Passmark x64 3D test won't run

[Windsurf48]

I replaced an Asus P5WDG2 WS Pro 975x motherboard with an eVGA nForce 680i SLI motherboard and two BFG Geforce 7900 GT video cards with a BFG Geforce 8800 GTX and XFX Geforce 8800 GTX this week.

After getting the system tweaked running Windows XP Pro, I installed Windows XP Pro x64 Edition in a second primary partition. Both had been installed with the 975x motherboard and the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Performance Test 6.0 worked in the corresponding versions of Windows XP.

With the new motherboard and video cards, the 32-bit version works and all the tests except the medium and complex 3d tests work in the 64-bit version. A blank window with "Loading... Please wait" comes up for the medium 3D test, followed by a small window with "Could not load required media." The complex 3D test just shows a blank screen, and I have to bring up Windows Task Manager to find the same error message window behind it.

3DMark06 runs without any problems, getting a 13955 score, and the only other application which seems to have any issues is the new version of SiSoft Sandra, which is just as flaky in 32-bit Windows XP Pro. I haven't tried it on my other PC yet, so I don't know if it has the same issues with other hardware.

The October 2006 version of Directx 9 is installed along with the latest versions of all drivers and the latest eVGA BIOS, P20. nVidia does not have any x64 Geforce 8800 drivers on its web site, but BFG Tech does have Forceware 96.89 drivers for Windows XP Pro x64, along with a WQHL version of the non-WQHL 97.02 8800 drivers on nVidia's web site.

I've tried running Performance Test with and without SLI enabled, redownloaded and reinstalled Performance Test 6.0, reinstalled Directx 9 twice, and uninstalled and reinstalled the video card drivers twice, always getting the same error message in the medium and complex 3D tests. Both video cards are running at stock speeds; nVidia isn't allowing its partners to overclock the 8800 series, and the cards run hot enough at the standard 576/1900 mhz settings to make me reluctant to increase them.

I haven't been able to find any references to similar problems with Performance Test in these forums or elsewhere on the web.

Lian LI V2000 case
PC Power & Cooling Turbo-Cool 1KW-SR
eVGA nForce 680i SLI, P20 BIOS, FSB 400
Core 2 Duo 6400 at 3.2 ghz
Scythe MineCooler
4 x Patriot 512 meg DDR2-8000+XBL at 800 mhz, 3-3-3-8-2T
SIIG SiI 3132 eSATA II PCIe i/e x1 controller
Adaptec SAS RAID 4805SAS PCIe x8 controller
RAID 0/4 x Hitachi Ultrastar SAS 15k 34 gig
BFG Geforce 8800 GTX
XFX Geforce 8800 GTX
Dell 2001FP monitor
Soundblaster X-fi Xtreme Music
Plextor PX-716AS SATA DVDRW

[Ian (PassMark)]

It sounds like a DirectX 3D issue, possibly the version of DirectX PerformanceTest uses has a problem with the October 2006 DirectX libraries when used with your 3D card device driver. We are in the process of upgrading PerformanceTest to use October 2006 DirectX 9.0c - I will post a link to a Beta when available. I would like to try this as a first step.

Regards,
Ian

[Windsurf48]

I don't think it's a Directx 3D issue for several reasons. 32-bit Performance Test 6 runs with no problems in 32-bit Windows XP Pro on another partition on the same machine. Directx was installed from the same distributatble version of the October 2006 version, although presumably different versions of some of the files were installed in 64-bit and 32-bit Windows. However, I also tested the 64-bit version of Performance Test 6 using the October 2006 Directx with my previous motherboard and video cards and had no problems.

More significantly, replacing the Geforce 8800 GTX video cards with two BFG Geforce 7900 GT video cards eliminated the problem running the medium and complex 3D tests. Unfortunately, it was necessary to test using a different set of nVidia x64 drivers because the 8800 x64 drivers (which were from XFX, not BFG as I stated in my first message) don't support 7900 video cards and vice-versa.

That means that the problem could be in the nVidia 8800 x64 drivers since the two Geforce 8800 GTX cards have no problems with Performance Test 6 and the October 2006 Directx 9 in 32-bit Windows XP.

I am downloading the April Directx 9 release and will try testing using them.

Mike

[Windsurf48]

I had the same results in the medium and comples 3D tests using the April Directx 8.

[Ian (PassMark)]

PerformanceTest V6.0 requires DirectX9.0c (if you have to use DirectX 8 you will need to use PerformanceTest 5).

Please try a Beta of the new Point release of PerformanceTestV6.1:
http://www.passmark.com/ftp/petst611000_2.exe
This is built with DirectX 9.0c October 2006.

This is only a Beta and has known issues. We hope to release a public version of V6.1 in the next week.

Please let me know how you go with this version.

Best regards,
Ian

[Windsurf48]

PerformanceTest V6.0 requires DirectX9.0c (if you have to use DirectX 8 you will need to use PerformanceTest 5).

"8" was a typo. What I meant was that I tried running with the previous version of 9.0c, and got the same results as with the October version.

nVidia released new drivers for Geforce 8800 series video cards for both x86 and x64, and I am getting the same results with the new drivers. I've downloaded the beta version and am going to try that now.

[Windsurf48]

Please try a Beta of the new Point release of PerformanceTestV6.1:
http://www.passmark.com/ftp/petst611000_2.exe
This is built with DirectX 9.0c October 2006.

This is only a Beta and has known issues. We hope to release a public version of V6.1 in the next week.

Please let me know how you go with this version.

I downloaded the beta version and started to install it, but it was going to install in Program Files (x86) instead of the Program Files directory, which I assume means that it is a 32-bit version, not a 64-bit version.

[Windsurf48]

All tests work in the Performance Test 6.1 x64 version: bl# 4546.

Mike

[David (PassMark)]

Thanks for the feedback.

For others, the V6.1 64bit beta download is here,
http://www.passmark.com/ftp/petst611001_x64.exe
but this link will be disabled once we make the final V6.1 release (in about a week from now)