Problem with GTX295 and DF

[Az_]

Hello all

I bought a GTX295 this week to be able to use more graphic options.

Unfortunately the framerate is not what I expect it to be. Also I don't understand why the FPS is the same when I use the card with Multi GPU (SLI) enabled option or with single GPU enabled.

So any of you GTX295 users out there, can you help a borther out? :)

System Info:

Q8200
2 GB Ram
GTX295
Win XP

FPS: In player cities 45-60 (With all shadows "on")
Outside: Around 80-120 (with all shadows "on")

With one GPU or with two GPU's enabled, the FPS is exactly the same. Both GPU's do work since I checked their activity.

[-fionn-]

You need the latest beta drivers for SLI to work with Darkfall afaik.

[Az_]

That is what I did.

To be sure that the card is working right, I ran a few benchmarks with both GPU's enabled and without. The results were as expected, the card works fine and i get double scores with both GPU's enabled.

I am going to try out the 195.x beta drivers. Hopefully it will work but I am not sure...

[Dawgdoc]

That is what I did.

To be sure that the card is working right, I ran a few benchmarks with both GPU's enabled and without. The results were as expected, the card works fine and i get double scores with both GPU's enabled.

I am going to try out the 195.x beta drivers. Hopefully it will work but I am not sure...

This sounds very fishy, and TBH sounds like you didnt really run the benchmarks.

Enabling both GPUs should not come anywhere even remotely close to 2bling the score. It should add 10%-20% depending on the benchmark.

I would start by running standardized benchmarks (3dmark06, 3dmark05, etc..) in both modes and post screenshots. That will be a good starting point.

Also post a CPU-Z screenshot (download here http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php) as well as a GPU-Z screenshot (download here http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/)

On the CPU-Z program show the main tab, memory tab, and motherboard tab.

Also for more detailed tech related help this is a great forum:
www.ocforums.com

[Cloud Stryphe]

You need the latest beta drivers for SLI to work with Darkfall afaik.

Its not beta anymore. The official release already supports Darkfall SLI

[DwellerBelow]

Try it with shadows off, dual gpu may not help with shadows.

My 9800 can't handle the shadows at all.

[sc0r0wnz]

Doesnt SLI need vista + ?

[Jemal]

You need a better CPU and maybe a little bit more RAM (Depending on backround tasks. XP caps at 3.2 GB for RAM) to back up the power of the video card.

It's like cars. In $100,000 cars EVERY part is good not one.

Jemal

[Dawgdoc]

Doesnt SLI need vista + ?

No.

XP is more than capable of running SLI.

[Lumanil]

2 GB of RAM and Q8200 is really low. You are thwarting the GTX295 with such hardware.
You should at least get 4 GB of Ram. Better would be 8 GB and Windows 7-

[Dawgdoc]

2 GB of RAM and Q8200 is really low. You are thwarting the GTX295 with such hardware.
You should at least get 4 GB of Ram. Better would be 8 GB and Windows 7-

Only partially true, but not related to his original question of SLI.

Q8200 is a 2.3Ghz quad. A great CPU, but the Ghz are a tad low and its definitely bottlenecking your video card.

2gb on XP is just fine. You dont really gain any benefits by adding more than 2gb with XP.

[Rawr]

How does the 295 GTX go in Darkfall with everything turned up on full? I've heard issues with this card generally around microstuttering and input lag - does that happen to you on Darkfall with this card?

[Neg Malwich]

Its prob the rest of your setup bottlenecking.

My fps doubled to about 300 when i upgraded from dual core and 2gbs of ram on xp to a quad with 8gb's ram on 7. And thats using the same 9800.

[Xaphan(CH)]

as others stated your main problem is the cpu it's bottlenecking the 295. 2GB ram is a bit low but it isn't related to your problem. a solution would be to upgrade your cpu to a q9550 or e8600.

@rawr there is no microstuttering or inputlag with the 295.


regards
xaphan

[Az_]

Thanks for the replies.

