Help Pls w/GeForce2 Go AGP 4X

TexasTreat · 07-11-2003, 05:23 PM

Need some help with the new version. I'm running a Dell Inspiron 8200, GeForce2Go AGP 4X, bios: 3.11.01.44.D1

The top of the screen saver has rapidly changing numbers to the far left, (1024x768x32) Direct 3D HAL, VsyncCLAMP,
N414.2.0.5590

The program runs great in mini mode (using the F key) but in full screen it looks choppy and some of the fish appear like ghosts...

Any ideas that I can try?? Thanks!

feldon34 · 07-11-2003, 07:07 PM

Which means the GeForce2Go is running out of memory somehow.

I would make sure the Aquarium is set to run at 16-bit color.
This setting is found in the Aquarium.

I also turn off Anti-aliasing and Anisotropic filtering.
Go to Control Panels -> Display -> Settings tab -> Advanced... -> nVidia tab -> Performance Settings

Finally, I would reduce the resolution of the Aquarium to 1024x768.
This setting is found in the Aquarium.

TexasTreat · 07-11-2003, 07:33 PM

made sure to change all of my settings per your instructions..no difference made....anything else I can try? Should I remove it all and go back to the old version? Btw, this is not an upgrade - my system crashed earlier this week so I reformatted the hd and installed everything fresh - except SereneScreen at that point.
Then saw where it had a new version and went and bought that and downloaded. My old sys ran the old version just fine....thanks in advance for your help and suggestions.
Cheers, Tee

Jav400 · 07-11-2003, 07:52 PM

What do you mean by "choppy"? Is it that some other program might be stealing/using clock cycles and causing this, or do you think that it is something that has to do with the driver version you are running. That VC should be able to handle the aquarium quite well.

feldon34 · 07-11-2003, 08:39 PM

I would say the next step is to go to http://www.nVidia.com/ and download their GeForce 2 drivers, but since you have a laptop, Dell might have made some changes to the chipset which prevents those generic nVidia drivers from working.

I'd check for other programs running in the background.

pflowers · 08-18-2003, 11:39 PM

I have the same problem on my Dell 8100 with the geforce2go video. It seems to have only happened since I installed the latest DirectX9b. I am going to see if there is some way to roll back the DirectX. Aquarium2 was working great until recently. It will work in the F mode but in full mode it flickers.

pflowers · 08-19-2003, 05:50 PM

You can purchase a GeForce4 video card for the Dell 8100/8200 Inspiron on Ebay for around $130. This should solve the video problem.

pflowers · 08-19-2003, 06:51 PM

I have found the fix for the problems with the GeForce2Go video card on the Dell Inspiron 8100. After many hours of trying numerous things, I installed a previous version of the video drivers from the Dell site. Immediately all of the problems with the Aquarium program disappeared. The latest drivers from Dell must have some conflict with Marine Aquarium and cause flickering, ghost fish and weird lines. I still plan to upgrade my video card to the GeForce4.

Jim Sachs · 08-19-2003, 07:15 PM

Thanks for following up on this. It may save Dell owners a lot of trouble.

feldon34 · 08-19-2003, 07:42 PM

Can you tell us what driver version you switched to?

pflowers · 08-19-2003, 09:36 PM

I went back to version 17.60 dated 4-26-02. There is another version between that one and the latest but I did not test it. The version 17.60 cleared up the problems. I figured out that I got the update to the latest version that caused the problems from the Microsoft Update site. After I reinstalled the old version, I checked the MS Update site and found that it said that there was an update available.

07-11-2003, 05:23 PM	#1
TexasTreat Registered Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 9	Help Pls w/GeForce2 Go AGP 4X Need some help with the new version. I'm running a Dell Inspiron 8200, GeForce2Go AGP 4X, bios: 3.11.01.44.D1 The top of the screen saver has rapidly changing numbers to the far left, (1024x768x32) Direct 3D HAL, VsyncCLAMP, N414.2.0.5590 The program runs great in mini mode (using the F key) but in full screen it looks choppy and some of the fish appear like ghosts... Any ideas that I can try?? Thanks! Don't Take Life Seriously. It's Not Permanent!

07-11-2003, 07:07 PM	#2
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,938	Which means the GeForce2Go is running out of memory somehow. I would make sure the Aquarium is set to run at 16-bit color. This setting is found in the Aquarium. I also turn off Anti-aliasing and Anisotropic filtering. Go to Control Panels -> Display -> Settings tab -> Advanced... -> nVidia tab -> Performance Settings Finally, I would reduce the resolution of the Aquarium to 1024x768. This setting is found in the Aquarium. "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

07-11-2003, 07:33 PM	#3
TexasTreat Registered Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 9	made sure to change all of my settings per your instructions..no difference made....anything else I can try? Should I remove it all and go back to the old version? Btw, this is not an upgrade - my system crashed earlier this week so I reformatted the hd and installed everything fresh - except SereneScreen at that point. Then saw where it had a new version and went and bought that and downloaded. My old sys ran the old version just fine....thanks in advance for your help and suggestions. Cheers, Tee Don't Take Life Seriously. It's Not Permanent!

07-11-2003, 07:52 PM	#4
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	What do you mean by "choppy"? Is it that some other program might be stealing/using clock cycles and causing this, or do you think that it is something that has to do with the driver version you are running. That VC should be able to handle the aquarium quite well. Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection

07-11-2003, 08:39 PM	#5
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,938	I would say the next step is to go to http://www.nVidia.com/ and download their GeForce 2 drivers, but since you have a laptop, Dell might have made some changes to the chipset which prevents those generic nVidia drivers from working. I'd check for other programs running in the background. "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

08-18-2003, 11:39 PM	#6
pflowers Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Dothan, AL Posts: 5	Same Problem I have the same problem on my Dell 8100 with the geforce2go video. It seems to have only happened since I installed the latest DirectX9b. I am going to see if there is some way to roll back the DirectX. Aquarium2 was working great until recently. It will work in the F mode but in full mode it flickers.

08-19-2003, 05:50 PM	#7
pflowers Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Dothan, AL Posts: 5	You can purchase a GeForce4 video card for the Dell 8100/8200 Inspiron on Ebay for around $130. This should solve the video problem.

08-19-2003, 06:51 PM	#8
pflowers Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Dothan, AL Posts: 5	I have found the fix for the problems with the GeForce2Go video card on the Dell Inspiron 8100. After many hours of trying numerous things, I installed a previous version of the video drivers from the Dell site. Immediately all of the problems with the Aquarium program disappeared. The latest drivers from Dell must have some conflict with Marine Aquarium and cause flickering, ghost fish and weird lines. I still plan to upgrade my video card to the GeForce4.

08-19-2003, 07:15 PM	#9
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,774	Thanks for following up on this. It may save Dell owners a lot of trouble. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

08-19-2003, 07:42 PM	#10
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,938	Can you tell us what driver version you switched to? "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

08-19-2003, 09:36 PM	#11
pflowers Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Dothan, AL Posts: 5	I went back to version 17.60 dated 4-26-02. There is another version between that one and the latest but I did not test it. The version 17.60 cleared up the problems. I figured out that I got the update to the latest version that caused the problems from the Microsoft Update site. After I reinstalled the old version, I checked the MS Update site and found that it said that there was an update available.