Need Serious Computer Set Up Help

OK! After listening to what everyone had to say here is what I have done to my computer.Upgraded from WIN 98 to WIN XP. Traded in my old TNT2 RIVA w/32 MB for a TNT4 Ti 4200 w/128 MB.I am operating an Athalon 1Ghz with a SiS K7SEM Motherboard.My old config was getting me about 8fps with the sliders up all the way in Marias Pass. Now I am getting 12 to 16fps. Certainly an improvement but I was looking from much more after changing to a "better" OS and quadrupling the video card memory plus the other improvements between the two cards.Programs also seem to be very slow to load. I have downloaded the latest NVIDIA drivers today but they are not installed yet.All suggestions would be appreciated as I am getting very cranky and my wife will probably take punitive action against me if I don't shape up soon. Please help me save my marriage! She doesn't mind me playing back here but she draws the line when I come out in a worse mood than when I went in.Rick

Rick

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RE: Need Serious Computer Set Up Help, dgauci, Dec-06-02, 08:39 PM, (1) RE: Need Serious Computer Set Up Help, rfoss, Dec-06-02, 08:46 PM, (2) RE: Need Serious Computer Set Up Help, dgauci, Dec-07-02, 02:19 AM, (10) RE: Need Serious Computer Set Up Help, mailer_daemon, Dec-06-02, 11:15 PM, (3) RE: Need Serious Computer Set Up Help, chucksc, Dec-06-02, 11:32 PM, (4) RE: Need Serious Computer Set Up Help, rfoss, Dec-06-02, 11:35 PM, (6) RE: Need Serious Computer Set Up Help, dgauci, Dec-07-02, 02:17 AM, (9) RE: Need Serious Computer Set Up Help, NoMoreTrains, Dec-07-02, 11:01 AM, (13) RE: Need Serious Computer Set Up Help, chucksc, Dec-07-02, 06:35 PM, (15) RE: Need Serious Computer Set Up Help, LawrenceKellie, Dec-07-02, 09:02 PM, (17) RE: Need Serious Computer Set Up Help, JensChris, Dec-09-02, 10:52 AM, (20) RE: Need Serious Computer Set Up Help, LawrenceKellie, Dec-09-02, 02:42 PM, (21) RE: Need Serious Computer Set Up Help, chucksc, Dec-09-02, 03:04 PM, (23) RE: Need Serious Computer Set Up Help, chucksc, Dec-09-02, 03:27 PM, (24) RE: Need Serious Computer Set Up Help, LawrenceKellie, Dec-09-02, 05:21 PM, (25) RE: Need Serious Computer Set Up Help, LawrenceKellie, Dec-09-02, 07:43 PM, (26) RE: Need Serious Computer Set Up Help, LawrenceKellie, Dec-09-02, 02:46 PM, (22) RE: Need Serious Computer Set Up Help, rfoss, Dec-06-02, 11:34 PM, (5) RE: Need Serious Computer Set Up Help, mailer_daemon, Dec-07-02, 01:20 AM, (7) RE: Need Serious Computer Set Up Help, edwardk, Dec-07-02, 02:13 AM, (8) RE: Need Serious Computer Set Up Help, mailer_daemon, Dec-07-02, 03:24 AM, (11) RE: Need Serious Computer Set Up Help, HawK53, Dec-07-02, 04:05 AM, (12) RE: Need Serious Computer Set Up Help, rfoss, Dec-07-02, 08:00 PM, (16) RE: Need Serious Computer Set Up Help, chucksc, Dec-07-02, 10:01 PM, (18) RE: Need Serious Computer Set Up Help, hufpuf, Dec-07-02, 10:49 PM, (19)

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Hom much RAM do you have installed?
Is your HD 7200 rpm and ATA/100 or better?
When you installed Windows XP did you do a clean install (re-format and install to clean HD) or install over the top of Windows 98? What is the current Nvidia driver version your using?

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Hi dgauci,The NVIDIA Driver Ver is 3.0.3.0.Windows was a clean install.HD is 30GB 7200 RPM w/15GB free space.RAM is 384.

Rick

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You might want to try turning off Dynamic Shadows in the advanced video options, I got a large FPS boost by doing this and I hardly miss the effect, well worth it.

