nVidia problems-For the love of god please help!

[Sp00d 0]

Ok...so here's the deal...got the game, been waiting 4 years to play it...ready to scream.

Here are my specs:

P4 2.4GHz/Asus mobo

1gb RAM (233MHz, I think)

WD HDD

*Brand new* GeForce 7800GS, running forceware 94.24.

WinXP/Direct X 9.0c

Arma ver 1.06 (and tried 1.07b)

Here's what I see after playing for a few minutes:

What's the deal? (And don't say the card is overheating, because it's not)

I've been looking for hours for a solution to this, played with all the settings I can find, and it just won't work. Please tell me someone has had a similar problem or that there is a fix...

Edit:

2 other things that I thought of...

-I didn't get this message at first, but after an uninstall/reinstall, I get a message saying something about not being able to find the arma.cfg.3d_performance file. I hit ok and the program still loads.

-I did at one time have the game running fine...it went for about 30 minutes without problems and then I exited to Windows to look something up...hasn't worked since. I didn't change anything between exiting and re-launching other than installing a joystick.

[-SWAF-Lunatic 0]

try a later driver version, those for the 8000 series are reporting fixes for the 7000 series in the changelog.

I take it your on Vista DX10, try the 158 series drivers, its worth a try.

[Sp00d 0]

Oh sorry...actually I'm using WinXP with DX 9.0c. I will try the other driver.

[-SWAF-Lunatic 0]

I know youve stated that it isnt heat, but that screenshot definatley looks like artifacts gained from overclocking.

Also try underclocking the card to see if that fixes it, if it does then your card is fubared.

[-Puma- 2]

test ur card on other games to see if it artifacts there too, if so

it's probly fubar like lunatic sayed..

[antagonist 0]

I'm getting the same problem, have no fears, it's definitely not overheating.

Intel Core 2 Duo E6300

Nvidia 7950GT, latest drivers

ArmA 1.07.5157

Hadn't had this problem until 1.07 beta.

Computer is cool and not overclocked.

Windows XP DX9.0C

[Maddmatt 1]

I had this problem with some drivers. I know it seems like a weired solution - set Vsync to 'application controlled' in your drivers. That fixed it for me. If you already have it like that, then try different drivers.

It could also be overheating.

[Sp00d 0]

Ok, I've tried a few different drivers...the one that shipped with the card, and two different ones from the nVidia site. I have tried another game with no problems, I *highly* doubt it's overheating...the utility thingie says its at 50-55 deg C. Shutdown temp is 115C. Nothing on my machine is overclocked. I will try underclocking and the Vsync thing next.

[Sp00d 0]

Neither forcing Vsync off nor letting the application control it worked...I am going to swap cards with my roommate and see if that helps, he has a 7600.

[vipermaul 246]

I got the same problem using my brand new 7800 GS. But the following fixed it.

- I took out the card and reseated it good.

- Made sure I kept the core temp below 50 degrees according to the nVidia control panel.

- I did a complete uninstall sweep of all old drivers.

- Installed the new official 94.24

I am sure there are other things I did. But I don't have time to share them all. But these are the key things I believe.

And 1.05 and 1.07b2 are working fine for me. FINALLY.

But if your graphics card has bad memory then you might have to return it back to the dealer for a new one. So far I am lucky.

[Sp00d 0]

I think the card is fine...I just tried my roommate's 7600 GS and it did the same thing.

Vipermaul: What are some of the other things you tried? I am running those same drivers, have cleared and reinstalled them before, and have also un/reinstalled the game.

[Maddmatt 1]

Neither forcing Vsync off nor letting the application control it worked...I am going to swap cards with my roommate and see if that helps, he has a 7600.

I never said force Vsync off, I said set it to 'application controlled'. Forcing it off is what caused those problems for me.

If all else fails, revert to the 93.71 drivers. Those have been the most stable for me.

[Sp00d 0]

I know you didn't say that...I saw it somewhere else. I tried both though.

I just tried another driver...Quadro 160.02...which worked for about 30 minutes, until I exited the game. When I launched the game again, I had the artifacts back again. The ONLY thing I changed was adding my joystick.

[Vassago 0]

Poly spikes. Nasty bugggers. We saw them a lot when developing on PS2. Seemed to happen when we fractured video memory. My guess is that it's certainly vid card related.

Take these EXACT steps. Don't deviate at all.

- Download & install Driver Cleaner, if you don't already have it

- Uninstall video drivers using Add/Remove programs

- Reboot

- Run Driver cleaner and run the "nVidia" filter

- Install your drivers

- Reboot

Try that, and see if you're still having the problem

[vilas 477]

i hope to fix for HDR or Nvidia

when AI man in white shirt comes to me, all darkers

when man in black shirt (Police) is near me, all brighter

when rifle fire, all darkes

i go to shadow of building and all became so bright althought my precision is set to 16

HDR is pulsing like some kind of stroboscope on disco :/

for me most problematic is this horrible annoying HDR

HDR issue 2

[Sp00d 0]

Poly spikes. Nasty bugggers. We saw them a lot when developing on PS2. Seemed to happen when we fractured video memory. My guess is that it's certainly vid card related.

