screen fLicker & jerky movement in screen saver mode ...

skaLuna · 06-02-2005, 12:39 AM

I have read thru the posts & have tried everything I couLd find ...to no avaiL .

My system:
eMachine 733i running WinXP-home (SP1) - nVidia GeForce2 mx/mx400 with driver version 7.1.8.9(updated 4-1-2005) - Envision7410 LCD monitor - Screen ResoLution 1280 x 1024 - CoLor quaLity 32-bit.

Have tried:
InstaLLed with my Virus guard (AVG), FirewaLL (Sygate), & Resident Guard (Spybot) turned - updated the nVidia graphics drivers to the newest drivers i couLd find (7.1.8.9) - uninstaLLed then reinstaLLed severaL times, aLways with my security programs turned off. With the screensaver instaLLed, I have turned my security programs off, one by one, aLLowing winXP to Launch & it (in screensaver mode) & it made no difference - even with aLL of them turned off.

It runs beautifuLLy when I Launch it myseLf - onLy has probLems when I aLLow winXP to Launch it in screensaver mode. To add to my confusion, I have a win98 partition (on this same computer) & the screensaver Launches with no sign of the probLem I am having on the winXP partition .
Any heLp wouLd be gratefuLLy appreciated ...
By the way, this screen saver is an extraordinary work of art - Thank you for sharing it .
kimberLee

feldon34 · 06-02-2005, 09:59 AM

Type Ctrl - S

skaLuna · 06-02-2005, 02:17 PM

Not sure exactLy what ctrL-s was supposed to do - but i tried it once the screen saver Launched & it had no effect. StiLL fLickers & jerks. Appreciate the response tho ...

06-02-2005, 02:18 PM

You might try limiting your FPS to 55 or less.

skaLuna · 06-02-2005, 02:36 PM

ok - tried Limiting my FPS as Lo as 40 - stiLL no change ...
I'm thinking that it must have something to do with the way winXP "handLes" its screensavers, since it runs fine in win98 AND when I Launch it myseLf in winXP - its onLy when i Let winXp Launch it in screensaver mode ...hmmm
Again, thanx - pLeez keep the ideas coming - i'LL try them aLL tiLL i find the one that werks

Jav400 · 06-02-2005, 02:51 PM

Do you have any other programs running in the background on the XP setup? Those could be the culprit. Screensavers have very low priority as far as Windows is concerned, about anything can interfere with them.

06-02-2005, 03:03 PM

It works fine for me in XP, but I always start it manually rather than letting it start automatically after "X" number of minutes. Do you have the latest drivers for your video card? Have you defragmented recently? Does your screen resolution match what you've chosen for the screensaver? Do you have vertical synch clamped?

skaLuna · 06-02-2005, 06:32 PM

Yes, i've Learned that screensavers are very Low priority in winXP, so i have shut them aLL down (the ones I couLd shut down & stiLL keep XP running!) - no difference, when the screensaver Launched it stiLL ran rough. Scandisk - deFrag - aLL the Latest drivers - brand new monitor - added nVidia card & downLoaded the Latest drivers for it aLso.
CouLd i get a bit of cLarification on this Last question (sorry, a LittLe dense today):
"Does your screen resolution match what you've chosen for the screensaver?" As in 32-bit versus 16-bit?
"Do you have vertical synch clamped?" What is this?
Thanx (again & again & again ...) - if nothing eLse, I'm Learning new stuff - isn't that what it's (Life) is aLL about?
kimberLee

Jim Sachs · 06-02-2005, 06:38 PM

Hit the "s" key to display the Aquarium performance info. Is HAL being used, or Emulation mode? What is the FPS?

Edgar · 06-02-2005, 06:56 PM

Do you know if indexing service is turned on?

06-02-2005, 07:36 PM

I meant the resolution you've chosen in the screensaver (in "Settings")--such as 1024X768 vs. the resolution you have your monitor set for, such as 1200X1600. I honestly don't know how much of an effect, if any, it will have on FPS, but it couldn't hurt.

