Widescreen Gaming Forum

Hi guys,

I'm going to swing by Best Buy today and pick up a card to test this out tonight on my new system, but I was wondering whether anyone else has tried running WoW with the SoftTH setup? I've got a 20" Widescreen that I'll use as the middle screen if this works.

My relevant system specs are:

P4 805D o/c 3.5ghz
2gb ram
EVGA 8800gts 640mb


I guess I can pick up a low end pci-e nvidia card and it will work...
I couldn't find any postings in Google or on this site about SoftTH and WoW...

Any thoughts on this?

You *should* be fine, because WoW is such a low-powered game.

Why a really low powered card though? Even though SoftTH is using software to replicate the three-screen setup, the second card is still rendering the game for that screen.

From what I read on the site and documentation, it didn't matter how fancy the second card was because the first card was doing all the work... is this not really true? I was thinking of picking up a 7300/7600 or something along those lines.

A low powered card is fine. Dem Pyros, the second card does not do any rendering, just output. The softTH website says Only one card does all the rendering work, so secondary card can be a low end card, only Direct3D support is required.


wererabbit,
I saw in another thread here than current nVidia drivers don't let a 7xxx and 8xxx GPU play well together; you may want to investigate that.

A low powered card is fine. Dem Pyros, the second card does not do any rendering, just output. The softTH website says Only one card does all the rendering work, so secondary card can be a low end card, only Direct3D support is required.


wererabbit,
I saw in another thread here than current nVidia drivers don't let a 7xxx and 8xxx GPU play well together; you may want to investigate that.

Ah right, i'm not thinking today :( .

Hence the drop in frames with the other card having to transmit the frames accross the board over to the other card.......

And yes, 7xxx and 8xxx cards have some driver conflicts if they are mixed on the same board.

Please let us know how well this works out for you. As a rabid WoW addict I am very curious to see how it does.

Well, so far, no luck. I picked up a BFG 8500GT card from Best Buy on the way home, it installed and recognized fine.

(Have 3 monitors hooked up, the center and left on the 8800, the right on the 8500.)

Downloaded the most recent beta of SoftTH.

Copied the d3d8.dll and d3d9.dll and the softTH config file to the WoW directory.

Edited the softTH file according to the instructions - and went in and edited my WoW's config file in the WTF folder to no longer run in a window, but fullscreen.

Saved both files, and then tried to run WoW - it crashes out and the WoWError debugger gives me this: (looks like d3d9.dll isn't a happy camper...)


==============================================================================
World of WarCraft (build 6803)

Exe: C:Program FilesWorld of WarcraftWoW.exe
Time: Jun 20, 2007 7:59:10.234 PM
User: TK421
Computer: VADER
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This application has encountered a critical error:

ERROR #132 (0x85100084) Fatal Exception
Program: C:Program FilesWorld of WarcraftWoW.exe
Exception: 0xC0000005 (ACCESS_VIOLATION) at 001B:024960D1

The instruction at "0x024960D1" referenced memory at "0x4FDD1AD8".
The memory could not be "written".


WoWBuild: 6803
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------
x86 Registers
----------------------------------------

EAX=00000000 EBX=7C801A5D ECX=7C90FB71 EDX=00000007 ESI=4FDD1A98
EDI=00000000 EBP=0012F69C ESP=0012F214 EIP=024960D1 FLG=00210246
CS =001B DS =0023 ES =0023 SS =0023 FS =003B GS =0000


----------------------------------------
Stack Trace (Manual)
----------------------------------------

Address Frame Logical addr Module

024960D1 0012F69C 0001:000050D1 C:Program FilesWorld of Warcraftd3d9.dll
0057138A 0012F6B0 0001:0017038A C:Program FilesWorld of WarcraftWoW.exe
0056B4F6 0012F7FC 0001:0016A4F6 C:Program FilesWorld of WarcraftWoW.exe
006050A8 0012FC24 0001:002040A8 C:Program FilesWorld of WarcraftWoW.exe
0060179E 0012FCB0 0001:0020079E C:Program FilesWorld of WarcraftWoW.exe
00405722 0012FF14 0001:00004722 C:Program FilesWorld of WarcraftWoW.exe
00405826 0012FF24 0001:00004826 C:Program FilesWorld of WarcraftWoW.exe
00405878 0012FFC0 0001:00004878 C:Program FilesWorld of WarcraftWoW.exe
7C816FD7 0012FFF0 0001:00015FD7 C:WINDOWSsystem32kernel32.dll

