Does anyone have the link for Tom Pabst's Nvidia guide for Nascar 4??
Thanks!
Ryan
http://www.sportplanet.com/features/articles/nascarguide/ on page 2 of this
it has some excerpts.
DC
Ryan <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:pB7u7.1049$[email hidden]...
> Does anyone have the link for Tom Pabst's Nvidia guide for Nascar 4??
> Thanks!
>
> Ryan
>
>
http://www.sportplanet.com/features/articles/nascarguide/ on page 2 of this
it has some excerpts.
DC
Ryan <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:pB7u7.1049$[email hidden]...
> Does anyone have the link for Tom Pabst's Nvidia guide for Nascar 4??
> Thanks!
>
> Ryan
>
>
http://www.sportplanet.com/features/articles/nascarguide/ on page 2 of this
it has some excerpts.
DC
Ryan <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:pB7u7.1049$[email hidden]...
> Does anyone have the link for Tom Pabst's Nvidia guide for Nascar 4??
> Thanks!
>
> Ryan
>
>
Here you go Ryan.......a "fresh" copy of the whole guide.
Note: I have not updated this for about 30-days.....and depending on
your system, video card and drivers....you may now be able to utilize
"anistropic" filtering for N4....but I have not tested this (it works
great in GPL). So, you might want to research that section a little
bit.
Regards,
Tom
"Tweaks and Settings" for N4
****************
General Settings
****************
**Desktop Color: Set to 16-bit color.
**DirectX: Use a DX 8.0 compatible driver(NvRef drivers 7.0 or higher,
12.0 and up for GF3 cards, or the 21.81 new drivers work great).
**OpenGL or D3D?: Run OpenGL for N4 in "XXXX"x16 (use a res compatible
with your CPU speed and ram).
**Monitor: Obtain the latest drivers for your monitor...DO NOT USE
Windows "Plug and Play" monitor drivers! Set your refresh rate at the
highest setting you are allowed for your monitor at the specific screen
res you run N4 at.
********************************
Advanced Settings Tab For OpenGL
********************************
In The Scroll Down Box:
[*]Enable Buffer Region Extension. (Checked)
[*]Allow the dual planes extension to us local video memory.
(Checked)
[*]Use fast linear-mipmap-linear filtering. (Checked)
[ ]Enable anistropic filtering. (Unchecked)
Individual Scroll Down Boxes:
Default Color Depth for Textures: [Always Use 16 bpp]
Buffer Flipping Mode: [Use page flip]
Vertical sync: [Always off]
Full Scene Antialiasing Method: [Always off]
(note: this is not here on a GF3 card which has its own antialiasing
screen)
Use up to [62] MB of system memory for textures in PCI mode.
**************************
Mother Board BIOS Settings
**************************
Video BIOS Shadow............[Disabled]
Video BIOS Cache.............[Disabled]
Palette Snoop................[Disabled]
AGP Turbo (or Fast Write)....[Enabled]*
AGP Aperture Size (MB).......[128]*
AGP ISA Aliasing.............[Disabled]*
AGP Secondary Lat Timer......[20h]*
AGP Data Transfer Mode.......[4x]*
K7 Clk_Cntrl Select..........[Optimal]*
PnP Aware OS.................[Yes]
Resources Controlled by......[Auto]
Assign IRQ to VGA............[Yes]
Note: (*) Items above will appear only on mobos with 2x/4x compliant AGP
bus. If you don't have one of these mobos now, DO NOT waste your time
and money to purchase a fast Nvidia card....its a complete waste!
DO NOT FLASH or upgrade your system BIOS UNLESS YOU ARE HAVING PROBLEMS
WITH YOUR MOBO....that are **specifically addressed** in the BIOS
upgrade (see the Readme.txt file for your BIOS flash upgrade). Flashing
your system BIOS is risky business....and you can render your mobo
completely inoperable if you screw even the slightest thing up in
following the steps. You've been warned! Ask Dave Henrie!
********************
Mobo Chipset Drivers
********************
Your mobo contains two "chips" similar to your CPU chip (but smaller)
that control all the functions of your mobo (system bus, AGP bus, IDE
controllers, etc.). The one located closest to the CPU is called the
"northbridge" chip, and the one furthest away is called the
"southbridge" chip. The northbrigde chip is very important for video
graphics since it controls the system bus and AGP bus (among others).
THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR GRAPHIC'S CARD SPEED
AND STABLE OPERATION IS INSTALL AND MAINTAIN THE CHIPSET DRIVERS IN THE
LATEST **DRIVER VERSION**. This applies to Intel and AMD platforms, but
is critical in all AMD platforms!
There are several "chipset" manufacturers and you must determine which
one you have on your mobo. I can tell you that VIA is the most popular,
but ALI and AMD also make chipsets. Once you've determined which you
have, go to that manufacturer's website (bookmark it...you will need to
check for version updates at least monthly). Download and very
carefully install the latest chipset drivers for your mobo. This is an
area where I have seen the most improvement in frame rates and graphic
quality. DO NOT DO THIS CASUALLY.....READ AND FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT AND
HOW YOU ARE TO INSTALL THESE CHIPSET DRIVERS!