Someone else can define V-synch better than me. It basically has something to do with allowing the photon gun in the monitor to spray out a full frame, line by line, before moving on to the next. Hence there is no appearance of tearing, and the animation runs more smoothly. Right, guys? Close?

skaLuna · 06-02-2005, 07:48 PM

ok - sorry for deLay. When i hit the "s" key this is the info dispLayed:
FPS: moves between 14.0-16.0
Res: 1280x1024x32
direct 3D HAL
vSync cLamp
N808.2.0.6418
Indexing service is turned off.
kimberLee
A pLeasure to meet you ...

skaLuna · 06-02-2005, 08:38 PM

In response to kLyntun: I have the screensaver set to "defauLt system resoLution"

cjmaddy · 06-03-2005, 05:59 AM

This may not help any, - but it sounds like anything is now worth trying, ..... so why not run Morgan's Screen Saver Restore Script. - It's worked for me in the past when there have been unexplained problems! - If you want to know any more about this script, do a search on the forum for restoreSCR.reg

feldon34 · 06-03-2005, 07:54 AM

Originally posted by skaLuna:

ok - sorry for deLay. When i hit the "s" key this is the info dispLayed:
FPS: moves between 14.0-16.0
Res: 1280x1024x32

A GeForce 2 is incapable of running the Aquarium at that high resolution smoothly.

Please change the resolution the Aquarium runs at to 800 x 600 and change the color depth to 16-bit. This is all done in the Aquarium Options panel (press the SPACE bar).

If you want to use the Aquarium in all its glory, please consider a GeForce 3, 4, or ATI 7200 or better.

drfish · 06-03-2005, 08:13 AM

Bah, I say!

A Geforce2 is more than enough to run the aquarium perfectly well at 1280x1024, heck and Radeon 7200 is really just a renamed Radeon 32MB DDR which was ATI's competitior to the Geforce2 back in the day... I've run the aquarium just fine at 1024x768 on a TNT2 and a Geforce2 MX400 smokes that old thing... For that matter, the Geforce2 MX400 is what's integrated in Nforce2 IGP chipsets and all the systems I've built with those (dozens) run the MA and GA demos just fine.

Edit: And if I'm completely wrong about all of that then I still know for a fact that my dad's old Dell that used to have a Geforce2 MX ran MA just fine at 1600x1200, something like 65FPS...

Edit 2: Besides, she said it works fine in Win98 and non-screensaver mode...

Jav400 · 06-03-2005, 09:39 AM

I still think that there is something hidden in the background of XP that is stealing clock cycles and making it jerky. If it runs fine on 98 then it should on XP unless something else is interfering with it from within that OS.

drfish · 06-03-2005, 09:41 AM

AFAIK it runs at idle priority regardless of how it starts... It should be exactly the same either way...

Jav400 · 06-03-2005, 10:17 AM

Nope, it doesn't. But thats not what I am saying. What I am saying is that if the hardware runs it fine within the 98 OS, then the same hardware should run it equally as well within the XP OS in a dual boot system, unless something within the XP OS is interfering with it. Its the exact same hardware for both OS, granted the driver versions would be different for the same video card to operate within the different OS's, but the hardware remains the same.

drfish · 06-03-2005, 10:26 AM

But she's saying it does work fine in XP when she starts it herself... Only when the screensaver timer starts it does it mess up...

If something is interfering with it in the background it would happen regardless of how it started... Unless it runs as a different priority (and from my experience pitting MA vs F@H that's not the case).

