Fix for dual-core users with nVidia hardware

[Chalnoth]

For those of us with dual-core, KoTOR and KoTOR2 are still two games that exhibit problems with nVidia's dual-core optimizations. So, in the 81.98 drivers, nVidia implemented an option to disable dual-core optimizations. Unfortunately, the setting is currently a registry hack, and it's not documented properly in the driver release notes, so I'll list my own instructions here.

 

First, in the registry editor of your choice, go to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\Video

 

Here should be one or more {CLSID} entries. The release notes file on nVidia's site suggests a way to find the correct one that led me to the wrong one, so here's the way I did it.

 

Systematically go through each one until you find one with a sub-directory 0000 that contains lots of entries. The first entries should all be entries related to game .exe files (game profiles). In my system, there was only one of these (and I have an SLI system), so I suspect if you have more than one, it is due to an unclean driver uninstall at some point. All other {CLSID} entries only had a couple of configuration settings.

 

Now to enter the new DWORD values. To do this, make sure you are in the 0000 subdirectory of the proper {CLSID}, then right-click and click new->DWORD value. For OpenGL, name the DWORD "OGL_ThreadControl" and set the value to 2 (KoTOR and KoTOR2 use OpenGL).

For D3D, name the DWORD "WTD_ExecModel" and set the value to 0 (this won't do anything for KoTOR, but just in case you find a D3D game that has a similar issue).

 

You can view the 21st page of the 81.98 release notes for the official instructions.

 

(edited for clarity)

Edited January 12, 2006 by Chalnoth

[Astatine]

This appears to have made KOTOR2 finally run on my new PC

 

Thank youuuuuuuuu

 

Can this be stickied?

[Belhawk]

went to run and ran regedit, I have xp pro

hkey_local_machine

went to system

went to currentcontrolset

went to video

went to 4th {} with numbers that had 0000 and counterstrike folder and voltilesettings

found lines

swkotor.exe:d3dogl_67207556

inside/I hit enter and got window that said edit binary value

0000 01 00 00 08

swkotor2.exe:d3dogl_67207556

inside/I hit enter and got window that said edit binary value

0000 11 00 00 08

did I find the correct area and what do I do?

I have an amd x3 4800+ and kotor 1 and 2 are unplayable.

[Chalnoth]

went to run and ran regedit, I have xp pro

hkey_local_machine

went to system

went to currentcontrolset

went to video

went to 4th {} with numbers that had 0000 and counterstrike folder and voltilesettings

found lines

swkotor.exe:d3dogl_67207556

inside/I hit enter and got window that said edit binary value

0000 01 00 00 08

swkotor2.exe:d3dogl_67207556

inside/I hit enter and got window that said edit binary value

0000 11 00 00 08

did I find the correct area and what do I do?

I have an amd x3 4800+ and kotor 1 and 2 are unplayable.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No, you weren't supposed to edit that entry. You're supposed to enter a new one within the 0000 directory. If you are using an SLI system, it is imperative that you set that registry entry back to the original value (I'd set it back anyway, just to be safe).

 

Once you are within the 0000 subdirectory that includes these application profiles, right click, then click new->DWORD value. Name it OGL_ThreadControl (as noted above), and set the value to 2. Hexidecimal vs. decimal does not matter for this case (since the number is less than 10).

[Belhawk]

thank you for the help, I didn't change any values.

[Belhawk]

just finished putting in the edit and it worked fine. I do get the white lines shimmering on the menues, but its a small price to get the games playable.

i will put in the mods later when i have time, off to bed now,

and thanks again

[Belhawk]

i had a small problem talking to keria, it would hit the black screen and stop there instead of continuing on for a conversation with keria. It turns out that the game had disabled eax and when I enabled it to eax-3, the problem went away. I guess that the game didn't recognize how good my x-fi fatality card is. It also said that my asus 7800 top gtx was marginal card (w00t) :D

[Chalnoth]

i had a small problem talking to keria, it would hit the black screen and stop there instead of continuing on for a conversation with keria.  It turns out that the game had disabled eax and when I enabled it to eax-3, the problem went away.  I guess that the game didn't recognize how good my x-fi fatality card is.  It also said that my asus 7800 top gtx was marginal card (w00t)  :D

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Haha, yes With the NV4x series of graphics cards (GeForce 6x00, GeForce 7x00), the identification numbers that are used to recognize the cards are actually smaller than those for any previous nVidia parts. Most game developers, when detecting the graphics hardware, would assume that later parts would always have higher identification numbers.

 

So, the game is looking at the identification number for your card, not recognizing it, and saying that while it knows it's nVidia hardware, it looks like pre-TNT hardware. Pretty funny, I think. Just one more thing that should be patched in the game, but not that big of a deal. I mean, the game really shouldn't assume low performance on an id number it doesn't recognize: it should assume high performance (or, at least, say that it doesn't recognize it).

Edited January 13, 2006 by Chalnoth

[Carrie]

Hmm... having to do that in the registry kinda sucks... Since all the games but KotOR seem to play right without that setting.

 

It should, as someone said, be in the graphics options. Then it could be fixed easily.

[Chalnoth]

Hmm... having to do that in the registry kinda sucks... Since all the games but KotOR seem to play right without that setting.

