9600SE won't run Flight Sim

[Hill]

My system:
MB - AsRock 939Dual-SATA
CPU - Athlon64 3200
OS - XP Pro SP1
Graphics - Hercules Radeon SE (128Mb)
Graphics Driver - ATi Catalyst 6.8
Memory - 1Gb Crucial
Bios - AMI 8.12

My problem:
When I try to run MS Flight Sim 2004 I get the following error message:
"Your computer cannot currently use 3-D hardware acceleration as it has less
than the required amount of video memory. Software 3-D mode has been
enabled. Some graphical features may not appear in software mode."
The programme then builds the database for scenery and hangs at the "Century
of Flight" splash screen - I have to ctrl-Alt-Del my way out of it.

This same software ran fine (and still does, as I can't run it on the new
machine) on my old system which had an Abit KG-7 RAID mobo, Radeon 9500
(128Mb) graphics and only 512 Mb memory.

Looks like the sim isn't "seeing" the graphics card properly, but my TV card
works fine with it.

I'm stumped, has anyone any ideas? Or suggestions where I might better ask
this question?

Regards,
Terry

 

[James]

My system:
MB - AsRock 939Dual-SATA
CPU - Athlon64 3200
OS - XP Pro SP1
Graphics - Hercules Radeon SE (128Mb)
Graphics Driver - ATi Catalyst 6.8
Memory - 1Gb Crucial
Bios - AMI 8.12

My problem:
When I try to run MS Flight Sim 2004 I get the following error message:
"Your computer cannot currently use 3-D hardware acceleration as it has less
than the required amount of video memory. Software 3-D mode has been
enabled. Some graphical features may not appear in software mode."
The programme then builds the database for scenery and hangs at the "Century
of Flight" splash screen - I have to ctrl-Alt-Del my way out of it.

This same software ran fine (and still does, as I can't run it on the new
machine) on my old system which had an Abit KG-7 RAID mobo, Radeon 9500
(128Mb) graphics and only 512 Mb memory.

Looks like the sim isn't "seeing" the graphics card properly, but my TV card
works fine with it.

I'm stumped, has anyone any ideas? Or suggestions where I might better ask
this question?

Just a thought, did you try upgrading your copy of Direct X? Wonder if
it is still on the old settings and those cause problems with the new
card. There are direct x tests you can run to confirm.

James

 

[Hill]

Just a thought, did you try upgrading your copy of Direct X? Wonder if
it is still on the old settings and those cause problems with the new
card. There are direct x tests you can run to confirm.

James

Many thanks James, I already had Direct X 9.0c, but a re-install at least
stopped it carping about low memory. Still hangs at the splash screen
though, will try a full uninstall and re-install. Might help...

Terry

 

[Hill]

Just a thought, did you try upgrading your copy of Direct X? Wonder if
it is still on the old settings and those cause problems with the new
card. There are direct x tests you can run to confirm.

James

Well tried the full removal and re-install - no go. Even, in desperation
tried putting Media Player 9 back ( removed through x-lite as I distrust
anything with that much DRM built-in), but that didn't help either. AsRock
just suggested removing the graphics driver, rebooting, installing their
latest ALi AGP software, rebooting, installing the graphics driver. Didn't
help either, though it might be a bios setting or jumper I'd missed as this
mobo has both AGP and PCIExpress graphics slots. This is doing my head in.

Hey Ho.

Terry

 

[Victor]

My system:
MB - AsRock 939Dual-SATA
CPU - Athlon64 3200
OS - XP Pro SP1
Graphics - Hercules Radeon SE (128Mb)
Graphics Driver - ATi Catalyst 6.8
Memory - 1Gb Crucial
Bios - AMI 8.12

My problem:
When I try to run MS Flight Sim 2004 I get the following error message:
"Your computer cannot currently use 3-D hardware acceleration as it has less
than the required amount of video memory. Software 3-D mode has been
enabled. Some graphical features may not appear in software mode."
The programme then builds the database for scenery and hangs at the "Century
of Flight" splash screen - I have to ctrl-Alt-Del my way out of it.

