rec.autos.simulators

Asus k7t266-e mobo
512 MB DDR RAM
Athlon XP 1600+
Radeon 7500 64MB DDR
SB Live 5.1 X-Gamer
Windows 98, Windows 2K
3dMark2001 score: 8423

Here is my problem.  I can load the game without a problem.  But
usually, at the beginning of a race, sometime between the engines
starting and the beginning of the first lap (it usually varies) my
system locks up completely.  I always get through qualifying OK.  But
when it freezes the video freezes completely, and the sound will
either freeze, or repeat a second or two of the same sound over and
over like a broken record.  The only way I can end the program is to
turn the computer off.

I had this problem previously with a different Soc A motherboard
(which I knew to be faulty) and video card, and I assumed that the
reason was because of the faulty motherboard.  But here I am with a
faster video card and a brand new, good, working mobo and still the
same problem  I have this problem in both Win9x and 2k.  I don't have
any problems running any other games, and I am pretty certain that my
video card is good.  However, I have read in this group about people
having some trouble getting Nascar 4 to run properly with an Athlon,
so I was hoping someone could give me some advice on how to get this
running.

I have already disabled AGP Fast writes and UWSC(?) for AGP.  Any
suggestion on something else I can fiddle with to get this game to
run?  This game has run perfectly fine in my Intel Socket 370 board,
but I haven't been able to get it to work correctly on any one of
three Socket A boards yet.

Thanks,

Bob

That is the VIA chipset board correct? if so you did get the 4in1 drivers
right?

Are you doing any overclocking? thats a pretty good 3dmark score. My 1.4
T-bird/a7m266/GF3 only pulls aroud 6300. What is the actual speed of the
XP1600?

MadDAWG

To answer your other question, no overclocking yet.  I wanted to see
if I could actually get N4 working before I tried overclocking.  The
1600+ is supposed to be 1400 Mhz, but it is designed to perform or
outperform a P4 1600 Mhz.

I really wanted to get Nascar 4 working, but it doesn't look like I'll
be able to. :(  I doubt it's due to bad hardware.

MadDAWG

Your video card is of course in your AGP slot. the very next PCI is
called slot 1 and then the next slot 2, etc. Cards put in slot 1 i
believe always share the same IRQ with the video card. Now everyone
says that windows can manage two cards using the same IRQ but we both
moved any card from slot 1 to another slot and everything worked. Now
we are both using Windows XP. Not sure if this matters.

Look at what IRQs are assigned to each card. Try to get them all on
their own IRQ. I would uninstall the cards you are going to move
first, shut down computer and then move. on boot up your computer
should recognize them.

One other idea, remove any cards you are not using. for example,
people who are using cable modems or DSL usually keep their phone
modem installed. If you are not using it remove it after you uninstall
it.

The video card has real problems when sharing an IRQ with the sound
card. But mine was sharing it with the network card and after five to
ten minutes my games froze. Not any more and not for my friends
either.

Good Luck!!!