putwig

Ok guys, I am totally new to ATI gear (I figured I had better take the plunge after 18 months of recommending their products).

The cards games great with the limited testing I have done. The 3DMark scores are right about where I would expect considering my mobo is quite dated, and AGP4X as well. I get just below 15000 in '01 and about 5400 in '03.

Here is the question. In the "high polygon tests", which are the dragon merry-go-rounds, there are many strange artifacts. The roof of the carousel is missing many triangle shapes, and the two tents flanking the carousel are missing triangles as well.

I know that description sucks, but 3DMark does not appear to allow screen shots.

I have tested the problem with both the 3.7 and 3.10 catalyst drivers.

Anyone have any thoughts?

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AntiM

Sounds like what happens if you overclock to far. Is the PCI bus overclocked at all? I had good luck with overclocking the PCI bus with my Nvidia card on that board but I don't know if the ATI would do as well. Wouldn't really explain why it only happens there though. Video shadowing off? Bios cacheing off? Have you backed off the fsb and tried? Could just be a bad texture file. Reinstall '01?

Just throwing stuff out there, I haven't got a clue.

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neotheducky

Are you overclocking anything? I would say go back to stocks and see if it still happens. If it still is happening after that, I would say you might have a bad card, cause it shouldnt be dropping objects like that.

putwig

Well, the processor is overclocked, and the board lacks pci/agp locking. But, I turned the oc down to 166 (from 180) which should give me a perfect 5:2:1 divider and got the same artifact. I will try it bone stock.

Also, the polygon test looks identical in both 3DMark'01 SE and 3DMark'01 Original. So, I doubt the file is corrupt.

It is really strange, as it is really just the one test on the one benchmark. The games are perfect, and AquaMark and 3DMark'03 were flawless. That at least makes me confident that the card itself is ok, I bought it used off a forum ...... if it were fubar, I'd be fubar!

I uninstalled the Detonators (from the GF4), but I could not get Detonator-RIP to run, so likely not a clean uninstall. Also, the DX9 install made the GPU switch. So, I could always try a format and re-install.

Quote: Originally Posted by AntiM Sounds like what happens if you overclock to far. Is the PCI bus overclocked at all? I had good luck with overclocking the PCI bus with my Nvidia card on that board but I don't know if the ATI would do as well.

Funny you should mention that. I had to turn my FSB down to 176 (from 180). The Radeon just won't do it.

Thanks for the suggestions guys! Keep them coming.

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Arkangyl

I get alot of crap in the Rhino and Elephant poly tests with my 9800np flashed to Pro...

at default (Pro) settings I get about 5800 marks (with 8x AGP)

with it at 420 core and 350 (700eff) mem I get 6100 exactly..

lots of variables though (as you know) like the system

I'm running;

Barton 2500+ @ 11.5 x 200 2.3ghz
512mb PC-2700 mem (PNYrunning at 333mhz)
7200rpm HD
Abit NF7 mobo

hope that helps

putwig

Ok, some what unsettling.

Turning the processor down to stock (11x133) dramatically improved the first test (not 100%), but had no effect on the second (with the glowing orbs).

Turning the proc below stock (FSB=100) had no further effect.

What are the rhino and elephant poly tests?

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radakast

Quote: Originally Posted by putwig Ok, some what unsettling. Turning the processor down to stock (11x133) dramatically improved the first test (not 100%), but had no effect on the second (with the glowing orbs). Turning the proc below stock (FSB=100) had no further effect. What are the rhino and elephant poly tests?

3d mark analyses your hardware and some tests that your computer wont support, it wont even try to test it. as for the missing pollys. my bull-crapping abilities would say that it has to do with bandwidth limitations that your 4x agp is causing. the hardware wants to render it, but cant due to a bottleneck with your agp bus. thats a very high polly model, with dynamic lighting. it could be something totally different,but im willing to bet that if you drop that beast onto an 8x agp, it will fix your poly problems

merry christmas,
Rada

putwig

******* UPDATE *******

Most importantly, as it took away a dark cloud hanging over the day, I have tested the card on my buddy's NF2 platform at both AGP 8x and AGP 4x. The card is fine, and without artifact.

Furthermore, his 9800 non-pro yielded the same artifact in my system.

I suspect that the problem is windows / DX9 / driver related, but so far I am coming up empty.

I got Detonator-RIP to run (needed the .NET framework).
I re-installed DX9, and re-installed the Cat 3.10 drivers.

No love.

I know I am starring a reformat at re-install of windows right in the face, and I am fine with that, but if I fire up that bench on the flip side and it is still FUBAR .......... AntiM will here me swearing clear to Phoenix!

Let me know if you have further suggestions.

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biohazardpc

Well hopefuly that takes care of your problem.. I know I am looking at reformating soon to install a new card.. Just feel it will be a better option and give me a fresh start..

