Using x800 Pro to its full potential.

JokerRJA · Jan 9, 2005, 10:49 PM

Hi, I have an x800 Pro, and my system has a P4 2.8 ghz CPU and 1.5 gbs of RAM. I'm not really getting the performance I should be. Especially in games like Rome: Total War. I'm using the Cat 4.12 drivers and I have tried all the drivers and I don't see any difference. I've tried those performance sites that are suppose to help you get better performance. I have Win XP with SP2 also. I have an Asus P4V8X-X motherboard. Help is appreciated.

me972 · Jan 10, 2005, 02:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JokerRJA

Hi, I have an x800 Pro, and my system has a P4 2.8 ghz CPU and 1.5 gbs of RAM. I'm not really getting the performance I should be. Especially in games like Rome: Total War. I'm using the Cat 4.12 drivers and I have tried all the drivers and I don't see any difference. I've tried those performance sites that are suppose to help you get better performance. I have Win XP with SP2 also. I have an Asus P4V8X-X motherboard. Help is appreciated.

1. run 3dmark03 and post results
2. run aquamark 03 and post results
3. run some memory bandwidth diagnistics programs and post results.
4. make sure your AGP is at X8
5. check BIOS settings and make sure appeture size is at 128MB
6. check BIOS and make sure your DDR Freq is at 400MHz
7. 1.5GB of ram means that you have a 3 dimm setup of 512MB sticks
meaning that your system has lost its DUAL CHANNAL properties....
dual channel only works if you have identical pairs of dimms.
in which case your much better of increasing to 2 GB or going down to 1GB.

you have alot of work ahead of you.
brgds
me972

nuG · Jan 10, 2005, 03:04 AM

for the x800 pro shouldnt you set the agp aperature size to 256 not 128?

also try updating your mobo chipset drivers.

me972 · Jan 10, 2005, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nuG

for the x800 pro shouldnt you set the agp aperature size to 256 not 128?

also try updating your mobo chipset drivers.

why?? the resuts of most polls in the aperature size they said that 128 is the best... but if you say so...
BTW can you point us to a test? or something that prooves it?

rgds
me972

JokerRJA · Jan 10, 2005, 08:23 PM

Yeah my aquamark scores are around 51,000.

nuG · Jan 11, 2005, 12:16 AM

thats not that bad

mkk · Jan 11, 2005, 01:32 AM

The Rome: Total War engine is a bit quirky, as in not being very optimised. Maybe the first major patch will make a difference, and it should be on its way out soon. If not then there are some different mod-patches that remove the glow around the firearrow effect that can take down the performance of any system. Other than that try juggling the different in-game settings to see what helps your system the most. I haven't run the game with an X800pro but I get the feeling that even with a R9800pro the game tend to get CPU-limited at the times when it really begin to slow down. Lastly, don't enable AntiAliasing in the control panel since the game has its own way of handling that.

me972 · Jan 11, 2005, 02:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nuG

thats not that bad

it is bad for an X800PRo.... he should be getting higher results..
I have a 9800XT and I'm getting better results...

keep doing the other tests I've listed and post the results..
we'll try to help you find the problem..

rgds
me972

Dark Lord · Jan 11, 2005, 02:34 AM

i just ran A3, im using an amd64 3200+, 1 gig of ram, and an x800pro

59,706 points

PolygonParadox · Jan 11, 2005, 07:59 AM

Cool, I get 40,000 in AM3, not bad for a 9800 NP. No tweaks, driver settings are "Application Preference".

JokerRJA · Jan 11, 2005, 08:53 AM

Yeah I still get the same scores. I tried your tests except the RAM one.

JokerRJA · Jan 11, 2005, 08:56 AM

Oh, and how do I update my chipset drivers? I've already updated my BIOS from asus.com.

nuG · Jan 11, 2005, 02:57 PM

i believe that your mobo uses a via chipset which the drivers can be dl via a 4 in 1 package at www.viaarena.com

JokerRJA · Jan 11, 2005, 04:53 PM

I looked in my manual and it said: Chipset : VIA P4X533
VIA VT8237

nuG · Jan 11, 2005, 04:58 PM

yeah ones your northbridge chip and the oter is the south bridge

JokerRJA · Jan 11, 2005, 08:01 PM

Ok I think I have updated them with the 4.43 VIA 4 in one drivers.

JokerRJA · Jan 11, 2005, 08:13 PM

Where do you download AGP Drivers for AGP 8x?

nuG · Jan 11, 2005, 08:34 PM

they are inclkuded already in the 4 in 1 drivers. The 4 in 1 stand for the AGP, IDE, PCI and chipset drivers that are packaged in it. hence, 4 in 1. you just have to make sure you choose to install them at the installation screen.

nuG · Jan 11, 2005, 08:35 PM

but actaully they have newer Hyperion 4 in 1 that work better with the new chipsets like yours. the 4.43 are retro drivers that are designed for older chipsets like the KT333 and 400.

JokerRJA · Jan 11, 2005, 11:38 PM

Could you please give me a link.

nuG · Jan 12, 2005, 12:11 AM

JokerRJA · Jan 12, 2005, 05:46 PM

I don't see anything.

nuG · Jan 12, 2005, 07:37 PM

yeah sorry my computer was being dumb
http://www.viaarena.com/default.aspx?PageID=2&Type=1

JokerRJA · Jan 13, 2005, 09:19 PM

Ok, well I installed the drivers but I didn't notice any improvements in framerate. I thought I really had a good system.

Well, how much would the Dual Channel 1 gig RAM help in performance compared to my 1.5 gbs?

me972 · Jan 14, 2005, 03:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JokerRJA

Ok, well I installed the drivers but I didn't notice any improvements in framerate. I thought I really had a good system.

Well, how much would the Dual Channel 1 gig RAM help in performance compared to my 1.5 gbs?

well you wont know untill you try...

the diff should be great..

JokerRJA · Jan 14, 2005, 04:54 PM

Actually, all it did was set the AGP speed to off.

JokerRJA · Jan 14, 2005, 05:04 PM

Plus, those damn Hyperions don't even support my chipset which is a P4X533.

nuG · Jan 14, 2005, 09:46 PM

now thats weird. try the Asus website

JokerRJA · Jan 15, 2005, 01:01 AM

Yeah they aren't there.