Tag: pc

I will Never use gfwl Again

Posted onAuthorComputer Tweaker1 Comment

After tweaking my computer, formatting my computer, upgrading my computer, reinstalling windows, and then reinstalling Grand Theft Auto IV at least 20 times or more this year, I got an error while installing GTAIV. The error said that I have used my cd key to many times. So I posted a message in the GTAFORUMS.com pc help message boards.

I seem to have formatted without revoking to many times.
Is there a phone number I can call to get this straightened out?
I have full disk and booklets and all that.
but can not find where it offers that help.

I just don’t get it, same i.p. same email, same cd key and live does that ???? WTF is with M$ ?

neat spalsh screen

GTAIV Pc

After about an hour of searching I called Rockstar/Take Two interactive. Some guy with like an English accent answered. The tone in his voice sounded pretty sucky. He told me to go to games for windows live website and find their contact information. So I called it thinking ‘ Heck I’m an Adult I can handle this’

Nope.

I had to run back to GTAFORUMS and post another message.

Ok, well I called games for windows live.
The chump laughed at me because I said I didn’t have a 1 year old Receipt.
I asked “why can’t you just revoke all the ones assigned to my email account?”
“I’m sorry it don’t work like that”
Really? You mean to tell me that this cd key is registered repeatedly from the exact same address, exact same email account
every time I upgraded my Dang pc and this clown treats me like a teen age pirate?

He is just to big of an idiot and lazy PR*ck to try anything.

Clown.

Well as it seems they will not be clearing out all of my registrations prior to today. On the phone he told me it would be 24 hours. How in the blue hell does he expect to get my receipt within 24 hours, unless I faxed it to him or emailed it to him. In that case I could create a fake one. I won’t do that, but I could. I will never buy another game that has a microsoft logo on it, ever again.

After a year I have not had a chance to finish the dang game yet. I have been dealing with a crappy operating system with a pisspoor driver  process this whole time. Why do you think I keep having to format my pc?

I have had enough, I will be using Xliveless from here on out. I will do my next install on my Linux drive and run Wine. I hate to do this to Rockstar Games but I have to downloaded a cracked executable for GTAIV to make this happen. I have done it with previous GTA games I have purchased, I have to do it to GTAIV. And to send a big fat SCREW YOU to m$, I will place a how to online. I will of course not link to the crack. I may just crack it myself. For myself.

Or , I can just go back to Walmart and buy it again. Who knows.  oh and fyi, the GTAIV on linux, kinda just happened right now before your  eyes in this rant. i just will never call them and sit and get ridiculed by an angry little boy  again.

Dang straight I will not capitalize their name, they do that enough.

Get GTAIV Patch 1.0.6.0 Working

Posted onAuthorComputer Tweaker

On my original install I had the game running using live to download and install the game.
During the install I got an error
user posted image
but after I closed the error window, I saw that the install was still going on.

Well later I uninstalled the game and then just installed patch 1.0.4.0. (alternatively you can do this Roll back patch without uninstall )
Played for a while.
found a link in GTAForums.COM linking to the XBOX website that allows you direct download of the 1.0.6.0 patch.
download.xbox.com/content/5454083b/tu10000083_10000b83.cab?n=F1F2863FCD63C802
Use winrar.
and I tried it wondering if there would be any issues that it would resolve by getting it this way… I have no idea what I was thinking.
but.
In actuality something good did happen. I got the full install without an error. why? because the game was not running (I guess). No errors in the install.
so now I try the game and see a marginal increase in frame rates. but now I want to see more. Call me greedy.
I go to video settings for video card (nvidia control panel,ati has it under 3d setting [sorry work pc but sure they are similar throughout])

Nvidia Control Panel

Nvidia Control Panel

anistrop ati settings

and I go to the 3d settings and manually select GTAIV and turn off Anisotropic filtering.

LaunchGTAIV.exe

CODE
“C:\Program Files\Rockstar Games\Grand Theft Auto IV\LaunchGTAIV.exe” -availablevidmem=.8    


run the game from the Launch
Go to the Video settings and select “automatic”
Then go to aspect ratio and pick the size that fits.
turn texture filter to tri-linear

Setting for gtaiv defaultish

Now don’t change anything. Just save at this point and give it a try.
I would assume it will not work as well for others but it should for some
and should show a nice change for many.
The shadows look wonderful.
It will not stop the ped cars from dropping, but who cares. right? Just get the game flowing better.
It looks better than it did before the patch and plays about as good as patch 1.0.4.0 maybe a lil shakier.
I have no desire to crank the settings hire, heck it looks better already.

