GPL COMPUTER CRASHES! (just venting)

I can't stand it! This is definitely a love hate relationship. I read every s***of gossip about the development of GPL fervently and ran out and grabbed one of the first available copies and much to my delight it was every thing I dreamed it would be. Since then I have forsaken all my other software ***es to spend endless hours honing my technique in an attempt for one glorious moment in imaginary history when I can actually make a vain attempt to catch drivers that were my childhood heros. I wax a bit poetic - but I really think this is an exemplary piece of minimally compromised, put you in your place, out of the mainstream, wussies-need-not-apply software. It amazes me that it was even possible in this bottom line profit industry, and we may not see it's like again soon - if ever. That having been said, I hate the fact that it FREAKIN CRASHES ABOUT 30% OF THE TIME when I'm trying to enter or leave a race!!! I wrote to Papyrus when everyone else who had a Diamond Monster 3DII card was having the same problems and discussing it here on the group. I told them what high regard I held their product in and they in return sent me back the same old e-mail that everyone else got about overheating and directing a fan on the chip......blah blah blah. Since then I have tried every rational to crazy solution that has been suggested from replacing reference drivers and files to running without a cover and special fans and NONE OF IT HAS DONE ANYTHING! There is nothing like being sure you have turned a new personal best at some fabled ***-track and having the computer crash so that the time is neither saved nor even viewable. Has anyone else found a reliable solution - and would spare the time to post it for me so I can stop this pathetic whining and get back to achieving spiritual oneness with "the Clark" ;-) Oh - and if anyone can help - thanks, much, in advance.

Too bad you Computer Geek > I can't stand it! This is definitely a love hate relationship. I read >every s***of gossip about the development of GPL fervently and ran out and >grabbed one of the first available copies and much to my delight it was >every thing I dreamed it would be. Since then I have forsaken all my other >software ***es to spend endless hours honing my technique in an attempt >for one glorious moment in imaginary history when I can actually make a vain >attempt to catch drivers that were my childhood heros. I wax a bit poetic - >but I really think this is an exemplary piece of minimally compromised, put >you in your place, out of the mainstream, wussies-need-not-apply software. >It amazes me that it was even possible in this bottom line profit industry, >and we may not see it's like again soon - if ever. > That having been said, I hate the fact that it FREAKIN CRASHES ABOUT 30%

Quoted text (16 lines)

>OF THE TIME when I'm trying to enter or leave a race!!! I wrote to Papyrus >when everyone else who had a Diamond Monster 3DII card was having the same >problems and discussing it here on the group. I told them what high regard >I held their product in and they in return sent me back the same old e-mail >that everyone else got about overheating and directing a fan on the >chip......blah blah blah. Since then I have tried every rational to crazy >solution that has been suggested from replacing reference drivers and files >to running without a cover and special fans and NONE OF IT HAS DONE >ANYTHING! There is nothing like being sure you have turned a new personal >best at some fabled ***-track and having the computer crash so that the >time is neither saved nor even viewable. Has anyone else found a reliable >solution - and would spare the time to post it for me so I can stop this >pathetic whining and get back to achieving spiritual oneness with "the >Clark" ;-) >Oh - and if anyone can help - thanks, much, in advance.

By crash, I'm assuming you mean that the picture stops updating, but the game continues to run in the background (you can hear your engine, then the car crash 'cause you don't know where the heck you're going...). If so, see my post moments ago: Re: Any ideas on GPL Underclocking seems to be the only thing that helps, though it does not make the problem disappear. We're waiting to here back from 3Dfx about the board that we sent them... Randy

Quoted text (16 lines)

> > That having been said, I hate the fact that it FREAKIN CRASHES > ABOUT 30% > > OF THE TIME when I'm trying to enter or leave a race!!! I wrote to > Papyrus > > when everyone else who had a Diamond Monster 3DII card > By crash, I'm assuming you mean that the picture stops updating, but > the game continues to run in the background (you can hear your engine, > then the car crash 'cause you don't know where the heck you're > going...). If so, see my post moments ago: Re: Any ideas on GPL > Underclocking seems to be the only thing that helps, though it does not > make the problem disappear. We're waiting to here back from 3Dfx about > the board that we sent them... > Randy

