Direct3D Problem

[Black Vivi]

I get this message whenever i start RCT3:
Failed to create Direct3D servicei know i have the correct hardware
i have tried installing directx and testing direct3d and they work fine
i cannot uninstall directx and reinstall it to make sure because i cant find how to uninstall it
please help me!

[TRAFMAN]

i dont think you can uninstall DX.

try uninstalling and reinstallng the game.


if that fails update your graphics drivers

look here (http://www.ataricommunity.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=426589)

the graphics driver section

[Fluxx]

Please read this! (http://www.uk.atari.com/third_party/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3862)

[TRAFMAN]

Originally posted by Fluxx
Please read this! (http://www.uk.atari.com/third_party/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3862)


ok ;)

[Black Vivi]

thx, i was told by a friend it shud work, but i need a new gfx card, so ill buy one after my birthday
thx again

[TRAFMAN]

post here when you do, we'll tell you what to get etc.

[Black Vivi]

what gfx cards are known to be able to play rct3, or is it just the radeon 8500 & geforce 3?
and anyone have any idea how much they're likely to cost

[TRAFMAN]

well, if you were to bug a graphics card, i would recommend buying a good one that will last a little bit, because buying an 8500 or a GeForce 3 now is slightly pointless, most likely they wont play the next game you purchase.

the deciding factor realy on what card you get is wheter your motherboard has a AGP slot, and on your budget.

the easiest way to find out if yoyur card has an AGP is to opent up your PC and take a look.(when its off obviouslt, also dont go poking around it)

you will seesomething a little bit like This (http://www.mysuperpc.com/pc_assembly/agp_slot.jpg)

and look on the motherboard section

If tou find openeing your PC up a bit daunting, download a prohgram called Everest from:

here (http://www.lavalys.com)

the bit with this info looks like:


Looks like this (http://www.ferretti.plus.com/mobo.JPG)

if you do, you are in luck.


with an AGP slot you can buy a powerful graphics card, without, you'll be able to get one that will run the game *just*.


so get back to us with budget, and AGP result!!

TRAFMAN

[Black Vivi]

my budget is somewhere between £150 - £200, depends how much money i got for my bday though (im guessing ill have about £170)
iv tried using everest but when i click on motherboard it doesn't have the motherboard physical info section
ill have a look myself in a while

[TRAFMAN]

can you open the case up?

if not look for a program called SiSofr Sandra.


should have that info on it

[Silkius]

Also - if you can peek inside -

AGP slots are normally brown, PCI white, ISA black (this was a world wide standard)

[Black Vivi]

ive had a look and i have an agp slot


i've been looking around, and i found these, but i dont know if they'd work, so can someone tell me which will and which wont (if any), and which ones youd recomend (im trying to spend less than £150, id prefer there to be money left for other things as well)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0002KVWIW/qid=1104373925/sr=2-3/ref=sr_2_3_3/026-7547149-7226000
http://www.pricerunner.co.uk/computing/components/graphics-cards/161003/details
http://www.overclock.co.uk/customer/product.php?productid=17789
http://www.shopgenie.co.uk/search/go_js.asp?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ekelkoo%2Eco%2Euk% 2Fb2b%2Fsitesearch%2Fgotop3%2Ejsp%3Fpartner%3Dkelk oo%26offerId%3D4171723601uk4171723%2D%2DATI%2BRADE ON%2BX600XT%2B256MB%2BPCI%2DEX%2BVGA%252BS%2DVIDEO %252BDVI%252CSPARKLE%26partnerId%3D8909723%26searc hId%3Dexport%5F10102063%5F1104374344593%5F18434297 33&refContact=4171723&cat=601
http://www.shopgenie.co.uk/search/go_js.asp?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ekelkoo%2Eco%2Euk% 2Fb2b%2Fsitesearch%2Fgotop3%2Ejsp%3Fpartner%3Dkelk oo%26offerId%3D2998701111601uk2998701%2DGeCube%2DG eCube%2BATi%2BRadeon%2B9800%2B%2528R360%2BVPU%2529 %2B128%2Dbit%2B256MB%26partnerId%3D8909723%26searc hId%3Dexport%5F10102063%5F1104374344593%5F18434297 33&refContact=2998701&cat=111601
http://www.microdirect.co.uk/ProductInfo.aspx?ProductID=7907

thx

[Silkius]

Be carefull! some of these are PCI-e (PCI express) which I very much doubt you have.

Out of interest what are your other system specs? i.e. CPU, RAM, Windows version?
(he says praying you havent got Win ME :) ) and how old is it?

I ask because, despite agreeing with Trafman on one hand (i.e. no point buying a card that will be out of date in less than a year) I would also be wary of buying a relatively top notch AGP card if the rest of your system specs are not really going to give you much more improvement -

Saying that, if you think a new gfx card is worth it - the best you can get for around £100 should see you through for a while - Nvidea (G-Force) or ATI (Radeon) both have their fans - I am sure Fluxx and Trafman will have plenty to say on what ones are worth it :D

From my point of view - and a good rule of thumb to work on that gives good perfomance but doesn't cost arms and legs :D is to look at what is top notch and take two steps back - over the years this has normally given me good system components with some room for improvement (when the prices cme down) that you are not paying through the nose for just because it is 'the latest'

& if you are wary about some on-line sellers - you could do a lot worse than a company like Simply Computers (listed as one of the best buy sellers in you links) I have used them for 'many years'

[Fluxx]

As my esteemed friend says....
The card you buy should be dependant on the rest of your system.