Android Tablet Rumors

Posted onAuthorTech News

It seems as if people want Android to compete with Apple Ipad Tablet. As if there is this big battle waiting to happen. The problem is, the Ipad is a useless accessory that serves no other purpose than to do and be what Apple wants. That is, for the future to be planned and predetermined. Google makes their hardware and software with rules and laws protecting them to say ” this is what we are selling, this is what you can do with it. It is a Horse bit and Blinders future if you let the product manufacturers tell you what is good, as apposed to produce what you request.
There is no use in that tablet, otherwise people would have bought the many Microsoft tablets through the years. It’s not a question of quality, it’s a question of convenience and capabilities. If it is an E-book reader with app abilities Neat, so is a $200 laptop. I mean if sun glare is not a problem to you, Otherwise a Kendal migt be the better, lighter and cheaper rout.

You must always have the option of a mouse and keyboard. You should not force people to have only one interface option.

My only hope is everyone who makes gadgets, just ignores the Ipad and moves on in computer and telephone direction. That would prevent us from being forced into a touch screen only type of interface. That junk would get old fast. I would hate to write to the Tech News site on a touch screen. After about an hour, my finger tips would get sore. Imagen if it was your job. I actually freak out when people touch my monitor. Imagen if all we had was touchscreen. I would be forced to sit in teh corner chewing on the collar of my shirt staring off into space mumbling “amonia glass cleaners and key action, We used to be able to do what was called ‘over clocking’ and we could tweak our machines and linux was a real, it’s not a myth, it’s not a myth”.
Hopefully we get an Android system that competes with the Ipad, but is nothing like the Ipad at all. That would be our best hope and safest bet.

Evolution of Microsoft – Windows

Posted onAuthorComputer Tweaker1 Comment

I know this old stuff but I have to show it as I found it.
I have been using windows since 3.11.
Broke my first pc within days of getting it.
butter knife in the floppy drive.
Ewps. Hey I was a newb.

Here is the guy who did it best .
Evolution of Microsoft
I still think he should have said Windows.

In the video, wait for win 3.1 . Does that not bring back memories? .. lol memories of aps/gadgets.

Sound recorder never really changed did it??? I wonder why that is!

Best Video Drivers For GTAIV (Nvidia)

Posted onAuthorGame News

Forceware 196.21 Windows XP (32-bit WHQL) http://downloads.guru3d.com/Forceware-196….nload-2457.html
Forceware 196.21 Windows 7 | Vista (32-bit WHQL) http://downloads.guru3d.com/Forceware-196….nload-2458.html
Forceware 196.21 Windows 7 | Vista (64-bit WHQL) http://downloads.guru3d.com/Forceware-196….nload-2459.html

Despite the FPS listed in the results, I really felt a smoother game play, even with the settings set higher.
I did exit and run GPU-Z and found 52 degrees Celsius. a bit high.  I mean all game play signs were smooth and even flowing
but after exiting, for the first time on this pc, it took longer than 2 seconds to open my start menu. So I think I may have been
running a bit hot. I will work on better cooling.

I also saw that the drivers defaulted my machine to run gtaiv in SLI mode. since SLI is not supported on this game, I just flashed red
Felt like a seizure. I had to go through a few settings to turn that off

For anyone With a budget card wanting to GTAIV. It is very much worth it to try these drivers.

BEFORE
Statistics
Average FPS: 23.33
Duration: 37.58 sec
CPU Usage: 96%
System memory usage: 82%
Video memory usage: 87%

Graphics Settings
Video Mode: 1440 x 900 (60 Hz)
Texture Quality: Medium
Texture Filter Quality: High
View Distance: 24
Detail Distance: 36

Hardware
Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate
Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate
Video Adapter: NVIDIA GeForce 9500 GT
Video Driver version: 195.62
Audio Adapter: Speakers (High Definition Audio Device)
AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 5600+

File ID: Benchmark.cli

AFTER
Statistics
Average FPS: 20.20
Duration: 37.28 sec
CPU Usage: 99%
System memory usage: 86%
Video memory usage: 79%

