How GTA IV works, may solve your hardware problems

[ron123]

"-availablevidmem x.xx" tricks the game into "thinking" that your GPU has more video ram than it actually does, and will allow you to increase the settings behiond what is optimal for your system, wich is not a good tip to people already having problems.

 

First, "-availablevidmem x.xx" doesn't tricks anything, "norestrictions" tricks the game and may couse all the bugs problems.

The "-availablevidmem x.xx" sets the number of system's RAM memory that GTA will use in addition to GPU's VRAM and the normal RAM usage of this game.

This will solve bugs, but won't give extra FPS.

 

Any CPU with 3-4 cores should run the game just fine in any settings, weaker CPU's should use smaller amount of "-availablevidmem x.xx" to solve bugs.

If 3-4 cores CPU has low fps, it meants that it has a bottleneck of VRAM+RAM memory, adding few Gb of RAM will solve the bottleneck and will boost 5-10 fps, for better fps the PC must use more VRAM (that means new GPU card).

[Captain Hemorrhoid]

Using -availablevidmem 1.0 -novblank got me a BSOD error concerning atikvmag.dll. Trying 2.0 didn't give me any error, just froze the game. Have to try smaller numbers, but I doubt they work.

 

I can play a variable amount of time using nomemrestrict and norestrictions, but eventually the game grinds down to a halt after loosing textures, sound and even keyboard functions (some of them). So none of the 'solutions' really seem to work for my PC (Q9400, Asus K5Q Pro, 4GB ram, Asus 4850/512meg).

It should not happen to your rig, you have some big performane problem.

 

you should loss models in fullhd res with high textures only.

 

Check in win task manager the RAM memory usage and CPU usage while nothing special working on your computer, if you use more than 5% then you have some performance virus.

 

In addition you should check mem usage of your all running programs, some programs may cost to much peformance usage.

 

If most of your RAM is free you should download the "memturbo" program and set min level of recovery to your RAM memory (I used 50 Mb), -this will stop crashes.

 

Use all my 7 tips in this post.

 

warning:: you may have big general problem of software\hardware, and it has nothing with GTA IV.

Actually, no. I don't have any problems with other games (Far Cry 2, Fallout 3 etc), I don't have any viruses, my system is new (just a few weeks old), nothing is hogging my RAM etc. It's GTA IV, trust me.

[ron123]

Actually, no. I don't have any problems with other games (Far Cry 2, Fallout 3 etc), I don't have any viruses, my system is new (just a few weeks old), nothing is hogging my RAM etc. It's GTA IV, trust me.

Then just download the patch and the programs, and try "-availablevidmem"

Still have bugs? post your benchmark and check with some programs that your PC really has your specs.

[Kurgen]

[postem]

I done some among the same lines. The problem in doubling or increasing the memory with avaliable memory set, is that i noticed a lot of strange glitches.

 

I set the -nopreloadcache plus the -nomemrestriction. My frames are the same (avg 40 fps ingame), but i got it much less reading stutters.

 

Also i must say, i messed with the popcycle.dat file, and lowered peds # max number for all sectors, in special all those on algolquin, restricting in max to 30 peds. This helped too in setting a more stable enviroment, especially when you are driving fast on algolquin, tons of peds are not interesting in wasting resources to me.

[ron123]

I done some among the same lines. The problem in doubling or increasing the memory with avaliable memory set, is that i noticed a lot of strange glitches.

 

I set the -nopreloadcache plus the -nomemrestriction. My frames are the same (avg 40 fps ingame), but i got it much less reading stutters.

 

Also i must say, i messed with the popcycle.dat file, and lowered peds # max number for all sectors, in special all those on algolquin, restricting in max to 30 peds. This helped too in setting a more stable enviroment, especially when you are driving fast on algolquin, tons of peds are not interesting in wasting resources to me.

-availablevidmem, is not like other commands. it's not a virtual memory, try it if you have extra free 1-2 GB of RAM in your rig while playing GTA IV.

 

[HomoUniversalis]

By the way.. Why do you keep repeating 3-4 cores? I've yet to meet anyone here who has a 3-core CPU and if I did, it probably was a quad-core with a malfunctioning core (Phenom X3 anyone?).

 

Anyway, Captain Hemorrhoid:

 

This ron character does not have the answer. Your best bet is to disable Rockstar Social Club, and to keep your drivers up to date. Check the threads here, generally the latest beta drivers are posted in a thread. Next to that, wait for a patch.

 

As it is, the commandlines are relevant for people experiencing specific 'out of video memory' crashes or who have enough RAM to invade Poland.

[Kurgen]

[Captain Hemorrhoid]

Actually, no. I don't have any problems with other games (Far Cry 2, Fallout 3 etc), I don't have any viruses, my system is new (just a few weeks old), nothing is hogging my RAM etc. It's GTA IV, trust me.

Then just download the patch and the programs, and try "-availablevidmem"

Still have bugs? post your benchmark and check with some programs that your PC really has your specs.

I have the latest patch for the game, the latest ATI drivers (8.12), the works. I have tried the availablevidmem trick twice, as I said above. And it was worse the than the -norestrictions way for me, I got a BSOD and regular freeze within minutes.

 

I tried fiddling with the commandline again, and this time with

 

-norestrictions

-nomemrestrict

-minspecaudio

 

I got to play over an hour without any major problems. Then I restarted the game again later, and got the vanishing textures and freezes thingy. I guess I have to delete settings.cfg and reboot the machine to really see if this is repeatable.