----------------------------------------
Stack Trace (Using DBGHELP.DLL)
----------------------------------------

024960D1 d3d9.dll Direct3DCreate9+241 (0x00000020,0x00C47CD6,0x00000000,0x0012F7FC)


----------------------------------------
Loaded Modules
----------------------------------------

0x00330000 - 0x00399000 C:Program FilesWorld of WarcraftDivxDecoder.dll
0x00400000 - 0x00CED000 C:Program FilesWorld of WarcraftWoW.exe
0x02490000 - 0x02535000 C:Program FilesWorld of Warcraftd3d9.dll
0x03000000 - 0x03118000 C:Program FilesWorld of Warcraftdbghelp.dll
0x10000000 - 0x10090000 C:Program FilesWorld of Warcraftfmod.dll
0x4FDD0000 - 0x4FF76000 C:WINDOWSsystem32d3d9.dll
0x5AD70000 - 0x5ADA8000 C:WINDOWSsystem32uxtheme.dll
0x5D090000 - 0x5D12A000 C:WINDOWSsystem32comctl32.dll
0x5ED00000 - 0x5EDCC000 C:WINDOWSsystem32OPENGL32.dll
0x68B20000 - 0x68B40000 C:WINDOWSsystem32GLU32.dll
0x6D990000 - 0x6D996000 C:WINDOWSsystem32d3d8thk.dll
0x71AA0000 - 0x71AA8000 C:WINDOWSsystem32WS2HELP.dll
0x71AB0000 - 0x71AC7000 C:WINDOWSsystem32WS2_32.dll
0x71AD0000 - 0x71AD9000 C:WINDOWSsystem32WSOCK32.dll
0x71BF0000 - 0x71C03000 C:WINDOWSsystem32SAMLIB.dll
0x73760000 - 0x737A9000 C:WINDOWSsystem32DDRAW.dll
0x73BC0000 - 0x73BC6000 C:WINDOWSsystem32DCIMAN32.dll
0x76390000 - 0x763AD000 C:WINDOWSsystem32IMM32.dll
0x76B40000 - 0x76B6D000 C:WINDOWSsystem32WINMM.dll
0x76F60000 - 0x76F8C000 C:WINDOWSsystem32WLDAP32.dll
0x77120000 - 0x771AC000 C:WINDOWSsystem32OLEAUT32.dll
0x771B0000 - 0x77256000 C:WINDOWSsystem32WININET.dll
0x773D0000 - 0x774D3000 C:WINDOWSWinSxSx86_Microsoft.Windows.Common-Controls_6595b64144ccf1df_6.0.2600.2982_x-ww_ac3f9c03comctl32.dll
0x774E0000 - 0x7761D000 C:WINDOWSsystem32ole32.dll
0x77690000 - 0x776B1000 C:WINDOWSsystem32NTMARTA.DLL
0x77A80000 - 0x77B14000 C:WINDOWSsystem32CRYPT32.dll
0x77B20000 - 0x77B32000 C:WINDOWSsystem32MSASN1.dll
0x77BE0000 - 0x77BF5000 C:WINDOWSsystem32MSACM32.dll
0x77C00000 - 0x77C08000 C:WINDOWSsystem32VERSION.dll
0x77C10000 - 0x77C68000 C:WINDOWSsystem32msvcrt.dll
0x77DD0000 - 0x77E6B000 C:WINDOWSsystem32ADVAPI32.dll
0x77E70000 - 0x77F01000 C:WINDOWSsystem32RPCRT4.dll
0x77F10000 - 0x77F57000 C:WINDOWSsystem32GDI32.dll
0x77F60000 - 0x77FD6000 C:WINDOWSsystem32SHLWAPI.dll
0x77FE0000 - 0x77FF1000 C:WINDOWSsystem32Secur32.dll
0x7C800000 - 0x7C8F4000 C:WINDOWSsystem32kernel32.dll
0x7C900000 - 0x7C9B0000 C:WINDOWSsystem32ntdll.dll
0x7C9C0000 - 0x7D1D5000 C:WINDOWSsystem32SHELL32.dll
0x7E410000 - 0x7E4A0000 C:WINDOWSsystem32USER32.dll


