ATI's Smartgart - anybody disabling it?

ponyboy · 03-02-2004, 09:43 PM

I'm trying to determine if I am really gaining any FPS by un-installing the Smartgart portion of the drivers. I can't get above 4x AGP with it but I really didn't see any improvement when I disabled it. Am I really getting 8x?

Any thoughts from fellow ATI users?

**javelin** · 03-03-2004, 06:37 AM

I think I had a similar problem to yours?
What I did was to use the ATI programs to un-install all of their drivers. I also went back and looked at all of my display settings to make sure all drivers for the graphic card was removed.
Next I reinstalled my original drivers from the ATI installation CD and I am now back at 8x speed.
I have not installed any new drivers from ATI yet- and am a little afraid to do so. In the past I would try all of the new drivers from ATI and Omega and that may have caused a problem with the 8x feature? Maybe one day when I have nothing better to do I maght try some of the new drivers- but my system is running good now so why fix it if it aint broke!
Also, I forget the name of the program, you might try going thru the posts to find it, but it will remove all of your old graphic card drivers.
And, not knowing what MB you have- some of them have a setting to allow the 8x feature- I could never locate it in my Bios- but after reading many posts on the subject some people state that their MB's have the AGP 8x, 4x, 2x - etc. selection setting?
Good Luck!

Cliff

P4 3.2b w/ 800 FSB
ASUS P4C800 Deluxe MB
OCZ PC4000 RT Gold kit DDRAM 512x2
ATI Radeon 9800 XT

**Bigshot** · 03-03-2004, 12:43 PM

You'll see no advantage to running 8xAGP over 4xAGP. You'll see no advantage in running with fastwrites on vs off. You system will likely run more stable on 4xAGP with fastwrites off. That's an ATI recommendation. Not mine. Anybody that says they're seeing a major improvement running 8xAGP or with fastwrites on is imagining it. If I was to buy a motherboard today, it'd be a 4xAGP board. They're more stable with no discernable speed advantage. At least none when it comes to gaming.

**kc10** · 03-03-2004, 03:08 PM

>You'll see no advantage to running 8xAGP over 4xAGP".

I want to argue with that so badly, but I can't. lol.
I am seeing an improvement with 8X (from 4X previously), however I made other upgrades at the same time so I cannot validate the 8X advantage. I believe the improvement is in graphic quality not speed (fps). I would benchmark both, but frankly I'm sick of benchmarking so I don't do it anymore. (I don't care how UT2 benchmarks!! FS is my game, and it's a completely different creature than other games)
Oops, tangent, sorry.

**Bigshot** · 03-03-2004, 03:28 PM

Yeah; I've read that some report a 1-2 percent speed gain. Others also report that their system is faster with 4xAGP running. Most all report that their systems are more stable running 4xAGP. Funny thing is; AGP will be obsolete before any real software is written for 8xAGP. Same exact thing with fastwrites. Some report a small gain with it on. Others report it's faster with it off. I say, it's all marketing hype!

ponyboy · 03-04-2004, 01:45 AM

So if I am hearing you guys correctly, your just leaving it at 4x even though you have 8x capability. I remember seeing a huge jump in performance when I move from a G4Ti4600 4x to my ATI 9700 Pro 8x. I remember a "Wow" factor back then.

But now it's been so long. Currently running the Catalyst 4.2's. Tried it with Smartgart and without SmartGard. See no big improvement. Thought my Catalyst 3.9's performed better but never could recreate that performance.

Thanks for your input.

pony

**javelin** · 03-04-2004, 06:49 AM

"AGP will be obsolete before any real software is written for 8xAGP".

So what you state is that FS2004 is not written for 8xAGP?

Then why all of the HYPE from the major hardware manufacturers about how good it is?

P4 3.2b w/ 800 FSB
ASUS P4C800 Deluxe MB
OCZ PC4000 RT Gold kit DDRAM 512x2
ATI Radeon 9800 XT

**WB_KWVI** · 03-04-2004, 11:46 AM

If your mb and video card support AGP 8x use it! If you have problems with unexspected results, crashes, etc. then set it back to 4x. It will double your bandwidth capability but you will only see a differnce if the application needs it! I doubt if FS9 would be one of them.. moving data and commands is only part of the total picture.. big gains are graphic processor and cpu in that order just for starters..

W..

**kc10** · 03-04-2004, 02:39 PM

>Then why all of the HYPE from the major hardware manufacturers about how good it is?"

I guess because it is evident in some games.

**TerryinABQ** · 03-04-2004, 08:56 PM

I just tried to set my AGP on the video card (9800 Pro) back to X4 and when the computer rebooted, FS2004 would not recognize the videocard. No 3D available and only window mode. (no full screen). I am running the ATI 4.2 drivers. Back to X8 AGP and everythings is OK.

As was said in the above link, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Terry