kc8oye Posted November 2, 2010 Share Posted November 2, 2010 this machine has a pretty basic video card that's also fairly old now.. it's an ATI Radeon X300... the other day I had a really weird thing happen.. NONE of my 3d games would start.. they just crashed and locked the computer up.. Quake 2, Unreal Tournament in particular both times I tried to force the game to use "hardware 3dfx" XP (pro sp3) said glide2x.dll was not found.. WAH? the games seem to work ok using OpenGL modes.. I'm just wondering if this card even supports the old 3dfx? or if I've got a wierd software problem going on? any reccomendations on newer video cards? my machine is a PCI Xpress or whatever they call it nowdays (not agp) DXDiag.exe reports no problems either.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc8oye Posted November 2, 2010 Author Share Posted November 2, 2010 hrrm.. guess I found my own answer.. doesn't look like it supports "3dfx" Quote: The Radeon R300 (introduced August 2002) is the third generation of Radeon graphics chips from ATI Technologies. The line features 3D acceleration based upon Direct3D 9.0 and OpenGL 2.0, a major improvement in features and performance compared to the preceding Radeon R200 design. R300 was the first fully Direct3D 9-capable consumer graphics chip. The processors also include 2D GUI acceleration, video acceleration, and multiple display outputs. R300 refers to the development codename of the initially released GPU of the generation. R300 and its derivatives would form the basis for ATI's consumer and professional product lines for over 3 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc8oye Posted November 2, 2010 Author Share Posted November 2, 2010 Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 3 (2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.100427-1636) Language: English (Regional Setting: English) System Manufacturer: Dell Inc. System Model: Dimension 9100 BIOS: Phoenix ROM BIOS PLUS Version 1.10 A03 Processor: Intel® Pentium® 4 CPU 3.00GHz (2 CPUs) Memory: 3070MB RAM Page File: 692MB used, 3752MB available Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904) DX Setup Parameters: Not found DxDiag Version: 5.03.2600.5512 32bit Unicode I'm a little confused... MS calls it "DirectX 11", but it's only DX v9.0c!?!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amsterdam84 Posted November 3, 2010 Share Posted November 3, 2010 XP can only use dx9 I believe. Vista is dx10 compliant and windows 7 will be dx11. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc8oye Posted November 4, 2010 Author Share Posted November 4, 2010 mike: ahhhh ok. I see no reason to upgrade this machine. When I get ready to upgrade o/s's I'll upgrade hardware too. I'd love a twin P4 or twin 64bit AMD desktop my laptop that was stolen was a Turion x2 2.0ghz and it SCREAMED but first I want to find a new video card. .my Silent Hunter 4 game can only JUST run on this p4 3.0ghz machine.. and I suspect it's from the lack of 3d support, because I smoke all of it's other requirements. and I can't even run any of the new Call of Duty's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amsterdam84 Posted November 4, 2010 Share Posted November 4, 2010 You can build a pretty good rig for little money if you go core 2 duo. Even some of the Dell computers are ok as long as they have a spare PCI-E slot. I have an E6750 Core 2 Duo and I play Modern Warfare 2 no problem though I think I might be pushing it with the new Black Ops. I know SH3 runs no problem but havent taken the time to boot SH4 to see if that works. Suppose tomorrow is as good a day as any. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc8oye Posted November 4, 2010 Author Share Posted November 4, 2010 Mike... what I have now is a Dell Dimension 9100, but it's about 6 years old now. I know my dad shelled out a LOT of cash as this machine was bleeding edge at the time. i'll probably build my next machine again, but we will see.. like I Said.. my first goal is a new video card, that will blow a LOT of new life into this machine.. heck I haven't even filled the 150gb hard drive yet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amsterdam84 Posted November 5, 2010 Share Posted November 5, 2010 Your computer is using a Pentium 4 2.8ghz processor. You will be hard pressed to find many current games that will perform well on a single core processor. Thats only 400hz above the minimum for Call of Duty 4. The newest will requre at least a Core 2 Duo 2.66ghz processor. If that graphics is onboard in your computer, then upgrading it will help but ultimately you will be running an uphill race trying to get your computer to perform well with todays games. JMO Just looked at the Dell website and for $500US you could have a very good computer. Perhaps even overkill. Dell I built my first computer with a processor similar to the one in your computer now. After everything was installed and it was up and running I was out of pocket around $2500 and that was with a lot of used parts. That was a few years ago now. My current computer was built only using new components and cost me less than $2000. And unless