FPS Lag on Windows7

[SlickNicaG69]

First off I would like to say that I have been having this problem ever since I started using a new computer with Windows 7 installed on it... specifically 7 Ultimate... here are my comps specs:

Operating system:Windows 2.6.1.7600 (64 bit)
CPU type: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.40GHz
CPU Speed (GHz):3.42 (w/ HT enabled)
System memory (GB):2.248 (DDR... yes I know but Santa was cheap last winter)
Graphics card model:NVIDIA GeForce 7350 LE (discontinued but installed latest NVIDIA drivers)
Graphics card driver:nvd3dum.dll (and the other one for Vista)
Desktop resolution:1280x1024
Hard disk size (GB):148.95 (this is actually my storage drive... my C is 70Gb with 35 GB free)
Hard disk free space (GB):144.788

*** I have Directx 11 installed...

To understand my problem I should explain the following:

Prior to this week, I had been playing EB fine with a AMD Athlon XP 2000, 1.5 gb RAM DDR, Geforce mx440!, albeit on low settings (large, 800x600, no shadows, etc) but seamless nonetheless. My unit limit online would be around 4000 units... Logic tells you that upgrading to the above mentioned system would allow you to run EB on higher settings, AGAIN SEAMLESSLY... or, if not, on the same settings but with a higher unit limit...

However, on medium settings (basically everything the same except for 1024 resolution as opposed to 800), my unit limit is roughly 2000 units... What perplexes me even more, is that changing BACK to the original settings I was using on the XP machine, does not increase the limit... This is inherently illogical to me, unless there is some kind of configuration problem between the gpu and windows... I reason this because, with under 2000 units, there is no lag and looks as beautiful as running vanilla. So obviously it has to do with the 'high' performance features that come with win7 and directx11 or some other feature invented by that bringer of death Bill Gates...

**I will go home tonight and see if downgrading directx will help, but I would like to know if there is any type of expert knowledge out there to help (My GPU was made for Vista (which makes me think is alright with Win7, as they also said on their site, but was made for Directx9).

If so:
1) If downgrading is necessary to use the gpu, will I be able to use Win7?
2) If its not directx, then what? (Please dont say reinstall prev drivers 1 by 1)
3) Is it the DDR Ram? (How could it be, if on my XP it ran smooth with less ram, and having desktop features (such as aero, etc) turned to basic on 7, making it, in my eyes, the same as XP?)

*Although not familiar with spec requirements for running hd streams or other high end apps, I notice how even trying to watch hd movies online, it begins to lag after a brief period despite the video being completey buffered via a fast stable connection. So again I ask if its the RAM, how so?

Thus, my theory is that the directx11 is causing some of the gpu's 'high performance' features to become unstable thus causing the lag. I think this because on my old system I always experienced the "fps lag" when streaming Hd's, but I thought THAT to be logical because of the piece of italian sausage that my old gpu was...

Any ideas?

*I run vanilla seamlessly @ med settings, will see if so on max.

[pbwu1f]

I can tell you that computers in general don't make sense sometimes. Hardware and software, there is always something that you have to get around to make it work right. Just double check your graphics card drivers and make sure it's the latest one Nvidia has. I had Nvidia cards in the past and they gave me nothing but problems. As soon as I switched to ATI all the problems went away. Those look like laptop specs to me, and I know that most laptops can only handle these RTW mods on MED to MED-HIGH settings. Saying that you don't have a gaming laptop. If you want to go as far as downgrade to Direct x 10, try it but I think that should be the last thing you do. Every GPU and CPU is different and will handle different things differently. So just be patient and make sure you go thought the whole check list. Cheers mate

[SlickNicaG69]

Which Checklist??? If you mean installation everything is good... its not in program files, gold 1.5 w/ eb 1.2 w/fixes... HOWEVER, i do have the replay and big trees mod but I was under the impression they would not cause conflict... hope its not that... so before I do the dreaded downgrade you speak of... what else should i do?


P.S. Is there anyway you can figure out for me if the nvidia geforce 7350 le is compatible with directx 11?

[XSamatan]

IIRC ANY Nvidia <9000 is not capable of direct X 11, >8000 are capable of direct X 10.

RTW is written to run under a XP-environment, so anything that changes this will probably hinder the game to run fast...

Turning on battle-shadows and furthermore decreasing the resolution will increase you performance.
Note that even on my high-performance Win7 system, EB will run just on minor details fluent and that the lost compared to XP is enormous!

Sp, if you have a YP copy, make a dual.boot system and run it under dual-boot, as all the haxxors do.

XSamatan

[SlickNicaG69]

So Nvidia > 8000 supports Directx 10?... so I would need 9 is what you were trying to tell me?

Would the latest (9.c) be good?

Let me know where you found out that info for the gpu btw if you could...

Thanks again!

[mamik_yev_konak]

Slick haven't I told you this? I also had a similar build as you do. I just run the game under Windows XP SP3 compatibility mode and make sure the app can access greater than 2 GB of ram (albeit, I do have more RAM than you do), and my problems vanish...wish you the same fortune.

[XSamatan]

The needed versions of DirectX are included in the newest packages. As RTW is not written for either DirectX 10/10.1 or version 11 you won't get the effects granted from these.
You don't have to install an older version, all I wanted to say is that your GPU can't use DirectX 11 as only the newest cards can handle this.

As I stated previous RTW is a written for XP, so expect a decrease in the speed.
Furthermore you should deactivate Visual Designs and the Desktop-structuring in the settings of RTW.exe while playing the game, your graphic card might be to old to get both at the same time working. Running it in Compatibility mode is also a good idea, however, I noticed no gain in the speed.
Turning shadows off, minimize the details and playing it with a smaller resolution might also help in this case.

XSamatan

[XSamatan]

I recommend a dual-boot, PM'd you

XSamatan