Neowin Forums > How to turn off Turbocache

BlackShadow

Jun 28 2007, 07:47

**NOTE**
This trick does not work under Windows Vista

Quote -

Here's what you need:
-A video card with Turbocache (duh). It pays to get a card with more onboard memory, like 256MB
-The latest nVidia drivers. You might already have these. I use Forceware 93.81, but I think the latest stable will work too.
-Rivatuner

Now, down to business:
First, install your video drivers. You've probably already done this, but if you want to make sure that you have something recent, do the following:
-Right-click your desktop and click Properties
-Go to the Settings tab
-Click the advanced button
-Go to the Adapter tab (note the Memory Size under Adapter Information)
-Click on Properties button
-Go to the Driver tab
-Check the Driver Date and Driver Version to see if it's at least November 2006 and/or 93.71
-Close the dialogs.
-If your version isn't up-to-date, then download and install the latest nVidia Driver.

Install Rivatuner
-Just download it from here: http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=163
-Run the installer

Hey, that was easy, right? Now comes the important part:
-Disable Turbocache
-Open Rivatuner
-Go to the Power Users tab
-Click on the Open Matched Database button. It's one of the little ones on the bottom.
-Find and expand the nVidia...System entry in the list
-Find RMDisableRenderToSysMem and set the value to 1
-Close Rivatuner
-Reboot the computer

Double-check to see that your card is "normal" and not using system memory anymore. Repeat the "Verify your driver" steps to view the properties of your video card and see if the memory listed is only what's onboard (up to step 4).

And that should be it! I noticed a performance gain on my system. Probably because it wasn't paging to the system memory. Probably just one less thing the CPU had to keep track of.

If this makes matters worse for you (which I can't imagine that it would), the just go back in and delete the 1 value for the entry in Rivatuner, and you'll be back to the way you were. Just remember my standard disclaimer: you did it, it's your fault!

Source: http://howtotroubleshoot.blogspot.com/2007...turbocache.html

Q&A

*Q: When I click on the "Open Matched Database", the program says that "Riva Tuner cannot find the database for Forceware XX.XX. Do you want to open database for the closest driver version?
A: Click on "No" and skip that step.

**Q: When I click on the "Open Matched Database", the program says that "Riva Tuner cannot find the database for Forceware XX.XX. Do you want to open database for the closest driver version?
A: Click on "Yes" and procceed.

*94.24 Forceware
**Below 94.24 Forceware

I have gotten myself a GeForce 7300 GS 256MB DDR2 with Turbocache that enables 512MB, and like always when I get new things, I was excited to try out my new video card, so I went and test it out on Battlefield 2142 and it turned out to be extremely horrible, same goes for FEAR, Battlefield 2, Counter-Strike: Source, and Doom 3. Now with the Turbocache disabled, I am now able to run almost everything on high running at 1280 X 1024 and I'm not joking here and heres proof on my DxDiag:

1280 X 1024:

- 50FPS

1024 X 768:

- 30FPS

1024 X 768:

- 40FPS

Turbocache Disabled
669 3DMarks
SM2.0 Score: 252
HDR/SM3.0 Score: 222
CPU Score: 951

Turbocache Enabled
680 3DMarks
SM2.0 Score: 259
HDR/SM3.0 Score: 224
CPU Score: 952

Specs:
Windows XP MCE 2005
1GB of RAM DDR
3.20GHz P4 with HT
GeForce 7300 GS 256MB DDR2

Please no negative comments, I'm still learning.

EvilBlooD

Jul 1 2007, 11:39

Hello BlackShadow i have some issues here, i hope you can help me because i need to disable TurboCache on my Videocard, well i followed that steps you mencioned on the post from that guy, but when i get to this part:

-Disable Turbocache
-Open Rivatuner
-Go to the Power Users tab
-Click on the Open Matched Database button. It's one of the little ones on the bottom.
-Find and expand the nVidia...System entry in the list <======= here

i just cant find the nVidia System entry there are some others like:

RivaTuner\nVidia\Global
RivaTuner\nVidia\Color
RivaTuner\nVidia\Overclocking
RivaTuner\nVidia\Overclocking\Current Device
RivaTuner\nVidia\Fan
RivaTuner\nVidia\Fan\Current Device
RivaTuner\nVidia\Refresh Rate Fix

and then jump to

RivaTuner\Overclocking\x

i was looking for that option:
RMDisableRenderToSysMem

and never found it also expanded and looked on all tabs and cant find it
my forceware version is 94.24 under this system:

Pentium D 3.20 Ghz
1024 MB RAM DDR 400Mhz
250 GB HDD SATA
nVidia GeForce 7300 LE with 256 MB DDR (512 with TurboCache)

Windows XP Pro SP2 (Updated)

i hope you can help me i need to turn off that crap of TurboCache i just want 256 on Video and my 1024 MB of RAM, thank you so much for the help and excuse my english is not my primary langiage

matty13

Jul 1 2007, 12:47

NICE! 30fps on bf2142 with that 7300 GS Card, i need a new card and might consider that one! i have bf2142 and i get lag all time, even on LOW ALL!

