VOGONS


First post, by Retroclik

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Hey guys !

I'm trying to setup a Voodoo 2 12MB SLI with a 3D Blaster and a Skywell Magic 3D but I am really not sure it working properly. I'd like to know how to be sure. For instance, how much memory should be displayed in 3DFX System Info panel.

-The cards are well installed with Fastvoodoo2 4.6 :

download/file.php?mode=view&id=150445

-And the SLI is "Detected" :

download/file.php?mode=view&id=150446

But as you can see the total of memory listed is 22MB. Shouldn't it be 24MB ?

-An other thing is that I can't raise the resolution in the 3DFX panel. Every time I put 1024x768, apply, and come back in the panel, the setting got back to 800x600. But it's kind of new, few days ago it was stuck to 640x480 (I haven't made any change) :

download/file.php?mode=view&id=150447

-I can have some games working with 3DFX enabled, with the 3dfx logo showing before loading the game, and the graphics seem good. For instances, in Monster Truck Madness 2 I can select 3dfx, put all the graphics features on, but can't change the resolution from 640x480, and the game is so slow and laggy :'(

download/file.php?mode=view&id=150448

-Another example, Ultim@te race pro works perfectly except that I can't raise the resolultion beyond 800x600 either.

-I have made myself the SLI cable from a floppy cable. Maybe it's not working correctly ? It looks good but not sure how to eliminate this assumption.

If somebody could help me that would be really appreciated. And please pardon my english 😀

Last edited by Retroclik on 2022-11-28, 10:39. Edited 3 times in total.

Reply 1 of 15, by leileilol

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Try some newer Glide 3.x games that would be more aware of the increased resolution rather than the just-before-the-voodoo2 glide games. MTM2's fixed to 640x480 max, that's normal (limited buffer write 2d graphics and all).

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Reply 2 of 15, by Shagittarius

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I tried to use the custom drivers in order to use 2 different branded cards and it worked but my framerate was exactly the same as with 1 card just making a higher res available, but the same framerate as using 1 card. It was weird. I gave up.

Reply 3 of 15, by Gmlb256

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Retroclik wrote on 2022-11-18, 23:13:

Shouldn't it be 24MB ?

No, SLI won't really double the amount of memory.

-An other thing is that I can't raise the resolution in the 3DFX panel. Every time I put 1024x768, apply, and come back in the panel, the setting got back to 800x600. But it's kind of new, few days ago it was stuck to 640x480 (I haven't made any change)

That setting will only adjust the refresh rate for each resolution when the Voodoo2 cards are active.

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Reply 4 of 15, by Retroclik

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Hello !

Thanks for your answers !

I realize I forgot to mention that I'm running Windows 98 SE.

@Gmlb256 : I also forgot to tell you, the thing is the memory listed in system info is the same when I have only one Voodoo 2 in the PC. Isn't it weird ?

@Shagittarius : Can you remember a game where you could use a higher res ? So I can try myself ?

@leileilol : Ok I'm gonna do that. It seems there are not so many of them if I believe this list : https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/List_of_Glide_games

Thanks again. I'll get back to you after more testing.

Reply 5 of 15, by leileilol

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Retroclik wrote on 2022-11-19, 09:47:

@Gmlb256 : I also forgot to tell you, the thing is the memory listed in system info is the same when I have only one Voodoo 2 in the PC. Isn't it weird ?

SLI works by being redundant. Sure you have more memory physically, but the way everything has to be sync'd mean both cards must have the same textures loaded so it wouldn't mean *more* memory for that. Even worse is when it thrashes, the penalties would be slower as that means two cards to send textures to.

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Reply 6 of 15, by Meatball

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Run DXDIAG.EXE. You should see 16MB of video memory for Voodoo2 if SLI is working. As leileilol pointed out, only 8MB is effective for texture VRAM.

Ideally, the 3dfx control panel info with SLI activated will look like this: https://hardforum.b-cdn.net/data/attachment-f … 62_76OlWTSh.jpg

You could try UNREAL for DirectX and Glide for 1024x768 resolution tests.

Reply 7 of 15, by Retroclik

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Meatball wrote on 2022-11-19, 12:19:

Run DXDIAG.EXE. You should see 16MB of video memory for Voodoo2 if SLI is working. As leileilol pointed out, only 8MB is effective for texture VRAM.

