Which Socket 754 motherboard?

[b6x]

Hi all...

I'm got a really annoying problem with BF2 in that textures are not drawn correctly. Everything is in this thread...

http://www.totalbf2.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33527

... however, short version is - I have 6800GT, AMD64 3400+, 2GB RAM and have a problem with textures being dropped and scenery/buildings appearing instead as solid black shapes - as well as vehicles not being drawn at all (as per avatar)

Anyway, I've tried every setting under the sun, every possible driver, driver cleaner pro, BIOS updates - the works. And now I've turned to desperation and starting to replace hardware. First up is the motherboard... (graphics card is only 6 months old and too expensive to replace). I also suspect the mobo as BF2 doesn't hardly display any textures unless my BIOS AGP Apeture Size is max'd at 512MB, however everything I read points to this setting needing to be no more than 128MB with a 256MB graphics card.

So... my quiestion is this (eventually) - what would people consider the best Socket 754 motherboard. My list requirements being:-

No onboard VGA
No onboard sound (if possible)
3x DIMM sockets
10/100/1000 ethernet
AGP
decent support with driver software and BIOS updates


Thanks alot,
b6x

[MonkMachine]

Re: Which Socket 754 motherboard?

Wait for the next patch before you do anything drastic, I reacon 2 weeks max before it's out.

[Darksniper75]

Re: Which Socket 754 motherboard?

Put up a few pics, so <e can see what the exact problem is. Don't just go out and replace hardware.

Cheers

[b6x]

Re: Which Socket 754 motherboard?

Thanks for the advice guys, much appreciated - this is really doing my head in. A couple of screenshots follow:-

http://www.4mo.co.uk/downloads/screen003.jpg

http://www.4mo.co.uk/downloads/screen008.jpg

http://www.4mo.co.uk/downloads/screen010.jpg

screen003 is just a fly by view of me in a (glass) helicopter
screen008 is a view of the TV cam on the heli - however also seem to have gained one foilage!
screen010 is a fly by of me in a heli - notice black buildings in background.

Strange thing with the problem is that if I ALT-ESC out of BF2 back to windows, and back again, everything returns to normal (however it can only last a few minutes before all disappearing again)

Thanks again guys,
b6x

[Darksniper75]

Re: Which Socket 754 motherboard?

Okay, be prepared:

Download all the latest drivers for your system and for the gfx card get the G-xtreme drivers from tweaksrus. I like the 77.62 drivers, but new G-xtreme drivers also rock 81.98. (www.tweakrus.com)

Get killdisk and do a low-level format, it erases your harddrive with zero's, getting it back in the shape the day you bought it.

Install xp, install drivers, install bf2, play.

Should work!

Cheers

[b6x]

Re: Which Socket 754 motherboard?

Cool. Was liking that until the "killdisk" bit :)

Ok. Sounds like a good plan and something I should seriously consider. Machine has been around for a while now and had all sorts of hardware changes.

Maybe I should consider purchasing a SATA drive and reinstalling onto that. That way keeping my IDE in case of forgotten/required data.

I assume SATA/150 would be a benefit over my current 160GB IDE?

Thanks,
b6x

[Darksniper75]

Re: Which Socket 754 motherboard?

Cool. Was liking that until the "killdisk" bit :)

Ok. Sounds like a good plan and something I should seriously consider. Machine has been around for a while now and had all sorts of hardware changes.

Maybe I should consider purchasing a SATA drive and reinstalling onto that. That way keeping my IDE in case of forgotten/required data.

I assume SATA/150 would be a benefit over my current 160GB IDE?

Thanks,
b6x

Your specs are fine, you should be able to run at ultra high. Just do what I told you. Trust me, it works.

Cheers

[Razorman01]

Re: Which Socket 754 motherboard?

Reformatting to solve a problem is the NOOBS WAY OUT & a LAST RESORT for MAJOR SYSTEM failure's, he has no major system failure just a game problem which with a little more research he will solve himself, not to mention the fact that he is also learning a lot more about his rig than he knew before, reformat bah.

[b6x]

Re: Which Socket 754 motherboard?

Well, for the record, as a test I borrowed an HDD from a mate and had no luck at all...

http://www.totalbf2.com/forums/showthread.php?t=54012

Now heading down the cooling route....

[<DV8>mrbucket]

Re: Which Socket 754 motherboard?

I really think your card is the issue. It happens, a bum card every once in a while. If your card is 6 months old, RMA it back for a new one. If it still does it, then go to the extreme of replacing hardware. Honestly, if you are going to replace hardware, go with socket 939 and upgrade processor at the same time. No sense in spending money and getting nothing new.

[CaptJordus]

Re: Which Socket 754 motherboard?

Your specs match mine except i have one gig of ram and an ATI X800 Pro.

I promise you your GT beats my pro, so it must be a deadbeat card.

[b6x]

Re: Which Socket 754 motherboard?

I would be inclined to agree that the card is suspect, however playing, for example, F.E.A.R demo at the following settings:-

Effects Detail: Maximum
Model Decals: Maximum
Water Resolution: Medium
Reflections and Displays: Maximum
Volumetric Lights: On
Volumetric Light Density: Medium

Graphics:
FSAA: Off
Light Detail: Maximum
Enable Shadows: On
Shadow Detail: Maximum
Soft Shadows: Off
Texture Filtering: Anisotropic 4x
Texture Resolution: Maximum
Videos: Medium
Pixel Doubling: Off
DX8 Shaders: Off
Screen Resolution: 1024x768
Shaders: Maximum

...(not too shabby), I get no obvious problems at all. Game plays very well. The same with HL2. Only ever have one issue with HL2 and that was with Lost Coast.

A bit concerned that an RMA will involved 3 months without a card with XFX testing, trying to find a problem, and then just returning it as "not fault found".

Thanks for your help guys,
b6x

[b6x]

Re: Which Socket 754 motherboard?

ok. Long story, but I think I have pinned the problem down to suspect AGP drivers...

I re-installed machine completely and BF2 was completely unplayable. Black everywhere. Eventually realised that I hadn't installed AGP (GART) drivers for mobo (foxconn 755A-EKRS or something). Installed version 1.17e and everything looked much nicer, although original problem still occured. So.. I thinks "I know, I'll download latest (1.21) drivers from SiS.com and all will be sorted"

WRONG!

Installed those and the original problem returned - completely unplayable, black everywhere - could just about make out one or two trees.

So, I give up. I'm going to replace the motherboard and if that dont work, I'm uninstalling BF2. Was thinking of the Asus K8N-E Deluxe. Anyone got anything good or bad on the board?

Thanks,
b6x

ps. I can't afford to replace with a socket 939, PCI-E express graphics and new processor.

[CaptJordus]

Re: Which Socket 754 motherboard?

Well, i will tell you this.

I have never once had any luck with SiS chipsets, video cards.....basically ANYthing that they make.

Silicon Integrated Systems is a joke of a company, avoid them in the future.

Stick with VIA or Nforce chipsets. Also Intel makes fine chipsets for Intel boards.

[b6x]

Re: Which Socket 754 motherboard?

I think you may have been right. Changed the motherboard to an Asus K8N-E Deluxe and my problems have disappeared. This board has the nVidia chipset and seems to play much happier now. Not seen any texture issues yet, fingers crossed.

Wouldn't recommend the Asus board though... the AMI BIOS is a complete joke and the bundled software a complete pile of cack. For example, the AsusUpdate problem that flashes the BIOS seems to destroy itself during an update. To make it worse, it appears it's not a new problem but Asus have done *sod* all about it. Google is riddled with people who all have the same problems but not a single fix. Great support Asus.