But is turning of Turbocache any better or does it actually loose performance, i suppose if your a high gamer:
Turbocache ON

If your just working on the desktop etc..
Turbocache OFF?

BlackShadow

Jul 1 2007, 18:25

Quote - (EvilBlooD @ Jul 1 2007, 04:39)

Hello BlackShadow i have some issues here, i hope you can help me because i need to disable TurboCache on my Videocard, well i followed that steps you mencioned on the post from that guy, but when i get to this part:

-Disable Turbocache
-Open Rivatuner
-Go to the Power Users tab
-Click on the Open Matched Database button. It's one of the little ones on the bottom.
-Find and expand the nVidia...System entry in the list <======= here

i just cant find the nVidia System entry there are some others like:

RivaTuner\nVidia\Global
RivaTuner\nVidia\Color
RivaTuner\nVidia\Overclocking
RivaTuner\nVidia\Overclocking\Current Device
RivaTuner\nVidia\Fan
RivaTuner\nVidia\Fan\Current Device
RivaTuner\nVidia\Refresh Rate Fix

and then jump to

RivaTuner\Overclocking\x

i was looking for that option:
RMDisableRenderToSysMem

and never found it also expanded and looked on all tabs and cant find it
my forceware version is 94.24 under this system:

Pentium D 3.20 Ghz
1024 MB RAM DDR 400Mhz
250 GB HDD SATA
nVidia GeForce 7300 LE with 256 MB DDR (512 with TurboCache)

Windows XP Pro SP2 (Updated)

i hope you can help me i need to turn off that crap of TurboCache i just want 256 on Video and my 1024 MB of RAM, thank you so much for the help and excuse my english is not my primary langiage

The option should look something like this:

If you still can't find, try installing an old Forceware and if the problem still persist, we'll have to manually disable it.

Quote - (matty13 @ Jul 1 2007, 05:47)

NICE! 30fps on bf2142 with that 7300 GS Card, i need a new card and might consider that one! i have bf2142 and i get lag all time, even on LOW ALL!

But is turning of Turbocache any better or does it actually loose performance, i suppose if your a high gamer:
Turbocache ON

If your just working on the desktop etc..
Turbocache OFF?

Quote -

But is turning of Turbocache any better or does it actually loose performance, i suppose if your a high gamer:
Turbocache ON

Yes and no, it depends on game wether it uses 1GB of RAM or not. If the game does use 1GB of RAM and you have Turbocache enabled, your game will stutter and major FPS drop, but on games like Counter-Strike: Source that uses around 512MB ( I believe it uses 512MB ) then Turbocache should improve the FPS by 1-5, so thats not much. To me, a high gamer should turn it off.

Quote -

If your just working on the desktop etc..
Turbocache OFF?

If you are asking is it good to leave Turbocache off when you're only using the desktop, yea, it doesn't matter. Or if you're asking if you disabled Turbocache will it still be off when you're only using the desktop, yes, it will still be off.

This is what Turbocache does, if you have 512MB of RAM on your system, the video card will steal 128MB away from your 512MB, thus making your RAM 384MB and your Video Card 384MB. If you have 1GB of RAM, it will steal 256MB from it and making the video card 512MB and your RAM 768MB, so games that requires 1GB of RAM is better off disabling Turbocache while other games that uses 1MB-512MB its okay to leave it on but it will still stutter once in a while.

EvilBlooD

Jul 1 2007, 20:07

Hello again

thanks for your support and i finally make that work installing an old version of the Forceware and easily change the option. My video card now says i have only 256 vdeo memory, but i have another problem: windows properties keep saying i only have 768 MB of RAM i guess when i enabled this option only says i have 256 but still keep using my RAM as Video Memory! anyone know something about this? or i did something wrong? thanks for the answers

Pentium D 3.20 Ghz
1024 MB RAM DDR 400Mhz
250 GB HDD SATA
nVidia GeForce 7300 LE with 256 MB DDR (512 with TurboCache)

Windows XP Pro SP2 (Updated)

BlackShadow

Jul 1 2007, 22:34

I think thats normal, just ignore it. ( You atually do have 1GB )

Nicholas-c

Jul 1 2007, 22:53

queston ! whats turbocache?