H'mmm, I have use a Monster 3D-II for several months.... I have the 'speed' set to 'max', I have never had any problems! GPL runs fine with it! I use this in a full tower, so I have plenty of cool air for the unit to run in. Try an axial fan (12v.) and plant it over/near the 3DFX card, or put the fan at the other side to your case fan, have one blowing and one sucking, that should shift more cold air through your case, esp if it is a compact type (they run hot). I am very well pleased with Diamond products, I also use there SupraExpress 56e modem.... Diamond support is first class, they send me e-mails for driver updates and they have always replied by return on any questions I have asked. Dave (UK)

<snip> >I am very well pleased with Diamond products, I also use there SupraExpress >56e modem.... Diamond support is first class, they send me e-mails for >driver updates and they have always replied by return on any questions I >have asked. >Dave (UK) Apparently you've never tried to get an advertised rebate from them, before ... :( Randy

><snip> >>I am very well pleased with Diamond products, I also use there SupraExpress

Quoted text (10 lines)

>>56e modem.... Diamond support is first class, they send me e-mails for >>driver updates and they have always replied by return on any questions I >>have asked. >>Dave (UK) >Apparently you've never tried to get an advertised rebate from them, before >... :( >Randy

Ahh - yes, I forgot to mention that I also sent for that imaginary rebate some time ago...... Thanks for the responses, although as I said, I have been lurking here for a long time and have tried most of the things suggested in this group including changing drivers and underclocking. I would swear that for a while it seemed to help as I had few or no screen freezes especially just after adjusting the speed on the card down. But it seems to come and go intermittantly, similar to my lap times at Kyalami! I guess serious cooling will be my next attempt, as I have a full tower case, but can't resist keeping absolutely every slot filled with some new and pricey gadget so perhaps it has grown crowded and warm. Anyway thanks again, and post any further information you might stumble upon. PS - someone posted a message here about the art of "trolling" that was really well stated! Obviously rodster is just the sort of fellow that drops in, makes a *** comment, and sits back to giggle with infantile glee when it starts a little flame war. Sorry rodster - I don't want to play, I probably am a "computer geek". Have a nice day.

I'm sure you probably won't like this solution, as it will cost you $, but at least it's foolproof. Pick up a Hercules Thriller 3D (Rendition V2200 chip). They can be had for $75 or less now days and GPL runs flawlessly. And although I also have a Voodoo2 SLI rig in my machine, IMHO the game "looks better" on the Rendition board. Colors seem purer, images are crisper, and it's also the only board that supports the anti-aliasing. With a Celeron "450" I get max frame rate 99% of the time.

Quoted text (19 lines)

> I can't stand it! This is definitely a love hate relationship. I read > every s***of gossip about the development of GPL fervently and ran out and > That having been said, I hate the fact that it FREAKIN CRASHES ABOUT 30% > OF THE TIME when I'm trying to enter or leave a race!!! I wrote to Papyrus > when everyone else who had a Diamond Monster 3DII card was having the same > problems and discussing it here on the group. I told them what high regard > I held their product in and they in return sent me back the same old e-mail > that everyone else got about overheating and directing a fan on the > chip......blah blah blah. Since then I have tried every rational to crazy > solution that has been suggested from replacing reference drivers and files > to running without a cover and special fans and NONE OF IT HAS DONE > ANYTHING! There is nothing like being sure you have turned a new personal > best at some fabled ***-track and having the computer crash so that the > time is neither saved nor even viewable. Has anyone else found a reliable > solution - and would spare the time to post it for me so I can stop this > pathetic whining and get back to achieving spiritual oneness with "the > Clark" ;-) > Oh - and if anyone can help - thanks, much, in advance.

