Windows 2k Drivers + Diablo 2 = HORRIBLE

[Terrato]

I previously used Windows 98, Second Edition. Everything was fine, but since I own a dual CPU system, I decided to upgrade to Windows 2k Professional yesterday.

Anyways, when I had Diablo 2 on Windows 98, it ran decent with my G200. I used the 6.04 Drivers for Win 9x. I get about 35FPS on single player games, 20 FPS with 5 frame skip(total 25) on medium lag situations (I use a slooooow 28.8) and about 15 FPS and 5 Skip(20 total) in high lag situations. I didn't have any problems, except for lag.

Just yesterday, I upgraded to Windows 2k (After reformating my HD twice, don't know why twice, but oh well) along with installing the 87MB Service Pack 1 and installed the latest drivers for Windows 2k (5.14.003), the ones that came out September 2000. NOW, DIABLO 2 RUNS HORRIBLY!
In a single player game, I get 10FPS with 15 SKIP! On internet, I only get 5 FPS with 20 SKIP! This is really cheesing me off. I tried it in DirectDraw mode, but it ran with similar results! The sound also gets incedible choppy, and even occasionally screeches! What's going on here????? Any help on this topic will be GREATLY APPRECIATED!

System Specs:
Dual Intel Pentium II 300 Mhz (Both SL2W8)
Asus P2B-D Mobo (BIOS Revision 1012)
256MB 8ns PC100 Micron Brand Memory
8.4GB Western Digital Caviar (WDC AC38400L)
Matrox G200 AGP /w 8MB SGRAM (On IRQ 16)
32X Mitsumi FX320M !B CD-ROM Drive
1.44MB Mitsumi Floppy Disk Drive
Logitech PS/2 4 Button MouseMan
USRobotics 28.8 Sportster FAX/Voice Internal
17" ViewSonic PT775
Adaptec AHA-2940U PCI SCSI Controller
SoundBlaster Live! Value (On IRQ 17?!?)

System Software:
Windows 2k Professional 5.00.2915 /w SP1
G200 Drivers for W2k (5.14.003)
Live!Ware 3.0 for W2k
DirectX 8.0
Logitech MouseWare 9.00

Sorry if I added an extraneous info, but I wanna make sure I get it all in the first time.

(Note: I suspect that this may be a sound problem as well. (Remember I said something about choppy sound?) Does anyone know why my SBLive Value card uses IRQ 17????? It used to use IRQ 5 in Windows 98 2nd Edition! I try to reconfigure it, but it won't let me touch the settings, not even in SAFE MODE! For some CRAZY reason, it will only change IRQ's when I change the PCI slots it's in. It used to be on IRQ 19, which conflicted with my USB hub, but now it's IRQ 17, w/o any conflicts! I tried BIOS settings, disabling ports, etc.... and to no avail. Might this be a sound problem? But even diabling sound in the game, I only get like +5 frames.)

[PR-man]

Well u might have used the wrong service pack, get it through windows update, for win2k pro it was only like 9 megs.

[Terrato]

Heh..... Went and took a second look. Yah. It says 13.6 MB, BUT the 87 MB version I d/l was for ALL VERSIONS of Windows 2000. The 13.6MB is for professional, and professional only. I had my bro d/l the 87MB version b/c I simply didn't have the time to d/l 13.6 mb on a 28.8. (Microsoft wouldn't let him d/l the 13.6mb version b/c he didn't have windows 2k installed on his computer.)

Funny thing..... My friend, who also has pretty much the same config as me says his system actually RUNS Diablo 2 Better! He also d/l the 87MB version b/c he got cable. The only thing different is that his system has only 128MB of RAM, a TYAN MOBO, and a Voodoo 3 3000 /w 16MB RAM. Everything else is the same (Didn't ask about resource assignments though). OS, Installed Sofware, Mouse, EVEN KEYBOARD and CD-ROM DRIVE are all the same!!!!!

[DosFreak]

Post an IRQ list. Your mobo might not properly support ACPI. Diablo 2 ran excellently in 3D on my ol' G400.

[Terrato]

IRQ Number Device
20 Microsoft ACPI-Compliant System
16 Matrox Millennium G200 AGP - English
8 System CMOS/real time clock
13 Numeric data processor
6 Standard floppy disk controller
4 Communications Port (COM3)
1 Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural PS/2 Keyboard
12 Logitech-compatible Mouse PS/2
3 Sportster 33600 Fax PC Plug and Play
14 Primary IDE Channel
15 Secondary IDE Channel
19 Intel 82371AB/EB PCI to USB Universal Host Controller
19 Adaptec AHA-2940U/AHA-2940UW PCI SCSI Controller
17 Creative SB Live! Value (WDM)

Notice that the USB Controller and the Adaptec PCI SCSI card are conflicting/shared. It used to be with the sound card, until I switched their PCI slots. I dont use USB, so it doesn't really affect anything.

[Gurm]

Sounds like your ACPI is probably misconfigured. I'm not 100% sure, but whenever ACPI is working correctly, you get all your ACPI devices on a single IRQ.

HOWEVER, I notice that you are running a dual-processor P2B. Make sure Windows correctly detected your machine as a "ACPI Multiprocessor PC". If not, you can force that option, or force Multiprocessor PC (non-ACPI) during installation.

- Gurm

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Listen up, you primitive screwheads! See this? This is my BOOMSTICK! Etc. etc.

[Terrato]

Okay, I looked in device manager, and saw my computer listed as an "ACPI Multiprocessor PC"

The driver is provided by Microsoft, version 5.0.2183.1, dated 11/14/1999.

It says that this device is working properly...

Any other ideas?

[HedsSpaz]

I've going to venture a thought here. For ages now, G400 owners have reported bajillions of compatability problems with multi-cpu systems. I don't see why it should be any different with the G200. Also, as someone who up until recently used a G200 in Win2000, I can vouch that DiabloII ran fine on my system.

Anyway, my suggestion is this. I don't remember what the command switch is, but you can boot Win2000 and force it to use one CPU. I would recommend trying this just to see if there is a driver problem there.

Oh, and a note, a Voodoo 3 is a LOT different than a G200. For one thing, your friend can use Glide whereas you have to use Direct 3d or Direct draw. That makes a HUGE difference.

Good luck
Ian

EDIT: I had another more relevant thought. The P2B-D is a fairly old board and I have my doubts that it is fully ACPI compliant. As such, I would also suggest changing your "computer driver" from "ACPI MultiProccesor PC" to "MPS Multiproccesor PC".(under device manager:computer)

[This message has been edited by HedsSpaz (edited 27 November 2000).]