Video Card Thread (Mostly Gecube x1950xt)

No, the aperture size means the GPU can't handle enough of its memory. Try and change it to 256MB.

 

Where do I change that?
Wouldn't you mean less since it can't handle enough memory?

 

No, by having a low aperture size you're causing the card to not handle all of it's memory. By putting it to 256 the card can work properly.

 

Oh, I got it wrong, I thought you meant changing the memory to 256 and not the aperture .

But where can I change that then, in the BIOS too or in the Control Panel somewhere?

 

I guess limiting the arpature size is kinda like bottlenecking the memory. I had a 6800GS 512mb csrd before this card, and the arpature will only go up to 256mb in my BIOS (that's where you change it)

Since I have a ASUS mobo, I just went to their site and searched for the name of my mobo, and the site automatically searches for the newest drivers, so I found a beta driver for my BIOS, downloaded it and then installed it using a program called ASUS update.

So basically updating the BIOS is really simple.

One other thing is that once you update the bios, you have to redo all of you settings, like set the default boot device priority etc.

I'm running drivers from the web site, not the cd.

 

As far as I know, AGP aperture can only go as high as 256MB, which is why the X1950XT is 256MB.

 

Ah, finally I see the reason why it didn't come in 512mb!
On the other side I thought about almost the same thing, but I guess it's clear.

Yeah, I also just found a page from 2002 explaining how to change an aperture for an older system from around the same time I guess.
It also says it will change the size when you update the BIOS by seeing what size your card is.
So that would immediately be taken care of if other BIOSes react the same.

Then I guess I should be taking notes of my BIOS' settings.
Since I wouldn't know how to set everything like someone experienced.
I've looked around the BIOS a bunch of times and maybe tried different settings for drives and stuff in the beginning.
But I wouldn't know what is right when and all that stuff .

Will they really not stay put with an update or can't be saved?

 

They will go back to default, you had best make note of what you changed. Unless you're an overclocker, you won't have changed much. Boot order is probably all you should need to change.

 

All I'm actually worried about is if the computer will still start and things will still work.
I know I haven't messed with Voltages and things like that.

 

In that case you should be fine.

 

Kool, alright I'll fist see if perhaps the larger aperture-setting isn't already available.
Maybe if I can change it that it might actually help, or else I will try a BIOS-update.
I guess it should be updated anyways?

 

Not necessarily Some people go for every BIOS update that comes out, but I stick with stock and usually do alright, I'd say only change if you have to. There have been too many dodgy BIOSes for it to be worth doing on a regular basis.

 

Okay, yeah I'm not sure which one this is, might be just stock, small chance it's not.
Since this computer came from a colleague of my dad and it was simply formatted (fresh Windows install etc.) and sold to us as it was.
Also didn't get any manual or CD, just some burned ones with I think Windows and other applications.
I got a valid Windows-key from someone else though lol!

So I'll check the BIOS right now...



Edit:
I can't find a thing AGP-related in the BIOS.
I did however find the BIOS-version which is just the first one (F1).
On the official website it says first release, but then I don't know if they mean the first update or just the very first version.
The latest version is only from August 22nd 2005...
http://www.gigabyte.eu/Support/Moth...&ProductID=1759&ProductName=GA-8IPE1000 Pro-G


Update:
I searched for how to set the aperture-size and I had to press CTRL+F1 in the main BIOS menu to show the hidden menu or features rather.
So I set it to 256, but unfortunately I don't notice much difference .
Maybe some smoother performance, but no higher performance as in high framerates and such.
It could also have been because I put the textures in BF2142 on Medium this time making it a bit smoother, I'm not sure.

Or did I have to put the aperture on 0? Which I doubt...
But would it help to reinstall the drivers again with these aperture-settings?

 

So now I want to see what happens when I've updated the BIOS.
I think I found a guide in the motherboard's PDF-manual and it claims to be easier than usual using something called Q-Flash.

But, I was like "crap", because it says I need to put the BIOS-file(s) on a floppy, but I might have some floppies, only not the god forgiven floppy-drive.
However, I do have a card-reader, so could I use an SD-card to flash the BIOS?

I'll have to do this the modern way somehow, or else pull the floppy-drive out of an older Compaq Pentium 3 and see to connect it to this one...
Which would obviously be a lot more of a hassle.

 

You may be able to do it off a bootable CD-ROM, but that's not guaranteed. You won't be able to use a memory card I'm afraid.

 

Yeah, they told me I could do it with a CD-ROM when I asked it somewhere else like months ago.

But ahm, man, they should really replace FDDs with those card-readers or something, or flash-drives, anything non-floppy.
If they haven't already, this motherboard is from around 2004 so I don't know about newer ones.
And this one asks specifically for floppies I think.

I believe I also read somewhere you could use a flash/memory-stick, which I have.
But I thought then you'd have to use @BIOS or something, which was not recommended because people had problems with it.

Well, I'll be looking for an FDD in the attic, I believe I have a nice cable for it somewhere.
With bright green sleeving around it XD .

Btw, would I have to put some specific settings for the FDD?
I guess I could add a FDD in the BIOS, but I mean that would be enough to flash?

 

There's a floppy drive in my PC, and it also has a nioce red braided cable, but is it attached? nope!

 

Lol yeah, there wasn't one in ours when we bought it used, and we didn't even bother to get another one.

You know... I don't quite understand that you can't just install BIOS' in Windows or else type in a directory in the BIOS instead of choosing to call it from a floppy.

Might be a DOS or safety thing, but it sooner or later has to go.
I understood that DOS will be gone when "Vienna" is out?
Because of a 64bit processor thing I believe.
Well, all I know is that then there will only be 64bit processors supported, and people with C2D will be kinda stuck with it.

That will be the next system for me, 64bit Intel CPU with "Vienna" and hopefully flash-drives and an OLED-screen.
What else was new... oh yeah, HD-DVD and... hmm, a GeForce 9800GTX with DirectX10 of course.
Maybe 11 by then (2009/2010)?

*dream*drool*

 

I guess limiting the arpature size is kinda like bottlenecking the memory. I had a 6800GS 512mb csrd before this card, and the arpature will only go up to 256mb in my BIOS (that's where you change it)

Since I have a ASUS mobo, I just went to their site and searched for the name of my mobo, and the site automatically searches for the newest drivers, so I found a beta driver for my BIOS, downloaded it and then installed it using a program called ASUS update.

So basically updating the BIOS is really simple.

One other thing is that once you update the bios, you have to redo all of you settings, like set the default boot device priority etc.

I'm running drivers from the web site, not the cd.

 

Btw dinc, that geforce 9 series card will probably have dx10.5 or dx11. I don't think nvidia will be coming out with a new series of cards for a while since they just released the 8 series cards.