Horrible Graphical Issues

[Konogisan 0]

I have an issue where the game does run, however anything behind the game screen glitches in whether it's my desktop or other windows and creates artifacts. I have looked for solutions already since I am getting the Direct Draw error, however so far to no avail. I do not have the game on steam, but through Origin since I have the original box case and code, but can't use the CD due to the outdated DRM on the disc and the windows update from last year. 

The game automatically runs in software mode since it is unable to see my GPU and settings will not change even after setting them to be changed.

Here is a video of the graphics bug I'm having. If you're prone to seizures from flashing objects then don't watch this please.

 

I have tried the following command lines below.

-autoconfig
-CustomResolution:enabled -rWxHx32 -intro:off -CPUCount:1
-d:opengl
-d:software

I have tried using Compatibility Mode with the multiple versions of Windows XP to 7 with no changes. 

Here is a dxiag of my system. 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/wo6gweiwjhezfl8/DxDiag.txt?dl=0

The basic components I have are a:

Intel I5-4670K

GeForce GTX 660(Non TI)

10 Gigs of RAM

250 SSD(System)

1TB HDD(This is where the game is operating from) 

 

I have the Deluxe Edition of the game through Origin since my original box copy doesn't seem to work anymore due to the windows update and am running Windows 8.1. Simcity 4 is running at version number 1.1.641.0. I have also tried using SC4 Launcher in an attempt to make the game work to no avail.

 

Any help at all would be highly appreciated as I miss playing this fun classic, but don't want the my experience to be marred by these bugs. 

 

 

[rsc204 21,867]

The issue you are seeing is most likely a result of graphics card incompatibilities with newer hardware. SC4 is quite old and designed for DX7 initially. A number of changes have taken place since then, not least the introduction of dual video-card based systems, which are the default for new PCs.

First off you need to establish what hardware SC4 is detecting. If it's finding an in-built graphics chip or your dedicated NVidia card.

Go to the Apps directory in the folder where SC4 is installed. Open the file "YOURCOMPUTERNAME-config-log.txt". If you copy/paste the first few sections, until the end of "Numbers", since the rest is unhelpful. This will allow us to better see where the problem is coming from.

If you correctly initiated software rendering, this problem should be impossible, unless your CPU was really busy. Because Software Rendering (adding the -d:software command), means that your video card is no longer used. Instead the CPU takes on the tasks usually undertaken by the video card. In essence it's a last resort compatibility mode to make the game run. However, prepare for a sub-optimal experience in every way if you run Software Rendering. In most case, SC4 can be persuaded to run in the vastly superior DirectX mode, it may require setting things up manually though.

[Konogisan 0]

Thanks for replying rsc! I have copied the following text up until the the Numbers row.

Log generated on 7/31/2016, 03:54

Flags
-----
hardwareDriver = false
DXT = true
fullscreen = true
MMX = true
FPU = true
backingStore = true
forcedFSAA = false

Strings
-------
userName = seeke_000
appName = SimCity 4
version = 1.1.641.0
osVersion = Windows NT 6.2
computerName = THEFURRYMACHINE
CPU = GenuineIntel
sglDriverName = Software
sglDriverVersion = 1.0
driverName = nvd3dum.dll
driverVersion = 10.18.13.6881, GUID: D7B71E3E-5280-11CF-E877-4E150EC2CD35
cardName = NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660
cardVersion = Vendor: 10de, Device: 11c0, Board: 354e1458, Chipset: 00a1
cardIdentity = NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660
soundDriverName = 
soundCardName = Primary Sound Driver
buildType = Release

[rsc204 21,867]

Well it appears SC4 is running in software mode, since it's correctly detected you have a GeForce card, the drivers/hardware must be incompatible with SC4's DirectX mode. You might find different (note I didn't say latest), versions of the drivers for your NVidia card fix this issue. A lot of drivers/systems seem to be getting rid of compatibility layers in recent times.

However, that doesn't explain the flickering entirely. As I suggested, software rendering shouldn't by itself cause this. Try using the following command to launch the game, see if that's any better.

-audio:off -intro:off -CPUCount:1 -d:software -CustomResolution:enabled -r1024x768x32

Otherwise if that fails, add -w to the end, as such:

-audio:off -intro:off -CPUCount:1 -d:software -CustomResolution:enabled -r1024x768x32 -w

Note the numbers in orange represent the resolution you want SC4 to run, here I've specified 1024x768 as an example. Ideally you want to use the same resolution as your desktop display in Windows. Bear in mind, SC4 won't support all resolutions though.