Graphics Settings
Video Mode: 1440 x 900 (60 Hz)
Texture Quality: Medium
Texture Filter Quality: High
View Distance: 56
Detail Distance: 56

Hardware
Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate
Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate
Video Adapter: NVIDIA GeForce 9500 GT
Video Driver version: 196.21
Audio Adapter: Speakers (High Definition Audio Device)
AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 5600+

Finally Nvidia’s Drivers have caught up with Windows 7. These probably will not make it to the final release version. These are leaked and tweaked by the gur3d community. but if you are on a budget video card and just want to play the game on medium settings, do this, these are great drivers.

I do warn that I did not creat these drivers and am not in any accountable for the outcome or effect or results of what these drivers might do to your machine. So don’t thank me and don’t scream at  me for what ever happens. Not all video card vendors are the same, not all video card vendors have the exact same configuration. Not all computer combonations are the same. For my machine, these are exactly what i need to play grand theft auto IV.

Here is my computer Configuration.

Next to bench Need For Speed Under Cover

Hands on (Dead Space)

Posted onAuthorGame News

The game is great, but there are so many sounds.
The look is amazing and the 3d, you almost feel it. The voice over is excellent acting. EA has a great team on this game. So long as they don’t do what they did the rest of the games. You know, cut corners and costs and press fast timelines to pump out so much garbage to keep us pacified, that the game becomes stick figures and “speed racer” sound effects.
Level 6 the hard mission with the 10 k ton goat see thing with three red arms that come out and slap you.
Level Six Big Boss
Shoot the arms with your fastest gun, shoot them at the brown and yellow glowing balls. It takes about 10-15 shots each.
Do not waste time with the explosive canisters. Keep in mind that you will have to destroy those arms twice.
At the mouth of the beast you will see he will shoot meteor looking objects at you. When you shoot the meteors, they will not explode till second shot. first shot will send them back in the direction they came from, unless they build momentum. If they get fast enough before you shoot them, they will just stop, until the next one slaps into it and causes it to explode. Soooo , with that said. here is the trick:
As the beast opens it’s mouth you will see one meteor about to launch, shoot that , the next one will smack into the back of it, causing them both to explode in it’s mouth. This causes a bigger effect than if you just shoot him. Easier said, keep shooting him in the mouth while it is open. Steadily keep blasting. If you can, walk in a clockwise direction around the rim of the tube you are in.

You will kill him.

After the mission is complete, get directions
End of level 6 dead space
Chapter 7 Into the Void
More Missions
Mining Deck

10 minutes into this level and you will see a familiar face. Have your gun ready and your clip full. you will be protecting this person. If you are not a complete jerk.!
Now be on the lookout. Level 4 suit coming soon. Cost 35 big ones.
in the changing room
New suite!!!!

GTAIV issues, what works for me.

Posted onAuthorTech News

Playing Grand Theft Auto IV I was having the issue of images vanishing after just minutes of gameplay. The more the stuff I had going on, the worse it got. I looked online for the capacities of my motherboard. I found that the native memory I was using, What the manufacture says on the box that my motherboard came with is 667mhz. No where on the box did it signify that I could go any further. So I Googled my motherboard. What I found was lots of people like myself did what I did. We all bough what we thought was the max memory for the board. 2 Gigs of 667mhz ddr2. but others experimented and found that it can handle greater than 800 mhz ddr. So I headed to the electronics store and bought 4 gigs of pc 6400 800 mhz ddr2 memory. Then when I got home, I tried to find teh forums that I saw earlier. By that time I found a handfull sites selling the same motherboard, the specs they had on those sites showed greater than 800 mhz..Dang. but I did the install.
You would not believe the speed increase I gained from this. The game has no lag issues. I stay at 30 fps min, and never have any stutter, never have any vanishing items. just that small step up and doubling my memory, the game plays like a gem.
The canned air in the heatsinks didn’t hurt me . So I think I am well on my way. See you online. I will be at gtaclans.com when I am not actually in game.

