Direct3D problems with AMD k6-2

[luncheonticket]

i modified a pcchips 560tg motherboard so it could work with AMD k6-2 CPUs. the computer seems to run fine except for d3d games, which randomly hang. this computer has windows 98 installed with directx8.1b and the following hardware configuration:

PCChips M560TG motherboard, bios release 2001/7/23 xtended features
AMD K6-2 500 MHz CPU (6.0x multiplier @ 83.3 MHz FSB - 2.3v)
256 MB PC133 SDRAM
8.4 GB ATA66 HDD
16MB 3dfx Banshee (PCI) video card
C-Media 8738 PCI sound card

all cards have the latest drivers, and the 3dfx is running the xpentor optimizers drivers. the motherboard is using the unofficial bios (which enables support for amd k6-2 and k6-3) found in ajz website. BTW, d3d games hung the same with the official 3dfx drivers, and opengl-glide games seem to run fine...

if anyone knows how to solve this, please let me know,

thanx in advance,

L.T.

P.S.: i also tried reducing the fsb to 66MHz, but it doesn't solve the problem...

[ajzchips]

Try testing it for an hour (or less) at 2.5V
If it doesn't hang, then your voltage regulator might not be providing the required voltage properly.
I do suppose you've verified your RAM already.

[luncheonticket]

by 'checking your ram' i assume you mean setting the ram timings in the setup... if that's what you mean, then the answer is yes... í'll try using the cpu in 2.5v and then i'll let you know the results...
thanx in advance,

L.T.

[luncheonticket]

it definitely wasn't the voltage settings, as the pc would run fine but hang in certain direct3d games...

just in case, this is my bios setup:

Internal & external cache: both enabled
Sistem BIOS cacheable: enabled
video BIOS shadow: cached
C800 to DC00 shadow: all disabled
L2 tag width: 8 bit
dram write timing: x222
page mode dram read: x333
ras precharge period: 3t
ras to cas delay: 2t
dram speculative read: enabled
gated_clock: enabled
slow refresh: 15 us
dram data integrity mode: parity
primary frame buffer: 16 MB
vga frame buffer: enabled
data merge: enabled
byte merge: enabled
fast back to back: enabled

please, if anyone consider these settings are wrong for my current system configuration (K6-2 500, 2x pc133 10ns 128 mb sdram dimms, 83.3 mhz fsb) please let me know...

thanx in advance,

L.T.

ps: please notice that not all d3d games hang, and OGL-Glide games run fine, so maybe is some directx8.1b issue in my system...

[ajzchips]

The locking at certain games could be a VGA firmware problem. I've seen this happen on several systems.

[luncheonticket]

so what do you say i have to do? update the display card firmware? if the answer is yes, then where can i get the bios for that card?
the card is a 16mb PCI 3dfx voodoo banshee (teppro brand, model hulk III banshee pci)

thanx in advance,
L.T.

[ajzchips]

Well, the latest drivers provided by TEPPRO for your card was:
http://web.archive.org/web/200104151544 ... v-hulk.htm

But, you'll find excellent VOODOO support here:
http://www.voodoofiles.com/category.asp?x=13
...especially in the 3rd party drivers section, and the forum.

[Format C:]

It is also important which games are you trying to play - some pf them just won't work with 3dfx voodoo banshee (because this card is very old). All new games work only with GeForce or similar cards. Even voodoo3 is considered "old".

[Format C:]

There also might be some incompatibility between AMD and voodoo, especially older models...

[luncheonticket]

this is the problem, games like Half-Life, CMR2.0 and NFS5 seem to run fine in d3d, but Israeli Air Force and many others just freeze... i tried to disable L2 Cache as suggested in some 3dfx sites, but it didn't make any difference...
i guess i should try to flash the card's bios and see the result...

L.T.