Graphics card upgrade didn't do much

[ChrisM]

I upgraded from this graphics card:

Interface Type: AGP 8x
Graphics Processor: Nvidia GeForce MX 4000
Graphics Core Clock Speed: 275MHz
Installed Video Memory: 128MB
Memory Clock Speed: 2x200 [400MHz DDR]MHz
Memory Bus Width: 64-bit

To this:

Interface Type: AGP 8x
Graphics Processor: Nvidia GeForce 6600 GT
Graphics Core Clock Speed: 500MHz
Installed Video Memory: 128MB
Memory Clock Speed: 2x500 [1GHz DDR-3]
Memory Bus Width: 128

And Still at heathrow with 30% AI traffic and most settings at low-medium with PSS A340 i am only getting about 8-15 FPS  What can i do to make it better??  Or did i just waste my money??

[Robban_Sweden]

I think that's a little strange...
I have the same graphics card, and I have the settings rather high and I get much higher framerates than that at Heathrow.
Well, I have twice the memory you have (1024) and a 3.0 GHz instead of 2.8, but the CPU shouldn't make a big differense. But the memory does ofcourse.
But it's still strange, because before I had an Intel Celeron 2.4 GHz with 512 memory and an integrated graphics card, not very good for MFS, and at about the same settings you have I had higher framerates than that anyway at Heathrow...
Could you write down all your settings, including the settings for the GF6600GT?

[ChrisM]

Ok, all of my settings

SCENERY

Terrain Mesh complexity = 51
Terrain Texture size = Medium
Terrain Detail = None
Water Effects = High (with waterzone installed)
Dawn/Dusk texture rendering = ON
Extended terrain textures = ON
Special Effects = Medium
Scenery complexity = Normal
Autogen density = Sparse
Addon Autogen = OFF
Sun glare = ON
Lens Flare = ON

AIRCRAFT
Virtual cockpit gauge quality = High
Reflections = OFF
Aircraft cast shadows = ON
Landing lights = ON

WEATHER
Sight distance = 60mi/96/km
Cloud draw distance = 40mi/64km
3D cloud percentage = 30
Cloud detail = detailed clouds
Cloud coverage density = low

HARDWARE
Device name = NVIDIA GeForce 6600GT.0
Target Frame Rate = 20
Display resolution = 1024x768x32

Hardware rendering options
Render to texture = ON
Transform and lighting = ON
Anti-aliasing = OFF

Flitering
Bilinear
MIP mapping quality = 5
Hardware rendered lights = 4
Global Max texture size = Medium

SOUND=Low

TRAFFIC = 32% (airline and GA)

GRAPHICS CARD SETTINGS
Anti-alaising = Applicaiton controlled
Anisotropic filtering = Applicaiton controlled
Image settings = Quality
Vertical sync = Applicaiton controlled

GRAPHICS CARD INFORMATION
Proccesser = GeForce 6600GT
Video BIOS version = 5.43.02.04
IRQ = 16
Bus = APG 4x
Memory = 128mb

I am running windows xp and have DirectX 9 or greater.

[Robban_Sweden]

Well, with those settings you should have much higher framerates...
I have to let someone else in on this because I can't come up with an answere.

[ChrisM]

Thanks anyway  If someone else would kindly advise, that would be good

[4_Series_Scania]

In your BIOS, set your AGP Appeture to 256MB, Disable FASTWRITES if its an available option, otherwise, Download "RivaTuner" use it to disable AGP Fastwrites instead.

Then, download new drivers, I use Nvidia 77.30 drivers which came with the Battlefield 2 demo, excellent drivers they seem too !

Ensure you removed all drivers before installing the current ones (even advisable when updating a driver for the same card), use Driver Cleaner to make sure its done right.

Rivatuner
http://downloads.guru3d.com/downloadget.php?id=163&file=4&evp=3dd4bb8da7a55799f2d49e3dcfc0e6aa

77.30 Drivers http://downloads.guru3d.com/downloadget.php?id=1092&file=4&evp=e679a9d8e69bffe058391cbb83ba049f

Motherboard driver updates can help, Intel drivers are to be found here http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?id=17

VIA Drivers are here http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?id=16

For other chipsets, Google for the correct drivers.

I have a similar spec PC to you, slightly slower CPU, double the RAM though, I have a 6800LE which is similar in performance to the 6600GT, I can copy your settings and get a nice playable framerate, 25+fps  @ 1600x1200 2xQ AA 4xAF
You should get similar results I'd have thought.