[Konogisan 0]

I've tried the first command you suggested, however flickering still persists. The second, however does not give me any flickering, though when I attempt to match the resolution to that of my screen it doesn't show nor allow me to grab the menu bar that would usually appear at the top of the application. The resolution I use for my monitor is 1440x900 and this is what I get when I try matching it. 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/avibo2v59pxo0nz/Screenshot 2016-07-31 15.09.11.png?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/cmyjdzc6a7ckkow/Screenshot 2016-07-31 15.09.14.png?dl=0

Though it does appear to work with other resolutions like the one you have in your command. I'll try messing about to see which ones I can use to best fit to the screen. 

[rsc204 21,867]

1440x900 is not really a standard resolution, well it certainly wasn't in 2003.

1280x800 is probably the closest match SC4 supports, but your system might not. Otherwise you probably will have to run the game in 1024x768. -w is Windowed mode, suggesting playing SC4 in full screen is the cause of the issue. But it could be the resolution too. -f instead of -w switches back to full screen. So you can see which options work or not.

[Konogisan 0]

1440x900 is a very odd res, but that's what my monitor runs(It's an old 2010 ASUS). I've gone ahead and tried a few resolutions, however regardless of any, if the game is running in full screen mode the flickering with happen, but works perfectly fine in windowed mode thankfully. I'll just need to go ahead and scale the resolution down to 1366x768 since for me that's closet. 

[rsc204 21,867]

Laptop LCDs and Widescreens have made this a little harder for you. But if Windowed mode is working right now that's a start.

As I said, you might consider a different version of the NVidia driver for your machine, unless you are running newer titles, and older driver in many cases will work better. You'd get a much more optimum experience with Direct X rendering. But at least for now it works.

[NCGAIO 562]

SC4 should be able to  execute ( like any game at that time ) in  standard resolutions for analog CRT monitors.

Currently the game shall be executed on windowed mode with the same resolution desktop.

The reasons are available in various topics of the technical forums 

Despite identifying the GPU can be that is not being correctly identified the video memory available then it would be useful if  post the rest of Log.

[markussaage 762]

Here's what the publisher says about resolutions:

Supported Wide Screen Resolutions

Resolution	Supported
1280 x 800 (16:10)
1440 x 900 (16:10)
1680 x 1050 (16:10)
1920 x 1200 (16:10)
2560 x 1600 (16:10)
1024 x 576 (16:9)
1360 x 768 (16:9)
1024 x 600 (16:9)
1600 x 900 (16:9)
1920 x 1080 (16:9)
2048 x 1152 (16:9)
1366x768 (16:9)

Kind regards!

 

[Konogisan 0]

Log generated on 7/31/2016, 15:35

Flags
-----
hardwareDriver = false
DXT = true
fullscreen = false
MMX = true
FPU = true
backingStore = true
forcedFSAA = false

Strings
-------
userName = seeke_000
appName = SimCity 4
version = 1.1.641.0
osVersion = Windows NT 6.2
computerName = THEFURRYMACHINE
CPU = GenuineIntel
sglDriverName = Software
sglDriverVersion = 1.0
driverName = nvd3dum.dll
driverVersion = 10.18.13.6881, GUID: D7B71E3E-5280-11CF-E877-4E150EC2CD35
cardName = NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660
cardVersion = Vendor: 10de, Device: 11c0, Board: 354e1458, Chipset: 00a1
cardIdentity = NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660
soundDriverName = 
soundCardName = Primary Sound Driver
buildType = Release

Numbers
-------
cpuSpeed = 3506
memory = 4096
freeMemory = 3384
screenWidth = 1440
screenHeight = 900
screenBPP = 32
videoMemory = 16
textureMemory = 16
textureStages = 1
bogoFPS = 0
bogoMPPS = 0

Rules
-----
applying Sound
applying high sound detail
applying City Detail and Day/Night Settings
applying low computer power>
applying high computer power
  option 9 = 3
  option 13 = 1
  option 15 = 3
applying Texture Quality and Building Variety Settings
applying low memory>
applying high memory
  option 3 = 3
  option 14 = 3
applying Variable Speed Automata
applying default
  option 10 = 1
applying Standard software
  option 0 = 1
  option 1 = 1
  option 2 = 1
  option 4 = 0
  option 5 = 0
  option 8 = 1
  option 7 = 0
  option 6 = 0
  option 11 = 0
  option 12 = 0
applying Standard software>
  option 0 = 2
applying Standard software>>
  option 4 = 1