----------------------------------------
Memory Dump
----------------------------------------

Code: 16 bytes starting at (EIP = 024960D1)

024960D1: C7 46 40 40 3A 49 02 C7 46 14 C0 56 49 02 C7 46 .F@@:I..F..VI..F


Stack: 1024 bytes starting at (ESP = 0012F214)

* = addr ** *
0012F210: 72 00 6F 00 F8 F7 12 00 04 F8 12 00 00 00 00 00 r.o.............
0012F220: 00 00 00 00 DC F3 12 00 00 00 00 00 CC F3 12 00 ................
0012F230: 00 00 80 00 AC F2 12 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
0012F240: 00 00 00 00 10 00 12 00 00 DC FD 7F 00 00 00 00 ................
0012F250: 45 09 91 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 E...............
0012F260: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
0012F270: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
0012F280: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 20 00 2C F3 12 00 .......... .,...
0012F290: 2C F3 12 00 2C F3 12 00 20 00 00 00 20 00 00 00 ,...,... ... ...
0012F2A0: 02 00 00 00 33 00 00 00 24 00 02 00 00 D0 FD 7F ....3...$.......
0012F2B0: 00 00 00 00 08 00 0A 00 88 3E 91 7C 1A 02 00 00 .........>.|....
0012F2C0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
0012F2D0: 5E 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 46 00 60 00 F8 F2 12 00 ^.......F.`.....
0012F2E0: 18 00 1A 00 00 DC FD 7F F8 F2 12 00 05 00 00 00 ................
0012F2F0: A0 20 15 00 00 00 00 01 2C F3 12 00 00 00 15 00 . ......,.......
0012F300: 32 07 91 7C 2E 00 00 00 28 0F 15 00 00 00 15 00 2..|....(.......
0012F310: 30 6A 15 00 04 F3 12 00 5C 00 57 00 48 F5 12 00 0j.......W.H...
0012F320: 18 EE 90 7C 38 07 91 7C FF FF FF FF 00 00 91 7C ...|8..|.......|
0012F330: DC 31 91 7C 12 32 91 7C 81 32 91 7C 88 32 91 7C .1.|.2.|.2.|.2.|
0012F340: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 F4 F5 12 00 ................
0012F350: 40 F3 12 00 A8 63 91 7C F4 F5 12 00 18 EE 90 7C @....c.|.......|
0012F360: 90 32 91 7C FF FF FF FF 88 32 91 7C 33 64 91 7C .2.|.....2.|3d.|
0012F370: 01 00 00 00 2F 00 0C 0B 15 63 91 7C 00 00 00 00 ..../....c.|....
0012F380: 04 F8 12 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
0012F390: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
0012F3A0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
0012F3B0: 00 00 00 00 50 F6 12 00 30 6A 15 00 4C F6 12 00 ....P...0j..L...
0012F3C0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 2F 00 0C 0B 00 00 08 02 ......../.......
0012F3D0: E0 F3 12 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 30 F6 12 00 ............0...
0012F3E0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 01 2B 41 00 38 F4 12 00 .........+A.8...
0012F3F0: D0 EF 80 00 30 D1 40 00 87 F6 12 00 65 D1 40 00 [email protected].@.
0012F400: 87 F6 12 00 07 00 00 00 CC F4 12 00 01 B5 40 00 ..............@.
0012F410: 10 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 01 2B 41 00 68 F4 12 00 .........+A.h...
0012F420: D0 EF 80 00 D8 2B 2C 01 00 00 00 00 65 D1 40 00 .....+,.....e.@.
0012F430: 00 00 00 00 DE FF FF FF 75 DA 40 00 00 00 00 00 ........u.@.....
0012F440: 00 00 49 02 00 00 49 02 F4 DA 40 00 00 00 00 00 ..I...I...@.....
0012F450: 07 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 07 00 00 00 08 00 00 00 ................
0012F460: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 D0 EF 80 00 D8 2B 2C 01 .............+,.
0012F470: 90 1E 2C 01 01 00 00 00 88 F4 12 00 00 00 00 00 ..,.............
0012F480: C8 05 91 7C 60 69 15 00 54 F5 12 00 51 05 91 7C ...|`i..T...Q..|
0012F490: 38 0B 15 00 6D 05 91 7C 94 6B 15 00 00 00 00 00 8...m..|.k......
0012F4A0: 00 06 02 00 22 00 00 00 CD F7 12 00 FF FF FF FF ...."...........
0012F4B0: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
0012F4C0: 00 00 00 00 45 09 91 7C 4E 09 91 7C 00 00 00 00 ....E..|N..|....
0012F4D0: 00 00 00 00 00 E0 FD 7F 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ................
0012F4E0: 00 E0 FD 7F 05 10 90 7C 00 00 00 00 00 00 01 00 .......|........
0012F4F0: 00 E0 FD 7F C8 00 00 00 0E 44 91 7C 70 09 91 7C .........D.|p..|
0012F500: C0 E4 97 7C 81 44 91 7C F8 35 88 7C A1 43 91 7C ...|.D.|.5.|.C.|
0012F510: 00 06 02 00 18 EE 90 7C C0 40 91 7C 00 00 15 00 .......|.@.|....
0012F520: BB 40 91 7C 00 00 00 00 28 0D 4F 02 FA F5 12 00 .@.|....(.O.....
0012F530: 70 0C 4F 02 09 00 00 00 88 F5 12 00 D3 9B 91 7C p.O............|
0012F540: FA F5 12 00 12 00 00 00 00 00 49 02 E0 0C 4F 02 ..........I...O.
0012F550: 28 0D 4F 02 00 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 F8 F5 12 00 (.O.............
0012F560: 00 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 49 02 18 01 49 02 ..........I...I.
0012F570: 60 F5 12 00 01 00 00 00 98 F5 12 00 95 08 91 7C `..............|
0012F580: 00 00 49 02 00 00 00 00 54 F6 12 00 9C 9A 91 7C ..I.....T......|
0012F590: 00 00 49 02 FA F5 12 00 F4 F5 12 00 F4 F5 12 00 ..I.............
0012F5A0: FA F5 12 00 3F 9B 91 7C D8 C0 97 7C EB 9A 91 7C ....?..|...|...|
0012F5B0: 50 C8 7C 00 04 F8 12 00 FF FF 00 00 00 D0 FD 7F P.|.............
0012F5C0: 98 35 25 00 78 E3 80 7C 70 0C 4F 02 DC E3 80 7C .5%.x..|p.O....|
0012F5D0: A8 35 25 00 A4 F6 12 00 00 00 49 02 00 00 00 00 .5%.......I.....
0012F5E0: F8 F5 12 00 F8 F5 12 00 00 00 00 00 30 02 00 00 ............0...
0012F5F0: 40 35 25 00 E0 5F 49 02 00 00 44 69 72 65 63 74 @5%.._I...Direct
0012F600: 33 44 43 72 65 61 74 65 39 00 91 7C E6 1B 80 7C 3DCreate9..|...|
0012F610: 00 00 15 00 00 00 00 00 F6 1B 80 7C F8 F7 12 00 ...........|....


