Phil Walker
02-02-2007, 19:06
Attnetion ALL nVidia Video Card Users!
An Update for YOU!!!
With all the new video cards and drivers that have come out recently, many of you might be confused. So, let me try to help!
Let's start with cards. One thing to keep in mind is there are many choices and some good, and some not so good. So, let me now advise. With all the games that will be out soon and the requirements of these games, there should be one thing in particular to keep in mind. It is NOW becoming a REQUIREMENT to have DX9-compliant cards. Not just compatible but compliant. For those of you who don't know the difference here it is; A compliant card is one that is "setup" by default to work with a given system or version of software (in this case the DirectX which will henceforth be noted as DX with a number to follow), where a compatible card is FORCED to work with these applications and thus is not compliant. I will post a list of most of the cards and their DX-compliancy further below in this post. This should be your first guideline.
Also, with the requirements of the game you NEED a DX8-compliant card as those are the first cards to support Pixel Shaders 1.1 and SUPPOSEDLY you can "get by" with those cards, but a DX9-compliant card will be better. What is the easiest way to tell if yours is? Quite simple really! The first DX9-compliant cards were the 5000 series cards, which I am currently using one myself on my older system. The FX 5-series if you want to be specific. However, the 5000 series up through the 6200s were low-end cards. High-end for their time but that is now past. Also to note, those of you who have cards with suffixes (letters at the end) that end in "E" (ie.; LE, SE and VE cards and XT suffixes as well) are also lower-end cards. If you have a mid-range card, the ones before the 6800s the "E" and XT cards are all low-end cards. Those who have 6800 or later numbers, the "E" suffixes make them mid-range cards. If you truly want a high-end card you need at least a 6800 and without an "E" or XT suffix. This will give you the best results and gaming experiences in video. The earlier DX7-compliant cards were fine for many other games, but this game and many other new games are more demanding. So, let me give some fair warning. The MX series cards (yes even those that say they are GeForce4s), and truly only GeForce2s. The reason for this is quite simple. The GeForce MX cards older and newer use the same basic hardware and engines. So, for those of you with MX cards, the game won't, I'm sorry to say. NOTE: The notes about the MX cards DO NOT apply to KoH. The reference is made solely in relation to any newer game that came out at least late last year as compliancies have changed with the times, like with Caesar 4 and Anno 1701 for example.
Once you check and verify you have/want your card of choice, the next thing is which drivers to use with it. I have tested many different versions of nVidia drivers (on one of the earliest DX9-compliant cards BTW) so I could pass this along to you. Anymore I only will advise three versions as I've tested all from the 61.77 drivers and these all work with both new and old games and applications very well (for Widnows 2000 and XP 32-bit and 64-bit versions, but NOT Vista). First are the 91.31 drivers of September 2006, which can be obtained from HERE (http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_2k_91.31.html). I have provided snapshots of which cards these drivers support in the attached photos of the lists at the bottom of this post. (Yes, there are two sets of two that are exactly the same except one set is in reverse color mode, so the visually impaired such as myself can read the list with ease.) NOTICE! The GeForce 6600 AND 6200 cards SHOULD ONLY use the 91.31 drivers unless you have a GS or GT suffix. Nothing newer (right now)!!!
Then, there are the 91.47 drivers of October 2006. Should you want to get them you can do so from HERE (http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_2k_91.47.html). One thing to keep in mind though! These are newer (and the best if you can use them) drivers and you might find some cards are not support for them that the 91.31s did. So, I'm going to provide a link to a ".pdf" file which is HERE (http://download.nvidia.com/Windows/91.47/91.47_ForceWare_Release_notes.pdf). Do note this is a ".pdf" download and it is HUGE, so it might take some time to load the page. The chart of the supported cards (which is pages 50 and 51). On your browser toolbar click Edit and select Find. Depending on your Acrobat version, the menus are different. In the search box enter "Table 3.1" (without the quotes). For those of you with the menu to the right side it's the 3rd one listed. For those with the small window in the center above the text, click Find Next 3 times, and it will take you there. Feel free to browse the chart to make sure your card or card of choice is on that list.
If you are one of the few who does not have their card on those lists, I'm afraid you do have a problem as all the DX8-complinat cards and later are on those lists and some even prior to DX8-complinacy. However there is still a driver version that will work for you and yes, those of you with up to high-end cards as well. Those are the 81.95 drivers (dated November of 2005) which you can get from HERE (http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_2k_81.95.html).