Ditto... -Larry > PS - someone posted a message here about the art of "trolling" that was > really well stated! Obviously rodster is just the sort of fellow that drops > in, makes a *** comment, and sits back to giggle with infantile glee when > it starts a little flame war. Sorry rodster - I don't want to play, I > probably am a "computer geek". Have a nice day.

>Pick up a Hercules Thriller 3D (Rendition V2200 chip). They can be had >for $75 or less now days and GPL runs flawlessly. And although I also >have a Voodoo2 SLI rig in my machine, IMHO the game "looks better" on >the Rendition board. Colors seem purer, images are crisper, and it's >also the only board that supports the anti-aliasing. With a Celeron >"450" I get max frame rate 99% of the time. Being the proud owner of a P200Classic, hoping to eak a few more FPS out of my old chip and put off buying a new one for a couple more months, I did exactly this. Picked up the Thriller 8Meg PCI and slapped it in there. Looked great, got 6 - 10 FPS increase for about three laps, then I got the first system crash I've ever had in GPL. Went to Nascar 2, got one lap and froze up. Downloaded the latest drivers and BIOS flash, tried different settings, even went as far as underclocking the CPU to make sure that wasn't the problem. Eventually, it got to the point that I couldn't even read my E-mail without the whole thing ***. Having had no luck so far getting in touch with Hercules support, I've now ripped it out and re-installed my S-3 Virge so I can at least keep up with my e-mail and newsgroups. If something doesn't give soon, the Voodoo I is going back in. I've been three days without racing, and I'm going nuts! Seriously, if anyone has any ideas, I'd appreciate it. P166 running at 200 32Meg EDO Soundblaster PCI64 Spacewalker HOT 553 motherboard Award BIOS BestData 33.6 ISA modem Thriller 8meg PCI freezes up but the game keeps going Thanks Don McCorkle Libertarian - no more motorsports

This may not be the same thing, but my brother in law found that the game hung up on him after 1 lap or so as did MGPRS2. He has the same card as you and a PII 333MHz. We mucked about with drivers for the card and eventually got both games working fine by using the drivers that came in the box with the card. The Windows 98 drivers as well as some of the later downloads from 3dfx didn't work okay. I can find out the version number of the drivers if you wish. Hope this fixes your problem, Cheers, Paul

Quoted text (28 lines)

> I can't stand it! This is definitely a love hate relationship. I read > every s***of gossip about the development of GPL fervently and ran out and > grabbed one of the first available copies and much to my delight it was > every thing I dreamed it would be. Since then I have forsaken all my other > software ***es to spend endless hours honing my technique in an attempt > for one glorious moment in imaginary history when I can actually make a vain > attempt to catch drivers that were my childhood heros. I wax a bit poetic - > but I really think this is an exemplary piece of minimally compromised, put > you in your place, out of the mainstream, wussies-need-not-apply software. > It amazes me that it was even possible in this bottom line profit industry, > and we may not see it's like again soon - if ever. > That having been said, I hate the fact that it FREAKIN CRASHES ABOUT 30% > OF THE TIME when I'm trying to enter or leave a race!!! I wrote to Papyrus > when everyone else who had a Diamond Monster 3DII card was having the same > problems and discussing it here on the group. I told them what high regard > I held their product in and they in return sent me back the same old e-mail > that everyone else got about overheating and directing a fan on the > chip......blah blah blah. Since then I have tried every rational to crazy > solution that has been suggested from replacing reference drivers and files > to running without a cover and special fans and NONE OF IT HAS DONE > ANYTHING! There is nothing like being sure you have turned a new personal > best at some fabled ***-track and having the computer crash so that the > time is neither saved nor even viewable. Has anyone else found a reliable > solution - and would spare the time to post it for me so I can stop this > pathetic whining and get back to achieving spiritual oneness with "the > Clark" ;-) > Oh - and if anyone can help - thanks, much, in advance.