------------------------------------------------------------------------------

======================================================================
Hardware/Driver Information:
Processor: 0x0
Page Size: 4096
Min App Address: 0x10000
Max App Address: 0x7ffeffff
Processor Mask: 0x3
Number of Processors: 2
Processor Type: 586
Allocation Granularity: 65536
Processor Level: 15
Processor Revision: 1031

Percent memory used: 22
Total physical memory: 2145890304
Free Memory: 1657769984
Page file: -164294656
Total virtual memory: 2147352576

Ok, basically, the nvidia driver errors out, WoW won't run with the d3d9.dll file in the WoW folder - period. It will run with the d3d8.dll file. It will not span across more than two monitors, at any setting. (The dual monitors are those plugged directly into the dualhead card.

When you run WoW, if it works, it resets itself to 800x600 at any resolution beyond what your monitor can handle.

This was worth a shot - didn't want to spend needless money, but if the Matrox digital doohickey is coming out soon, I'll save my bucks for that.

In 2D, btw, looks like the 8500GT is getting along just fine.

Total bummer WoW won't run with this setup though. Back to my 3 19"s plan.

Woah, when the hell did i miss the 8500's coming out? :shock:

8600/8500 series came out a few weeks ago. Meh, it's okay, you're better off spending the extra dough on the 8800 series imho.