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Spyware? Do a adaware scan to catch any spyware that may be sucking up system resources.You can also try to catch which programs are running in background by typing 'msconfig' on the Run command and then select the 'Startup' tab.

http://koti.mbnet.fi/rogorox/

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If I had to guess I would think you are starting to hit the wall on what a 1Ghz Athlon can do.... Your performance seems in the same ball park as my Grandson's with a P3-933/512mb DDR and a GF3-ti200.....
Also your video drivers are way off...
current from Nvidia's site are 4.1.0.9Chuck Schneider
Chief Cook and Bottle Washer
North American Locomotive Works

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I just got the card in yesterday Chuck. I'll visit the NVIDIA site and download the new drivers.Thanks

Rick

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>Also your video drivers are way off...
>current from Nvidia's site are 4.1.0.9 I was originally recommending the 4.1.0.9 drivers until I found an incompatibility on my system between them and my DVD decoder software (Ravisent, kept getting a Macrovision error when trying to watch any DVD.) Removed them, went back to 4.1.0.3 and everything is back to normal. Everyone's system is different, just something else to check for.

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> Everyone's system is different, just something else to check for. I could not agree with this more! I have three systems, two of which run Geforce cards (one MX400 the other a Ti4600). I have tried more drivers with these systems than I can shake a stick at, and have found the best drivers for my setups are 30.87 with the Ti4600 and 30.82 with the MX400.All depends on the individual machine, I'd say.Ray

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>Chuck,
>
>Would you please reduce the size of your graphic in your
>signature. Currently, it is 256x128. Maximum size in the
>forum is 450x120.
>
>Thanks.
>
>Lawrence
>Moderator ???????????????
Same Logo since the forum started!Chuck Schneider
Chief Cook and Bottle Washer
North American Locomotive Works

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At the top of each page in the forum is the maximum size of the banner allowed. Please comply.Thanks.Lawrence

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Are you nuts ?
*Knocks to brain*
HELLO !!!1. The maximum # of pixels is 54000. There is no real limit to width and height.
2. His one is 256x128. He's using 32768 pixels, whereas you use the full 54000.
3. He's saving more space than you are.
4. If you want him to change his banner, you gotta change yours first.Jens-Chris

16 years old, from Germany, MSTS 3D Add-on maker and repainter ---- Jens-Chris ----

-- "Power for You" --

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I respectfully disagree with you JensChris. That is NOT what is said at the top of each forum page. If that is how it is to be applied, than that is what it should say.It says, "That maximum is 450 pixels wide by 120 pixels high, and not to exceed 25k." It says nothing about.My banner is in compliance with those specifications. Your banner is within those specifications. His is not.Lawrence
Moderator

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LAST EDITED ON Dec-09-02 AT 03:06 PM (EST)

That does it! I am done showing restraint as far as you are concerned! You don't know enough to drop it do you??? I won this argument on appeal to Nels on technical grounds and you lost and yet you persist in whining about it and misrepresenting the facts in a public forum! Game Over!
What part of "The object is to save storage space and system resources"! Do you not understand?????? My signature uses significantly less system resources to store or display then yours does. End of discussion and remember I support these things for a living and in fact am Microsoft Certified so I think I can speak with some authority. My signature is exactly 8 pixels too tall but is 194 pixels narrower than allowed. Do you have any common sense? Or do you work for the post office? I am more than compliant with the spirit and overall goal of the rules... And marginally non-compliant in 1 direction. Since there is an 8 pixel deviation out of specs in one direction only... In fact there is that much white space in the graphic which I was going to edit out in the interests of peace in the community and because I consider Nels a friend and he doesn't need to waste his valuable time mediating chicken $hit like this until you started whining...
It is my opinion that you are incompetent and a complete loss as a moderator and your failure to display any good grace or common sense re-enforces my opinion....
Go ahead and delete this post if you like! Since you don't have enough fortitude for an honest discussion and insist on an extremely narrow interpretation of the rules that has been proven to be wrong and misrepresent technical facts I expect that from you...
This board would be much better off with out your attempts at moderation....For the record I did not expect a waiver since I am a long time member and in fact merely argued that your interpretation was too restrictive and should be modified on technical grounds. Chuck Schneider
Chief Cook and Bottle Washer
North American Locomotive Works