Chipset drivers can easily get corrupted with normal
operations....especially running a lot of pc games. I install mine
every week.....whether needed or not. You can "over-write" install
them....its very simple to do once you have the routine down.
*******************************
Windows Virtual Memory Settings
*******************************
Many sim racers have had problems with "screen stutter"....usually
occurring as the car is entering a turn. This happens at this point
because the FPS slows....just as the requirements for a faster FPS are
greater (when turning...the screen is rapidly changing the scenery and
background). If your system is at the same time accessing the Windows
Swap file (located on your hard-drive)....you can get this screen
stutter (a brief, usually less than a second "freeze" of the screen).
This can occur independently of the type of video card you use....and
the amount of system RAM (although that doesn't totally make sense to
me....but I get this screen stutter on both my systems, one has 512 MB
of ram, the other has 738 MB of ram...so go figure?).
One way to reduce or eliminate this problem is to remove Windows from
control of your Virtual Memory (that's the swap file). Windows will
increase and decrease it as needed (on your hard drive)....and as that
area of your hard drive becomes fragmented, Windows doesn't clean it up
for you (nor does defragmenting your hard drive....that only defragments
the area of the hard drive outside of this swap file)...it will just
keep taking more and more drive space to satisfy its (often incorrect)
evaluation of how much "virtual memory" it needs for the ops you are
running.
The **Quick Fix**.....is to take control of your Swap File hard drive
space allocation. To do this, follow these directions:
1. Go to the "Windows Virtual Memory" settings box (right click "My
Computer" -select- "Properties" - select- "Performance Tab" -select-
"Virtual Memory" [button] on lower right side of box.
2. Select "Let me specify my own Virtual Memory settings." bullet.
3. Set the Minimum and Maximum **to the same value**....this is very
important! [This will keep the swap file from being re-sized all the
time.]
4. Set the value at something between 2x to 4x your physical RAM
memory (remember the Value is entered in KB, not MB). Example: With 128
MB ram, at 2.5xRAM = 320 MB (entered as: 3200 KB in the box).
5. Restart your computer as Windows requests.
6. Go back and make sure the settings you made are still there....and
check this regularly. Windows has a nasty habit of deleting this stuff
all the time....and taking back over the management of VM. I've never
been able to figure out a "pattern" for when Windows does this....I just
know that half the time....when I check this.....Windows has taken back
control of VM and I have to reset it to the above settings.
***DOING THIS WILL SOLVE THE N4 FRAME STUTTER......assuming you have no
other "issues" with IRQ sharing and so forth. I also found this solves
the same problem in GPL...when using the high-res cockpits and race
tracks.
The **Long-Term Fix**.....is to purchase software that will allow you to
defragment the area of your hard-drive that is allocated for the swap
file. These programs can also allow you to partition your HD so you can
locate the swap file in this partition, which will reduce resizing and
fragmentation even further. There are several programs to do this, ask
around. I don't use them, because I just "fdisk" and "format C" my HD
regularly....having a "clone" of my "race box" system and programs on a
CD. Its much easier, and completely refreshes my system (I usually do
this monthly).
***********************************************************
HEAT....It Is Now A Major Issue - What You Can Do About It!
***********************************************************
This has become a major issue, even though the computer manufacturers do
not want to make that public. If you are regularly playing 3D games, or
sim racing weekly or daily.....the biggest favor you can do for yourself
is deal with the heat issue now!
The Heat Rule: The hotter your computer runs (CPU, mobo circuitry,
video card chips and circuitry, other PCI card chips and
circuitry)....THE SLOWER YOUR COMPUTER RUNS!
I don't mean "a little slower" either....its a BIG-Time a lot slower!
Example: My systems gets scores of around 9200 on 3DMark2000. If I
turn off all my fans (except the CPU fan...never turn it off)....wait 10
mins, then run 3DMark2000.....the best score I get is in the low 7000's.
If you think "heat" is not an issue...you are kidding yourself.
If you are running an AMD platform, and an Nvidia GF2 or GF3.....if you
don't adequately cool your cards and CPU case....you are just wasting
time and money.....go buy a Compaq or HP computer and write email to
someone.....stop sim racing! .....lol.... Your system will be "buggy
and slow"....for ever (until it fails).
****The Good News Is You Don't Have To Be A Computer "Techy" To
Fix This****
This stuff is NOT....high-tech stuff. First of all, I buy all my fans
and cooling devices, temp gauges etc. at one place. www.3dfxcool.com
Its a small company, run from home (Seattle). I have been buying fans
from Bart and his wife since the late 90's and they are the best...and
best value. You can purchase fans anywhere, and its not a "high-dollar"
item anyway. The better the fan, the more air it pushes, the longer it
lasts, and the quieter it is. The worst 90mm case fan you can buy is
about $6 bucks....the **best one** you can buy is about $8 bucks....why
screw around with the cheap, bad fans? And, "no" I don't own stock in
this company or get a "rebate" for telling you this. I'm trying to make
it simple for those of you who don't know that you can unscrew two
little screws, and remove the sides of your computer case...lol... The
rest of you....already know this stuff!