your anal about what parts are in your computer, Dell is the way to go. I would normally wipe the crapware they ship them out the door with out but thats just me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc8oye Posted November 7, 2010 Author Share Posted November 7, 2010 Mike.. yeah.. this is only a HyperThread P4 isn't not even a true Dual-Core. it runs COD 1 and 2 like nothing.. so I think I can run COD 4 ok. I'm working on a 2nd boot profile for XP that boots with basicly EVERYTHING shut off.. even networking to free up as much cpu as possible to see if that improves SH4. I was looking at COD4's graphics requirements and my card doesn't make it. my Video thankfully isn't onboard. it's a PCI-X adapter. this machine HAS onboard sound, but _NOTHING_ supports it's 3d sound chipset, so I turned it off and added the Sound Blaster Audigy so I had a Creative EAX3 sound card Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amsterdam84 Posted November 8, 2010 Share Posted November 8, 2010 Just so you know, my old p4 3.0ghz with hyperthreading comp struggled with COD4. That was with a middle of the road video 256mb card at that time. Hope you can get it working. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc8oye Posted November 8, 2010 Author Share Posted November 8, 2010 ah well. guess we'll see.. i'll buy a really nice graphics card.. and if it doesn't work out, I'll buy a new machine. I was thinking about something with Twin P4's (4 cores total) and probably run windows 7 on it. either that, or I want an AMD 64bit processor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc8oye Posted November 8, 2010 Author Share Posted November 8, 2010 hey at least I had a small success tonight.. found a crack to take the cd-check off of COD2.. so I can play it again!!! I do own a legit copy.. unfortunately, the box with the original CD's in it got left in Michigan .. ungh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amsterdam84 Posted November 8, 2010 Share Posted November 8, 2010 I would still stress that you go to a true dual core vs dual processors. The P4 is not the best processor out there and hyperthreading was not a big improvement either. There is the possiblity that most software will not recognize a separate processor as well. Cod1 and 2 are both single thread processes so you would not notice anything there but COD4 is a dual core process though not sure if it would detect a separate processor. Likely it would not and with it running on a single P4, your back to square one. JMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc8oye Posted November 9, 2010 Author Share Posted November 9, 2010 it was my understanding that the o/s would make use of the dual processors and it didn't require an application to be aware of the multiple units.. guess I was wrong.. been a while since I've even seen a dual-processor mobo i don't know if it was Windows Vista, or the processor.. but my laptop was a Turion X2 64bit 2.0ghz machine.. and it ran circles around this p4 3ghz... is that just because it was a true dual-core setup? (32bit version of vista tho) it actually ran SH4 better then my desktop could! but it also had a slightly better graphics card.. which was part of the reason I assumed a new video adapter would help out with sh4,,, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amsterdam84 Posted November 9, 2010 Share Posted November 9, 2010 The software has to be written to make use of the extra cores. Because it takes time to do that, most dont. That Turion is indeed a dual core processor though it is also AMD. Same goes for the difference between 32bit and 64bit. The software has to be written to take advantage of it. Most of todays software is still 32bit. Having 64bit architecture is just futureproofing for most. Mainly, intense graphical programs like graphic designers make use of 64bit. My old P4 system is still running strong and replaced my parents old Celeron 600mhz Dell. For what they do, its more than enough. And in my dad's spare time he playes Oblivion. hehe I would love to get a new i7 but the cost to pick up all the components, new mobo, ddr3 ram, new videocard, HS, PS and the fixings is just too much for me. I refuse to buy from a store personally only because I like to know whats in my computer and I like to tinker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc8oye Posted November 9, 2010 Author Share Posted November 9, 2010 yeah I've built most of my computers over the years. my old k6-2 400mhz machine still soldiers on running windows 98se. i keep it around for a few old dos games that just won't run under XP. also have a couple of programs installed on it that I don't have the original install disks too anymore so I can't reinstall heheh. oh well. tho now that I've found "DosBox" I'm not really having any trouble running old dos games i've been able to play Warcraft Warcraft 2 Space quest 1 IndyCar racing II StreetRod II sadly, my install of quake 2 wasn't a full to the harddrive install so I can't get the no cd crack to work on that one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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