little help needed....

Define "normally"....

Download the NFS High Stakes 4.50 patch and install it after freshly installing the game to your hardrive. Once the patch is installed go to the 3D Device Setup option for the game in it's subfolder from the Start Menu. Select Direct 3D Device 1 or primary Display Driver (this varies depending on your system). Once you have selected the device, go to NFSWorld and download a file from their NFS4 Utils Page called nfspatch10. This is a .dll file update taken from Porsche Unleashed that utilizes your video card better. Run nfspatch10.exe and deselect the NFS4 .dll file (you will see two files already selected, only the NFS5 .dll should be checkmarked). Follow through with the installation proceedure (keep the nfspatch10.exe file, as you can always install the old .dll file in case of trouble). Now go back to the 3D Device Setup and select Direct 3D Device 1 again (even if it is already checked - this resets the game video). Run the game and enjoy.

Not all users have to install the new .dll file. For some lucky few the 4.50 patch does it alone.

Finally, if you are experienceing rediculously slow game performance, go to the Need For Speed High Stakes exe file that you select from Windows' Start Menu to run the game and right click on it. Go to Properties and from there to the Compatability tab. Ensure that the compatability mode is NOT SELECTED!!! For some strange reason this was set as default when I first installed the game. It SHOULD NOT BE!!! When this is deselected the game should run as smooth as anything.

There you go (I stole this from some other forum, so credits go to: Jett of the Neoseeker Discussion Board)

Grtz