Race Sim Central
Rec.Autos.Simulators Archive

N4, NVidia, CD-ROMs and the End of My Rope

11 posts by 3 people · 18 Feb 2001 08:33 UTC - 20 Feb 2001 06:40 UTC

The Black Cat =^..^= 18 Feb 2001 08:33 UTC#202778
Well, I've struggled now for about 36 hours trying to make N4 work with my GeForce2MX, so far to no avail. I even went and downloaded a crack (Forgive me, Papy for I have sinned...) to see if the problem was in the CD-ROM, but that was less than revealing as well. Here's my status... Either using the original or the crack executable, I randomly get one of the following: BSOD, reboot Black Hourglass screen, cursor moves but nothing else happens, reboot Crashes back to desktop Mangled graphics on menu screen, reboot Twice today, it actually loaded and ran momentarily -- in OpenGL mode -- but BSOD'ed about 2 minutes later. Additionally, now Mobil 1 Rally Championship won't run. I even re-installed it but it said I didn't have enough virtual memory! Also, I can no longer play audio CDs on my CD-ROM through the speakers. You can hear it through the headphones, however. I really think it might be dying since it seemed to do a lot of seek and spin even before the upgrade... I've turned VSync off and on -- doesn't seem to matter. I've got the 6.50 drivers. I've set the acceleration one notch below the top -- doesn't matter. What's really painful is that two times last night, it loaded and ran beautifully -- like the rich man in perdition who saw Lazarus in Abraham's bosom, I am tormented with this flaming problem... :) So what next? I'm planning to go out tomorrow and get a cheapie CD-ROM since I really need a new one anyway, but in light of the fact that the crack doesn't work, do you guys think that it will matter? Is the problem with N4 something exclusive to GeForce vidcards? I don't recall anyone with a Voodoo saying that he couldn't get the game to run at all, and before my upgrade, I had a V3-2000 and the game did run from the CD. Slowly, but at least it ran... So should I consider taking the GeForce back and getting a Voodoo5 even if it is now an orphan? GPL is running okay, but only in a window -- it bluescreens otherwise -- it also ran with no problems before the upgrade. I also have the TPTCC-patched version of N3 and it's running perfectly. The other main components of my system are a P3-800, 256 megs and an SB Live Value soundcard. Thanks in advance for any advice. Paul the Cat =^..^= "We've been sleeping all our lives -- At last we can open our eyes." -- Carly Simon
Can you list your system specs. Also, I had trouble with the 6.50 drivers and went back to the 6.31 and everything was fine. Does it do the same in D3D and Open GL. Is your sytem / video card overclocked. -- Mike Grandy Precision Racing www.precision-racing.com "The Black Cat =^..^=" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]... > Well, I've struggled now for about 36 hours trying to make N4 work > with my GeForce2MX, so far to no avail. I even went and downloaded a > crack (Forgive me, Papy for I have sinned...) to see if the problem > was in the CD-ROM, but that was less than revealing as well. > > Here's my status... > > Either using the original or the crack executable, I randomly get one > of the following: > > BSOD, reboot > Black Hourglass screen, cursor moves but nothing else happens, reboot > Crashes back to desktop > Mangled graphics on menu screen, reboot > > Twice today, it actually loaded and ran momentarily -- in OpenGL mode > -- but BSOD'ed about 2 minutes later. > > Additionally, now Mobil 1 Rally Championship won't run. I even > re-installed it but it said I didn't have enough virtual memory! > > Also, I can no longer play audio CDs on my CD-ROM through the > speakers. You can hear it through the headphones, however. I really > think it might be dying since it seemed to do a lot of seek and spin > even before the upgrade... > > I've turned VSync off and on -- doesn't seem to matter. I've got the > 6.50 drivers. I've set the acceleration one notch below the top -- > doesn't matter. > > What's really painful is that two times last night, it loaded and ran > beautifully -- like the rich man in perdition who saw Lazarus in > Abraham's bosom, I am tormented with this flaming problem... :) > > So what next? I'm planning to go out tomorrow and get a cheapie > CD-ROM since I really need a new one anyway, but in light of the fact > that the crack doesn't work, do you guys think that it will matter? > > Is the problem with N4 something exclusive to GeForce vidcards? I > don't recall anyone with a Voodoo saying that he couldn't get the game > to run at all, and before my upgrade, I had a V3-2000 and the game did > run from the CD. Slowly, but at least it ran... > > So should I consider taking the GeForce back and getting a Voodoo5 > even if it is now an orphan? > > GPL is running okay, but only in a window -- it bluescreens otherwise > -- it also ran with no problems before the upgrade. > > I also have the TPTCC-patched version of N3 and it's running > perfectly. > > The other main components of my system are a P3-800, 256 megs and an > SB Live Value soundcard. > > Thanks in advance for any advice. > > > > Paul the Cat =^..^= > > "We've been sleeping all our lives -- > At last we can open our eyes." > -- Carly Simon