**The Tools/Supplies**
You'll need a Phillips head screw driver (long shank is best, small
snips, small (black) zip straps (any hardware store has these now) and
some "surface mounts" for the zips (hardware store has these too). If
you have an AMD platform, add a small exacto knife to the list.
**What To Do**
Install fans everywhere you can. Here's the most likely....your
computer may already have one or more of these.
a. Install a 90mm case fan as an "intake" fan in the front of your
CPU box (usually at the bottom). The fans will have an arrow showing
which way the air flows. This fan should suck air in the front of your
computer case.
b. Install as many 90mm case fans at the rear of your case as their
are "fan mounts" for them. A full-tower ATX case can have as many as
three, there's at least one always (sometimes just under the power
supply, or just above it...or both). These fans should be installed to
"exhaust" air out the back of your case.
**What To Do Additionally - If You Have An AMD Platform (or just want to
max-cool your system)**
c. Install a "blow hole" 120mm fan on the side door of your case,
just over the area of your video card and your CPU on the mobo. This
should "exhaust" air directly off the CPU and video card. You can cut
the hole with any Saber (jig)saw fitted with a metal cutting blade. If
you don't have one, go ask your "handyman" neighbor to do it for you.
This is not hard to do....takes 10 minutes.
d. Connect all fans to one "fan control unit"....available at
www.3dfxcool.com or some other sites that sell fans and cooling devices.
DO NOT USE a free power plug off the power supply that is routed to the
hard drive. Use any other free power plug to feed power to the fan
controller.
e. Strip all your IDE cables into four separate bands, and tie them
with a zip strap. There's several sites on the web with pics of
this....its easy to do. This will allow for free movement of air flow
in your case. After I did this, my "case temps" dropped a full 5
degrees centigrade...that is a lot!
f. Use the zips and mounts...and get all your little cables and
wires inside your case mounted securely and as much organized and out of
the "center air movement" area of your case as possible. Once done,
this will allow you to blow air (air cans are great for this), use a
soft paint brush (a large women's make-up brush works great or this
too), and regularly "dust" the inside of your case and all its
components....I do mine once a month. Interior case dust..... used to
not be an issue....but dust will trap heat...and it will kill your
computer now.
g. [optional but important] Install a small temperature gauge (I get
mine at 3dfxcool, they are about $12 bucks) in the middle of the "free
air space" just over the CPU and the video card. The "display" unit
mounts in any free drive bay face in the front of your computer.
Monitor this temp regularly when sim racing.....I record mine from time
to time to keep track (record the ambient room temp too....especially
important for those of you in hot/humid areas). If this temp gauge
exceeds 40 degrees C....STOP RACING, shut your system down and let it
cool down!
h. [optional] If you have a 19" or 21" monitor, you should be
exhausting the hot air from the monitor case. There's a
cool-looking-easy-to-mount "monitor exhaust" fan available at
3dfxcool.....its about $20 bucks and it plugs into the "fan controller"
above. After I did this, my monitor colors and stability improved
dramatically. It was as if I had upgraded my monitor to an expensive
CAD system type of monitor. I was amazed!
sorry for the multiple posts..news group service is very buggy lately..
DC
Tom Pabst <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:0W9u7.604$[email hidden]...
