nVidia RIVA TNT no 3D output \ VOGONS

nVidia RIVA TNT no 3D output

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First post, by pan069

Posted on 2020-10-05, 09:14

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So, I'm building a Windows 98 set up (a nostalgia build) with a Creative Graphics Blaster CT6710 (nVidia RIVA TNT) based video card. Everything seems to work fine and I get clear output at 1280 x 1024 x 32.

Then I ran 3DMark99, just default settings, nothing happens. Blank screen. I can ESC out of it so no crash. Then I run the dxDiag utility that is (I believe) part of the DirectX 7.0 SDK (I installed the SDK, retail, since it was the only Direct version that I had already burned to CD). The DirectDraw test run fine, although there is quite a bit tearing during the full screen sample (it moves a white rectangle around). However, during the Direct3D tests, the 1st test which is software rendering (a spinning cube) works fine. Then the hardware accelerated sample, a blank screen.

So my first thought, damn, this card is bad. But then I remembered I had another RIVA TNT based card (Provideo Nvidia Riva TNT 16Mb AGP). Popped that one in, using the same drivers. And, the exact same problem.

So, this starts to look like it's not a problem with the cards but possibly the drivers. The ones I'm using I downloaded from here:

https://vgamuseum.ru/gpu/nvidia/creative-labs … vidia-riva-tnt/

Has anyone seen, witnessed or heard of this problem before and/or can anyone recommend different drivers?

Thanks in advance!

Reply 1 of 12, by The Serpent Rider

Posted on 2020-10-05, 09:45

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Check OpenGL.

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Reply 2 of 12, by pan069

Posted on 2020-10-05, 10:20

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The Serpent Rider wrote on 2020-10-05, 09:45:

Check OpenGL.

Hmm. Interesting. So, I installed Quake 3 and it seems to run OK. Except that during the menus there is a lot of flicker, almost as if it renders one a blank frame every, lets say 60, or what ever the refresh rate is. In game it seems to work OK.

Funny thing is that that flicker is probably the exact same problem I noticed during the DirectDraw full screen demo.

Direct3D not working though... 🙁

Reply 3 of 12, by The Serpent Rider

Posted on 2020-10-05, 10:28

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Looks like DirectX intall is borked.

I must be some kind of standard: the anonymous gangbanger of the 21st century.

Reply 4 of 12, by pan069

Posted on 2020-10-05, 10:34

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The Serpent Rider wrote on 2020-10-05, 10:28:

Looks like DirectX intall is borked.

Hmm. The whole system was freshly installed today. No errors (that I'm aware of). I'll try to dig out a DirectX 6 version, that's the minimum version 3DMark99 requires.

Last edited by pan069 on 2020-10-05, 10:51. Edited 1 time in total.

Reply 5 of 12, by Joseph_Joestar

Posted on 2020-10-05, 10:41

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pan069 wrote on 2020-10-05, 09:14:

Has anyone seen, witnessed or heard of this problem before and/or can anyone recommend different drivers?

I would try using stock Nvidia drivers from that time period. You can find a bunch of them here: https://www.vogonsdrivers.com/index.php?catid=24

My memory is a bit fuzzy on which version worked best back when I had a TNT card. Off hand, I'd say stick with the versions below 10, starting with the lowest one and going up.

PC#1: Pentium MMX 166 / Soyo SY-5BT / S3 Trio64V+ / Voodoo1 / YMF719 / AWE64 Gold / SC-155
PC#2: AthlonXP 2100+ / ECS K7VTA3 / Voodoo3 / Audigy2 / Vortex2
PC#3: Athlon64 3400+ / Asus K8V-MX / 5900XT / Audigy2
PC#4: i5-3570K / MSI Z77A-G43 / GTX 970 / X-Fi

Reply 6 of 12, by The Serpent Rider

Posted on 2020-10-05, 12:50

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There also could be problems with disabled Vsync in some games.

I must be some kind of standard: the anonymous gangbanger of the 21st century.

Reply 7 of 12, by hyoenmadan

Posted on 2020-10-05, 15:04

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The driver in VGAMuseum is too new for this card. You may try some of the drivers saved in Vogons driver library. I remember having success with 40.xx driver series and DirectX 7.0b (But I don't remember if was with a VantaTNT card rather than the older RivaTNT).

Reply 8 of 12, by _UV_

Posted on 2020-10-05, 15:31

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I had same issues, drivers too new, expecting you to setup DX8/9. Stick too old ones like 2.08/8.05/12.41, which is compatible with DX6/7.

Reply 9 of 12, by The Serpent Rider

Posted on 2020-10-05, 15:35

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Detonator 30.xx series are compatible with DX 7.0a.

I must be some kind of standard: the anonymous gangbanger of the 21st century.

Reply 10 of 12, by pan069

Posted on 2020-10-06, 01:16

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Using DirectX 8 seems to make a difference but 3DMark99 crashes on the last test, as in like an error dialog with a solid system lock. I will try a different set of drivers over the next few days...

Reply 11 of 12, by pan069

Posted on 2020-10-10, 03:01

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I ended up using the "creative" driver from here [1] with Direct X 8 (which seems to be the default DirectX version for Win98 SE). 3DMark no longer crashing. 😀

[1] https://www.vogonsdrivers.com/getfile.php?fil … 459&menustate=0

Reply 12 of 12, by The Serpent Rider

Posted on 2020-10-10, 03:22

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which seems to be the default DirectX version for Win98 SE

Win 98 SE default DX version is 6.1.

I must be some kind of standard: the anonymous gangbanger of the 21st century.

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