Hope this helps.

Paul.

[ChrisM]

Thanks for all ur helpful advice Paul  I went through everything and even went through a guide over at the avsim forums on how to get the best out of xp, but still to no avail .  I guess i did just waste 400 bucks  At least i can get workable frame rates with those settings at Aussie ports

[JBaymore]

Chris,

The grasphics card in fs2004 is only about 1/3 the story.

[rabu]

Ok, all of my settings


HARDWARE
Device name = NVIDIA GeForce 6600GT.0
Target Frame Rate = 20
Display resolution = 1024x768x32

Hardware rendering options
Render to texture = ON
Transform and lighting = ON
Anti-aliasing = OFF

Flitering
Bilinear
MIP mapping quality = 5
Hardware rendered lights = 4
Global Max texture size = Medium

GRAPHICS CARD SETTINGS
Anti-alaising = Applicaiton controlled
Anisotropic filtering = Applicaiton controlled
Image settings = Quality
Vertical sync = Applicaiton controlled

GRAPHICS CARD INFORMATION
Proccesser = GeForce 6600GT
Video BIOS version = 5.43.02.04
IRQ = 16
Bus = APG 4x
Memory = 128mb

I am running windows xp and have DirectX 9 or greater.

You need to update your drivers for the card... I also have a XFX 6600GT AGP8x 128 and it sails with 1gb system RAM and a P4 2.4ghz. Great video card and huge difference over my earlier FX5200 I got the card about a month ago and went on line and found the latest Nvidea drivers.. for me, that is v66.93, but I believe there are even newer ones.
Also be sure you have the latest DirectX (v9c, use your windows DXdiag utiliy to check everything out) and latest sound card drivers.  8)


Also, I just started using this really great, free (donaions appreciated and worth it) application that shuts down un-needed processes and back ground applications and then automatically starts your game, then restarts everything after the game ends. When I run it, the log file is showing that it saves me about 600-700MB of memory usage  :o and my games are no longer bogging down, even on higher antialiasing and anisotropic filtering settings.
See this: http://www.kensalter.com/fsautostart/

And this forum tutorial: http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=tweek;action=display;num=1115742165;start=

[rabu]

[quote author=JBaymore ...snip

Another "weirdity" with fs2004 that I have found.........

We assume that turning "down" settings always improves framerates.

[4_Series_Scania]

I think this is down to your systems configuration, ChrisM, run 3D Mark 03 from here http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=576

run the benchmark, and compare your results to mine, which you will find here http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k3=3849223

Upload your results to Futuremarks "Online results browser", then I can compare my system to yours, it may well give me a clue as to your problem.

Your current spec certainly should run FS9 beautifully.

Paul.

This Thread may be of interest to you, it worked for me..... http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/yabb/ ... 1114917120  

[JBaymore]

Chris,

Please post the MACHINE specs here too... not just the video card info.  I think that is needed to get the whole picture of HOW MUCH "off the mark" your situation is.

best,

.............john

[ChrisM]

Thanks everyone for your help

How come on the top of your post you say 8X AGP and at the bottom you say 4X AGP?  (Just grasping at straws.)  If you have a 4X AGP capable mobo... likely you also have a 533 fsb.  If so... the 4X and the 533 are likely the "bottleneck" in the flow of data.

I just wrote down what was there  (in the graphics card settings it says it is 4X, but in the card specs found here it says it is 8X)

My machine specs are in my sig, but i'll post them again.
P4, 2.8GHz proccesser, 512MB of RAM 80 gig hard drive. (if you want more technical details ask and i can give them to you this afternoon).

And paul, i can't d/l that Mark 3D thing cos of my dial up conection  I have a four hour session limit, so unfortunalty I won't have enough time

And i have the latest drivers for this card and motherboard

[JBaymore]

ChrisM,

Hum.......... sounds like you are only running the card at 4x.

[Jared]

Have you tried renaming the fs9.cfg file thus creating a backup then  running the sim again?

This should theoretically recompile the whole thing, there will be key assignments and other settings that will need to be returned to where you had them, but sometimes this will get rid of data about the old card and add stuff about the new one..

I'm just blurting ideas too, but if it were me I'd seriously consider the recompile as one of the main tasks after adding any hardware or removing any as well...

Just my two cents....