Quoted text (274 lines)
> Here you go Ryan.......a "fresh" copy of the whole guide. > > Note: I have not updated this for about 30-days.....and depending on > your system, video card and drivers....you may now be able to utilize > "anistropic" filtering for N4....but I have not tested this (it works > great in GPL). So, you might want to research that section a little > bit. > > Regards, > > Tom > > > "Tweaks and Settings" for N4 > > **************** > General Settings > **************** > **Desktop Color: Set to 16-bit color. > **DirectX: Use a DX 8.0 compatible driver(NvRef drivers 7.0 or higher, > 12.0 and up for GF3 cards, or the 21.81 new drivers work great). > **OpenGL or D3D?: Run OpenGL for N4 in "XXXX"x16 (use a res compatible > with your CPU speed and ram). > **Monitor: Obtain the latest drivers for your monitor...DO NOT USE > Windows "Plug and Play" monitor drivers! Set your refresh rate at the > highest setting you are allowed for your monitor at the specific screen > res you run N4 at. > > ******************************** > Advanced Settings Tab For OpenGL > ******************************** > In The Scroll Down Box: > [*]Enable Buffer Region Extension. (Checked) > [*]Allow the dual planes extension to us local video memory. > (Checked) > [*]Use fast linear-mipmap-linear filtering. (Checked) > [ ]Enable anistropic filtering. (Unchecked) > > Individual Scroll Down Boxes: > Default Color Depth for Textures: [Always Use 16 bpp] > Buffer Flipping Mode: [Use page flip] > Vertical sync: [Always off] > Full Scene Antialiasing Method: [Always off] > (note: this is not here on a GF3 card which has its own antialiasing > screen) > > Use up to [62] MB of system memory for textures in PCI mode. > > ************************** > Mother Board BIOS Settings > ************************** > Video BIOS Shadow............[Disabled] > Video BIOS Cache.............[Disabled] > Palette Snoop................[Disabled] > AGP Turbo (or Fast Write)....[Enabled]* > AGP Aperture Size (MB).......[128]* > AGP ISA Aliasing.............[Disabled]* > AGP Secondary Lat Timer......[20h]* > AGP Data Transfer Mode.......[4x]* > K7 Clk_Cntrl Select..........[Optimal]* > PnP Aware OS.................[Yes] > Resources Controlled by......[Auto] > Assign IRQ to VGA............[Yes] > > Note: (*) Items above will appear only on mobos with 2x/4x compliant AGP > bus. If you don't have one of these mobos now, DO NOT waste your time > and money to purchase a fast Nvidia card....its a complete waste! > > DO NOT FLASH or upgrade your system BIOS UNLESS YOU ARE HAVING PROBLEMS > WITH YOUR MOBO....that are **specifically addressed** in the BIOS > upgrade (see the Readme.txt file for your BIOS flash upgrade). Flashing > your system BIOS is risky business....and you can render your mobo > completely inoperable if you screw even the slightest thing up in > following the steps. You've been warned! Ask Dave Henrie! > > ******************** > Mobo Chipset Drivers > ******************** > Your mobo contains two "chips" similar to your CPU chip (but smaller) > that control all the functions of your mobo (system bus, AGP bus, IDE > controllers, etc.). The one located closest to the CPU is called the > "northbridge" chip, and the one furthest away is called the > "southbridge" chip. The northbrigde chip is very important for video > graphics since it controls the system bus and AGP bus (among others). > THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR GRAPHIC'S CARD SPEED > AND STABLE OPERATION IS INSTALL AND MAINTAIN THE CHIPSET DRIVERS IN THE > LATEST **DRIVER VERSION**. This applies to Intel and AMD platforms, but > is critical in all AMD platforms! > > There are several "chipset" manufacturers and you must determine which > one you have on your mobo. I can tell you that VIA is the most popular, > but ALI and AMD also make chipsets. Once you've determined which you > have, go to that manufacturer's website (bookmark it...you will need to > check for version updates at least monthly). Download and very > carefully install the latest chipset drivers for your mobo. This is an > area where I have seen the most improvement in frame rates and graphic > quality. DO NOT DO THIS CASUALLY.....READ AND FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT AND > HOW YOU ARE TO INSTALL THESE CHIPSET DRIVERS! > > Chipset drivers can easily get corrupted with normal > operations....especially running a lot of pc games. I install mine > every week.....whether needed or not. You can "over-write" install > them....its very simple to do once you have the routine down. > > ******************************* > Windows Virtual Memory Settings > ******************************* > Many sim racers have had problems with "screen stutter"....usually > occurring as the car is entering a turn. This happens at this point > because the FPS slows....just as the requirements for a faster FPS are > greater (when turning...the screen is rapidly changing the scenery and > background). If your system is at the same time accessing the Windows > Swap file (located on your hard-drive)....you can get this screen > stutter (a brief, usually less than a second "freeze" of the screen). > This can occur independently of the type of video card you use....and > the amount of system RAM (although that doesn't totally make sense to > me....but I get this screen stutter on both my systems, one has 512 MB > of ram, the other has 738 MB of ram...so go figure?). > > One way to reduce or eliminate this problem is to remove Windows from > control of your Virtual Memory (that's the swap file). Windows will > increase and decrease it as needed (on your hard drive)....and as that > area of your hard drive becomes fragmented, Windows doesn't clean it up > for you (nor does defragmenting your hard drive....that only defragments > the area of the hard drive outside of this swap file)...it will just > keep taking more and more drive space to satisfy its (often incorrect) > evaluation of how much "virtual memory" it needs for the ops you are > running. > > The **Quick Fix**.....is to take control of your Swap File hard drive > space allocation. To do this, follow these directions: > 1. Go to the "Windows Virtual Memory" settings box (right click "My > Computer" -select- "Properties" - select- "Performance Tab" -select- > "Virtual Memory" [button] on lower right side of box. > 2. Select "Let me specify my own Virtual Memory settings." bullet. > 3. Set the Minimum and Maximum **to the same value**....this is very > important! [This will keep the swap file from being re-sized all the > time.] > 4. Set the value at something between 2x to 4x your physical RAM > memory (remember the Value is entered in KB, not MB). Example: With 128 > MB ram, at 2.5xRAM = 320 MB (entered as: 3200 KB in the box). > 5. Restart your computer as Windows requests. > 6. Go back and make sure the settings you made are still there....and > check this regularly. Windows has a nasty habit of deleting this stuff > all the time....and taking back over the management of VM. I've never > been able to figure