BlackShadow

Jul 2 2007, 01:12

Quote - (Nicholas-c @ Jul 1 2007, 15:53)

queston ! whats turbocache?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbocache

And if you want to know what it does read carefully on this thread.

BlackShadow

Jul 3 2007, 07:49

(Hey what hpapened to the edit button?)

I just notice that I am able to use anti aliasing while running 1280 x 1024, pretty awsome tweak imo

potter

Jul 20 2007, 12:57

I need some help here. I have a Gigabyte 6200TC D8 card with 256MB turbochached memory. It has only 128MB on board memory. I have 1GB of ram, and i want to play games like NFS Carbon, Fear etc(atleast at minimum settings but with no lag). so whether turnig off TC will increase my gaming experience? here is a link which shows full specs of my card
http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/VGA/Pr...?ProductID=1261

BlackShadow

Jul 25 2007, 22:02

Yes, it will increase your gaming experience.

PcMess

Aug 21 2007, 20:02

If you have 1.5gig of ram. Does TC improve or hurt ur gaming? I play Counter strike source

7300gs

lool

Aug 25 2007, 09:37

hi i have a 8500GT latest drivers( driver date : 4/20/2007 ) and i`ve done all the steps and after rebooting the pc at dxdiag it says that i still have aprox memory 512 ~X( so the tc is still on what`s the problem?

BlackShadow

Aug 25 2007, 10:03

Quote - (PcMess @ Aug 21 2007, 13:02)

If you have 1.5gig of ram. Does TC improve or hurt ur gaming? I play Counter strike source

7300gs

Since you have 1.5GB of RAM Turbocache will improve your perfomance a little so if I were you don't turn it off.

Quote - (lool @ Aug 25 2007, 02:37)

hi i have a 8500GT latest drivers( driver date : 4/20/2007 ) and i`ve done all the steps and after rebooting the pc at dxdiag it says that i still have aprox memory 512 ~X( so the tc is still on what`s the problem?

The 8500GT doesn't have Turbocache which is extremely good, so your card itself holds all the 512MB

lool

Aug 25 2007, 11:18

nope it has

in everest it shows me that it has 256mb

and in dxdiag 512...... so tc on:(

http://www.artcore.ro/preturi/mici/Placi_v...56MB-/1564.html

at capacitate memorie (memory capacity) it says 256mb to.....

look

--> http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/3955/untitledrm8.jpg

lool

Aug 25 2007, 17:53

so..noone knows whats the problem?

strekship

Aug 26 2007, 19:52

My laptop has 2gb of ram and the video card is an 8600GS with TC. The card itself has 256mb of ram, and it says that when you have 2gb of ram it will let it use up to 1gb of ram. Should I turn it on or leave it off?

RanCorX2

Aug 26 2007, 20:01

Quote - (matty13 @ Jul 1 2007, 13:47)

NICE! 30fps on bf2142 with that 7300 GS Card, i need a new card and might consider that one! i have bf2142 and i get lag all time, even on LOW ALL!

But is turning of Turbocache any better or does it actually loose performance, i suppose if your a high gamer:
Turbocache ON

If your just working on the desktop etc..
Turbocache OFF?

the laptop i got recently has a mobility 9700 128mb, i can run bf2142 med settings 1024x768@60
runs great especially on the sp min mod 48 bots and minimal slowdown.

BlackShadow

Aug 26 2007, 21:21

Quote - (lool @ Aug 25 2007, 04:18)

nope it has

in everest it shows me that it has 256mb

and in dxdiag 512...... so tc on:(
http://www.artcore.ro/preturi/mici/Placi_v...56MB-/1564.html

at capacitate memorie (memory capacity) it says 256mb to.....

look

--> http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/3955/untitledrm8.jpg

The 8500GT isn't on the Turbocache list: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbocache

Quote - (strekship @ Aug 26 2007, 12:52)

My laptop has 2gb of ram and the video card is an 8600GS with TC. The card itself has 256mb of ram, and it says that when you have 2gb of ram it will let it use up to 1gb of ram. Should I turn it on or leave it off?