If thats the case try running a disck cleanup utilty. Make sure you scandisk and defrag also. -- Mike Grandy Precision Racing www.precision-racing.com "rrevved" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]... > On Sun, 18 Feb 2001 08:33:43 GMT, The Black Cat =^..^= <[email hidden]> wrote: > > > > >Twice today, it actually loaded and ran momentarily -- in OpenGL mode > >-- but BSOD'ed about 2 minutes later. > > > >Additionally, now Mobil 1 Rally Championship won't run. I even > >re-installed it but it said I didn't have enough virtual memory! > > It sounds to me as if you haven't got enough disk space. > Your C: drive is probably running low. >
Hey Paul. It sounds like you have a system problem for sure. Your cd "may" be getting ready to fail, but the other symptoms suggest a deeper problem.(can you say bios?) Try adjusting the agp aperture setting in the bios. For some reason, Nvidio...uhmm Nvidia owners have said this often helps. 2nd...clean out ALL your old 3dfx files...right down to the registry. If possible, back up any critical files and format your hard drive and re-install windows. (you should do this about once a year anyhow) 3rd suggestion is to try and swap the card back to the store to make sure you don't have a deffective MX.(rare but who knows....) Set your virtual swap file (in the device manager performance tab) to a fixed # that is 3 times your current memory, and preferably on a separate drive or partition from where windows is installed. And make sure you have plenty of free space on your HD. Good Luck Grasshopper. One last thing to try...turn down the # of sound options and or disable the 3d sound if you have it enabled...and...get a program called 'enditall' to close down many of your background programs that might be running. dave henrie "The Black Cat =^..^=" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted text (64 lines)> Well, I've struggled now for about 36 hours trying to make N4 work > with my GeForce2MX, so far to no avail. I even went and downloaded a > crack (Forgive me, Papy for I have sinned...) to see if the problem > was in the CD-ROM, but that was less than revealing as well. > > Here's my status... > > Either using the original or the crack executable, I randomly get one > of the following: > > BSOD, reboot > Black Hourglass screen, cursor moves but nothing else happens, reboot > Crashes back to desktop > Mangled graphics on menu screen, reboot > > Twice today, it actually loaded and ran momentarily -- in OpenGL mode > -- but BSOD'ed about 2 minutes later. > > Additionally, now Mobil 1 Rally Championship won't run. I even > re-installed it but it said I didn't have enough virtual memory! > > Also, I can no longer play audio CDs on my CD-ROM through the > speakers. You can hear it through the headphones, however. I really > think it might be dying since it seemed to do a lot of seek and spin > even before the upgrade... > > I've turned VSync off and on -- doesn't seem to matter. I've got the > 6.50 drivers. I've set the acceleration one notch below the top -- > doesn't matter. > > What's really painful is that two times last night, it loaded and ran > beautifully -- like the rich man in perdition who saw Lazarus in > Abraham's bosom, I am tormented with this flaming problem... :) > > So what next? I'm planning to go out tomorrow and get a cheapie > CD-ROM since I really need a new one anyway, but in light of the fact > that the crack doesn't work, do you guys think that it will matter? > > Is the problem with N4 something exclusive to GeForce vidcards? I > don't recall anyone with a Voodoo saying that he couldn't get the game > to run at all, and before my upgrade, I had a V3-2000 and the game did > run from the CD. Slowly, but at least it ran... > > So should I consider taking the GeForce back and getting a Voodoo5 > even if it is now an orphan? > > GPL is running okay, but only in a window -- it bluescreens otherwise > -- it also ran with no problems before the upgrade. > > I also have the TPTCC-patched version of N3 and it's running > perfectly. > > The other main components of my system are a P3-800, 256 megs and an > SB Live Value soundcard. > > Thanks in advance for any advice. > > > > Paul the Cat =^..^= > > "We've been sleeping all our lives -- > At last we can open our eyes." > -- Carly Simon
