# Gpu renderer loading problem

**URL:** <https://discourse.ioquake.org/t/gpu-renderer-loading-problem/3140>\
**Category:** support\
**Created:** [February 7, 2026, 8:36am UTC](https://discourse.ioquake.org/t/gpu-renderer-loading-problem/3140 "2026-02-07T08:36:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![davizt64](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ec9cab/32.png) [@davizt64](https://discourse.ioquake.org/u/davizt64)\
**Post date:** [February 7, 2026, 8:36am UTC](https://discourse.ioquake.org/t/gpu-renderer-loading-problem/3140/1 "2026-02-07T08:36:51Z")

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Hi, I’m using Unfreeze mod, but whenever I launch the game or join a new server, the engine initially loads the generic Microsoft GDI renderer. When that happens, the game stutters badly and runs very slowly, with FPS dropping to around 5–30. I have to manually switch the geometric detail setting to _Low_ every time to force the game to reload using the NVIDIA renderer, and only then it run properly. Any idea how to fix this? [video screen capture link](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1a_gXYIdHR0u4eJZtj-PbSRKdBd4yhf-l/view?usp=drive_link)

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**Author:** ![MrNuclearMonster](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/discourse.ioquake.org/mrnuclearmonster/32/820_2.png) [@MrNuclearMonster](https://discourse.ioquake.org/u/MrNuclearMonster)\
**Post date:** [February 7, 2026, 9:34am UTC](https://discourse.ioquake.org/t/gpu-renderer-loading-problem/3140/2 "2026-02-07T09:34:56Z")

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Welcome in. It looks like you’re playing with a version of ioquake3 that we didn’t make. We can’t provide support for it and don’t recommend using it.

You have two options:

1. Continue using the files you downloaded and get help from the “FPS Classico” group who made the package you’re using.

2. Use ioquake3.  
Delete the FPS Classico files. Please make sure you are using Windows’ built-in antivirus to scan your computer. Then you may also want to delete some files in your Quake 3 user folder (put `%APPDATA%\Quake3\` in Windows’ file explorer and hit enter). Then you can download the client from [ioquake3.org](http://ioquake3.org) and start fresh [with our player’s guide.](https://ioquake3.org/help/players-guide/) and get help here.

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**Author:** ![davizt64](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ec9cab/32.png) [@davizt64](https://discourse.ioquake.org/u/davizt64)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2026, 8:03am UTC](https://discourse.ioquake.org/t/gpu-renderer-loading-problem/3140/3 "2026-02-08T08:03:12Z")

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So after searching the web I came across this post : [[BUG] i can't run ioquake3, Unsupported OpenGL version 1.1.0, OpenGL 2.0 is required · Issue #857 · ioquake/ioq3 · GitHub](https://github.com/ioquake/ioq3/issues/857)

So apparently I set accidentally the r\_dephtbits to 32 instead of 24 and it fixed my stuttering issue