gb of ram. If I am
using 2.75 gb (an odd mix of ram sticks) Vista is stable as anything, when I
add two indenticle modules, so I am running 4*1gb sticks, all same model
numbers, checked with Memtest86 to be ok, but I get the same issues as you,
slow 3d apps such as games, slow and jerky aero interface and some
instability. I want to get to the bottom of this as its been a pain for about
a week since I bought the memory.