Hi Everybody!
Problem: Help OpenGL program works on Win9x but NOT on WinNTs (2000 & XP)
OpenGL program works on Win9x but NOT on WinNTs (2000 & XP).On the other Hand DirectX runs fine on both Windows platforms.
This post is a bit long, but please read and understand it carefully.
System Specs:
Abit KV8 Pro Motherboard
AMD Athlon 64 3000
Nvidia GEFORCE 4 MX 440 (Latest Forceware 81.95 Installed)
Creative Soundblaster Live 5.1
1024 MB (1 GB) DDR SDRAM (400 MHZ)
80 GB Hard Disk
Windows XP with Service Pack 2
This problem occurs on Windows NT Platforms (2000 and any XP edition) with or without the service packs and even with or without third party programs installed. (Cadence, Macromedia, Mathlab etc.)
This problem has bothered me for a long time… OpenGL programs are running with respectable frame rates (80 FPS and above) when using Windows 9x Platforms (95, 98, ME) but is running the other way around when using Win NT Platforms (3 FPS is the fastest speed I can get with OpenGL programs)
I need to use Windows NT Platform (2000, All XP Editions) because some of my programs need it (Macromedia MX Software, Cadence Engineering software, etc.)
DirectX on the otherhand, is working flawlessly.
Solutions Applied:
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NO OVERCLOCKING was applied on any device
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ALL motherboard drivers were installed prior to video,sound & external device drivers.
(Device Drivers: AGP, Chipser Drivers, etc.) -
Anisotropic, Antialiasing, Vertical Sync, and OpenGL Texture Clamping and all eye candy modes were turned OFF.
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Used the Windows 95, Windows 98 / Windows ME Compatibility modes but OpenGL programs are still very slow.
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Used a third party program called GLDirect from SciTech soft but only got a sluggish average of 15 FPS Max from OpenGL programs.
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Went to the Nvidia Archive and downloaded all versions of Detonator & Forceware Drivers but never showed any improvement on performance. The oldest forceware that supports the GEFORCE 4 MX 440 was v 31.40.
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After trying to install different versions (from the oldest to the latest). I used the OpenGL Info program from Delphi Tools to see the OpenGL renderer and I found out that it is using Nvidia’s latest GL driver - OpenGL 1.5.
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Used an ATI Radeon 9200 128 MB, tried installing the factory manufactured drivers and got same results on Windows XP (3 FPS MAX). Downloaded and different Catalyst drivers (oldest to the latest) and still, have the same results (3 FPS Max)
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Everytime I Install a detonator / forceware driver (Nvidia), and catalyst drivers (Radeon). I always peform a clean uninstall of the previous driver installed.
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The OpenGL driver from microsoft (located at Windows\System32) have nothing to do with these problem because I used different libraries from microsoft and I still get the same sluggish 3 FPS results on Windows 2000 / XP
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Ironically, OpenGL programs are working on my neighbors old AMD K6-2 450 MHZ, 256 MB of SD RAM, with an ancient S3 Savage4 using Windows NT Platforms (2000 and any Windows XP programs). OpenGL works at an acceptable 35 FPS.
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Nvidia & Radeon Support can only suggests using the latest drivers but unfortunately, It doesn’t work.
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Viruses, Worms, Trojans, Spywares absolutely don’t have anything to do with these problems because these problem is already present after a clean low-level format and new software installation on the hard drive.
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This WinNT (2000 & any XP Edition) problem can simply happen by uninstalling a driver then re-installing it back. This problem can occur on any computer regardless of the setup.
This is an example (PROOF):
I tried doing the following on a different computer with following specs (this is an office computer):
Intel P4 2.8 GHZ
ATI Radeon 9800 128 MB
1024 MB (1 GB) DDR RAM
ASUS P4C-800 Motherboard
Before Un-Installing the driver.
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OpenGL programs are running smoothly at minimum 150 FPS.
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Used the OpenGL Info program by Delphi to identify the OpenGL renderer being used. It reported that it uses the Nvidia GL Renderer 1.5 (OpenGL 1.5)
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Performed safety precautions (driver backup) in case problems arise after un-installing and re-installing drivers.
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After performing steps 1, 2 & 3, I uninstalled the video driver, performed clean driver uninstallation, restarted the computer, then Installed the same driver.
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Tried running an OpenGL program and boom! OpenGL programs are running at an unacceptable 3 FPS.
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Performed driver rollup then OpenGL programs worked again.
- I also tried doing these on a P4 1.7 Mobile computer, and I also got the same results.
Also, these can happen on Win9x platforms simply by performing the following:
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Go to Control Panel, Click System Icon, click the Advanced Tab, Then the File System button.
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On the “…how this computer performs…”, change the Desktop computer to Network Server.
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Restart the computer
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Try running an OpenGL program, and you’ll get the impressive 3 FPS. :-\
Is there an equivalent configuration for these setting on Windows XP? If there is, changing that setting is a possibility for the problem to be solved on WinNT platforms (2000 & XP). I’m sure that I am not the only one experiencing these type of problem.
Please read and understand the Post carefully so you can avoid posting a suggestion that was already performed.
If you do have the following suggestions below. Please do NOT bother to post. In this way, we can avoid wasting each others time. (This were the replies that I usually get from other forums)
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Download the Latest & Greatest Official Detonator / Forceware Drivers.
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Nvidia Sucks! Get another card.
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ATI Sucks! Get another card.
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Upgrade Your computer. Add more memory, change processor then change monitor.
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Buy 100 different Nvidia and ATI graphic cards.
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Uninstall Mathlab (I do NOT use Mathlab)
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Buy a new computer (My computer is not the historical 8086)
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Reformat your computer 1,000,000 times and reinstall windows 500,000 times.
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Erase the DVA=1 settings on your Win.ini file. (The DVA setting is only found on windows 95, 98 & ME versions and is not found on Windows 2000 / XP)
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Read every letter, comma, period, semi-colon, exclamation mark, pictures on your motherboard and video card manual.
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Install the latest DirectX drivers (DirectX has nothing to do with OpenGL graphics)
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Burn your computer then buy another computer.
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Go to GLSETUP. (One of the suggestions that I do really hate. GL Setup is already vaporized.)
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Flash your Bios a 1,000,000 times. Load BIOS or SETUP defaults a 1,000,000 times. Then Restart a 1,000,000 times.
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Download and install 1,000,000 different brands of Anti-Virus programs and Anti-Spyware programs.
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Turn Off your Anti-Virus. (As I told you earlier Virus, Trojans, Adware and other destructive programs don’t have anything to do with these problem). Also, Anti-Virus programs don’t have anything to do with In-Game eformance, it can affect load times but NOT render times.
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Contact Nvidia & ATI Technical support. (Read the post carefully. I already did and the only thing that they can suggest is to download the latest driver for windows 2000 / XP)
- the 1,000,000 times represent the number of times that ‘so-called super computer gurus’ suggested these type of solutions.
Problem Summary:
OpenGL works very slow on Windows NT Platforms (2000 & XP) - A Maximum of 3 FPS
OpenGL based programs works flawlessly when using Windows 9x Platforms (98, ME) - A Minimum of 80 FPS DirectX based programs works flawlessly on either Windows Platforms.
Thank You Very Much & More Power To All!