I think that the problem is in the AGP Chipset, cause in other machines, (with via, for example) all runs preety smooth, and i've changed the video cards from the other with via to one that uses a sis chipset (all machines are using redhat 9) and i got the same problem. sometimes starting the game with root "helps", like today, i've installed the yanc ( Yet Another Nvidia Configurator tool ) and i was testing the parameters that i gave with that tool (that was runing as root) i've run the game preety fine, and then i've run the game as a user, in the first time that i've run the game, the game has run with no slow down at all.in the second time, the same problem has appeared.

Sometimes the game (after a fresh start of the OS) runs with no freeze at all, it's a sporadic event that i can't understand,it could be some problem with the agp module that blocks up with some pixmaps from q3a, but i've used the agp module from nvidia (i've set that with yanc), and got the same problem.

i'm seeing just one possible solution, replacing the ECS motherboards with others that are not chipped with the SiS chipset :\

force the r_compiled_vertex_array 0 within the laucher with the +set argument.

i've run quake3 with that setting, and got the same thing, the game sporadicly crashes.. :\

linuxkafe - I was thinking about testing your theory on the AGP chipset [possibly with nVidia] by installing a pci vid card. I may try this but it might take a day or two to organise my system as I dont want to jump into it tonight.

One other note - I installed Unreal Tournament 2003 last night and it is lovely - plays fine. Graphics are kewl. Except no sound - which I attribute to my SiS onboard being difficult with ALSA - other issue - system runs on OSS drivers only. Gonna resolve this finally with a cheap Soundblaster next day or so.

More later...

mossy
Linux newbie 6.0

Anyone solve the problem that Mossy is having as i have the exact same problem using the GForce 4 440MMX 64 MB with the latest 4493 drivers installed on my AMD 1700+ system With a Debian Linux install? please help with any siggestions you can ome up with?

getting the sound blaster card did resolved all my sound Issues - ASLA works fine now.

I was referring to QUAKE 3 freezing.....so the freezing could be a sound issue?

oh - no sorry I was talking about the sound issue - I remember the locking issue - jeez - I can't remember how I fixed that....actually I think the sound issue was related.

Have you tried installing the newer 4496 driver for your GeForce?
What audio card do you use and drivers?
When Q3 Freezes up can you go to a console with ctrl+alt+f1?

Thetargos has a good point - if I remember correctly I actually upgraded to the nVidia drivers off their site too.

it IS the issue with sound! Try this:
in quake, before running any maps type:
s_initsound 0
snd_restart

woot, now everything works, but yea, no sound :-P

Start digging from that checkpoint...