This is quite interesting. In addition, to fix the NV3x menu issue, you can also install an earlier version of the driver (ForceWare 56.64 or lower). In this case, the game works as intended (without requiring any workarounds). Furthermore, there is an alternative "DX7Z.DLL" that also resolves this issue with later drivers. In addition, you can use a third-party "DX7Z.DLL" that uses OpenGL instead of Direct3D, which also solves the problem (and even improves performance slightly). Each method has its own advantages. It is worth considering them all together and choosing the most optimal one. The more solutions, the better, thank you!

DoZator wrote on 2025-07-16, 23:14:

This is quite interesting. In addition, to fix the NV3x menu issue, you can also install an earlier version of the driver (ForceWare 56.64 or lower). In this case, the game works as intended (without requiring any workarounds). Furthermore, there is an alternative "DX7Z.DLL" that also resolves this issue with later drivers. In addition, you can use a third-party "DX7Z.DLL" that uses OpenGL instead of Direct3D, which also solves the problem (and even improves performance slightly). Each method has its own advantages. It is worth considering them all together and choosing the most optimal one. The more solutions, the better, thank you!

56.64 or lower?

56.64 is what I have installed and the text is unreadable without using the nglide workaround I posted.

Oh, you're right, I'd somehow forgotten about this annoying font issue... Yes, as far as I remember, on GeForce FX, you also need to enable AA\AF 8x in the Direct3D settings in RivaTuner to make the menu readable again. This is not the most significant issue, as the more serious "menu problem" (which I immediately thought of) starts with the ForceWare 60.86 driver (and above).

DoZator wrote on 2025-07-16, 23:14:

In addition, you can use a third-party "DX7Z.DLL" that uses OpenGL instead of Direct3D, which also solves the problem (and even improves performance slightly).

Can yoy share this dx7z.dll? Thank you!

That i cant download at the moment. 🙁
https://github.com/Verokster/3rash-module
https://web.archive.org/web/20180613040313/ht … er/3rash-module

marxveix wrote on 2025-07-17, 10:07:

Can yoy share this dx7z.dll? Thank you! […]
Show full quote

DoZator wrote on 2025-07-16, 23:14:

In addition, you can use a third-party "DX7Z.DLL" that uses OpenGL instead of Direct3D, which also solves the problem (and even improves performance slightly).

Can yoy share this dx7z.dll? Thank you!

That i cant download at the moment. 🙁
https://github.com/Verokster/3rash-module
https://web.archive.org/web/20180613040313/ht … er/3rash-module

I apologize for the long wait. The links are currently available here:
https://community.pcgamingwiki.com/search/?&q … ortby=relevancy

or here:
https://archive.org/details/verokster

However, I am using an earlier version (1.04):

DoZator wrote on 2025-07-21, 14:38:

I apologize for the long wait. The links are currently available here: https://community.pcgamingwiki.com/search/?&q … ortby=rel […]
Show full quote

marxveix wrote on 2025-07-17, 10:07:

Can yoy share this dx7z.dll? Thank you! […]
Show full quote

DoZator wrote on 2025-07-16, 23:14:

In addition, you can use a third-party "DX7Z.DLL" that uses OpenGL instead of Direct3D, which also solves the problem (and even improves performance slightly).

Can yoy share this dx7z.dll? Thank you!

That i cant download at the moment. 🙁
https://github.com/Verokster/3rash-module
https://web.archive.org/web/20180613040313/ht … er/3rash-module

I apologize for the long wait. The links are currently available here:
https://community.pcgamingwiki.com/search/?&q … ortby=relevancy

or here:
https://archive.org/details/verokster

However, I am using an earlier version (1.04):

The attachment OPENGL1Z.PNG is no longer available

The attachment OPENGL1Z.PNG is no longer available

Thanks, I'm going to try this out too.

EDIT - so when I replaced the DX7Z.dll file with a renamed version of this opengl version the game seems to run ok at first but then my keyboard controls stop working after about a minute or so and the car just keeps going forward at full speed. Oh well back to the other way for me.

EDIT 2 - Actually the keyboard becoming unresponsive seems to happen to me with my original setup after a while too! I guess I didn't test it well enough, perhps my version of the game is buggered and I'll have to reinstall it or something. I'll revisit this one day but not any time soon, I've wasted enough time on a game I don't really care for anyway.

pete8475 wrote on 2025-07-21, 22:44:

Thanks, I'm going to try this out too. […]
Show full quote

DoZator wrote on 2025-07-21, 14:38:

I apologize for the long wait. The links are currently available here: https://community.pcgamingwiki.com/search/?&q … ortby=rel […]
Show full quote

marxveix wrote on 2025-07-17, 10:07:

Can yoy share this dx7z.dll? Thank you! […]
Show full quote

Can yoy share this dx7z.dll? Thank you!

That i cant download at the moment. 🙁
https://github.com/Verokster/3rash-module
https://web.archive.org/web/20180613040313/ht … er/3rash-module

I apologize for the long wait. The links are currently available here:
https://community.pcgamingwiki.com/search/?&q … ortby=relevancy

or here:
https://archive.org/details/verokster

However, I am using an earlier version (1.04):

The attachment OPENGL1Z.PNG is no longer available

The attachment OPENGL1Z.PNG is no longer available

Thanks, I'm going to try this out too.