Options
-------
Visual Effects       current:   3 recommended:   2
Cars/Sims            current:   3 recommended:   1
Shadows              current:   3 recommended:   1
Atmospheric effects  current:   1 recommended:   1
Water effects        current:   0 recommended:   0
Software/Hardware    current:   0 recommended:   0
Cursor               current:   0 recommended:   0
VariableSpeedAutomata current:   1 recommended:   1
Translucent UI       current:   1 recommended:   1
Graphic Detail       current:   3 recommended:   3
Building Load Speed  current:   3 recommended:   3
Texture Quality      current:   3 recommended:   3

Properties
-------
forcesoftwaredriver = false
renderdynamicview = true
renderstaticview = true
renderwatereffects = true
rendercloudsandfog = true
forcepointsampling = false
forcebilinear = false
forcenoalphablend = false
forcenoalphatest = false
rendershadows = true
renderdecals = true
usesecondstage = false
forcedebugtexture = false
renderparticleeffects = true
renderflorashadows = true
renderterrain = true
showupdateregions = false
usecursoreffects = true
drawlottextures = true
drawlotfoundations = true
drawlotwalls = true
forcetexturerepeat = false
usescreenshake = true
renderui = true
useupdaterectclipping = true
usevertexbuffers = true
showboundingboxes = false
useoverlayculling = true
rendersnapshot = false
noaddsigned = false
nopartialbackingstorecopies = false
usescreenflash = true
renderautomata = true
preferopaque = false
displayalertborders = true
drawlotopaquetextures = true
useviewcleanup = false
doautozoomandrotationchanges = true

viewoffsety = 0
viewoffsetx = 0
texturebits = 32
lodoffset = 0
shadowdebug = 0
maxparticlestarget = 10000
particlelodoffset = 0
effectprioritylevel = 5
backingstoremaxzoomall = 5
backingstoremaxzoombuildingsprops = 5
backingstoremaxzoomterrain = 5
backingstoremaxzoomflora = 5
shadowquality = 2
minvehiclezoom = 3
minpedzoom = 4
cursortype = 1
depthoffset = 2
debugtexture = 0
dirtyrectmergeframes = 1
sounddetail = 2
buildingvariety = 2
buildingloaderspeed = 1
modellodoffset = 0
stringtexturecachesize = 1024

particleeffectslod = 5
splattexturescale = 50
texbindmaxfree = 4
particledensity = 1
particledamping = 0
particlescale = 1
lightingupdatedelta = 0.0001
shadowmodelthreshold = 12
demolishmodelthreshold = 12
rendermodelthreshold = 6
rendermodelthresholdscroll = 40
particlesizethreshold = 300
maxvehiclepct = 1
maxpedpct = 1
opaqueuialphavalue = 0.55
 

[rsc204 21,867]

7 hours ago, Konogisan said:

videoMemory = 16
textureMemory = 16

These two lines mean that SC4 only detects 16MB of installed Video Memory in your Graphics Card. I can't say for sure if that's the cause of the Direct Draw error. But for sure it's not detecting the memory properly. I'm not really sure how you can get the game to see more. Almost certainly it's related to how the OS is reporting the memory to SC4 incorrectly.

[markussaage 762]

Did you adjust the seetings for your graphics adapter in both the Graphics Rules.sgr and Video Cards.sgr as mentioned here:

I use a nVidia 680GTX and have no problems with it running the game. The really weird thing in your config txt is the screenBPP=32?! Usually this is only 16BPP no matter what setting you have. That is a bug in the game I guess. The Nonny Moose running under Linux isthe only one I know who can use 32BPP.

Kind regards!

[rsc204 21,867]

4 hours ago, markussaage said:

Did you adjust the seetings for your graphics adapter in both the Graphics Rules.sgr and Video Cards.sgr as mentioned here:

I'm not sure that will really help here. That's only useful if SC4 can not correctly detect your Video Card, which in this case it has. The DirectDraw error is preventing DirectX operation, this could be because there is insufficient memory detected to run the game, or it could be a more general incompatibility.

[NCGAIO 562]

 

17 hours ago, markussaage said:

Here's what the publisher says about resolutions: .......