06-02-2005, 12:39 AM	#1
skaLuna Registered Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 12	screen fLicker & jerky movement in screen saver mode ... I have read thru the posts & have tried everything I couLd find ...to no avaiL . My system: eMachine 733i running WinXP-home (SP1) - nVidia GeForce2 mx/mx400 with driver version 7.1.8.9(updated 4-1-2005) - Envision7410 LCD monitor - Screen ResoLution 1280 x 1024 - CoLor quaLity 32-bit. Have tried: InstaLLed with my Virus guard (AVG), FirewaLL (Sygate), & Resident Guard (Spybot) turned - updated the nVidia graphics drivers to the newest drivers i couLd find (7.1.8.9) - uninstaLLed then reinstaLLed severaL times, aLways with my security programs turned off. With the screensaver instaLLed, I have turned my security programs off, one by one, aLLowing winXP to Launch & it (in screensaver mode) & it made no difference - even with aLL of them turned off. It runs beautifuLLy when I Launch it myseLf - onLy has probLems when I aLLow winXP to Launch it in screensaver mode. To add to my confusion, I have a win98 partition (on this same computer) & the screensaver Launches with no sign of the probLem I am having on the winXP partition . Any heLp wouLd be gratefuLLy appreciated ... By the way, this screen saver is an extraordinary work of art - Thank you for sharing it . kimberLee It's there ...i just can't see it

06-02-2005, 09:59 AM	#2
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	Type Ctrl - S "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

06-02-2005, 02:17 PM	#3
skaLuna Registered Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 12	Not sure exactLy what ctrL-s was supposed to do - but i tried it once the screen saver Launched & it had no effect. StiLL fLickers & jerks. Appreciate the response tho ... It's there ...i just can't see it

06-02-2005, 02:36 PM	#5
skaLuna Registered Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 12	ok - tried Limiting my FPS as Lo as 40 - stiLL no change ... I'm thinking that it must have something to do with the way winXP "handLes" its screensavers, since it runs fine in win98 AND when I Launch it myseLf in winXP - its onLy when i Let winXp Launch it in screensaver mode ...hmmm Again, thanx - pLeez keep the ideas coming - i'LL try them aLL tiLL i find the one that werks It's there ...i just can't see it

06-02-2005, 02:51 PM	#6
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	Do you have any other programs running in the background on the XP setup? Those could be the culprit. Screensavers have very low priority as far as Windows is concerned, about anything can interfere with them. Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection

06-02-2005, 02:18 PM	#4
klyntun Guest Posts: n/a	You might try limiting your FPS to 55 or less.

06-02-2005, 03:03 PM	#7
klyntun Guest Posts: n/a	It works fine for me in XP, but I always start it manually rather than letting it start automatically after "X" number of minutes. Do you have the latest drivers for your video card? Have you defragmented recently? Does your screen resolution match what you've chosen for the screensaver? Do you have vertical synch clamped?

06-02-2005, 06:32 PM	#8
skaLuna Registered Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 12	Yes, i've Learned that screensavers are very Low priority in winXP, so i have shut them aLL down (the ones I couLd shut down & stiLL keep XP running!) - no difference, when the screensaver Launched it stiLL ran rough. Scandisk - deFrag - aLL the Latest drivers - brand new monitor - added nVidia card & downLoaded the Latest drivers for it aLso. CouLd i get a bit of cLarification on this Last question (sorry, a LittLe dense today): "Does your screen resolution match what you've chosen for the screensaver?" As in 32-bit versus 16-bit? "Do you have vertical synch clamped?" What is this? Thanx (again & again & again ...) - if nothing eLse, I'm Learning new stuff - isn't that what it's (Life) is aLL about? kimberLee It's there ...i just can't see it

06-02-2005, 06:38 PM	#9
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,787	Hit the "s" key to display the Aquarium performance info. Is HAL being used, or Emulation mode? What is the FPS? Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

06-02-2005, 06:56 PM	#10
Edgar Prolific/SereneScreen Developer Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Norwalk, CA Posts: 513	Do you know if indexing service is turned on? *Edgar Tolentino* Prolific Developer www.prolific.com www.LifeGlobe.com

06-02-2005, 07:36 PM	#11
klyntun Guest Posts: n/a	I meant the resolution you've chosen in the screensaver (in "Settings")--such as 1024X768 vs. the resolution you have your monitor set for, such as 1200X1600. I honestly don't know how much of an effect, if any, it will have on FPS, but it couldn't hurt. Someone else can define V-synch better than me. It basically has something to do with allowing the photon gun in the monitor to spray out a full frame, line by line, before moving on to the next. Hence there is no appearance of tearing, and the animation runs more smoothly. Right, guys? Close?