I will get Windows 7 today and try it out with 4 Gigs of ram.

Another problem has surfaced... I get sporadical crashes and reboots now with the god damn GTX295, even its not under real load (Its temperature is 56-58 degree celsius). At the same time I bought an 850W PSU with 70A on the v12 rail. More then enough for that card.

So right now its quiet frustrating, that my old card did run more stable then this one here...

[o0Tiny0o]

I get sporadical crashes and reboots

Blue screens? I got lots of blue screens with the newer NVIDIA drivers (specifically the driver itself causing the BSOD). I went back to the 190 driver and haven't had one since. Maybe just a cleaner install was needed in my case but I've not had problems like it in the past when installing new NVIDIA drivers.

[Az_]

Blue screens? I got lots of blue screens with the newer NVIDIA drivers (specifically the driver itself causing the BSOD). I went back to the 190 driver and haven't had one since. Maybe just a cleaner install was needed in my case but I've not had problems like it in the past when installing new NVIDIA drivers.

My old card is a GTX275. I used the 182.X drivers with it, since it ran perfect. The 190.X drivers gave me issues.

With the GTX295 I "assumed" I have to use the 191.X drivers (Because of SLI support of DF, but on the other hand a 295 is not SLI). I have now two options:

1. Get Win 7 -> Does anyone here use Win 7 with a GTX card, and if yes which Driver are you using

2. Try out the 182.X drivers with the card and DF.

I don't know if there was a blue screen, because I was idle in game and when I came back to the PC it had allready rebooted. I think there is a setting somewhere in Windows XP which I should disable, so I see the error msg and Windows doesn't auto reboot.

[Xaphan(CH)]

but on the other hand a 295 is not SLI


Depends, without SLI driver DF will use only one gpu of the 295.

[Dawgdoc]

but on the other hand a 295 is not SLI

Yes. It is.

It is just SLI on a single PCB (printed circuit board) instead of SLI on 2 separate GPUs with separate PCBs.

Any dual core NVIDIA video card is not only identical to SLI, it is by definition SLI. Same with ATI dual core cards and crossfire. Just instead of purchasing 2 different video cards and using 2 PCIe slots, it is all done on 1 single PCB/"video card" and 1 PCIe slot.

[Az_]

Soo some infos.

I installed Windows 7 ($ QQ). I tried out the drivers

186.x
190.x

In general alone the installation of Windows 7 gave me an improvement of 35-40% in frame rate.

But as the poster befor me said, only one GPU was used by DF.

So I installed the 191.07 drivers which are the first to support DF and SLI.

Lo and behold, my FPS is now over twice as high as with Windows XP. It has increased around 90-120%.

Both GPU's of the GTX295 are working when being in Fullscreen.

I can't say a lot about stability yet. I will have to play around the weekend. As soon as I have info I will post it.

In general, the temperature when being idle rose around 8-10 degree celsius in Windows 7. I chose the performance mode in system properties and not only of the other energy modes. That might also be a reason.

the GPU's are around 3-5% hotter with Windows 7. I disabled the automatic fan control of the graphic card and put it at 70%. The reason for that is that my Case is not very heat efficient. If I keep it on auto the CPU cores will go to around 68 degree celsius which is OK but I rather keep it save.

So far I can say the installation of DF was not a problem. I copied the big files from the old Data directory into the fresh installation Data diectory. I had to patch the lobby. Also I copied the xml files which are related to the character into the "0" directory after logging in the first time.

[ElricMelnibone]

Am I missing something why is the GTX295 scoring so much lower than the GTX285 on the benchmark results?

http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/high_end_gpus.html

[Xaphan(CH)]

Am I missing something why is the GTX295 scoring so much lower than the GTX285 on the benchmark results?

http://www.videocardbenchmark.net/high_end_gpus.html

G3D Mark ?!? what the hell neverheard of it, if you want solid benchmarks check 3DMark06 or Vantage Results :

http://www.guru3d.com/article/inno3d-geforce-gtx295-ichill-liquid-cooled-review/17