 

It should, as someone said, be in the graphics options. Then it could be fixed easily.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, I think the real hope is that nVidia will fix this issue shortly in an upcoming driver release. But it would be great if it were an option that could be set within nVidia's application profiles, just in case this issue crops up later.

Edited January 16, 2006 by Chalnoth

[absundstrom]

I have a GeForce 6100 card with 256 MB... the game runs but just crappily if you up the anti-aliasing at all. I assume this post is similiar to the problem I'm having since it says my graphics card is bad for the game, but the reg hack solution isn't working for me some reason.

 

So two question:

Am I in the right place (meaning do I have a dual-core)?

 

2nd:

Why isn't this working for me?

[kryt3n]

I want to just ask one question, where can i find HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\Video. I tried using a search but no luck.

 

Thanks

[Belhawk]

try 83.90 driver instead of regedit. I have dual core also and 83.90 and the kotor games work fine together.

[SamuraiGaijin]

I have a GeForce 6100 card with 256 MB... the game runs but just crappily if you up the anti-aliasing at all.  I assume this post is similiar to the problem I'm having since it says my graphics card is bad for the game, but the reg hack solution isn't working for me some reason. 

 

So two question:

Am I in the right place (meaning do I have a dual-core)?

 

2nd:

Why isn't this working for me?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

"Dual Core" is referring to your processor, not your graphics card.

 

To answer your real question ... the 6100 is not a good card (if you have a 5600 or better from the previous generation, or even a 4800, you're probably better off) ... I don't know the specs offhand, but I'd bet with any high quality settings, you're going to get sluggish performance or other (probably worse) gameplay issues.

[Gladry]

I was having this problem also -- got the game to where I could play for a while then had to 3-finger-salute and restart when it stopped responding.

 

Athlon 64 X2 3800+ - Nvidia 6600 w/256MB

 

The nvidia graphics fix mentioned at top reduced problems for a while but they still happened...

 

Then I did another web search because it was becoming uplayable again..

 

Found THIS solution and now problem has gone away.

 

1. Check your "My Computer -> Properties -> Hardware -> Device manager"

 

2. One of the items listed should be "Processors"

 

3. Double clickon either one of the processors - go to the driver tab - look in the "Driver Provider" area

 

4. In my case the provider WAS Microsoft...can't recall the driver version just now.

 

5. Went to this page at AMD site and downloaded the AMD dual core CPU driver.

 

6. Once installed (steps 1 through 3) show a "Driver Provider: Advanced Micro Devices" and a "Driver Version: 1.2.2.0"

 

7. Have played now for a whole planets worth of quests and no lockups so far.

 

8. PS: I am thinking of undoing the nvidia OpenGL fix above and see if the graphics effects come back...if not then it might even be faster (allowing more simultaneous gfx threads)

[Gladry]

8. PS:  I am thinking of undoing the nvidia OpenGL fix above and see if the graphics effects come back...if not then it might even be faster (allowing more simultaneous gfx threads)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Well removing the nvidia fix didn't work - problem re-appeared.

 

However I did modify the Key'sname to be "_swkotor2.exe:OGL_ThreadControl" so it only turns on when running KOTOR2.

 

 

.

Edited March 6, 2006 by Gladry

[Dr Karma]

Does anyone know if a fix like this exists for my dualcore notebook with a ATI mobility radeon 9600 card? thanks

Edited March 9, 2006 by Dr Karma

[PerfectCr]

FINALLY! KOTOR 1 and KOTOR II issues are solved with NVIDIA's latest 84.12 beta driver (direct from NVIDIA's "Nzone" site)

 

Here they are! Enjoy!

[Chalnoth]

This problem appears to have been fixed in the nVidia 84.20 drivers, available as beta drivers at nzone.com

Edited March 18, 2006 by Chalnoth

[JawaJoey]

I was having this problem also -- got the game to where I could play for a while then had to 3-finger-salute and restart when it stopped responding.

 

Athlon 64 X2 3800+ - Nvidia 6600  w/256MB

 

The nvidia graphics fix mentioned at top reduced problems for a while but they still happened...

 

Then I did another web search because it was becoming uplayable again..

 

Found THIS solution and now problem has gone away.

 

1. Check your "My Computer -> Properties -> Hardware -> Device manager"

 

2. One of the items listed should be "Processors"

 

3. Double clickon either one of the processors - go to the driver tab - look in the "Driver Provider" area

 

4. In my case the provider WAS Microsoft...can't recall the driver version just now.

 

5. Went to this page at AMD site and downloaded the AMD dual core CPU driver.

 

6. Once installed (steps 1 through 3) show a "Driver Provider: Advanced Micro Devices" and a  "Driver Version:  1.2.2.0"

 

7. Have played now for a whole planets worth of quests and no lockups so far.

 

8. PS:  I am thinking of undoing the nvidia OpenGL fix above and see if the graphics effects come back...if not then it might even be faster (allowing more simultaneous gfx threads)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

I'm having problems with K2, and I have a dual core and an Nvidia 7800GT. I just checked what you said, and mine already says provider as Advanced micro devices, and the versionis 1.2.2.0.

[PerfectCr]

I'm having problems with K2, and I have a dual core and an Nvidia 7800GT. I just checked what you said, and mine already says provider as Advanced micro devices, and the versionis 1.2.2.0.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Dude just download the lastest Nvidia drivers, its has been FIXED.

http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_2k_84.21.html