EDIT - so when I replaced the DX7Z.dll file with a renamed version of this opengl version the game seems to run ok at first but then my keyboard controls stop working after about a minute or so and the car just keeps going forward at full speed. Oh well back to the other way for me.

EDIT 2 - Actually the keyboard becoming unresponsive seems to happen to me with my original setup after a while too! I guess I didn't test it well enough, perhps my version of the game is buggered and I'll have to reinstall it or something. I'll revisit this one day but not any time soon, I've wasted enough time on a game I don't really care for anyway.

This is a well-known problem that only occurs under Win9x (even with the original DX7Z.dll). To reliably fix this issue, you need to set a low priority for the Porsche.exe\PORSCHE.ICD processes after launching the game. This will successfully resolve the problem.

To simplify the process, you can create a BAT file that automatically changes the priority in the background after launching the game, allowing the issue to resolve itself each time the game is launched (this can be achieved using the "PV.EXE" utility or similar). The BAT file structure is as follows:

start /MIN "E:\GAMES\NFS5\Porsche.exe" /MIN
timeout /t 5 || ping -n 6 2130706433
E:\GAMES\NFS5\pv.exe -pi Porsche.exe
E:\GAMES\NFS5\pv.exe -pi PORSCHe.ICD
E:\GAMES\NFS5\pv.exe -pi PORSCHe.exe
E:\GAMES\NFS5\pv.exe -pi PORSCHe.ICD
E:\GAMES\NFS5\pv.exe -pi PORSCHe.exe
E:\GAMES\NFS5\pv.exe -pi PORSCHe.ICD
E:\GAMES\NFS5\pv.exe -pi PORSCHe.exe
E:\GAMES\NFS5\pv.exe -pi PORSCHe.ICD
E:\GAMES\NFS5\pv.exe -pi PORSCHe.exe
E:\GAMES\NFS5\pv.exe -pi PORSCHe.ICD
E:\GAMES\NFS5\pv.exe -pi PORSCHe.exe

DoZator wrote on 2025-07-22, 12:01:

This is a well-known problem that only occurs under Win9x (even with the original DX7Z.dll). To reliably fix this issue, you nee […]
Show full quote

pete8475 wrote on 2025-07-21, 22:44:

Thanks, I'm going to try this out too. […]
Show full quote

DoZator wrote on 2025-07-21, 14:38:

I apologize for the long wait. The links are currently available here: https://community.pcgamingwiki.com/search/?&q … ortby=rel […]
Show full quote

I apologize for the long wait. The links are currently available here:
https://community.pcgamingwiki.com/search/?&q … ortby=relevancy

or here:
https://archive.org/details/verokster

However, I am using an earlier version (1.04):

The attachment OPENGL1Z.PNG is no longer available

The attachment OPENGL1Z.PNG is no longer available

Thanks, I'm going to try this out too.

EDIT - so when I replaced the DX7Z.dll file with a renamed version of this opengl version the game seems to run ok at first but then my keyboard controls stop working after about a minute or so and the car just keeps going forward at full speed. Oh well back to the other way for me.

EDIT 2 - Actually the keyboard becoming unresponsive seems to happen to me with my original setup after a while too! I guess I didn't test it well enough, perhps my version of the game is buggered and I'll have to reinstall it or something. I'll revisit this one day but not any time soon, I've wasted enough time on a game I don't really care for anyway.

This is a well-known problem that only occurs under Win9x (even with the original DX7Z.dll). To reliably fix this issue, you need to set a low priority for the Porsche.exe\PORSCHE.ICD processes after launching the game. This will successfully resolve the problem.

To simplify the process, you can create a BAT file that automatically changes the priority in the background after launching the game, allowing the issue to resolve itself each time the game is launched (this can be achieved using the "PV.EXE" utility or similar). The BAT file structure is as follows:

start /MIN "E:\GAMES\NFS5\Porsche.exe" /MIN
timeout /t 5 || ping -n 6 2130706433
E:\GAMES\NFS5\pv.exe -pi Porsche.exe
E:\GAMES\NFS5\pv.exe -pi PORSCHe.ICD
E:\GAMES\NFS5\pv.exe -pi PORSCHe.exe
E:\GAMES\NFS5\pv.exe -pi PORSCHe.ICD
E:\GAMES\NFS5\pv.exe -pi PORSCHe.exe
E:\GAMES\NFS5\pv.exe -pi PORSCHe.ICD
E:\GAMES\NFS5\pv.exe -pi PORSCHe.exe
E:\GAMES\NFS5\pv.exe -pi PORSCHe.ICD
E:\GAMES\NFS5\pv.exe -pi PORSCHe.exe
E:\GAMES\NFS5\pv.exe -pi PORSCHe.ICD
E:\GAMES\NFS5\pv.exe -pi PORSCHe.exe

Oh wow I had no idea, thank you!