Take these EXACT steps. Don't deviate at all.

- Download & install Driver Cleaner, if you don't already have it

- Uninstall video drivers using Add/Remove programs

- Reboot

- Run Driver cleaner and run the "nVidia" filter

- Install your drivers

- Reboot

Try that, and see if you're still having the problem

Ok...did that, also used the ATI filter (my previous card was ATI and I think it left some files behind.

Here goes...

...and...fail.

Good suggestions, and now I know what the damn things are called. Any other ideas before I cut my losses, return the $200 card and throw the game out the window?

[simonwa1 0]

Hey!

Had the same problem with my Radeon X1950 Pro. Just try what i tried. Reinstall windows...in most cases thats the universal solution for everything!! And on the other side, its always nice to have a clean windows install. I did'nt thought it would help me,,, but it did.

[SilverSteel 0]

I had the exact problems aswell.

I use a 7950gt PCIe

but here comes the weird stuff i had to lower my agp aperture size in the bios to fix the problem. My card has 512MB VRAM and i had to set the agp aperture size to 128MB.

Now I use a Mobo with an agp and a pcie port, but i can't tell you why I had to set something for the agp port to run my pcie card perfectly!  

I had the problems with every driver, but now it's gone!

[Sp00d 0]

Hey!

Had the same problem with my Radeon X1950 Pro. Just try what i tried. Reinstall windows...in most cases thats the universal solution for everything!! And on the other side, its always nice to have a clean windows install. I did'nt thought it would help me,,, but it did.

I've been debating doing this...I need to find my copy of WinXP though...seems to be missing.

[Sp00d 0]

I had the exact problems aswell.

I use a 7950gt PCIe

but here comes the weird stuff i had to lower my agp aperture size in the bios to fix the problem. My card has 512MB VRAM and i had to set the agp aperture size to 128MB.

Now I use a Mobo with an agp and a pcie port, but i can't tell you why I had to set something for the agp port to run my pcie card perfectly!

I had the problems with every driver, but now it's gone!

Mine is 256mb...I think I've tried both 64 and 128 for the aperture size. Also tried fast write on/off.

[Sp00d 0]

Ok, I think I got it working...will post details tomorrow...must go to bed...very happy.

[vipermaul 246]

Tomorrow is here and and almost gone.

Let us know. Many of us are waiting.

I have discovered that I have not completely solved my issue yet.

[Sp00d 0]

Crap...I'm sorry been busy with work and job searching.

Ok...first, the setting I changed was "Enable write combining."

Right click on desktop > Properties > Settings tab > Advanced > Troubleshoot tab...it's down at the bottom.

I found it on another forum:

http://forums.nvidia.com/lofiversion/index.php?t27613.html

Look about halfway down the thread, and there's other good info in there too.

BIG thanks to Vassago for naming the problem...it made it a LOT easier to search for more info.

So far I've played the game for about 3+ hours in two different 'sessions' without the problem appearing (well, it did once for about 2 seconds...just one spike, then it went away).

Hope that helps!!!

[vipermaul 246]

So far your find has fixed it for me. One sure fire way for me to duplicate the problem is make sure I am on full screen with all my settings on HIGH and throw in the TeamSpeak Overlay and then almost within 5 minutes or instantly all looks like a scene out of the SuperMan's ICE Fortress except its all textured and colored and certainly not transparent.

So I read your link and specifically...

It could be power related, new video cards requre 450w all by themselves.

Or it could be related to the solution I should put on Macro.

Assuming you are in XP...

1. Right click your desktop

2. Select Properties

3. Click the settings tab

4. Click the advanced button

5. Click the Troubleshoot tab

6. Uncheck the "enable write combining" box

It's a common problem with the 7000 series. Its easy to fix under XP... don't upgrade to Vista. You can't solve it there.

So far as I can tell, it is a problem with running an 8x card on a 4x AGP controller.

If anyone solves the problem this way on an 8x board it blows my theory but I'd like to know about it.

The good news is that clearing the check box for "Enable Write Combining" seems to have did it for me as well.

Thanks for giving back to the community with this find. I will report back again after I have given it some heavy extended play on MP for hours.

Thanks again!!! I wanted to be the hero but your are Sp00d!!

[Sp00d 0]

Nah...I never would have found it if I didn't know those were called poly spikes. What I've learned through troubleshooting many problems in many situations, is that almost ALWAYS, someone knows something off the top of their head that ends up helping out a ton. 'Tis the power of the internets, my friend.