This same software ran fine (and still does, as I can't run it on the new
machine) on my old system which had an Abit KG-7 RAID mobo, Radeon 9500
(128Mb) graphics and only 512 Mb memory.

Looks like the sim isn't "seeing" the graphics card properly, but my TV card
works fine with it.

I'm stumped, has anyone any ideas? Or suggestions where I might better ask
this question?

Regards,
Terry

Try the 9500.It might help you isolate the problem.As a bonus it's
probably faster than the 9600se which is a crippled version(64-bit
memory bus) of the 9600.You could also try older drivers as both the
game and card are pretty old.

 

[Hill]

Try the 9500.It might help you isolate the problem.As a bonus it's
probably faster than the 9600se which is a crippled version(64-bit
memory bus) of the 9600.You could also try older drivers as both the
game and card are pretty old.

Any idea what the voltage on 9500 is? I only ask because this mobo carries
dire warnings re graphics cards that take 3.3V. If it's not a 3.3V card
I'll give it a try (although I have used FS2004 with the 9600SE on the old
rig, I'll admit that was *after* I'd set it all up with the 9500)

Terry

 

[Victor]

Any idea what the voltage on 9500 is? I only ask because this mobo carries
dire warnings re graphics cards that take 3.3V. If it's not a 3.3V card
I'll give it a try (although I have used FS2004 with the 9600SE on the old
rig, I'll admit that was *after* I'd set it all up with the 9500)

Terry

9500 is 1.5volts 4x/8x agp.That warning came on my Asrock nforce3 board
as well.You have to go back pretty far for 3.3 volt cards(agp 1x 2x)

 

[Hill]

9500 is 1.5volts 4x/8x agp.That warning came on my Asrock nforce3 board
as well.You have to go back pretty far for 3.3 volt cards(agp 1x 2x)

Thanks, I've switched cards, and no change. I'm beginning to think I need
to check for an update to the mobo's BIOS. If I had a spare couple of
hundred, I'd get a PCIExpress card and try that, in case it's just the AGP
slot that's not playing nice. Dual standard is a nice idea...

Terry

 

[Cuzman]

Hill wrote:

" Thanks, I've switched cards, and no change. I'm beginning to think I
need to check for an update to the mobo's BIOS. If I had a spare couple
of hundred, I'd get a PCIExpress card and try that, in case it's just
the AGP slot that's not playing nice. Dual standard is a nice idea... "


A radeon 9500 stomps all over any 9600SE, so stick with that. Go into
the BIOS and raise the level of AGP Aperture size. This will raise the
level of system RAM that can additionally be used by the graphics card.

http://www.techpowerup.com/articles/overclocking/vidcard/43

 

[Hill]

And you're sure that this isnt the issue? I have no problem with SP2
whatsoever, and being a SCADA software developer this is remarkable


http://www.omegadrivers.net/

More stable drivers, no CCC crap ;-)

SP2 - Shall we say that Redmond don't trust me, and I return the favour? My
numbers won't suit them. When they release an OS that isn't a glorified
beta, I'll buy it.

Will try the Omega drivers, Catalyst just seems so bloated.

I've cleared the CMOS, re-installed the board software (including the AGP
driver), set the AGP to 4X, re-booted, set it to 8X re-booted, and FRAPS
reports 50+ fps in Flight Gear (doesn't make an ME109 any easier to fly, but
this is a definite improvement).

Have to visit my Mother now, but will uninstall and re-install FS2004 when I
get back (with my fingers firmly crossed)

Thanks for all help so ar.