One important note for all. As I said, I've tested every nVidia-approved driver since the 61.77s, and this includes the newest 93.71 version. DO NOT use these drivers as they are some of the worst nVidia has approved in some time. While they are stable with the system idle, when you try to execute a game or application they DO NOT work properly. My testing takes over a week and these rotten drivers did not pass the tests of my first day, so I got rid of them immediately and put the 91.47s back on all of my machines. If you have them now, get either the 91.31s (especailly you 6200 and 6600 card users other than GS and GT models) or the 91.47s as only then will you get the best results you want, need, and deserve.
So, I hope this post was of aid to all of you nVidia users and may you have the best cards and drivers possible so you may enjoy all the games/applications of now and before, and yes including this game.
Also, should you get new drivers don't forget to first uninstall the old ones, reboot your system, install the new ones and reboot again so they'll take effect without any unknown problems that could occur if you don't. Here are instructions on how to do this properly:
1. Open Control Panel then open Add or Remove Programs.
2. Find your nVidia drivers under "N' as the list is alphabetical and select.
3. Select the change or remove button and follow the steps. DO NOT reboot when prompted. Exxit Add or Remove and Control Panel.
3. Open My Computer, Open your harddrive (if more than one "C" drive), and open the NVIDIA folder. Right click on the Win2KXP folder and delete it. Exit My Computer.
4. Empty your Recycle Bin and THEN reboot.
5. Upon booting you might have defaulted to a new resolution so be prepared for that if it happens. If you must, Right click on open part of Desktop and select Properties and then adjust your settings to what you need to work with your PC for the minute.
6. Install the new drivers (whichever version you have/desire) and reboot again.
7. This time upon restart you most likely will see changes again. Even the amount your screen is filled, which is most likely less than before. Repeat the Properties option and this time to exactly what you desire henceforth. Also your screen fill and placement via the buttons/knobs on the monitor itself.
8. NOW, your choice. Either logoff (not switch users) OR reboot again. This WILL save your settings to what you want/desire.
ALL DONE! Now, you can try the game and other applications. NOTE; this probably sounds like overkill and it is, BUT they will be installed with no former drivers in existence to conflict.
As Promised, here is a brief list of the nVidia cards and what DX-compliancy they are. Also to note; if your card is not listed, ALL TI-series cards are DX8 and all cards of at least the 5000-series are DX9. Here now is the list:
All 7000-series cards - DX9
GeForce 6800 Ultra - DX9
GeForce 6800 GT - DX9
GeForce 6800 GS - DX9
GeForce 6800 - DX9
GeForce 6600 GT - DX9
GeForce 6600 - DX9
GeForce 6600 LE - DX9
GeForce 6200 (64-bit) - DX9
GeForce 6200 (32-bit) - DX9
GeForce PCX 5900 - DX9 (PCI-Express Only)
GeForce PCX 5750 - DX9 (PCI-Express Only)
GeForce FX 5950 Ultra - DX9
GeForce FX 5950 - DX9
GeForce FX 5900 Ultra - DX9
GeForce FX 5900 - DX9
GeForce FX 5900 XT - DX9
GeForce FX 5800 Ultra - DX9
GeForce FX 5800 - DX9
GeForce FX 5700 Ultra - DX9
GeForce FX 5600 Ultra - DX9
GeForce FX 5600 - DX9
GeForce FX 5600XT (64-bit) - DX9
GeForce FX 5500 - DX9
GeForce FX 5200 Ultra - DX9
GeForce FX 5200 - DX9
GeForce4 TI-4800 - DX8
GeForce4 TI-4800SE - DX8
GeForce4 TI-4600 - DX8
GeForce4 TI-4400 - DX8
GeForce4 TI-4200 - DX8
Geforce 3 TI-500 - DX8
GeForce3 TI-200 - DX8
GeForce MX 4000 - DX7
GeForce4 MX 460 - DX7
GeForce4 MX 440 - DX7
GeForce4 MX 420 - DX7
Hope this is also of great use to you if you are attempting to get a nVidia card or want to know what your card's capabilities are. My Best, Good Luck AND Happy Gaming!
91.31 Drivers - Page 1 (http://users.aspect1.net/pwalkeratwwc/Images/91.31%20Drivers%20Snapshots/91.31%20Drivers;%20Sup.%20Cards1.JPG)
91.31 Drivers - Page 2 (http://users.aspect1.net/pwalkeratwwc/Images/91.31%20Drivers%20Snapshots/91.31%20Drivers;%20Sup.%20Cards2.JPG)
91.31 Drivers - Page 1 (Reversed Colors) (http://users.aspect1.net/pwalkeratwwc/Images/91.31%20Drivers%20Snapshots/91.31%20Drivers;%20Sup.%20Cards1r.JPG)
91.31 Drivers - Page 2 (Reversed Colors) (http://users.aspect1.net/pwalkeratwwc/Images/91.31%20Drivers%20Snapshots/91.31%20Drivers;%20Sup.%20Cards2r.JPG)
Sincerely,
Phil
An Update for YOU!!!