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Let me apologize to the rest of you for letting this all hang out like this! I tried keep what should have been a purely technical discussion between Nels, LK and I to to the back channel. But LK went public and that really upset me! Espcially when he repeatedly misrepresented the facts....
Sorry Guys I won't even bother to talk to him or read his posts any more.... Chuck Schneider
Chief Cook and Bottle Washer
North American Locomotive Works

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I have no reason to delete the post, Chuck. You are certainly entitled to your opinion, and there is nothing in the post that warrents deletion.Lawrence

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Forgot to mention, Chuck. Congratulations on being MS Certified. I hear that is an extremely difficult certification to obtain.Lawrence

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Sorry for the second post. I do not like to edit posts.Further, the interpretation that you have is NOT the one that Nels has, according to the discussion he and I have had about this matter.Lawrence

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There are only about 12 items running. As for spyware, This set up has only been up and running for a week. While I may have some it would not seem like there would be much there already.

Rick

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You'll never know, these spywares slowly cripple your system bit by bit...

http://koti.mbnet.fi/rogorox/

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Rick,Windows XP is known to have a number of services running in memory that are not needed. There are articles online and even books that explain how to change the properties of the services. You may also want to look at the the drivers being used for your chipset. It's possible that you can find updated drivers for your board since the drivers that come with XP are from 2001.I read in PC Magazine that Windows XP creates a 512 byte cluster size when converting from FAT32 to NTFS. This happens when upgrading from Win98 or ME. I don't know if this happens during a clean install though.If all else fails, it may be time to break the piggy bank to get a new computer. Who knows, your wife will probably let you upgrade just to make you happy Edward K.

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There may be programs called Loadqm, and some other programs by Microsoft that take up unnessecery resource that runs on Windows XP. You may have to terminate all of them. Or better still, disable them using 'msconfig'.

http://koti.mbnet.fi/rogorox/

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Try here for some OS tweaking
http://www.techspot.com/guides-os.shtmlGreets Henk.

~Computers aren't intelligent, they only think they are.~

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Thanks for all the great suggestions. I have visited one of the sites suggested and it has some great information that it will take a while to digest.I have made some reductions on the sliders and I was able to get 16-20fps on Marias. Train-Sim would actually be enjoyable without the herky jerkies.I will look at my other settings and then start putting aside some $$ for a new processor. I have a K7 socket on the mother board and I believe that I can install a faster processor without having to change anything as long as I keep with a processor that will accept the pc133 memory that I have.Thank you all for sharing your thoughts with me. I value your opinions more than those of others since you are using the program that is the primary reason that I am going through all of this.Thanks again,

Rick

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LAST EDITED ON Dec-07-02 AT 10:03 PM (EST)

You actually might want to replace that motherboard and all....
For Instance
New Egg has refurbed Abit KX7-333 Socket A motherboards on sale right now for $45 including shipping.... This is a top notch board... I have 2 myself and it supports Duron and Athlon CPUs up to XP2600 Also uses DDR memory
Here is a sample of what you can do today...
Kx7-333 MoBo $45
Athlon/XP-1700 $65 Retail-w Fan and 3 yr warranty
512mb DDR PC2700 mem $150
So for $260 and reuse every thing else on your system you get get a pretty good system for simming and that is in fact overclockable also....BTW I am not pimping for New Egg just looking at their add in my in-box earlier.... And I have dealt with them in the past with no complaints from me....You can find them at...
www.newegg.comYou could probably sell your old MoBo, Memory and CPU on e-bay for about $50 and shipping costs.... I know you are gonna choke on that but it is about a 2 to 3 year old set and hopelessly obsolete for Simming....Chuck Schneider
Chief Cook and Bottle Washer
North American Locomotive Works

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LAST EDITED ON Dec-07-02 AT 10:50 PM (EST)

As long as you have pc133 memory in your system, that is going to be the choke point. Upgrading your processor isn't going to do much until you have ram that can keep up with the rest of the components....

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