Is ATI Radeon X300 good enough?

Garek · 12-21-2004, 05:07 PM

Hello,

I just got a new computer at work (Dell GX 280) with a nice 20inch flat. The card that came with the machine is an ATI Radeon X300 (64 ram).

Aquarium 2.01 is running very slow, bubbles leave a stream, etc.

I have tried all the suggestions (changed video settings, updated driver, etc), but no effect.

My question for the techies....

Is this video card powerful enough to run Aquarium?

If yes, then I must have missed some 'tweak' somewhere.

If no, then I may have to live without my fish at work (or replace the card myself).

Thanks for any advice.

Tiny Turtle · 12-22-2004, 05:46 AM

Weird. I think a X300 would be well enough for MA2. Tell us a little more. What resolution are you running it at? Which driver version are you using?

Garek · 12-22-2004, 09:00 AM

I currently have my monitor set for 1280x1024 32 bit. Although I have tried different lower settings with the same result.

I am using the ATI 6.14.10.6990 driver dated 10/26/04.

I also noticed that under Device Manager / Display Adapters there is NOVELL ZENWORKS REMOTE MANAGEMENT DRIVER listed (for our network). I wonder if this is affecting MA2? (I did check on Novell's site and the driver I have (4.0.1.0) seems to be the latest.

feldon34 · 12-22-2004, 09:42 AM

When you press the S key in the Aquarium, what do you see at the top?

Garek · 12-22-2004, 10:02 AM

5.17 fps (1280x1024x32) RGB Emulation, VSyncCLAMP, 0303.2.01.504Wide, Monitor 1 :\\.\DISPLAY1

Jim Sachs · 12-22-2004, 10:47 AM

Well, you've got one heck of a system if you are getting 5 fps in Emulation mode. This means that your 3D hardware is not being used at all, and the CPU is doing everything. Run DxDiag and let it do the Direct3D tests. Also make sure that Direct3D hardware is Enabled.

feldon34 · 12-22-2004, 11:26 AM

Garek,

Your ATI Radeon X300 is essentially doing NOTHING except displaying a picture. The 3D acceleration on that card is lying dormant.

Start menu -> Run... -> "dxdiag" and run the tests as Jim said.

Garek · 12-22-2004, 01:54 PM

Ok, ran DxDiag and tried to test 3D...but it failed with the following messages:

D3D7 Test Result: Failure at step 8 (Creating 3D Device): HRESULT = 0x8007000e (Out of memory)
D3D8 Test Result: Failure at step 5 (GetDeviceCaps): HRESULT = 0x8876086a (3D not available)
D3D9 Test Result: Failure at step 5 (GetDeviceCaps): HRESULT = 0x8876086a (3D not available)

I have sent these on to ATI customer support, hopefully they can tell me what's wrong.

feldon34 · 12-22-2004, 07:32 PM

You aren't running Microsoft NetMeeting or any screen sharing software are you?

Garek · 12-22-2004, 08:06 PM

No. The Novell stuff is running in the background (icon in taskbar) to keep me connected to the network...but other than that, it is dormant.

Garek · 12-23-2004, 04:40 PM

Ok, ATI was unhelpful, just got a canned response.

So now I will try our campus IMT department (which are rarely helpful).

Is there something specific I can show them to prove that there is something wrong with the video card?

Can anyone suggest a diagnostic utility...or should DxDiag be enough for them?

Thanks again.

De Bobo Mon · 12-23-2004, 05:52 PM

I usually just 'lurk' here but I have a couple of suggetions. Under DXDIAG you should be able to determine what release of direct X you have installed... you can find out the latest here http://www.microsoft.com/windows/directx/

You might also see if the Unified Driver supplied by ATI will work for you... I would think the problem is related to, a defective card, bad or corrupt drivers or a DirectX problem... I know that is a broad statement but these are the things I would try. The ATI Unified drivers for XP (I am making that assumption are here CATALYST Windows XP 4.12 - Driver Download .

Good luck!

Garek · 01-05-2005, 04:14 PM

Well, I found the culprit.

It was that NOVELL ZENWORKS REMOTE VIDEO DRIVER.

Once I disabled this (since they never remote manage anyway), everything works perfectly....video card started using it's acceleration, etc.

Thanks for everyones suggestions & help.

Jim Sachs · 01-05-2005, 04:22 PM

Thanks for getting back to us with that info, Garek. It's a welcome addition to the knowledge base.

feldon34 · 01-05-2005, 04:36 PM

I don't know why all those remote desktop applications like NetMeeting completely screw up Direct3D even when they're only running in the background. Very shoddy programming if you ask me.

12-21-2004, 05:07 PM	#1
Garek Registered Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 7	Is ATI Radeon X300 good enough? Hello, I just got a new computer at work (Dell GX 280) with a nice 20inch flat. The card that came with the machine is an ATI Radeon X300 (64 ram). Aquarium 2.01 is running very slow, bubbles leave a stream, etc. I have tried all the suggestions (changed video settings, updated driver, etc), but no effect. My question for the techies.... Is this video card powerful enough to run Aquarium? If yes, then I must have missed some 'tweak' somewhere. If no, then I may have to live without my fish at work (or replace the card myself). Thanks for any advice.