06-02-2005, 07:48 PM	#12
skaLuna Registered Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 12	ok - sorry for deLay. When i hit the "s" key this is the info dispLayed: FPS: moves between 14.0-16.0 Res: 1280x1024x32 direct 3D HAL vSync cLamp N808.2.0.6418 Indexing service is turned off. kimberLee A pLeasure to meet you ... It's there ...i just can't see it

06-02-2005, 08:38 PM	#13
skaLuna Registered Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 12	In response to kLyntun: I have the screensaver set to "defauLt system resoLution" It's there ...i just can't see it

06-03-2005, 05:59 AM	#14
cjmaddy Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lancashire, UK Posts: 7,854	This may not help any, - but it sounds like anything is now worth trying, ..... so why not run Morgan's Screen Saver Restore Script. - It's worked for me in the past when there have been unexplained problems! - If you want to know any more about this script, do a search on the forum for restoreSCR.reg

06-03-2005, 07:54 AM	#15
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	Originally posted by skaLuna: ok - sorry for deLay. When i hit the "s" key this is the info dispLayed: FPS: moves between 14.0-16.0 Res: 1280x1024x32 A GeForce 2 is incapable of running the Aquarium at that high resolution smoothly. Please change the resolution the Aquarium runs at to 800 x 600 and change the color depth to 16-bit. This is all done in the Aquarium Options panel (press the SPACE bar). If you want to use the Aquarium in all its glory, please consider a GeForce 3, 4, or ATI 7200 or better. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

06-03-2005, 08:13 AM	#16
drfish the Doc Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Zeeland, MI Posts: 5,357	Bah, I say! A Geforce2 is more than enough to run the aquarium perfectly well at 1280x1024, heck and Radeon 7200 is really just a renamed Radeon 32MB DDR which was ATI's competitior to the Geforce2 back in the day... I've run the aquarium just fine at 1024x768 on a TNT2 and a Geforce2 MX400 smokes that old thing... For that matter, the Geforce2 MX400 is what's integrated in Nforce2 IGP chipsets and all the systems I've built with those (dozens) run the MA and GA demos just fine. Edit: And if I'm completely wrong about all of that then I still know for a fact that my dad's old Dell that used to have a Geforce2 MX ran MA just fine at 1600x1200, something like 65FPS... Edit 2: Besides, she said it works fine in Win98 and non-screensaver mode... I don't watch commercials.

06-03-2005, 09:39 AM	#17
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	I still think that there is something hidden in the background of XP that is stealing clock cycles and making it jerky. If it runs fine on 98 then it should on XP unless something else is interfering with it from within that OS. Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection

06-03-2005, 09:41 AM	#18
drfish the Doc Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Zeeland, MI Posts: 5,357	AFAIK it runs at idle priority regardless of how it starts... It should be exactly the same either way... I don't watch commercials.

06-03-2005, 10:17 AM	#19
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	Nope, it doesn't. But thats not what I am saying. What I am saying is that if the hardware runs it fine within the 98 OS, then the same hardware should run it equally as well within the XP OS in a dual boot system, unless something within the XP OS is interfering with it. Its the exact same hardware for both OS, granted the driver versions would be different for the same video card to operate within the different OS's, but the hardware remains the same. Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection

06-03-2005, 10:26 AM	#20
drfish the Doc Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Zeeland, MI Posts: 5,357	But she's saying it does work fine in XP when she starts it herself... Only when the screensaver timer starts it does it mess up... If something is interfering with it in the background it would happen regardless of how it started... Unless it runs as a different priority (and from my experience pitting MA vs F@H that's not the case). I don't watch commercials.