A Glitch Within a Glitch GTAIV

Posted onAuthorTruXter

Decided to drive to the swingset in Gtaiv on a motorcycle.
I pulled up to the leg of the swingset and bam.. my wheels disappeared. I kept trying to ride away, but that wouldn’t happen. It was as if I was stuck to the swingset. So I got off the bike and was about to just run away, but decided to see if the game sees the bike as being a dead bike. What I mean by that is , sometimes when you trash a vehicle, exit the vehicle and try again to mount/enter, the game will act as if it isn’t there. So I wanted to see what the game  saw it as, it let me on. The bike rolled backward about a foot or so then it froze. I exited again to see if it would happen again. Cool it did, but I was still stuck to the swingset. I kept doing it till the bike disconnected from the swingset, I then rode away with no wheels. On a hover craft like Harley bike thingy lol.

Of course I tried to save it to see what it is like next time I boot the game up. we’ll see when I reboot.

Images are found here at original post

http://gtaclans.com/index.php?topic=112.0

How to Fix GTAIV pc Memory leak

Posted onAuthorTruXter11 Comments

If you have a computer and plan to play  Grand Theft Auto iv  on pc.

People are  reading forums on how to resolve issues with their game. They are gathering information from people who do not know what they are talking about. I will help you with just a couple steps. First you have to understand that the person who claimed GTAIV pc has a memory leak, has no clue what he/she is talking about and should clearly be labeled the planets biggest idiot.  All planets need an idiot.

The fix, is the same fix for all games using a new architecture/engine. Here is the fix.

Go to the website for the manufacturer of your motherboard. Download all drivers for your motherboard.

Go to the website for the manufacturer of your video card.

Now before installing the new drivers, you must uninstall all the drivers you currently have installed.  I usually disabled the plug and play option in Control PanelAdministrative Toolsservices. Of course I do this on Vista because it keeps trying to install some crummy drivers  when I reboot after an uninstall. You really shouldn’t need that, but if you do, you know how.

Ok after the uninstall reboot your computer, and now install your drivers one by one, rebooting after each driver installed. On the final driver install, instead of rebooting, shut down your pc. When the pc is off, unplug the power to it. Clean up all the dust in all of your heatsinks (cpu,gpu,northbridge,south etc) clean your memory sticks. Remove all dust out of your pc. Make sure your air flow is heavy through your case.

The way I do that is, at the back of the pc where you see the 80 mm fans. There is like a grill around those. Since I don’t have a 2 year old kid in my house, I snip those grills out. This drops my temperature by about 2-5 degrees C . Here’s more on the subject.

And the last thing for you. DON’T OVERCLOCK YOUR MACHINE, unless you know what you are doing.

I am a regular user at the gtaforums  located at gtaforums.com.  100% of the memory leak complaints there, have been resolved with driver issues,heat issues, or the moron tried to overclock and did not want to face the fact that his computer was the issue, not the game.

In the end, this help post will get you playing Grand Theft Auto IV, that simple. The game works fine. Maintain your rig or go back to the console gaming. The cause is not overclocking it’s self, but poor overclocking could be a factor. If your machine is overclocked, set your o/c items back to default and give the game a go. If you can get the game running with your parts clocked to normal, gradually work your way back up in o/c until you reach a stable setting.

How? As if you are overclocking your video card, move each slider (depending on the tool you are using) up by 5mhz, test the game, move up 5 more, test the game and so on till you get a crash. After crash, move sliders back three. When it stables out, move forward one, if it crashes move it back one. and so on. Helpful posts

Same with bios / cmos settings with memory and cpu. Except not with sliders of course. Yes it is tedious but it resolves your issue.

Here is a lesson in how to adjust your  settings for smooth video play

And here is the whole help page from Rockstar.

Note: You must have Vista Service Pack 1 or Windows XP Service Pack 3 installed PRIOR to installing and running
Grand Theft Auto IV PC.
Right-click ‘My Computer –> Properties’ to see if you have the latest Service Packs installed, and if not check Windows Update and download before trying to install the game.

To help you understand that. It means that if you installed the latest service pack for your operating system  AFTER you installed GTAIV. It would be wise if you uninstall the game and delete all folders now. and reinstall the game.

Somewhere there was talk of resetting your registry but I haven’t had to study that. I will look into it if needed.  Yes it sounds like a hassle, but it does tell you on the box what the required service pack would be.  Fyi  windows xp 64 , you have to have service pack 2, or it will tell you it’s an incompatible operating system. 64 is not listed in the req area :-(

It does work though.