With all the new video cards and drivers that have come out recently, many of you might be confused. So, let me try to help!
Let's start with cards. One thing to keep in mind is there are many choices and some good, and some not so good. So, let me now advise. With all the games that will be out soon and the requirements of these games, there should be one thing in particular to keep in mind. It is NOW becoming a REQUIREMENT to have DX9-compliant cards. Not just compatible but compliant. For those of you who don't know the difference here it is; A compliant card is one that is "setup" by default to work with a given system or version of software (in this case the DirectX which will henceforth be noted as DX with a number to follow), where a compatible card is FORCED to work with these applications and thus is not compliant. I will post a list of most of the cards and their DX-compliancy further below in this post. This should be your first guideline.
Also, with the requirements of the game you NEED a DX8-compliant card as those are the first cards to support Pixel Shaders 1.1 and SUPPOSEDLY you can "get by" with those cards, but a DX9-compliant card will be better. What is the easiest way to tell if yours is? Quite simple really! The first DX9-compliant cards were the 5000 series cards, which I am currently using one myself on my older system. The FX 5-series if you want to be specific. However, the 5000 series up through the 6200s were low-end cards. High-end for their time but that is now past. Also to note, those of you who have cards with suffixes (letters at the end) that end in "E" (ie.; LE, SE and VE cards and XT suffixes as well) are also lower-end cards. If you have a mid-range card, the ones before the 6800s the "E" and XT cards are all low-end cards. Those who have 6800 or later numbers, the "E" suffixes make them mid-range cards. If you truly want a high-end card you need at least a 6800 and without an "E" or XT suffix. This will give you the best results and gaming experiences in video. The earlier DX7-compliant cards were fine for many other games, but this game and many other new games are more demanding. So, let me give some fair warning. The MX series cards (yes even those that say they are GeForce4s), and truly only GeForce2s. The reason for this is quite simple. The GeForce MX cards older and newer use the same basic hardware and engines. So, for those of you with MX cards, the game won't, I'm sorry to say. NOTE: The notes about the MX cards DO NOT apply to KoH. The reference is made solely in relation to any newer game that came out at least late last year as compliancies have changed with the times, like with Caesar 4 and Anno 1701 for example.
Once you check and verify you have/want your card of choice, the next thing is which drivers to use with it. I have tested many different versions of nVidia drivers (on one of the earliest DX9-compliant cards BTW) so I could pass this along to you. Anymore I only will advise three versions as I've tested all from the 61.77 drivers and these all work with both new and old games and applications very well (for Widnows 2000 and XP 32-bit and 64-bit versions, but NOT Vista). First are the 91.31 drivers of September 2006, which can be obtained from HERE (http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_2k_91.31.html). I have provided snapshots of which cards these drivers support in the attached photos of the lists at the bottom of this post. (Yes, there are two sets of two that are exactly the same except one set is in reverse color mode, so the visually impaired such as myself can read the list with ease.) NOTICE! The GeForce 6600 AND 6200 cards SHOULD ONLY use the 91.31 drivers unless you have a GS or GT suffix. Nothing newer (right now)!!!
Then, there are the 91.47 drivers of October 2006. Should you want to get them you can do so from HERE (http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_2k_91.47.html). One thing to keep in mind though! These are newer (and the best if you can use them) drivers and you might find some cards are not support for them that the 91.31s did. So, I'm going to provide a link to a ".pdf" file which is HERE (http://download.nvidia.com/Windows/91.47/91.47_ForceWare_Release_notes.pdf). Do note this is a ".pdf" download and it is HUGE, so it might take some time to load the page. The chart of the supported cards (which is pages 50 and 51). On your browser toolbar click Edit and select Find. Depending on your Acrobat version, the menus are different. In the search box enter "Table 3.1" (without the quotes). For those of you with the menu to the right side it's the 3rd one listed. For those with the small window in the center above the text, click Find Next 3 times, and it will take you there. Feel free to browse the chart to make sure your card or card of choice is on that list.
If you are one of the few who does not have their card on those lists, I'm afraid you do have a problem as all the DX8-complinat cards and later are on those lists and some even prior to DX8-complinacy. However there is still a driver version that will work for you and yes, those of you with up to high-end cards as well. Those are the 81.95 drivers (dated November of 2005) which you can get from HERE (http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_2k_81.95.html).
One important note for all. As I said, I've tested every nVidia-approved driver since the 61.77s, and this includes the newest 93.71 version. DO NOT use these drivers as they are some of the worst nVidia has approved in some time. While they are stable with the system idle, when you try to execute a game or application they DO NOT work properly. My testing takes over a week and these rotten drivers did not pass the tests of my first day, so I got rid of them immediately and put the 91.47s back on all of my machines. If you have them now, get either the 91.31s (especailly you 6200 and 6600 card users other than GS and GT models) or the 91.47s as only then will you get the best results you want, need, and deserve.