12-22-2004, 05:46 AM	#2
Tiny Turtle is pleased Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Posts: 7,365	Weird. I think a X300 would be well enough for MA2. Tell us a little more. What resolution are you running it at? Which driver version are you using? Thanks to Morgan, Tiny Snapshots is up and running again with "Tiny Järvafält" as the latest addition – Go have a look and tell me what you think. "We knew the world would not be the same. A few people laughed, a few people cried, most people were silent. I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad-Gita. Vishnu is trying to persuade the Prince that he should do his duty and to impress him takes on his multi-armed form and says, 'Now, I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.' I suppose we all thought that, one way or another." /Robert Oppenheimer on witnessing the first thermonuclear detonation in history.

12-22-2004, 09:42 AM	#4
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	When you press the S key in the Aquarium, what do you see at the top? "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

12-22-2004, 10:47 AM	#6
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,791	Well, you've got one heck of a system if you are getting 5 fps in Emulation mode. This means that your 3D hardware is not being used at all, and the CPU is doing everything. Run DxDiag and let it do the Direct3D tests. Also make sure that Direct3D hardware is Enabled. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

12-22-2004, 11:26 AM	#7
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	Garek, Your ATI Radeon X300 is essentially doing NOTHING except displaying a picture. The 3D acceleration on that card is lying dormant. Start menu -> Run... -> "dxdiag" and run the tests as Jim said. "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

12-22-2004, 09:00 AM	#3
Garek Registered Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 7	I currently have my monitor set for 1280x1024 32 bit. Although I have tried different lower settings with the same result. I am using the ATI 6.14.10.6990 driver dated 10/26/04. I also noticed that under Device Manager / Display Adapters there is NOVELL ZENWORKS REMOTE MANAGEMENT DRIVER listed (for our network). I wonder if this is affecting MA2? (I did check on Novell's site and the driver I have (4.0.1.0) seems to be the latest.

12-22-2004, 10:02 AM	#5
Garek Registered Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 7	5.17 fps (1280x1024x32) RGB Emulation, VSyncCLAMP, 0303.2.01.504Wide, Monitor 1 :\\.\DISPLAY1

12-22-2004, 01:54 PM	#8
Garek Registered Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 7	Ok, ran DxDiag and tried to test 3D...but it failed with the following messages: D3D7 Test Result: Failure at step 8 (Creating 3D Device): HRESULT = 0x8007000e (Out of memory) D3D8 Test Result: Failure at step 5 (GetDeviceCaps): HRESULT = 0x8876086a (3D not available) D3D9 Test Result: Failure at step 5 (GetDeviceCaps): HRESULT = 0x8876086a (3D not available) I have sent these on to ATI customer support, hopefully they can tell me what's wrong.

12-22-2004, 07:32 PM	#9
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	You aren't running Microsoft NetMeeting or any screen sharing software are you? "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

12-22-2004, 08:06 PM	#10
Garek Registered Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 7	No. The Novell stuff is running in the background (icon in taskbar) to keep me connected to the network...but other than that, it is dormant.

12-23-2004, 04:40 PM	#11
Garek Registered Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 7	Ok, ATI was unhelpful, just got a canned response. So now I will try our campus IMT department (which are rarely helpful). Is there something specific I can show them to prove that there is something wrong with the video card? Can anyone suggest a diagnostic utility...or should DxDiag be enough for them? Thanks again.

12-23-2004, 05:52 PM	#12
De Bobo Mon Registered Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Tennessee Posts: 30	I usually just 'lurk' here but I have a couple of suggetions. Under DXDIAG you should be able to determine what release of direct X you have installed... you can find out the latest here http://www.microsoft.com/windows/directx/ You might also see if the Unified Driver supplied by ATI will work for you... I would think the problem is related to, a defective card, bad or corrupt drivers or a DirectX problem... I know that is a broad statement but these are the things I would try. The ATI Unified drivers for XP (I am making that assumption are here CATALYST Windows XP 4.12 - Driver Download . Good luck!

01-05-2005, 04:14 PM	#13
Garek Registered Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 7	Well, I found the culprit. It was that NOVELL ZENWORKS REMOTE VIDEO DRIVER. Once I disabled this (since they never remote manage anyway), everything works perfectly....video card started using it's acceleration, etc. Thanks for everyones suggestions & help.

01-05-2005, 04:22 PM	#14
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,791	Thanks for getting back to us with that info, Garek. It's a welcome addition to the knowledge base. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

01-05-2005, 04:36 PM	#15
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	I don't know why all those remote desktop applications like NetMeeting completely screw up Direct3D even when they're only running in the background. Very shoddy programming if you ask me. "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