Rant - I think ATI drivers still suck

[XJ.]

Granted, there appears to be some video card issues with my current board - that would explain the crashes. But stuff like forgetting custom refresh rates (using reforce to set them). No responding to the DX9.0a refresh rate override. Occasionally going back to my desktop from a game (UT2k3) and find I am running at a new resolution/refresh rate (and my Icons are re-arragned!).

Plus all sorts of in game weirdness (texture tearing, etc). Strange lag (even playing instant action - blah).

So this 9800 non-pro is going back. I'm going to wait for the GFX 5700 or the GFX 5900SE (which will still have 256 bit memory).

/rant mode off

[Chuck232]

Hehehe... I have the same prob.. I just get booted out of UT when I'm doing so well whipping n00bs..:p

I'd like to know the exact specs for the FX5700/5900SE. I read some over at xbitlabs, but I'd like to see them in action... I wonder when?

[XJ.]

Should be soon for both. The GFX5900 core already exists, it just a matter of binning lower speed parts for it and marketing and distributing it. The 5700 taped out in may, the way NVidia is accelerating things to get back their lead from ATI, I would think it will hit the streets in a month or two (unless they've had problems).

[DAPUNISHER]

I have had incompatability issues with multiple ATI cards on multiple NF2 boards and was able to work around them. Here's what I do and hopefully it'll work for you as well. Go into the bios and disable fastwrites and AGP 8x support, enable vid ram caching and save and exit. In the ATI control panel under the SMARTGART tab make certain fastwrites is disabled too. That has worked for me every time with the Cat 3.4's

It also worked for several people I've suggested it to so it's worth a shot anyways :) 1 guy complained about losing 8x but I told him the difference is nominal so don't wig out about it :rolleyes: and that fastwrites isn't really supported by ATI cards so you should not use it with them.

[XJ.]

Yeah, tried those tricks aready (found them on rage3d.com) - no luck. And I tried 3 different drivers and repaired WinXP as well...

[DAPUNISHER]

Originally posted by XJ.
Yeah, tried those tricks aready (found them on rage3d.com) - no luck. And I tried 3 different drivers and repaired WinXP as well... Time for an Nvida card alright :D I have a dustbuster 5800ultra comin' in the mail myself :beer: I got it for less than a new 5600ultra sales for so I said wtf! I'll set it to clock throttle in 2D so it'll be plenty quite then I'll blast the sound on my Sennheiser's in 3D so I don't have to hear the vaccum running :-r I just hope it isn't so bad I want to :smash:

[Skully]

Originally posted by XJ.
Granted, there appears to be some video card issues with my current board - that would explain the crashes. But stuff like forgetting custom refresh rates (using reforce to set them). No responding to the DX9.0a refresh rate override. Occasionally going back to my desktop from a game (UT2k3) and find I am running at a new resolution/refresh rate (and my Icons are re-arragned!).

Plus all sorts of in game weirdness (texture tearing, etc). Strange lag (even playing instant action - blah).

So this 9800 non-pro is going back. I'm going to wait for the GFX 5700 or the GFX 5900SE (which will still have 256 memory).

/rant mode off What about omega drivers and bios. Thats what I'm running on my 9700 pro and its running great! :)

[Thor]

Hmm, never had any issues with my 9700 and 9800 pros on either Intel/AMD platforms.

All you say is that the game is crashing out on the desktop. Well, that tells us a lot. :scratch:

For refresh rate fixes, I use both DirectX 9 refresh rate override for DirectX games, and Reforce for OpenGL games, and they both work flawlessly for me at 85mhz at 1024 x 768 resolution - which is perfect for my 19" monitor.

Try re-installing DirectX9.0a and the Catalyst 3.6 drivers and control panel. Then set your refresh rate override in DirectX and setup your Reforce. Remember, Reforce only works for only one set resolution, and not multiple - at least for me. I auto populate, and then delete all other settings except for 1024x768 and manually enter 85 for the refresh rate, and click apply.

Good luck, and if your Nvidia card turns out to be better, great stuff.

[XJ.]

Well I finally got it to stop crashing (it was crashing to the desktop and causing spontaneous reboots*), but now it's slow and makes me lag in the game (compared to my lowly Ti4200). I was able to use Rage3DTweak to fix the refresh issue. I re-installed everything multiple times. I have no clue as to why it started behaving better....



* Which can only happen because MickeySoft made video drivers kernel mode :beat:

[Thor]

I my humble opinion, Rage3dTweaks, and all others FUBARs your video software subsystem.

[XJ.]

Bottom line for me is that I haven't had nearly so many troubles with my (currently RMAed) Ti4200. I'll end my radeon 9800 experiment this weekend and collect a credit from BB. DX9.0b seems to have made UT2K3 lag even more :(

[pointreyes]

This is one depressing thread. I have the following cards:
MSI Ti4200 128 Meg 8x
ATi 9000 Pro 64 Meg
ATi 8500DV 64 Meg
ATi 9500 Pro 128 Meg 8x

I sold the Ti4200 but I'm starting to wonder if I should hold off on selling it. The person is a cousin that still does not have the money. I was planning on moving the 9000 Pro to the machine that has the Ti4200 (it's not a gamer machine and has a 380w PSU). The 9500 Pro was going to go in the machine that currently has the 9000 Pro. And finally get a more powerful card for the machine that had the 9500 Pro.

Now I'm thinking I might just get a Matrox P650 for the machine that was going to get the 9500 Pro. :rolleyes:

[Thor]

Originally posted by XJ.
Bottom line for me is that I haven't had nearly so many troubles with my (currently RMAed) Ti4200. I'll end my radeon 9800 experiment this weekend and collect a credit from BB. DX9.0b seems to have made UT2K3 lag even more :(

One last step, you should try and re-install DirectX9.0b distributable.

Link - 56k warning - this file is 32megs. (http://download.microsoft.com/download/c/9/c/c9c8a1d4-7690-4c98-baf3-0c67e7f3751f/dx90b_redist.exe)

[LastRide]

Have you tried drivercleaner?.I recommend you do if you have not reformatted before you installed your radeon.If there are any nvidia files in there it could cause a problem.Here is the downlaod and follow the read me file for instructions how to use it. http://www.driverheaven.net/cleaner/

[XJ.]

I did a repair install, which wipes out all the extra drivers - or at least has done so in the past.