idspispopd wrote:Did you install the VIA 4in1 drivers? Very important with boards using VIA chipsets, especially when using AGP cards. […]
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Did you install the VIA 4in1 drivers? Very important with boards using VIA chipsets, especially when using AGP cards.
What nVidia driver version are you using? Hopefully not the latest which supports TNT2, the earlier ones should be faster, especially with "slower" CPUs. I'd suggest a detonator driver version < 10. Some version numbers I remember (don't know if those are correct) are 2.08, 3.68 and 5.12.
The TNT2-M64 is running with the same clocks as a TNT2, but only has a 64bit memory interface so it only has half the memory bandwidth. The speed difference should be most pronounced when using 32-bit rendering.
There are conflicting statements about the Vanta (being based on TNT or TNT2, but since those are of a very similar speed when running at the same clock that shouldn't be important). It has a 64bit memory interface like the TNT2-M64 but lower clock speeds for both the chip and the memory.
I don't know if you are limited more by the CPU or the video card at 800x600 32bit, but you can certainly find out by trying to change the resolution. I suggest avoiding 32bit rendering.
If you want to have a faster card but not 3dfx I'd suggest a Geforce2 MX, anything faster is probably not necessary, and hardware TnL should help for games using OpenGL or DirectX >= 7. If you are worried you could try to get a PCI version, but those are not as common.
Are you using the latest patch for UT? I know that with Unreal both Direct3D and OpenGL support became better with later versions.
The best idea would probaly to play it on a more modern box with either a Glide wrapper or a modern renderer.
RTCW has as a minimum requirement a PII 400 which your K6-3 does not reach.
It is (or was?) a well known fact that there were compatibility problems using an SBLive on a VIA mainboard. There was some patch or PCI latency setting but it still wasn't perfect, although you could try. Using an ISA card is a valid workaround, but a PCI sound card with a different chip (not Creative) should also help.
Looking at these old reviews, makes me think that the K6-3 is more like in the league of somewhat between P2 and P3.
And that is not bad at all. 😀
http://www.anandtech.com/show/207
http://www.anandtech.com/show/211/4
I did install the correct chipset drivers, and so, the only obvious sollution to cramp more out of the current system.
Is to install a different nvidia driver, or install a gForce2 card. Possibly a gForce3 if the system can handle it.
I know were to get a free gForce 2 card. Just that it may take me a while.
Yet again, my parents come to the "rescue". As they do not throw old computers away. They just buy new stuff when
the old is way too slow for them.... (old people are good for the retro community i guess 🤣 )
I will try to install Win98 again, and see if the detornator drivers will work, and then test my way through DX versions.
It must be possible to cramp more out of this highly AGP-incompatible board. (thinking and scratching the back of my head).
The thing about soundcards in my collection is, that I only have this GUS-ACE and then a Aztech card, the rest are Creative one's
None of thise are SB16 compatible. Only SB-Pro or even worse SB2.0 compatible.
Yes, I know my GUS-ACE is in this K6-3 system. Just that the system is such a great DOS-Machine, and I need to have some
way of sound when loading my XMS configuration. As the SB-Live need to have EMS.
It is a bit contradictory when I say that old pre-SB16 is not pro post P1 systems. Yet, it is the best card I have for XMS.
If I had a pci-card that could do SB16 in dos, with better sound quality and using XMS only, I would swap the GUS-ACE with it.
Those old standards do make a good run, if they were for an 486 DX2 build.
Just not in a so highly potent system as the K6-3 or a P2.
That is just (for me) some major overkill for those old sound standard's. After P1, it should be SB16 or similair. 😉
EDIT
Missed the thing about issues between VIA chipsets and SB-Live.... Hmmm.... Must get a Creative PCI-128 card then.
Just to check up, if the machine can handle that card better. (getting more and more hardware on the wish-list)
Don't eat stuff off a 15 year old never cleaned cpu cooler.
Those cakes make you sick....
My blog: http://to9xct.blogspot.dk
My YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/brostenen
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