 

About the command minspecaudio: that was a suggestion from R*. I got Creative X-fi audio with the latest drivers (and a clean install). I have tried to remove it, and use the onboard audio without any luck. AND I tried the X-fi in a different PCI slot to make it use a different IRQ. No luck. I don't think it's the sound card.

 

I have tried everything I can think of, so now I will just wait for either ATI to come up with a driver update, or R* to come up with a patch. I am pretty much done with tweaking my machine.

 

 

[ron123]

 

By the way.. Why do you keep repeating 3-4 cores? I've yet to meet anyone here who has a 3-core CPU and if I did, it probably was a quad-core with a malfunctioning core (Phenom X3 anyone?).

 

Anyway, Captain Hemorrhoid:

 

This ron character does not have the answer. Your best bet is to disable Rockstar Social Club, and to keep your drivers up to date. Check the threads here, generally the latest beta drivers are posted in a thread. Next to that, wait for a patch.

 

As it is, the commandlines are relevant for people experiencing specific 'out of video memory' crashes or who have enough RAM to invade Poland.

First I got more answers then you and everybody else.

Second, I know that I didn't find America, I am just showing in one thread what is right and what is wrong.

Third, I exlained what hardware this game requires.

Fourth, GTA IV uses 3 threads for 3 cores, if you have 3 or 4 cores, it does'nt matter.

Fifth, the DDR2 memory is really cheap this days.

Sixth, you look me like little kid that just needs some attention.

[Captain Hemorrhoid]

By the way.. Why do you keep repeating 3-4 cores? I've yet to meet anyone here who has a 3-core CPU and if I did, it probably was a quad-core with a malfunctioning core (Phenom X3 anyone?).

 

Anyway, Captain Hemorrhoid:

 

This ron character does not have the answer. Your best bet is to disable Rockstar Social Club, and to keep your drivers up to date. Check the threads here, generally the latest beta drivers are posted in a thread. Next to that, wait for a patch.

 

As it is, the commandlines are relevant for people experiencing specific 'out of video memory' crashes or who have enough RAM to invade Poland.

First I got more answers then you and everybody else.

Second, I know that I didn't find America, I am just showing in one thread what is right and what is wrong.

Third, I exlained what hardware this game requires.

Fourth, GTA IV uses 3 threads for 3 cores, if you have 3 or 4 cores, it does'nt matter.

Fifth, the DDR2 memory is really cheap this days.

Sixth, you look me like little kid that just needs some attention.

Wow, there goes your credibility out of the window!

[HomoUniversalis]

 

Actually, no. I don't have any problems with other games (Far Cry 2, Fallout 3 etc), I don't have any viruses, my system is new (just a few weeks old), nothing is hogging my RAM etc. It's GTA IV, trust me.

Then just download the patch and the programs, and try "-availablevidmem"

Still have bugs? post your benchmark and check with some programs that your PC really has your specs.

I have the latest patch for the game, the latest ATI drivers (8.12), the works. I have tried the availablevidmem trick twice, as I said above. And it was worse the than the -norestrictions way for me, I got a BSOD and regular freeze within minutes.

 

I tried fiddling with the commandline again, and this time with

 

-norestrictions

-nomemrestrict

-minspecaudio

 

I got to play over an hour without any major problems. Then I restarted the game again later, and got the vanishing textures and freezes thingy. I guess I have to delete settings.cfg and reboot the machine to really see if this is repeatable.

 

About the command minspecaudio: that was a suggestion from R*. I got Creative X-fi audio with the latest drivers (and a clean install). I have tried to remove it, and use the onboard audio without any luck. AND I tried the X-fi in a different PCI slot to make it use a different IRQ. No luck. I don't think it's the sound card.

 

I have tried everything I can think of, so now I will just wait for either ATI to come up with a driver update, or R* to come up with a patch. I am pretty much done with tweaking my machine.

There's not that much you can do. And frankly, that's not odd. If the problem had been so simple as to be solved with a simple command line change - the problem probably would not have existed in the first place.

 

 

Sixth, you look me like little kid that just needs some attention.

 

What exactly is your interest in little kids?

[reznor]

I have all the latest games, and I have no problems with them, GTA IV is the first game that I see (except Bully and Undercover) with so many technical problems, it is not finished, not optimized and not tested !

3 weeks of exchanging mails with technical support, and they have not given solution . (and no answer when I asked the date of the next patch )

 

and try to :

Install the patch

Install new driver with cleaner

Increase my RAM 2 to 4Go

Try -availablevidmem + -novblank commandline

Put GTA in high priority in task manager

Switch off the movie capture

Try Memturbo and/or catchboost

Close social club

Re-install the Game

Re-install or update DirectX

Close all background applications

Change Resolution, Quality and mipmap settings

Clear Cache and Delete temporary files

does not change .

 

ONLY a second Patch or new Driver (for ATI) may fix the problem .

 

[ron123]

 

 

What exactly is your interest in little kids? 

I just got sick from all of you, I just tried to help you play smother GTA IV, game with so many problems.

 

I gave one solution to gamers with a lot of free RAM.

Only second patch will totally fix this game, or new tech (wait 1-2 years).

I never told you that I have multy solution for everyone.

 

 

note: HomoUniversali- you just a crap, if you can't use this command then just leave this thread,

you just searched how to fight me - no matter how.

people like you just make me sick, becouse of you I got sick from all of this thread.

 

won't replay anymore.

Edited January 4, 2009 by ron123

[Jigglyass]

The reason the game flickers is because those textures are in your shared video memory which is

RAM so the videocard needs to fetch the textures from RAM which takes tons of times compared of having the texture onboard in its own VRAM.

It will always flicker like that...