9700 pro benchmark results-BAD!!

rameter · Feb 13, 2004, 12:38 PM

Ok, this may get long, but I really need your help. When I bought the 9700 pro (at the time I didn't know it was a Powercolor) I thought I would get better performance than my TNT2. I built a new box, fresh install of XP (SP1) and installed Cat 4.1. I played some games (COD, NFS Underground, MOH) and all were studdering and freezing. I made some posts around and finally got some advice to come here...

After reading some threads, I ran 3Dmark2003 last night. Results were as follows:

3822-3Dmark
238-CPU test

some of the framerates for these tests got REALLY low. Upon checking my system characteristics in 3Dmark03, I noticed that my AGP available rate and Selected rates were 0! I exited and went into my driver settings and under the smartgart tab noticed the AGP was turned off. I used the slider and moved it to 8 (which I dbl checked in the BIOS) and rebooted. When I went back to the driver setting, it was turned off again!! WTF!

I'm getting poor results from this card. Please help. System config below:

p4, 3.0 GHz
Abit IC7-Max3
512 pc3200 Corsair XMS dual channel memory
WD 120GB SATA
500w Aspire power
Emprex dvd+-Rw
Sony dvd-rom\cd-rw

running 1024x768
driver version 6.14.10.6414

Please help, I only have 2 days until my refund date is up (to send the card back).

Super Cheetah · Feb 13, 2004, 12:47 PM

Make sure that in your BIOS that your first display device is set to AGP instead of PCI, and then set it to 8x, also make sure that your buffer is set to 128 and then save and exit. Let me know how it goes.

rameter · Feb 13, 2004, 01:05 PM

ahh, yes. I believe my first display device is set to PCI (dumb mistake). All other settings are correct. I'll let you know once I change it. Would that have that big of an impact?

Super Cheetah · Feb 13, 2004, 01:18 PM

Yes it can have an impact.

toddsmack2k · Feb 13, 2004, 01:58 PM

What are your sliders in the control panel set at, Quality or Performance?

rameter · Feb 13, 2004, 02:15 PM

between perfomance and quality

toddsmack2k · Feb 13, 2004, 02:49 PM

If you want all the points you can get in benches than put the slider to performance. If you want to see games looking beautiful put the sliders to quality. In between is a good overall setting. Most people when benching for the numbers put the slider all the way to the left for performance. It basically just depends on what you are wanting.

Zebra · Feb 13, 2004, 06:56 PM

I want it good looking with high performance!

rameter · Feb 13, 2004, 08:03 PM

nope. changed the bios to display to AGP not PCI and still no Smartgart 8x speed. Everytime I reboot after sliding over to 8x, it turns it back off. This is frustrating...

~~Crash Override~~ · Feb 13, 2004, 09:44 PM

whoa I am seeing some bad info in this thread

some really bad info

First of all that PCI/AGP option in the BIOS should NEVER be set to AGP.

It should always be set to PCI for one reason

If you have to troubleshoot and AGP card and stick in a PCI video card guess what?

no video and no way to fix anything at all

Set the hummer back to PCI and no it doesnt make any performance difference

Anyone who tells you otherwise doesnt know anything about PCs PERIOD

Second thing is make sure that you have the proper chipset drivers installed.

That error is usually because something isnt installed correctly. Usually its the AGP Gart file.

If you want to do this the way that should guarantee no errors try this

Install Windows XP as a clean install
Install all the Chipset drivers.
Install DirectX9.0b
Install the Catalyst Drivers
Install all other system drivers
Install all items from Windows Update

That should ensure a good clean working system everytime