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Arkangyl

The Rhino and Ele benches are pixel shaders I think, sometihng like that... lotsa people at Rage3D get artifacts on them but no where else and its considered O.K. there was another highly sensative program that they had that revealed alot of odd artifacts too... This is really more OC related but personally as long as games 2, 3 and 4 dont have artifacts (game 1 never does...) I'm cool with it...


On your issue though; to most people I'd say cooling but were talking about Put here so I'm gonna skip that one. Could be mobo inadiquecies, could be hardware conflicts... I'm assumeing that in the BIOS and in the Display Options it was set to AGP 4x, also make sure FastWrite is disabled, I know you don't support that if you don't have 8x... could cause problems... Also in Display options Vsynch and Trueform (under the "3D" tab) should be "always off" (VSynch can be app pref.) with "Texture Pref" and "Mipmap" always on... I know this might have been done but hey, its a checklist of stuff right?

If everything is as prior mentioned I'd unfortunatly call it either a mobo thats too old (what mobo BTW?) or a conflict somewhere. Mind giving us a full system rundown I know you got a JIUHB but beyond that... please mention any add on cards. I'm also going to assume you're PSU's got plenty o room, then again if that were an issue you'd see constant crashes...


I think someone already gave an explanation for skipping the Rhino test, WNR...

putwig

Quote: Originally Posted by Arkangyl On your issue though; to most people I'd say cooling but were talking about Put here so I'm gonna skip that one. Could be mobo inadiquecies, could be hardware conflicts... I'm assumeing that in the BIOS and in the Display Options it was set to AGP 4x, also make sure FastWrite is disabled, I know you don't support that if you don't have 8x... could cause problems... Also in Display options Vsynch and Trueform (under the "3D" tab) should be "always off" (VSynch can be app pref.) with "Texture Pref" and "Mipmap" always on... I know this might have been done but hey, its a checklist of stuff right?

All of that is done.

System specs:

1700+ JIUHB DLT3C (currently at 11x166 with a 5:2:1 divider)
IWill XP333-R rev. 2.1
512 MB TwinMOS BH5 3200 (single stick)
9800 PRO (DX9b, Cat 3.10)
SB Live 5.1
Realtek NIC
QF 7200rpm 40GB HDD
Win XP Pro

My PSU is complicated. I have a 300W Aopen (Fortron, I think) running the mobo, proc,pci cards, AGP card. I then have a generic POS 235W running all my drives and my fans.

Before you say "Put, get rid of that dukes of Hazzard jury rigged crap and buy a real psu" ........... I have also tested with my buddies Enermax 465 and got the same artifact.

Any more suggestions? Anyone?

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putwig

Bump

In case any of you were waiting with baited breath ......... the format and re-install did nothing.

At this point I would declare defeat and say it is a mobo/gpu incompatability ......... the kicker is, I know several are running the XP333R with 9xxxxx Radeons and no concerns.

The next question is whether or not some artifact in one 3DMark test warrants an upgrade to NF2?

I suspect not (remember, the game play is flawless).

Anyhow, thanks for all the help!

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Wordbiker

Quote: Originally Posted by putwig Bump In case any of you were waiting with baited breath ......... the format and re-install did nothing. At this point I would declare defeat and say it is a mobo/gpu incompatability ......... the kicker is, I know several are running the XP333R with 9xxxxx Radeons and no concerns. The next question is whether or not some artifact in one 3DMark test warrants an upgrade to NF2? I suspect not (remember, the game play is flawless). Anyhow, thanks for all the help!

I wouldn't say that an upgrade to an nForce2 would be a sure fix...
I had similar and worse problems, as in 3DMark 2001 would lock up my system!
I'm presently on an Asus A7N8X-DX with a 2500+, 2X256 Corsair XMS3500 and a Sapphire 9800 pro, upgraded from an MSI Ti4200. With the previous card, i had a moderate OC of 180X11.5=2070 that was completely stable. Did a very clean removal of the old drivers and installation of new Catalysts...locked up like a broomstick in my spokes...
I went slowly down to stock CPU speeds and all was well. Haven't touched it since as it plays games flawlessly. It wasn't heat in my case either, as my temps top out at 35C loaded. Eventually I'll bump it up again....I'm just enjoying not crashing my system for a while...

Highperf15

Let me ask....is your AGP slot set to 8x???

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Highperf15

Mine was set at 4x, before I installed mine. But when I installed my 9800 Pro, it went to 8x automatically. What's your PSU rated???

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Wordbiker

Quote: Originally Posted by Highperf15 Mine was set at 4x, before I installed mine. But when I installed my 9800 Pro, it went to 8x automatically. What's your PSU rated???

If you're referring to me...
Yes, I made sure of the AGP settings. 4X before, 8X now. My PSU is a 350W Enermax. All I'm running besides mobo, CPU, RAM and GPU is a single 160GB WD HD, DVD-ROM and a DVD-/+RW. OK, maybe more than a few case fans, but that should cover it.