On Sun, 18 Feb 2001 08:22:01 -0600, rrevved <[email hidden]> wrote: >It sounds to me as if you haven't got enough disk space. >Your C: drive is probably running low. 12 gigs available... Paul the Cat =^..^= "We've been sleeping all our lives -- At last we can open our eyes." -- Carly Simon
On Sun, 18 Feb 2001 14:30:27 GMT, "Mike Grandy" <[email hidden]> wrote: >Can you list your system specs. Also, I had trouble with the 6.50 drivers >and went back to the 6.31 and everything was fine. Does it do the same in >D3D and Open GL. Is your sytem / video card overclocked. P3-800 not overclocked GeForce2MX not overclocked 256 megs of memory SB Live Value I had an IO Magic 40x CD-ROM but replaced it today with a TDK 16x VeloCD Rewriter -- again, it didn't seem to make any difference... Seems to be the same in D3D and OpenGL. Also the same whether I'm using the original executable and the cracked no-cd version Paul the Cat =^..^= "We've been sleeping all our lives -- At last we can open our eyes." -- Carly Simon
On Sun, 18 Feb 2001 15:23:53 GMT, "Dave Henrie" <[email hidden]> wrote: > Try adjusting the agp aperture setting in the bios. For some reason, >Nvidio...uhmm Nvidia owners have said this often helps. Hi Dave and thanks for your help. Since I'm a bit of a simpleton regarding this kind of thing, how do I access this setting and what change should I make in the agp setting? >3rd suggestion is to try and swap the card back to the store to make sure >you >don't have a deffective MX.(rare but who knows....) I might do that. I'm going to mess with it for a few more days, but if it doesn't start working soon, I'm going to return either the card or the whole computer to the shop since my problems started when I got it back from the upgrades which include both the new card and a new motherboard and cpu. Before then, it worked, now it doesn't. Coincidence?? > Set your virtual swap file (in the device manager performance tab) to a >fixed ># that is 3 times your current memory, and preferably on a separate drive or >partition from where windows is installed. And make sure you have plenty of >free space on your HD. Good Luck Grasshopper. That's "virtual memory," right? I have about 12 gigs of free space on my HD... Before, I had the minimum set at 4096 but then I reset it to allow Windows to handle the swap file. Is 4096 still a good number or would you suggest something else? And "fixed number" means set the minimum and maximum to the same, right? Sorry I'm such a dolt but when I get a warning box such as the one that appears when you reset this to something manually, I like to be sure rather than mess up. >One last thing to try...turn down the # of sound options and or disable the >3d sound if you have it enabled...and...get a program called 'enditall' to >close down many of your background programs that might be running. Right now, I can't even get to the menu screen to get to those settngs... I've have End It All and have turned off just about everything before and it seemed to have no effect. Thanks again for your help. Paul the Cat =^..^= "We've been sleeping all our lives -- At last we can open our eyes." -- Carly Simon
Sound card Paul. Try disabling 3d sound in the windows Dxsetup outside of the game. good luck dave henrie "The Black Cat =^..^=" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted text (24 lines)> On Sun, 18 Feb 2001 14:30:27 GMT, "Mike Grandy" > <[email hidden]> wrote: > > >Can you list your system specs. Also, I had trouble with the 6.50 drivers > >and went back to the 6.31 and everything was fine. Does it do the same in > >D3D and Open GL. Is your sytem / video card overclocked. > > P3-800 not overclocked > GeForce2MX not overclocked > 256 megs of memory > SB Live Value > I had an IO Magic 40x CD-ROM but replaced it today with a TDK 16x > VeloCD Rewriter -- again, it didn't seem to make any difference... > > Seems to be the same in D3D and OpenGL. Also the same whether I'm > using the original executable and the cracked no-cd version > > > > Paul the Cat =^..^= > > "We've been sleeping all our lives -- > At last we can open our eyes." > -- Carly Simon
> Hi Dave and thanks for your help. Since I'm a bit of a simpleton > regarding this kind of thing, how do I access this setting and what > change should I make in the agp setting? unfortunately, I have a 3dfx so I can't say for sure, But there have been many users that mentioned the agp aperture. First it is located in the system bios. That is found before windows starts up. Usually you press the DEL or F1 key to enter the bios. When your screen is still black, before the window screens first pop up, you should see a line that tells you how. If you find the agp aperture setting, set it to match your vid card memory. i.e. if you have a 32 meg card, set your agp aperture to 32. Ditto for a 64 meg card set it to 64.