So, I hope this post was of aid to all of you nVidia users and may you have the best cards and drivers possible so you may enjoy all the games/applications of now and before, and yes including this game.
Also, should you get new drivers don't forget to first uninstall the old ones, reboot your system, install the new ones and reboot again so they'll take effect without any unknown problems that could occur if you don't. Here are instructions on how to do this properly:
1. Open Control Panel then open Add or Remove Programs.
2. Find your nVidia drivers under "N' as the list is alphabetical and select.
3. Select the change or remove button and follow the steps. DO NOT reboot when prompted. Exxit Add or Remove and Control Panel.
3. Open My Computer, Open your harddrive (if more than one "C" drive), and open the NVIDIA folder. Right click on the Win2KXP folder and delete it. Exit My Computer.
4. Empty your Recycle Bin and THEN reboot.
5. Upon booting you might have defaulted to a new resolution so be prepared for that if it happens. If you must, Right click on open part of Desktop and select Properties and then adjust your settings to what you need to work with your PC for the minute.
6. Install the new drivers (whichever version you have/desire) and reboot again.
7. This time upon restart you most likely will see changes again. Even the amount your screen is filled, which is most likely less than before. Repeat the Properties option and this time to exactly what you desire henceforth. Also your screen fill and placement via the buttons/knobs on the monitor itself.
8. NOW, your choice. Either logoff (not switch users) OR reboot again. This WILL save your settings to what you want/desire.
ALL DONE! Now, you can try the game and other applications. NOTE; this probably sounds like overkill and it is, BUT they will be installed with no former drivers in existence to conflict.
As Promised, here is a brief list of the nVidia cards and what DX-compliancy they are. Also to note; if your card is not listed, ALL TI-series cards are DX8 and all cards of at least the 5000-series are DX9. Here now is the list:
All 7000-series cards - DX9
GeForce 6800 Ultra - DX9
GeForce 6800 GT - DX9
GeForce 6800 GS - DX9
GeForce 6800 - DX9
GeForce 6600 GT - DX9
GeForce 6600 - DX9
GeForce 6600 LE - DX9
GeForce 6200 (64-bit) - DX9
GeForce 6200 (32-bit) - DX9
GeForce PCX 5900 - DX9 (PCI-Express Only)
GeForce PCX 5750 - DX9 (PCI-Express Only)
GeForce FX 5950 Ultra - DX9
GeForce FX 5950 - DX9
GeForce FX 5900 Ultra - DX9
GeForce FX 5900 - DX9
GeForce FX 5900 XT - DX9
GeForce FX 5800 Ultra - DX9
GeForce FX 5800 - DX9
GeForce FX 5700 Ultra - DX9
GeForce FX 5600 Ultra - DX9
GeForce FX 5600 - DX9
GeForce FX 5600XT (64-bit) - DX9
GeForce FX 5500 - DX9
GeForce FX 5200 Ultra - DX9
GeForce FX 5200 - DX9
GeForce4 TI-4800 - DX8
GeForce4 TI-4800SE - DX8
GeForce4 TI-4600 - DX8
GeForce4 TI-4400 - DX8
GeForce4 TI-4200 - DX8
Geforce 3 TI-500 - DX8
GeForce3 TI-200 - DX8
GeForce MX 4000 - DX7
GeForce4 MX 460 - DX7
GeForce4 MX 440 - DX7
GeForce4 MX 420 - DX7
Hope this is also of great use to you if you are attempting to get a nVidia card or want to know what your card's capabilities are. My Best, Good Luck AND Happy Gaming!
91.31 Drivers - Page 1 (http://users.aspect1.net/pwalkeratwwc/Images/91.31%20Drivers%20Snapshots/91.31%20Drivers;%20Sup.%20Cards1.JPG)
91.31 Drivers - Page 2 (http://users.aspect1.net/pwalkeratwwc/Images/91.31%20Drivers%20Snapshots/91.31%20Drivers;%20Sup.%20Cards2.JPG)
91.31 Drivers - Page 1 (Reversed Colors) (http://users.aspect1.net/pwalkeratwwc/Images/91.31%20Drivers%20Snapshots/91.31%20Drivers;%20Sup.%20Cards1r.JPG)
91.31 Drivers - Page 2 (Reversed Colors) (http://users.aspect1.net/pwalkeratwwc/Images/91.31%20Drivers%20Snapshots/91.31%20Drivers;%20Sup.%20Cards2r.JPG)
Sincerely,
Phil