Ideally, the 3dfx control panel info with SLI activated will look like this: https://hardforum.b-cdn.net/data/attachment-f … 62_76OlWTSh.jpg

You could try UNREAL for DirectX and Glide for 1024x768 resolution tests.

Ok thanks. My DXdiag says 16MB for Voodoo :

download/file.php?mode=view&id=150484

But the system info is really different than your image :'(

Reply 8 of 15, by Shagittarius

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@Retroclik I was testing with both Quake III and 3DMark2000.

Reply 9 of 15, by Meatball

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Retroclik wrote on 2022-11-19, 13:52:
Ok thanks. My DXdiag says 16MB for Voodoo : […]
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Meatball wrote on 2022-11-19, 12:19:

Run DXDIAG.EXE. You should see 16MB of video memory for Voodoo2 if SLI is working. As leileilol pointed out, only 8MB is effective for texture VRAM.

Ideally, the 3dfx control panel info with SLI activated will look like this: https://hardforum.b-cdn.net/data/attachment-f … 62_76OlWTSh.jpg

You could try UNREAL for DirectX and Glide for 1024x768 resolution tests.

Ok thanks. My DXdiag says 16MB for Voodoo :

download/file.php?mode=view&id=150484

But the system info is really different than your image :'(

Remember- Ideally - you’re mixing different vendors, which is not ideal, and the 3dfx control panel is known to be glitchy.

If you can’t run any game like Quake III or Unreal, or benchmarking software like 3DMark 99 at 1024x768, you know something isn’t working.

If haven’t done so already, start individual card testing by removing everything and testing one card at a time (only 1 card in the system at a time) to make sure both are fully functional.

Other problems could be the chipset. I have some voodoo2 cards which won’t do SLI with some of the 440BX boards I have no matter how many times I reinstall or change up the install method, or use a different driver, but work fine on other 440BX boards or boards with a SiS chipset, for example.

Reply 10 of 15, by acl

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Glad to see another French (or French speaking) person !

What about "touching" the chips during a benchmark/gameplay ?
Voodoo 2 does not dissipate a lot of heat, but you should be able to notice it.

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Reply 11 of 15, by Retroclik

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@Shagittarius : I'll try those ones thanks.

@Meatball : Ok thanks good ideas I'll come back with other tests.

@acl : Touching them to see if they are overheating ?

Reply 12 of 15, by PD2JK

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acl wrote on 2022-11-20, 18:06:

What about "touching" the chips during a benchmark/gameplay ?
Voodoo 2 does not dissipate a lot of heat, but you should be able to notice it.

That is a good strategy, touch the silicon to feel if it does any work.
But a Voodoo2 can get quite a hot, especially with a fast CPU. Let's say a Pentium II 300 or faster where the V2 is becoming the serious bottleneck.

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Reply 13 of 15, by acl

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PD2JK wrote on 2022-11-27, 07:40:

That is a good strategy, touch the silicon to feel if it does any work.

Thanks !

Retroclik wrote on 2022-11-27, 07:24:

@acl : Touching them to see if they are overheating ?

Touching it just to see if it's working.
If the SLI is not active, only one card will work, so one will be hot (or warm) and the other will be cold.

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Reply 14 of 15, by Retroclik

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Ok !

Reply 15 of 15, by wiibur

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Retroclik wrote on 2022-11-19, 13:52:
Ok thanks. My DXdiag says 16MB for Voodoo : […]
Show full quote
Meatball wrote on 2022-11-19, 12:19:

Run DXDIAG.EXE. You should see 16MB of video memory for Voodoo2 if SLI is working. As leileilol pointed out, only 8MB is effective for texture VRAM.

Ideally, the 3dfx control panel info with SLI activated will look like this: https://hardforum.b-cdn.net/data/attachment-f … 62_76OlWTSh.jpg

You could try UNREAL for DirectX and Glide for 1024x768 resolution tests.

Ok thanks. My DXdiag says 16MB for Voodoo :

download/file.php?mode=view&id=150484

But the system info is really different than your image :'(

On my Voodoo2 SLI setup using Fastvoodoo2 4.6 I also see 16MB in dxdiag but in the Voodoo control panel System Information tab I see "Total Texture Memory: 8MB" even though it also says "Scanline Interleave: Detected!". It's working properly though - I get the expected additional performance and I can access the higher resolution in Windows and in games.