 

Well ... it would be possible to post the link to where  E.A. or Maxis posted this information?

9 minutes ago, rsc204 said:

I'm not sure that will really help here. That's only useful if SC4 can not correctly detect your Video Card, which in this case it has. The DirectDraw error is preventing DirectX operation, this could be because there is insufficient memory detected to run the game, or it could be a more general incompatibility.

As I said above this issue is widely discussed in technical Forun and is due to the use of Intel DVTM technology to automatically scale the video memory in use but unfortunately the initialization of SC4 and other old games suffer from the same problem because they can not recognize beyond of minimum memory set initially

Post  the  equipment MODEL - manufacturer used with the game to see if it is possible to reconfigure the initial memory that was set to the minimum possible (as do most manufacturers.)

If it is not possible to modify it can force the use of rendering by the hardware driver but it depends on the system

[rsc204 21,867]

Surely that just requires going into the BIOS and increasing the memory assigned to the Intel (or AMD) on-board video? If you've a system with a decent amount of RAM, it wouldn't hurt to set this nearer 1GB or 1024 MB where possible. 512MB is really the minimum I'd use.

However, that can't be the full story. I'm running a Haswell i7 with HD 46000, which has only 768MB assigned memory. SC4 has no problems detecting the 2GB Video Memory on my GTX 750ti. So unless DVTM wasn't part of the 4th Generation Core i specifications (as far I can tell it was), I still suspect this is a software problem. I.e. use of a different driver revision may overcome the issue. Of course, your version of Windows and DirectX may also be factors.

[markussaage 762]

Just now, NCGAIO said:

 

Well ... it would be possible to post the link to where  E.A. or Maxis posted this information?

Well, here's the link: http://www.widescreengaming.net/wiki/SimCity_4
this only show the available Widescreen resolutions. They don't mention the regular 4:3 resolutions.

If I recall it correctly I had to adjust the graphic adapters memory size manually as well, because I use a non-standard 4GB version of an 680GTX.
I don't remember though how I fixed it because it's been a while.

Kind regards!

[Konogisan 0]

5 hours ago, markussaage said:

Did you adjust the seetings for your graphics adapter in both the Graphics Rules.sgr and Video Cards.sgr as mentioned here:

I use a nVidia 680GTX and have no problems with it running the game. The really weird thing in your config txt is the screenBPP=32?! Usually this is only 16BPP no matter what setting you have. That is a bug in the game I guess. The Nonny Moose running under Linux isthe only one I know who can use 32BPP.

Kind regards!

I have tried that solution, however I am unable to find the numerical identifier for the GPU in the Chip Type row. https://www.dropbox.com/s/da7c4twb5mt74wa/Screenshot 2016-08-01 11.00.34.png?dl=0

1 hour ago, NCGAIO said:

Post  the  equipment MODEL - manufacturer used with the game to see if it is possible to reconfigure the initial memory that was set to the minimum possible (as do most manufacturers.)

If it is not possible to modify it can force the use of rendering by the hardware driver but it depends on the system

Ah then: https://www.techpowerup.com/gpudb/b463/gigabyte-gtx-660-windforce-2x-oc

[markussaage 762]

Just now, Konogisan said:

I have tried that solution, however I am unable to find the numerical identifier for the GPU in the Chip Type row. https://www.dropbox.com/s/da7c4twb5mt74wa/Screenshot 2016-08-01 11.00.34.png?dl=0

Unfortunately sometimes it's not shown there. You need to open Device Manager, expand the Graphics Adapter, right-click ond chose Properties. In the Properties windows chose Details, from the Dropdown menu Hardware-ID. There you'll see the vendor ID in a string like PCI\ven_10DE&dev_.....
That's the string you'll need to place it in both the .sgr files.

Kind regards!

[NCGAIO 562]

7 hours ago, rsc204 said:

Surely that just requires going into the BIOS and increasing the memory assigned to the Intel (or AMD) on-board video? .....

I suggest a closer reading of DVTM technology to avoid this misconception about video onboard OK! (DVTM problems with legacy softtware are widely disseminated on the network)

Since of Windows Vista the entire video memory is virtualized by the operating system including discrete.

To question it would be nice to have a better understanding of the subject we are talking about.

7 hours ago, markussaage said:

Well, here's the link: http://www.widescreengaming.net/wiki/SimCity_4
this only show the available Widescreen resolutions. They don't mention the regular 4:3 resolutions.

