Windows 7 64bit drivers + Geforce 8400M GS = very bad performance with shadows t

[poshbakerloo]

Windows 7 64bit drivers + Geforce 8400M GS = very bad performance with shadows turned on...

I have SC4 on vista, No problems. But now with Windows 7, I can't have shadows turned on anymore as it runs too slow. Also if I minimise the game, then return to it, the graphics get corrupted! Does anyone know which drivers I should use to fix this issue?

Its a 8400M GS...NOT 8400 GS (its a laptop)

[WC_EEND]

what CPU have you got, if it's a dual/quadcore add this at the end of the shortcut:  -CPUCount:1 right click the shortcut, select properties and it after the .exe file path
this will most likely solve your problems

[poshbakerloo]

I have an AMD Turion TL64 x2 2.2Ghz...

I've had it working fine before. It was just since Windows 7 64bit was installed (Was Vista 32bit).

[Rayden]

I don't know if you have read my posts about my graphics problem - http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=9399.msg295297#msg295297 - but I would sugest you check your Nvidia driver version number. If you have one of the 191 or 192 series of the Nvidia drivers, they might be the cause of that. At least for me it was.

[WC_EEND]

Also, since you use a laptoop, it's best to download all drivers from your manufacturer's website as some laptop manufacturers do not allow usage of drivers by the hardware manufacturers themselves

eg: if you have a Nvidia Graphics card, it does not mean that drivers from the Nvidia site will work (they can even corrupt your pc)

[poshbakerloo]

I don't know if you have read my posts about my graphics problem - http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=9399.msg295297#msg295297 - but I would sugest you check your Nvidia driver version number. If you have one of the 191 or 192 series of the Nvidia drivers, they might be the cause of that. At least for me it was.

I've taken a look, its not that. Its only if I minimise it, then return back to it, and even then, it only happens sometimes...
And the other issue was that it just runs VERY slow with shadows on, even tho it used to on Vista 32bit drivers...

[WC_EEND]

maybe a silly question, but is aero disabled while running SC4?

[poshbakerloo]

Yeah I did think of that, and have tried it. But it didn't do anything. The shadows issue I did have in Vista once before with the newer drivers, and rolling them back to an older version did fix it, but in Windows 7 the oldest compatible driver has the issue aswell! But the problem with minimising it is new to Windows 7 for me.

[westamastaflash]

I have similar issues with the GTX275. It looks like some kind of texturing problem which corrupts the screen for a bit. I have to move the screen around, zoom in and out, to get it back to the way it was before. Funny thing is I didn't have this problem when I was on windows xp...

[Rayden]

I have similar issues with the GTX275. It looks like some kind of texturing problem which corrupts the screen for a bit. I have to move the screen around, zoom in and out, to get it back to the way it was before. Funny thing is I didn't have this problem when I was on windows xp...

Exactly what I had too. Check this post - http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=9657.msg295637#msg295637

and this solution - http://sc4devotion.com/forums/index.php?topic=9399.msg295632#msg295632

[westamastaflash]

Thanks!!

[dedgren]

[cross-posted from the BSC website, hence the reference to what Rayden (Silvio) posted here. -de]

Heh!  I saw this post and Silvio's corresponding post over at SC4D after going through much the same thing.  I "upgraded" from 64-bit Vista Home Premium to Windows 7 Professional to resolve a work software compatibility issue (long story, short version is will work on Win 7 but not on Vista) and my copy of SC4, which I had to completely reinstall (along with everything else  ) immediately developed a bad case of the "I don't wanna's."

I received the "could not initialize direct draw" message, but the program finally booted.  It's interesting- it appears to automatically switch after grinding away forever trying to run in hardware mode over to software mode, as that is what my control panel settings indicated.  Not bad for software written almost a decade ago, eh?  Of course, I tried to switch it back to hardware mode and had to go through the whole travail over again.  Twice, because the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again while expecting a different result...

...mwah, hah, hah, haaaaaaaaaah!...