out a "pattern" for when Windows does this....I just > know that half the time....when I check this.....Windows has taken back > control of VM and I have to reset it to the above settings. > > ***DOING THIS WILL SOLVE THE N4 FRAME STUTTER......assuming you have no > other "issues" with IRQ sharing and so forth. I also found this solves > the same problem in GPL...when using the high-res cockpits and race > tracks. > > The **Long-Term Fix**.....is to purchase software that will allow you to > defragment the area of your hard-drive that is allocated for the swap > file. These programs can also allow you to partition your HD so you can > locate the swap file in this partition, which will reduce resizing and > fragmentation even further. There are several programs to do this, ask > around. I don't use them, because I just "fdisk" and "format C" my HD > regularly....having a "clone" of my "race box" system and programs on a > CD. Its much easier, and completely refreshes my system (I usually do > this monthly). > > *********************************************************** > HEAT....It Is Now A Major Issue - What You Can Do About It! > *********************************************************** > This has become a major issue, even though the computer manufacturers do > not want to make that public. If you are regularly playing 3D games, or > sim racing weekly or daily.....the biggest favor you can do for yourself > is deal with the heat issue now! > > The Heat Rule: The hotter your computer runs (CPU, mobo circuitry, > video card chips and circuitry, other PCI card chips and > circuitry)....THE SLOWER YOUR COMPUTER RUNS! > > I don't mean "a little slower" either....its a BIG-Time a lot slower! > > Example: My systems gets scores of around 9200 on 3DMark2000. If I > turn off all my fans (except the CPU fan...never turn it off)....wait 10 > mins, then run 3DMark2000.....the best score I get is in the low 7000's. > If you think "heat" is not an issue...you are kidding yourself. > > If you are running an AMD platform, and an Nvidia GF2 or GF3.....if you > don't adequately cool your cards and CPU case....you are just wasting > time and money.....go buy a Compaq or HP computer and write email to > someone.....stop sim racing! .....lol.... Your system will be "buggy > and slow"....for ever (until it fails). > > ****The Good News Is You Don't Have To Be A Computer "Techy" To > Fix This**** > This stuff is NOT....high-tech stuff. First of all, I buy all my fans > and cooling devices, temp gauges etc. at one place. www.3dfxcool.com > Its a small company, run from home (Seattle). I have been buying fans > from Bart and his wife since the late 90's and they are the best...and > best value. You can purchase fans anywhere, and its not a "high-dollar" > item anyway. The better the fan, the more air it pushes, the longer it > lasts, and the quieter it is. The worst 90mm case fan you can buy is > about $6 bucks....the **best one** you can buy is about $8 bucks....why > screw around with the cheap, bad fans? And, "no" I don't own stock in > this company or get a "rebate" for telling you this. I'm trying to make > it simple for those of you who don't know that you can unscrew two > little screws, and remove the sides of your computer case...lol... The > rest of you....already know this stuff! > > **The Tools/Supplies** > You'll need a Phillips head screw driver (long shank is best, small > snips, small (black) zip straps (any hardware store has these now) and > some "surface mounts" for the zips (hardware store has these too). If > you have an AMD platform, add a small exacto knife to the list. > > **What To Do** > Install fans everywhere you can. Here's the most likely....your > computer may already have one or more of these. > a. Install a 90mm case fan as an "intake" fan in the front of your > CPU box (usually at the bottom). The fans will have an arrow showing > which way the air flows. This fan should suck air in the front of your > computer case. > b. Install as many 90mm case fans at the rear of your case as their > are "fan mounts" for them. A full-tower ATX case can have as many as > three, there's at least one always (sometimes just under the power > supply, or just above it...or both). These fans should be installed to > "exhaust" air out the back of your case. > > **What To Do Additionally - If You Have An AMD Platform (or just want to > max-cool your system)** > c. Install a "blow hole" 120mm fan on the side door of your case, > just over the area of your video card and your CPU on the mobo. This > should "exhaust" air directly off the CPU and video card. You can cut > the hole with any Saber (jig)saw fitted with a metal cutting blade. If > you don't have one, go ask your "handyman" neighbor to do it for you. > This is not hard to do....takes 10 minutes. > d. Connect all fans to one "fan control unit"....available at > www.3dfxcool.com or some other sites that sell fans and cooling devices. > DO NOT USE a free power plug off the power supply that is routed to the > hard drive. Use any other free power plug to feed power to the fan > controller. > e. Strip all your IDE cables into four separate bands, and tie them > with a zip strap. There's several sites on the web with pics of > this....its easy to do. This will allow for free movement of air flow > in your case. After I did this, my "case temps" dropped a full 5 > degrees centigrade...that is a lot! > f. Use the zips and mounts...and get all your little cables and > wires inside your case mounted securely and as much organized and out of > the "center air movement" area of your case as possible. Once done, > this will allow you to blow air (air cans are great for this), use a > soft paint brush (a large women's make-up brush works great or this > too), and regularly "dust" the inside of your case and all its > components....I do mine once a month. Interior case dust..... used to > not be an issue....but dust will trap heat...and it will kill your > computer now. > g. [optional but important] Install a small temperature gauge (I get > mine at 3dfxcool, they are about $12 bucks) in the middle of the "free > air space" just over the CPU and the video card. The "display" unit > mounts in any free drive bay face in the front of your computer. > Monitor this temp regularly when sim racing.....I record mine from time > to time to keep track (record the ambient room temp too....especially > important for those of you in hot/humid areas). If this temp gauge > exceeds 40 degrees C....STOP RACING, shut your system down and let it > cool down! > h. [optional] If you have a 19" or 21" monitor, you should be > exhausting the hot air from the monitor case. There's a > cool-looking-easy-to-mount "monitor exhaust" fan available at > 3dfxcool.....its about $20 bucks and it plugs into the "fan controller" > above. After I did this, my monitor colors and stability improved > dramatically. It was as if I had upgraded my monitor to an expensive > CAD system type of monitor. I was amazed! > > > > > > >So how well do the Titanium cards do on N4?
