Graphical Issues with /3GB Switch Enabled

[ScottishMartialArts]

I'm having terrible graphics issues with the /3GB switch enabled on WinXP 32 bit. See the attached screenshots. These graphical problems only develop mid-mission; at the start of a mission, everything looks fine. When I disable the switch, these issues go away but then I get crashes mid-mission. I have updated my drivers, DX9, and the C++ redistributable as per the suggestions on this forum and nothing has helped.

 

OS: Windows XP 32-bit

CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition

Memory: 4GB DDR3 1333

Video Card: Geforce 8800 GT 512MB

Mobo: Asus M4A87TD Evo

[EtherealN]

This looks like your graphics card simply runs out of memory for textures. What Texture setting do you use?

[Nate--IRL--]

It looks to me like DCS is running out of Memory address space and/or VRAM the further you get in to the mission.

 

The only course of action I can suggest is that you try lowering settings in DCS to find what works the best. Try reducing Scenes first.

 

Also, when this re-occurs, please attach the DCS.log after leaving DCS. This hopefully will confirm my diagnosis. Apologies I forget where this is stored in XP.

 

Nate

[ScottishMartialArts]

This looks like your graphics card simply runs out of memory for textures. What Texture setting do you use?

 

I run the texture setting, and everything else, at low. Running at anything higher leads to a situation where I can load the mission, click on cockpit switches and hear sound but get frozen video.

[Nate--IRL--]

Try to exit any and all possible background programs and processes too in that case. It is unusual that running out of memory should happen on low settings.

 

I will still need the DCS.log to be certain though.

 

Nate

[ScottishMartialArts]

I'm getting an invalid file error when I attempt to attach DCS.log, so here it is on megaupload: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=S0XN0QI1.

[ScottishMartialArts]

My DxDiag report, if that helps.

DxDiag.txt

[Nate--IRL--]

Yes it is as suspected a memory issue, specifically VRAM on your GPU. If you look a the end of the DCS.log there are lines such as this one

 

01129.413 ERROR DXRENDERER: Can't render primitives., D3DERR_OUTOFVIDEOMEMORY

 

I note that your card has 512mb and is within min specs. That would lead me to believe that it is Win XPs inability to manage its memory addressing space (This affects all memories as one, in your computer).

 

However I am only guessing, an educated guess though, but I don't have a definitive answer for you.

 

Please try to keep anything running in the background to the barest minimum, in order to improve your chances. Also Something to try is to ALT-TAB (if running full screen) when this occurs, might do nothing but try it anyway.

 

Nate

Edited November 1, 2011 by Nate--IRL--

[ScottishMartialArts]

No luck on alt-tabbing. In fact, I can't alt-tab back in to DCS after alt tabbing out: it just hangs and I have to close the application.

 

Sounds like the solution to my problem is to upgrade to Win 7/install a video card with more memory, right?

[Nate--IRL--]

No luck on alt-tabbing. In fact, I can't alt-tab back in to DCS after alt tabbing out: it just hangs and I have to close the application.

 

Sounds like the solution to my problem is to upgrade to Win 7/install a video card with more memory, right?

 

Out of the two choices I'd guess Win7 64bit would be the route to try first. 1. Because it is cheaper, 2. the most likely solution, and 3. you will get access to all the higher graphics options and HDR.

 

I can't guarantee for sure it will work mind you.

 

However that said, DCS should work with XP no problem. The cheapest option may be to try a clean XP install (with /3gb set) on a temporary partition and dual boot, just to check if it works.

 

Nate