I finally dredged up to run dxdiag somewhere from memories located way, way back in a dimly lit corner of my brain and found I had no DirectX running on the computer.  I also figured out that, on this high speed low drag laptop, I was running "non PnP monitor" on a "Standard VGA video card."  A little metal label with sharp edges (voice of sad experience) affixed to where I rest my palms on the computer with glue from h-ll- I would tear off the bright shiny metal finish to remove the label (also voice of sad experience)- says "Graphics by nvidia - PureVideo HD."  I say (at that point), "Like h-ll."

So I then go through an almost three hour process of trying to figure out what nvidia card or chipset is in my HP Pavilion 7.  I quickly find out the nvidia "have us tell you what card you have" thingie on nvidia's website is worthless, as it showed every sign of, unlike SC4, truly intending to grind away forever, judging by the little spinning cursor.  Going to the HP site was almost worse, as I find out that there are about 100 flavors of Pavilion 7.  Mine ultimately turned out to be a "1023cl."  That knowledge finally in hand, I went to download drivers.  I finally discovered, btw, that my nvidia card (yes- this computer has a separate video card) is a 9600 GT/9800 GS.

I'm almost home, I thought.  Then, when I tried to download the drivers, it happened...



My computer told me the same drivers were already installed!

I looked everywhere in Windows for a way to get these drivers active.  It was like a "Where's Waldo?" picture without Waldo.  They have dumbed down the control panel (there is now apparently no way to see the "classic [read, "useful" -ed.] view").  I could not directly access the device, so I had no way to change its drivers.  I was smoking


"I guess I picked the wrong week to stop smoking"

at that point... out the ears.  The computer would not let me reinstall drivers that it claimed were already on it but refused to let me access!

I finally came up with disabling the generic driver and reinstalling the drivers from scratch.  I went down a couple of dead ends (actually, many, many dead ends) because if you don't have a video driver, well... the computer figures it better start up the generic one.  The d-mn driver was like a zombie- it wouldn't die, it kept coming back.

So, in the end, this post is pretty useless.  I don't know if my computer got tired or finally recognized my steely resolve to fight with it all night if necessary.  About the 10th do-over, it meekly submitted and let me install the nvidia drivers (which appear to be the 186s that Silvio referred to) without protest.

I booted the computer back up, fired up SC4 and...

...it ran flawlessly.  Seemingly faster than ever.  It was wonderful.  And, it was also pretty cool to know that, here we are with new Windows software that will have at least a 7-8 year run (if XP is any guide) and our beloved 2003 SC4 program can run at a speed we only could have dreamed of back then.

I'm a happy camper.  Just, SC4 Gods, don't ever, ever ask me to do this again.


David

[SC4BOY]

I know this is an "old" thread, but it is linked in several newer posts.. Wanted to add a note that may help some with the problem that Dedgren seemed to have. To change some (especially video) drivers, it often is advised to start your copy of windows in "Safe Mode" (this is normally accomplished by hitting "F8" several times while the computer is rebooting).. It should eventually pop up a menu that asked how you want to boot. You should select the "safe mode" version.. usually the one with or without networking support. If you already have the drivers you will need on the harddrive (which is a good idea before booting to safe mode), you probably don't even need network support. After you then install the new drivers, reboot. Hope this helps some.

This method may be different for some newer versions of windows, but it's been the same for at least 20 years... maybe someone will post if its different, for example in Win7

[[Delta ²k5]]

Nvidia released new drivers today (197.13) go try them! they fixed my problem with the graphics ingame. No more strains and softwaremode!

[Rayden]

I forgot to mention, I have already updated my nvidia drivers to the version before this last one without any problems like the ones I had with versions 192. Now everything is working fine.

[Jmouse]

So far, the new 197.13 driver seems to be working well for me, too. No more disappearing TPW, and no weird graphic displays.

*Crosses fingers and knocks on wood veneer*

Later...
Joan

[poshbakerloo]

Nvidia released new drivers today (197.13) go try them! they fixed my problem with the graphics ingame. No more strains and softwaremode!

Are they the mobile drivers? or desktop?

[Jmouse]

I have a desktop with a "1024MB nVidia GeForce GT220."

JMS