If you're using Windows Vista it would be better if you turn it off, if your using XP just leave it on.

strekship

Aug 27 2007, 00:42

Ok, thanks. I'm running XP so i will leave it on.

lool

Aug 27 2007, 11:38

Quote - (BlackShadow @ Aug 26 2007, 21:21)

The 8500GT isn't on the Turbocache list: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbocache

so ....then at least explain why in dxdiag it shows me 512 mb and in everest 256

PcMess

Aug 31 2007, 03:00

y do u want to disable TC for ur 8500gt??? it improves ur performance.

BlackShadow

Sep 1 2007, 19:56

Quote - (lool @ Aug 27 2007, 04:38)

so ....then at least explain why in dxdiag it shows me 512 mb and in everest 256

Heck of I know

BlackShadow

Jan 22 2008, 04:07

Quote - (lool @ Aug 27 2007, 04:38)

so ....then at least explain why in dxdiag it shows me 512 mb and in everest 256

I still cannot explain why but I hope your still here to read this message

, your 8500GT does use Turbocache.

BlackShadow

Mar 11 2008, 08:29

I finally had time to do a benchmark with Turbcoache disabled and enabled and here's the result:

Turbocache Disabled
669 3DMarks
SM2.0 Score: 252
HDR/SM3.0 Score: 222
CPU Score: 951

Turbocache Enabled
680 3DMarks
SM2.0 Score: 259
HDR/SM3.0 Score: 224
CPU Score: 952

Though I still say that if you just meet the mininum requirements for a certain game on RAM I'd say disable Turbocache.

MCD

May 2 2008, 10:04

The pc doesn't work well when i played the game like Biohazard4 or NFS6 or other, it usually restarted or halted down or made the screen unsightly. I could't find the trouble, maybe the tc, maybe other. I tried the steps you said, but my 8500 with tc still stole the system memory. My PC information is amd 4000+ x2, 4G mem, MSI k9n neo v2, 8500GT with tc, winxp sp2. Anyone gives me some helps. Thanks.

soldier1st

May 3 2008, 18:00

With 1GB memory Battlefield Even with TurboCache Disabled it wont perform very well,if you upgraded to 2GB or 3GB with Turbocache enabled it would perform very well as you have plenty of main memory for both the game and Turbocache and the OS,stop being cheap and holding off on upgrading memory for those memory intestive games and Turbocache is meant to help you but of course you need more memory as more memory is better.

MCD

May 4 2008, 12:43

but i has 4gb memories, the vga still cann't work well, see the captures, maybe the problem is from the chip
Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment

Scirwode

May 4 2008, 13:55

Quote - (MCD @ May 4 2008, 20:43)

but i has 4gb memories, the vga still cann't work well, see the captures, maybe the problem is from the chip
Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment

Are you turning off TurboCache? Because I don't think there's any problems playing games with TurboCache when you have more than 2GB. Resident Evil 4 handled just fine on my notebook with TurboCache on, and it has an even older card than yours, plus it's slower.

Scirwode

MCD

May 4 2008, 22:26

I tried to disable Turbocache, but I failed. Maybe this problem was from the card self, I only wanted to test the stability when the TC was disabled.

Scirwode

May 5 2008, 00:01

Quote - (MCD @ May 5 2008, 06:26)

I tried to disable Turbocache, but I failed. Maybe this problem was from the card self, I only wanted to test the stability when the TC was disabled.

I don't think there's any reason for you to disable TurboCache. It's probably something wrong with your card, I hazard. At least you can replace it with something better. I can't change the graphic card on my notebook

.

Scirwode

MCD

May 5 2008, 14:45

You are right, I waste so much time on this, this problem should be gaven to the sellers.

BlackShadow

May 5 2008, 16:29

Quote - (soldier1st @ May 3 2008, 10:00)

With 1GB memory Battlefield Even with TurboCache Disabled it wont perform very well,if you upgraded to 2GB or 3GB with Turbocache enabled it would perform very well as you have plenty of main memory for both the game and Turbocache and the OS,stop being cheap and holding off on upgrading memory for those memory intestive games and Turbocache is meant to help you but of course you need more memory as more memory is better.

It does perform very well on Battlefield 2142 because the game requires 1.5GB of RAM while I have 1GB along with the video card sucking some of it up because of Turbocache so it just depends on the game requirements.

Quote -

stop being cheap

If you don't like the way I work then leave me alone

**EDIT**
Just to point out to others, you only benefit from this if you meet the mininum requirements of RAM, not the recommended.