Rebooting problems?

starfish · 06-15-2003, 09:59 PM

I have noticed some flickering when the screensaver is running but more significantly it causes my computer to reboot, both when I exit the settings menu and sometimes when I use the window toggle. I have read about this in the FAQ but I am sure it is not due to any of the problems mentioned there, as this never happened with version one. <P>
I am using XP with a Pentium 4 processor, 1 Gb RAM, ATI Radeon 8500 display card.

feldon34 · 06-16-2003, 08:20 AM

Drivers Drivers Drivers

Please visit ATI and see if there is a newer driver for your Radeon 8500.

And please keep us informed if you have further problems--we'll keep finding solutions for you.

starfish · 06-16-2003, 07:30 PM

Thanks for your response and the link.

I got the latest driver for my card -- the performance seems better (no flickering or jumpiness after watching it for several minutes), but my computer still reboots when I try to go to windowed mode.

Jim Sachs · 06-16-2003, 08:28 PM

See if making the Aquarium settings exactly the same as your Desktop helps. For instance, mine is 1024x768x16-bit.

starfish · 06-16-2003, 09:09 PM

Ok. I have it at "default system resolution" and 32 bit (why are there two different settings anyway?) and it seems to be ok. I could have sworn I tried that combination before. Thanks.

Jim Sachs · 06-17-2003, 12:55 AM

In MA2, for each resolution there are two bit-depths available -- 16 and 32 bit. When I first started working on the Aquarium, 3D always used 16-bit, so I made the program automatically switch to that depth. Later, cards became available which could do 3D in 32-bit, but I saw no reason to change the program since there was no visual difference and 32-bit was slower and used more RAM.

When Prolific took over the programming for MA2, they added the option for the user to switch between 16 and 32. If your desktop is 16-bit and the Aquarium is running full-screen in 32-bit, everything is OK, but if you try to put the Aquarium in a window mixed into the 16-bit desktop environment, things could get ugly. The more sophisticated drivers can handle this, but not all.

06-15-2003, 09:59 PM	#1
starfish Registered Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 152	Rebooting problems? I have noticed some flickering when the screensaver is running but more significantly it causes my computer to reboot, both when I exit the settings menu and sometimes when I use the window toggle. I have read about this in the FAQ but I am sure it is not due to any of the problems mentioned there, as this never happened with version one. <P> I am using XP with a Pentium 4 processor, 1 Gb RAM, ATI Radeon 8500 display card.

06-16-2003, 08:20 AM	#2
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,938	Drivers Drivers Drivers Please visit ATI and see if there is a newer driver for your Radeon 8500. And please keep us informed if you have further problems--we'll keep finding solutions for 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

06-16-2003, 08:28 PM	#4
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,775	See if making the Aquarium settings exactly the same as your Desktop helps. For instance, mine is 1024x768x16-bit. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

06-17-2003, 12:55 AM	#6
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,775	In MA2, for each resolution there are two bit-depths available -- 16 and 32 bit. When I first started working on the Aquarium, 3D always used 16-bit, so I made the program automatically switch to that depth. Later, cards became available which could do 3D in 32-bit, but I saw no reason to change the program since there was no visual difference and 32-bit was slower and used more RAM. When Prolific took over the programming for MA2, they added the option for the user to switch between 16 and 32. If your desktop is 16-bit and the Aquarium is running full-screen in 32-bit, everything is OK, but if you try to put the Aquarium in a window mixed into the 16-bit desktop environment, things could get ugly. The more sophisticated drivers can handle this, but not all. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

06-16-2003, 07:30 PM	#3
starfish Registered Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 152	Thanks for your response and the link. I got the latest driver for my card -- the performance seems better (no flickering or jumpiness after watching it for several minutes), but my computer still reboots when I try to go to windowed mode.

06-16-2003, 09:09 PM	#5
starfish Registered Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 152	Ok. I have it at "default system resolution" and 32 bit (why are there two different settings anyway?) and it seems to be ok. I could have sworn I tried that combination before. Thanks.