Theres no point spending £200+ on a card if your CPU is old and slow (sounds like me...:lightbulb )

Even with a 2GH machine the latest cards are bottlenecked by the CPU.

A Radeon 9600 or a Geforce5900 should suffice to give a nice middle to high.

The 9800 should be more than enough, and its a good price.


Or if you want a Geforce, something like

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?rb=4144062979&action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=83434

should suffice.

[TRAFMAN]

if he has a good system nuy the 6800 vanilla from
HERE (http://www.lowestonweb.com/Products/DisplayInfoMain.asp?e=3633B7C0-E08A-44B6-B583-8A8D0253C1B2)

if your system can perform to it, this is the best card to buy around now, and will futuerproof it greatly.

also, this card cand be modifyed buy a piece of software to unlock the closed pipelins, making up to about 6800GT speeds. :eek: :eek:


although if your system isn't top notch. or you sont want to spend as much money, i would suggest something like a 9600XT, or, if you do have a good system, but less money, a 9800Pro, or even a 6600GT

make sure you get the AGP versoin of all these cards!!

[Black Vivi]

processor speed is 2.66 GHz, ram's 256 Mb (i gonna try and get some more tho), and im using Windows XP (SP2)
it's about 2 months old (got it on novemeber 8th)

and does anyone know a cheap place to get some more RAM (want 256 more MB)

thx

[TRAFMAN]

if i were you i'd buy a new 6600 GT and another 256MB of RAM.

good wesites are..

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/home/
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/
http://www.microdirect.co.uk/
http://www.lowestonweb.com/
http://aria.co.uk/
http://www.savastore.com/default.aspx
http://www.overclock.co.uk

[Fluxx]

256MB of RAM?????????

You'd be amazed at the difference another 256 will make.......:tup:


(Well, OK. Maybe not that amazed, but it'll certainly help...:D )

[TRAFMAN]

what specs are you running fluxx?

[Black Vivi]

Originally posted by Fluxx
You'd be amazed at the difference another 256 will make.......:tup:im gonna get at least another 256 MB, but hopefully ill be getting 512 MB :D


thanks for the links trafman, iv found one that ill probly get, but just to make sure, will this (http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?rb=4156454735&action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=80781) be able to play rct3?

thx

[Silkius]

Again this is a PCI-e card as in it is is PCI express not AGP or PCI - PCI express is relativley new tech and will NOT work in a standard PCI slot.

Please be carefull and make sure you are looking at AGP cards, or you will be awfully disapointed.

PS: agree with Fluxx in the need for RAM - (I am always in the need for RAM - makes me sound like a sheep :) ) 512 extra will not make such a noticable differance but it is ALWAYS usefull - I have 1 gig and am still managing to run out when working.

[Fluxx]

Originally posted by TRAFMAN
what specs are you running fluxx?


AMD Barton 2500+ (Clocked to 3200+ :D )
1GB of RAM
Geforce 6800 NU

Which does pretty much all that I ask of it.


Although if anyone has an Athlon64 chip and mobo they dont want, feel free to send them my way.....;)


And what about you TRAFMAN?

[Black Vivi]

o yea, forgot to check...
will this one work? http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/prod...oduct_uid=54890
I read in another thread that that should work, but I still dunno...

thx

[Fluxx]

Link doesnt work.......:frownblue

[TRAFMAN]

any off here (http://www.overclockers.co.uk/acatalog/copy_of_6600_GT.html)


fluxx, is that a mobile core ar just an normal XP?

i'm on a 2800+, 9800XT. 1024MB RAM.

hoping to get a new heatsink soon (thermaltake volcano 12) and overclock it.

[Fluxx]

Normal XP.....:tup:

[TRAFMAN]

surprised you can clock it that high, what cooling are you running?

[Black Vivi]

Originally posted by Fluxx
Link doesnt work.......:frownblue sorry, here's the right link:
http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/prod...oduct_uid=54890 (http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?rb=4164129412&action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=54890)

thx for the link trafman, i may get one of these, but depending on how much money i have after my birthday i might not be able to, which is why the link above is a 5200

[TRAFMAN]

if you can get a better card than a 5200, as it wont last particulally long. if you ask me get at least a 9600XT, or a 9550. (ATi cards)

EDIT: also, there is no point getting a 256MB of the previous "generation" of cards, i.e. the 5 series (nvidia) or the 9 series (ATi)

[Fluxx]

Originally posted by TRAFMAN
surprised you can clock it that high, what cooling are you running?


A big blowy fan..........sorry no idea, but its not stock, thats all I can tell you. All I've done is increase the FSB. The BIOS reports it as a 3200+.

[Black Vivi]

i shud have a nvidia 6600 GT on friday as trafman said it shud work, hope it does, otherwise thats a complete waste of £150

[Fluxx]

The 6600 Gt is, by all accounts, a cracking card.....:tup:

You should have no problems with it.