"Tom Pabst" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:0W9u7.604$[email hidden]...
Quoted text (274 lines)
> Here you go Ryan.......a "fresh" copy of the whole guide. > > Note: I have not updated this for about 30-days.....and depending on > your system, video card and drivers....you may now be able to utilize > "anistropic" filtering for N4....but I have not tested this (it works > great in GPL). So, you might want to research that section a little > bit. > > Regards, > > Tom > > > "Tweaks and Settings" for N4 > > **************** > General Settings > **************** > **Desktop Color: Set to 16-bit color. > **DirectX: Use a DX 8.0 compatible driver(NvRef drivers 7.0 or higher, > 12.0 and up for GF3 cards, or the 21.81 new drivers work great). > **OpenGL or D3D?: Run OpenGL for N4 in "XXXX"x16 (use a res compatible > with your CPU speed and ram). > **Monitor: Obtain the latest drivers for your monitor...DO NOT USE > Windows "Plug and Play" monitor drivers! Set your refresh rate at the > highest setting you are allowed for your monitor at the specific screen > res you run N4 at. > > ******************************** > Advanced Settings Tab For OpenGL > ******************************** > In The Scroll Down Box: > [*]Enable Buffer Region Extension. (Checked) > [*]Allow the dual planes extension to us local video memory. > (Checked) > [*]Use fast linear-mipmap-linear filtering. (Checked) > [ ]Enable anistropic filtering. (Unchecked) > > Individual Scroll Down Boxes: > Default Color Depth for Textures: [Always Use 16 bpp] > Buffer Flipping Mode: [Use page flip] > Vertical sync: [Always off] > Full Scene Antialiasing Method: [Always off] > (note: this is not here on a GF3 card which has its own antialiasing > screen) > > Use up to [62] MB of system memory for textures in PCI mode. > > ************************** > Mother Board BIOS Settings > ************************** > Video BIOS Shadow............[Disabled] > Video BIOS Cache.............[Disabled] > Palette Snoop................[Disabled] > AGP Turbo (or Fast Write)....[Enabled]* > AGP Aperture Size (MB).......[128]* > AGP ISA Aliasing.............[Disabled]* > AGP Secondary Lat Timer......[20h]* > AGP Data Transfer Mode.......[4x]* > K7 Clk_Cntrl Select..........[Optimal]* > PnP Aware OS.................[Yes] > Resources Controlled by......[Auto] > Assign IRQ to VGA............[Yes] > > Note: (*) Items above will appear only on mobos with 2x/4x compliant AGP > bus. If you don't have one of these mobos now, DO NOT waste your time > and money to purchase a fast Nvidia card....its a complete waste! > > DO NOT FLASH or upgrade your system BIOS UNLESS YOU ARE HAVING PROBLEMS > WITH YOUR MOBO....that are **specifically addressed** in the BIOS > upgrade (see the Readme.txt file for your BIOS flash upgrade). Flashing > your system BIOS is risky business....and you can render your mobo > completely inoperable if you screw even the slightest thing up in > following the steps. You've been warned! Ask Dave Henrie! > > ******************** > Mobo Chipset Drivers > ******************** > Your mobo contains two "chips" similar to your CPU chip (but smaller) > that control all the functions of your mobo (system bus, AGP bus, IDE > controllers, etc.). The one located closest to the CPU is called the > "northbridge" chip, and the one furthest away is called the > "southbridge" chip. The northbrigde chip is very important for video > graphics since it controls the system bus and AGP bus (among others). > THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR GRAPHIC'S CARD SPEED > AND STABLE OPERATION IS INSTALL AND MAINTAIN THE CHIPSET DRIVERS IN THE > LATEST **DRIVER VERSION**. This applies to Intel and AMD platforms, but > is critical in all AMD platforms! > > There are several "chipset" manufacturers and you must determine which > one you have on your mobo. I can tell you that VIA is the most popular, > but ALI and AMD also make chipsets. Once you've determined which you > have, go to that manufacturer's website (bookmark it...you will need to > check for version updates at least monthly). Download and very > carefully install the latest chipset drivers for your mobo. This is an > area where I have seen the most improvement in frame rates and graphic > quality. DO NOT DO THIS CASUALLY.....READ AND FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT AND > HOW YOU ARE TO INSTALL THESE CHIPSET DRIVERS! > > Chipset drivers can easily get corrupted with normal > operations....especially running a lot of pc games. I install mine > every week.....whether needed or not. You can "over-write" install > them....its very simple to do once you have the routine down. > > ******************************* > Windows Virtual Memory Settings > ******************************* > Many sim racers have had problems with "screen stutter"....usually > occurring as the car is entering a turn. This happens at this point > because the FPS slows....just as the requirements for a faster FPS are > greater (when turning...the screen is rapidly changing the scenery and > background). If your system is at the same time accessing the Windows > Swap file (located on your hard-drive)....you can get this screen > stutter (a brief, usually less than a second "freeze" of the screen). > This can occur independently of the type of video card you use....and > the amount of system RAM (although that doesn't totally make sense to > me....but I get this screen stutter on both my systems, one has 512 MB > of ram, the other has 738 MB of ram...so go figure?). > > One way to reduce or eliminate this problem is to remove Windows from > control of your Virtual Memory (that's the swap file). Windows will > increase and decrease it as needed (on your hard drive)....and as that > area of your hard drive becomes fragmented, Windows doesn't clean it up > for you (nor does defragmenting your hard drive....that only defragments > the area of the hard drive outside of this swap file)...it will just > keep taking more and more drive space to satisfy its (often incorrect) > evaluation of how much "virtual memory" it needs for the ops you are > running. > > The **Quick Fix**.....is to take control of your Swap File hard drive > space allocation. To do this, follow these directions: > 1. Go to the "Windows Virtual Memory" settings box (right click "My > Computer" -select- "Properties" - select- "Performance Tab" -select- > "Virtual Memory" [button] on lower right side of box. > 2. Select "Let me specify my own Virtual Memory settings." bullet. > 3. Set the Minimum and Maximum **to the same value**....this is very > important! [This will keep the swap file from being re-sized all the > time.] > 4. Set the value at something between 2x to 4x your physical RAM > memory (remember the Value is entered in KB, not MB). Example: With 128 > MB ram, at 2.5xRAM = 320 MB (entered as: 3200 KB in the box). > 5. Restart your computer as Windows requests. > 6. Go back and make sure the settings you made are still there....and > check this regularly. Windows has a nasty habit of deleting this stuff > all the time....and taking back over the management of VM. I've never > been able to figure out a "pattern" for when Windows does this....I just > know that half the time....when I check this.....Windows has taken back > control of VM and I have to reset it to the above settings. > > ***DOING THIS WILL SOLVE THE N4 FRAME STUTTER......assuming you have no > other "issues" with IRQ sharing and so forth. I also found this solves > the same problem in GPL...when using the high-res cockpits and race > tracks. > > The **Long-Term Fix**.....is to purchase software that will allow you to > defragment the area of your hard-drive that is allocated for the swap > file. These programs can also allow you to partition your HD so you can > locate the swap file in this partition, which will reduce resizing and > fragmentation even further. There are several programs to do this, ask > around. I don't use them, because I just "fdisk" and "format C" my HD > regularly....having a "clone" of my "race box" system and programs on a > CD. Its much easier, and completely refreshes my system (I usually do > this monthly). > > *********************************************************** > HEAT....It Is Now A Major Issue - What You Can Do About It! > *********************************************************** > This has become a major issue, even though the computer manufacturers do > not want to make that public. If you are regularly playing 3D games, or > sim racing weekly or daily.....the biggest favor you can do for yourself > is deal with the heat issue now! > > The Heat Rule: The hotter your computer runs (CPU, mobo circuitry, > video card chips and circuitry, other PCI card chips and > circuitry)....THE SLOWER YOUR COMPUTER RUNS! > > I don't mean "a little slower" either....its a BIG-Time a lot slower! > > Example: My systems gets scores of around 9200 on 3DMark2000. If I > turn off all my fans (except the CPU fan...never turn it off)....wait 10 > mins, then run 3DMark2000.....the best score I get is in the low 7000's. > If you think "heat" is not an issue...you are kidding yourself. > > If you are running an AMD platform, and an Nvidia GF2 or GF3.....if you > don't adequately cool your cards and CPU case....you are just wasting > time and money.....go buy a Compaq or HP computer and write email to > someone.....stop sim racing! .....lol.... Your system will be "buggy > and slow"....for ever (until it fails). > > ****The Good News Is You Don't Have To Be A Computer "Techy" To > Fix This**** > This stuff is NOT....high-tech stuff. First of all, I buy all my fans > and cooling devices, temp gauges etc. at one place. www.3dfxcool.com > Its a small company, run from home (Seattle). I have been buying fans > from Bart and his wife since the late 90's and they are the best...and > best value. You can purchase fans anywhere, and its not a "high-dollar" > item anyway. The better the fan, the more air it pushes, the longer it > lasts, and the quieter it is. The worst 90mm case fan you can buy is > about $6 bucks....the **best one** you