256mb = not enough video mem?

[taterSalad]

I have a BFG 6800GT OC w/ 256MB. When I attempt to run 3DMark03's Pixel Shader 2.0 test (the rhino + elephant) at 1600x1200x4XAA I get back an error that I don't have enough video memory.

I thought 256MB was more than enough for 16x12x4XAA....am I smokin' crack?

Is this a bug with 3DMark or do I have some bad RAM on the card preventing access to the full amount? Drivers report it as 256MB.

Can anybody else run this test at these settings with a similar card?

BTW, I have tried reinstalling drivers (61.77) and DirectX and 3DMark03.

Thanks

 

[Wags317]

I can't be sure because I dont' have my 6800 gt yet but in terms of the video card, 256m should be more then enought video memory, however how much system memory are you running and what is your agp aperature set at?

 

[taterSalad]

system mem = 1GB
aperature set to 128mb in bios
tried 64,128, and 256mb for "max system memory for pci mode textures" in driver

 

[ehZn]

3Dmark03 = worthless. If a game ever gave you that error, then I would be worried. Until that day, ignore that useless synthetic benchmark pos.

 

[milling_hordesman]

hey, i just thought to myself "oh, shoot, that's what i forgot to set in my bios!"... and then i realized that i have PCIe. is there such a thing as a PCIe aperature? i don't think so...

 

[MaxGhz]

Use the 61.76 drivers and use reva tuner or some other tool to force fast writes off and see if that works. It worked on mine and found the fixes on several forums. The .77 drivers were rushed out for the 3.0 shader affects and evidently have some issues. And, if fast writes is turned off in your bios and not on the card (need outside tweaker utility to do it), it will freeze!

 

[taterSalad]

Thanks, MaxGhz, I'll give that a try when I get home tonight.

 

[taterSalad]

Fast writes off using riva tuner had no effect. Tried a few more uninstall/reinstall cycles and no change. A few more clues:

pixel shader 2.0 test at 800x600 always works
PS2 at 1024x768 sometimes shows black elephant silhouette instead of shaded skin
PS2 at 1600x1200 always shows black elephant
PS2 at 1600x1200X4XAA = not enough video memory error

Tried all the other tests and got the same thing at 4XAA - not enough video memory to run at 1600x1200, although 800x600 works fine.

Also, DOOM3 is showing related problems:
1600x1200 with no AA = 69.2fps
1600x1200x2XAA = 55.7fps sometimes, other times 69.x
1600x1200x4XAA = 55.7fps sometimes, other times 69.x

A review using a similar CPU said I they got 73fps with noAA and 44.4fps with 4XAA. Sounds like DOOM3 is unable to turn on 4xAA and falling back to 2X, but sometimes even that isn't working. Screen caps show some AA being done, but I can't see a diff between 2X and 4X.

Looks like some of my vid ram is off limits to the GPU...maybe clocked something too high and fried it.

 

[Lord of Shadows]

you can change fast writes and stuff in the normal driver, add this to the same place you add coolbits.

"NvCplEnableAGPSettingsPage"=dword:00000001

As for the problem, I wouldnt sweat it untill you start getting memory errors in a game.