Quoted text (15 lines)> > >3rd suggestion is to try and swap the card back to the store to make sure > >you > >don't have a deffective MX.(rare but who knows....) > > I might do that. I'm going to mess with it for a few more days, but > if it doesn't start working soon, I'm going to return either the card > or the whole computer to the shop since my problems started when I got > it back from the upgrades which include both the new card and a new > motherboard and cpu. Before then, it worked, now it doesn't. > Coincidence?? > > > Set your virtual swap file (in the device manager performance tab) to a > >fixed > ># that is 3 times your current memory, and preferably on a separate drive
or > >partition from where windows is installed. And make sure you have plentyof
Quoted text (10 lines)> >free space on your HD. Good Luck Grasshopper. > > That's "virtual memory," right? I have about 12 gigs of free space on > my HD... Before, I had the minimum set at 4096 but then I reset it to > allow Windows to handle the swap file. Is 4096 still a good number or > would you suggest something else? And "fixed number" means set the > minimum and maximum to the same, right? Sorry I'm such a dolt but > when I get a warning box such as the one that appears when you reset > this to something manually, I like to be sure rather than mess up. >
Thats ok...the 4096 sounds rather large, but you have the basic grasp of what to do. Choose the minimum and maximum size to be the same. I've heard 3 times your system memory is a good number. So if you have 128megs of onboard RAM then your virtual memory setting should be.... (doing the math, please wait...)384mb. > >One last thing to try...turn down the # of sound options and or disablethe > >3d sound if you have it enabled...and...get a program called 'enditall'to
Quoted text (13 lines)> >close down many of your background programs that might be running. > > Right now, I can't even get to the menu screen to get to those > settngs... I've have End It All and have turned off just about > everything before and it seemed to have no effect. > > Thanks again for your help. > > Paul the Cat =^..^= > > "We've been sleeping all our lives -- > At last we can open our eyes." > -- Carly Simon
On Mon, 19 Feb 2001 05:35:19 GMT, "Dave Henrie" <[email hidden]> wrote: Well, I tried all your suggestions -- thanks again! -- but nothing seems to help so I'm giving up the ghost and ordering a Voodoo5... Everything ran like clockwork with my Voodoo3 so I'm a lot more optimistic about that card... Paul the Cat =^..^= "We've been sleeping all our lives -- At last we can open our eyes." -- Carly Simon
Sorry we couldn't help....I have ZERO complaints with my V5. I know there will come a day when the card is rendered usless by direct X updates and such...but for now...especially since it is the only card family that can run converted ICR2 tracks in 3d....I'll stick with the V5. dave henrie "The Black Cat =^..^=" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted text (13 lines)> On Mon, 19 Feb 2001 05:35:19 GMT, "Dave Henrie" <[email hidden]> > wrote: > > Well, I tried all your suggestions -- thanks again! -- but nothing > seems to help so I'm giving up the ghost and ordering a Voodoo5... > Everything ran like clockwork with my Voodoo3 so I'm a lot more > optimistic about that card... > > Paul the Cat =^..^= > > "We've been sleeping all our lives -- > At last we can open our eyes." > -- Carly Simon

Sponsors

Affiliate Links

Sim Gaming Expo MOZA Racing Sim-Lab Fanatec TrakRacer Asetek Internet Privacy From NordVPN Dreamhost Capital One Credit Card Application Fanatical CDKeys Amazon Amazon UK Project Motor Racing iRacing Get your racing gloves, boots and more from Demon Tweeks. Enlist at Roberts Space Industries, developers of Star Citizen and Squadron 42


Back from the ashes since July, 2019. First created in 2001 with the merger of Legends Central (founded 1999) and simracing.dk.

A site by a sort of sim racer, for sim racers, about racing sims. News and information on both modern and historic sim racing software titles.

All products and licenses property of their respective owners.


Facebook Threads Bluesky Twitter Mastodon Instagram YouTube Tiktok Twitch Reddit Google News Apple News Subscribe via WordPress Flipboard eBay

Race Sim Central © 1999-2026 | Some links pay RSC a commission. Advertising does not equal endorsement.Cookie Policy