 

So this publication (not E.A. not Maxis) not guarantee that the game executed flawlessly in any of the resolutions indicated on any type of system as well as notice

Therefore is still valid advice for out of standard resolutions that the game should be executed currently  in windowed mode at the same resolution desktop. (WDM also related problems)

6 hours ago, Konogisan said:

I have tried that solution, however I am unable to find the numerical identifier for the GPU in the Chip Type row. https://www.dropbox.com/s/da7c4twb5mt74wa/Screenshot 2016-08-01 11.00.34.png?dl=0

Ah then: https://www.techpowerup.com/gpudb/b463/gigabyte-gtx-660-windforce-2x-oc

Model of the equipment not of graphic card.

as a note: Again it is necessary to repeat that set  the card model in .sgr files has no influence on the detection of the graphic card  and its properties up because the script it's run  after the  calls to hardware.

Without being repetitive ... each case is a different case so that statements " as in my machine works"  even if it is identical to the user equipment with problems does not mean that for user machine this  also should occur.

No two identical computers worldwide
 

 

 

[markussaage 762]

2 hours ago, NCGAIO said:

Without being repetitive ... each case is a different case so that statements " as in my machine works"  even if it is identical to the user equipment with problems does not mean that for user machine this  also should occur.

No two identical computers worldwide

That's what I mean... It works for me... And that's what I've said: with a million different hardware configurations out there, there are a million different problems out there.

Kind regards!

[Indiana Joe 1,752]

On 8/1/2016 at 0:30 PM, Konogisan said:

I have tried that solution, however I am unable to find the numerical identifier for the GPU in the Chip Type row. https://www.dropbox.com/s/da7c4twb5mt74wa/Screenshot 2016-08-01 11.00.34.png?dl=0

It can be found in the SC4 config log you posted earlier:

On 7/31/2016 at 3:22 PM, Konogisan said:

Strings
-------
userName = seeke_000
appName = SimCity 4
version = 1.1.641.0
osVersion = Windows NT 6.2
computerName = THEFURRYMACHINE
CPU = GenuineIntel
sglDriverName = Software
sglDriverVersion = 1.0
driverName = nvd3dum.dll
driverVersion = 10.18.13.6881, GUID: D7B71E3E-5280-11CF-E877-4E150EC2CD35
cardName = NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660
cardVersion = Vendor: 10de, Device: 11c0, Board: 354e1458, Chipset: 00a1
cardIdentity = NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660
soundDriverName = 
soundCardName = Primary Sound Driver
buildType = Release

 

The reason this may help is that SC4 seems to make some internal changes depending on whether it thinks you have a "fast" video card or not.  Once it recognizes that your GTX 660 Ti is a "fast card," it may play nicely with it.  Remember to change rendering mode to hardware as well once you have followed all the instructions in the Hardware Setup thread.

[NCGAIO 562]

A brief explanation ...

Graphics Rules seems a script that sets various parameters of the game "according to the hardware found" and runs after it has been detected

Report <USER> Config.log.txt relating to application of the rules

Quote

Log generated on XX/XX/XXXX, XX:XX - Flags
hardwareDriver = true - DXT = true - fullscreen = false - MMX = true - FPU = true - backingStore = true - forcedFSAA = false
.........
Numbers
cpuSpeed = xxxxx - memory = xxxx - freeMemory = xxxx - screenWidth = xxxx- screenHeight = xxxx - screenBPP = xx
videoMemory = xxx - textureMemory = xxx - textureStages = x
........

Then apply the rules in accordance with GraphicsRules

Quote

Rules
applying Sound
applying high sound detail
.....
Options
Visual Effects       current:   3 recommended:   2  - note :  current =  UI graphic panel options  ( save in SimCity 4.cfg )
Cars/Sims            current:   3 recommended:   2
.......
Properties
forcesoftwaredriver = XXXX
...........
dirtyrectmergeframes = 4   note --> in case of  texture stage > 1

The Video Cards.sgr file is of the plates features list that should fit in Graphics Rules queries to the choice of parameters for strings flags.

Now what the partial Rule "Fast card" defines exactly when edited to supposedly put the graphics card in use ?