can buy is about $8 bucks....why > screw around with the cheap, bad fans? And, "no" I don't own stock in > this company or get a "rebate" for telling you this. I'm trying to make > it simple for those of you who don't know that you can unscrew two > little screws, and remove the sides of your computer case...lol... The > rest of you....already know this stuff! > > **The Tools/Supplies** > You'll need a Phillips head screw driver (long shank is best, small > snips, small (black) zip straps (any hardware store has these now) and > some "surface mounts" for the zips (hardware store has these too). If > you have an AMD platform, add a small exacto knife to the list. > > **What To Do** > Install fans everywhere you can. Here's the most likely....your > computer may already have one or more of these. > a. Install a 90mm case fan as an "intake" fan in the front of your > CPU box (usually at the bottom). The fans will have an arrow showing > which way the air flows. This fan should suck air in the front of your > computer case. > b. Install as many 90mm case fans at the rear of your case as their > are "fan mounts" for them. A full-tower ATX case can have as many as > three, there's at least one always (sometimes just under the power > supply, or just above it...or both). These fans should be installed to > "exhaust" air out the back of your case. > > **What To Do Additionally - If You Have An AMD Platform (or just want to > max-cool your system)** > c. Install a "blow hole" 120mm fan on the side door of your case, > just over the area of your video card and your CPU on the mobo. This > should "exhaust" air directly off the CPU and video card. You can cut > the hole with any Saber (jig)saw fitted with a metal cutting blade. If > you don't have one, go ask your "handyman" neighbor to do it for you. > This is not hard to do....takes 10 minutes. > d. Connect all fans to one "fan control unit"....available at > www.3dfxcool.com or some other sites that sell fans and cooling devices. > DO NOT USE a free power plug off the power supply that is routed to the > hard drive. Use any other free power plug to feed power to the fan > controller. > e. Strip all your IDE cables into four separate bands, and tie them > with a zip strap. There's several sites on the web with pics of > this....its easy to do. This will allow for free movement of air flow > in your case. After I did this, my "case temps" dropped a full 5 > degrees centigrade...that is a lot! > f. Use the zips and mounts...and get all your little cables and > wires inside your case mounted securely and as much organized and out of > the "center air movement" area of your case as possible. Once done, > this will allow you to blow air (air cans are great for this), use a > soft paint brush (a large women's make-up brush works great or this > too), and regularly "dust" the inside of your case and all its > components....I do mine once a month. Interior case dust..... used to > not be an issue....but dust will trap heat...and it will kill your > computer now. > g. [optional but important] Install a small temperature gauge (I get > mine at 3dfxcool, they are about $12 bucks) in the middle of the "free > air space" just over the CPU and the video card. The "display" unit > mounts in any free drive bay face in the front of your computer. > Monitor this temp regularly when sim racing.....I record mine from time > to time to keep track (record the ambient room temp too....especially > important for those of you in hot/humid areas). If this temp gauge > exceeds 40 degrees C....STOP RACING, shut your system down and let it > cool down! > h. [optional] If you have a 19" or 21" monitor, you should be > exhausting the hot air from the monitor case. There's a > cool-looking-easy-to-mount "monitor exhaust" fan available at > 3dfxcool.....its about $20 bucks and it plugs into the "fan controller" > above. After I did this, my monitor colors and stability improved > dramatically. It was as if I had upgraded my monitor to an expensive > CAD system type of monitor. I was amazed! > > > > > > >Carol...
Who has got one? They are not due out until the end of October? Is
that not correct?
.....where's my credit card......???
Tom
Got two here direct from nVidia.
"Tom Pabst" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:eLlu7.2031$[email hidden]...
Quoted text (11 lines)
> Carol... > > Who has got one? They are not due out until the end of October? Is > that not correct? > > .....where's my credit card......??? > > Tom > > >You lucky girl......
Tom
Best Buy had a Ti-200, but who really cares about that one :)
-Larry
"Tom Pabst" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:eLlu7.2031$[email hidden]...
Quoted text (11 lines)
> Carol... > > Who has got one? They are not due out until the end of October? Is > that not correct? > > .....where's my credit card......??? > > Tom > > >What is the cost of the Ti200? What brand?
"Larry" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:Jl1v7.53219$[email hidden]...
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