Terry

 

[Hill]

Hill wrote:

" Thanks, I've switched cards, and no change. I'm beginning to think I
need to check for an update to the mobo's BIOS. If I had a spare couple
of hundred, I'd get a PCIExpress card and try that, in case it's just
the AGP slot that's not playing nice. Dual standard is a nice idea... "


A radeon 9500 stomps all over any 9600SE, so stick with that. Go into
the BIOS and raise the level of AGP Aperture size. This will raise the
level of system RAM that can additionally be used by the graphics card.

http://www.techpowerup.com/articles/overclocking/vidcard/43

Already set to 128, I'm thinking it might be connected with this mobo's dual
graphics capability (AGP & PCIExpress), and that maybe the boards not
actually running the AGP slot at 8X, even though the bios says it is. I'm
currently running the Custom PC benchmarks so I've got some data to check
against. When they're done, I plan to; clear the CMOS, re-install the mobo
software (including AGP stuff), check for an updated bios, I might even run
Remove WGA (paranoid? Moi?) After that I'll be fresh out of ideas, until I
can move up to a PCIExpress card.

Terry

 

[Thomas]

MB - AsRock 939Dual-SATA
OS - XP Pro SP1
Graphics - Hercules Radeon SE (128Mb)
Graphics Driver - ATi Catalyst 6.8

My problem:
The programme then builds the database for scenery and hangs at the
"Century of Flight" splash screen - I have to ctrl-Alt-Del my way out
of it.

Hi there, I'm wondering, is this with a fresh Windows XP install, after you
upgraded your system? Also, Why only SP1? I'd expect SP2 to be more capable
of running with a modern system like yours...

My plan would be to re-install Windows, update to SP2, install (latest)
mainboard drivers, install (latest) ATI drivers (I prefer Omega), install
DX9.0c, and see if that wont change your results. Also, is Flightsim 2004
the only game not running?

 

[Hill]

Hi there, I'm wondering, is this with a fresh Windows XP install, after you
upgraded your system? Also, Why only SP1? I'd expect SP2 to be more capable
of running with a modern system like yours...

My plan would be to re-install Windows, update to SP2, install (latest)
mainboard drivers, install (latest) ATI drivers (I prefer Omega), install
DX9.0c, and see if that wont change your results. Also, is Flightsim 2004
the only game not running?

--

Welllll, SP2 starts disabling stuff if your numbers don't check out just
right. So I stick with SP1.

Omega? I know not of this Omega, or is that one of the Catalyst releases?

Flightsim 2004 is the only game refusing to run, although Flight Gear seems
to run at about 0.25 fps (aka dog-slow)

As FS2004 ran fine with this graphics card/ RAM on my old mobo (Abit
KG7-RAID), with no tweaks, I'm suspecting that the AGP slot isn't running at
8X despite what the bios says. May be tied up with dual AGP/PCIExpress
nature of this board. I asked ASrock if there was a jumper or bios setting
I needed to set to enable the AGP rather than PCIExpress, but they just
pointed me the latest AGP software for the board, which made no difference,
I told them this, but, as yet, no reply.

I don't recollect any of this from my A+ course!

Terry

 

[Thomas]

Welllll, SP2 starts disabling stuff if your numbers don't check out
just right. So I stick with SP1.

And you're sure that this isnt the issue? I have no problem with SP2
whatsoever, and being a SCADA software developer this is remarkable

Omega? I know not of this Omega, or is that one of the Catalyst
releases?

http://www.omegadrivers.net/

More stable drivers, no CCC crap ;-)

 

[Hill]

And you're sure that this isnt the issue? I have no problem with SP2
whatsoever, and being a SCADA software developer this is remarkable


http://www.omegadrivers.net/

More stable drivers, no CCC crap ;-)

Well, FRAPS is reporting 50+ fps in Flight Gear and a steady 60fps in
X-plane. MUST be something wrong with my FS2004! Although I've no idea
what.

Thanks for all the help.

Terry

 

[Victor]

Well, FRAPS is reporting 50+ fps in Flight Gear and a steady 60fps in
X-plane. MUST be something wrong with my FS2004! Although I've no idea
what.

Thanks for all the help.

Terry

Maybe try the FSX demo-http://www.microsoft.com/games/flightsimulatorx/