Quote

Graphics Rules
...........
rule "Standard hardware"
...........
property dirty Rect Merge Frames 6   # Default, for low-end card.

note: in the common case of detected the  textures stages  larger than 1 as above ie 
  textureMemory = xxxx /  textureStages = 2
then follows this execution

Quote

partialRule "Two stages"
      at Least texture Stages 2
      property use Second Stage       true
      property dirty Rect Merge Frames 4
   end

Now for "Fast Card"

Quote

 partialRule "Fast card" - "any" --> note: run if any of the strings is found
         string Match card Identity "NVidia*Geforce*" --> note: " NvIDIA (ANY TEXT ) Geforce ( ANY TEXT )" 
         string Match card Identity "NVidia*Quadro*"
         .........
       string Match card Identity "MY GRAPHIC CARD" - note: edited as defined in Video Cards.sgr
    partialRule
            # Enable 32 bit graphics if user has decent computing power.
            # Paul P: My tests have shown that my GeForce uses less memory in 16 bit mode than 32 bit mode.
            at Least memory          256 ( note: RAM memory )
            at Least cpuSpeed       1000
            option $Screen Depth   $Depth_32
         end
         partialRule
            # Enable more cars and sims if user has decent computing power.
            at Least memory          256 ( note: RAM memory )
            at Least cpuSpeed       1400
            option $CarsSims      $High
         end
         partialRule
            # Enable more visual effects if user has decent computing power.
            at Least memory          256
            at Least cpuSpeed       1600
            option $VisualEffects $High
         end
         partialRule
            # Enable more shadows if user has decent computing power.
            atLeast memory       512
            atLeast cpuSpeed    2000
            option $Shadows    $High
         end    
         partialRule
            # Enable clouds and fog if user has decent computing power.
            atLeast memory          256
            atLeast cpuSpeed       1000
            option $CloudsFog     $On
         end
    property dirty Rect Merge Frames 2
      end

So the only change out the game's own control panel options is the parameter dirty Rect Merge Frames

This was a problem on coding DX7 and was explained on several occasions like this.

Quote

 

Maxis:
[Andrew Wilmott]  ""Like most of the games we make, we're targeting a broad audience with this game ( note:SC13 ) , we don't want to limit ourselves to only those who have the latest-and-greatest graphics card. What we do is scale our graphics options depending on what hardware you have, so it's playable on our min spec, but we can still turn on all the cool bells and whistles on the high end. (Did someone say tilt-shift?)

SimCity 4 was unfortunately the victim of changes to GPU drivers. To support the high building count and detail, it was a so-called "dirty rect" based game, where only stuff that actually changed from frame-to-frame was re-rendered. This required being able to copy the depth buffer around on the GPU, particularly when panning the camera. There was a standard path for doing this at the time, but it became deprecated in later versions of DirectX, and drivers started falling back to slow paths which copied the depth buffer down to the CPU, shifted it around, and then copied it back up. Even with today's cards and PCI-X buses, this is still a pretty slow process.""

source: http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2588975

 

 Referring to this problem 

Quote

 

BltDD0 - errar ret = 80004001, description = Dirty Rect Fast Blt, r srcrect: (0, 0, 640, 480) - 641x481, dw Destx = 0, dwDesty = 0 - DDERR_UNSUPPORTED
description = Dirty Rect Fast Blt DDERR_UNSUPPORTED
note : under some  ATI cards, it will trash the back buffer

 

That is no difference current support DX (DX9ext) but if necessary the parameter can be placed directly on the command line like everyone else through the -renderprop

In addition the game is based on different conditions of access to video memory after WINDOWS XP.

Quote

""...even Windows XP, GPU memory is managed by the display driver provided by the manufacturer of the video card. There were some low-end cards that had very little dedicated memory and borrowed the rest from the main memory. Unfortunately, they reported the sum of their own and borrowed memory to the operating system and the user to video memory available, primarily for marketing reasons.
Since Windows Vista, the video memory is virtualized directly by the operating system (unlike the video driver), so there is at least a certain amount of shares for all GPUs, even those with a lot of memory dedicated. The reported memory for the user must now accurately reflect the different types of memory for the user (shared and dedicated).
Microsoft has a very detailed explanation on the topic: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/ff565494% 28v = VS.85% 29.aspx""

 Today SC4 seems, so to speak, "emulated" software in all aspects O.S.64 (WoW), DX (DX9ext), Video memory access and thanks to some P.P options for independence in relation to APIs it still execute in current hardwares with the known tricks.

So there is no way to force recognition except for wrappers or controllers as Nvidia and AMD panels that intercept the old calls and return to execution.