Author Topic: Known Problems with latest ATI Catalyst Drivers? (Read 617 times)

Casper1 · « **on:** August 24, 2006, 09:46:26 AM »

Anybody know of any known issues with the latest Catalyst drivers and AH2?

Im having alot of PC issues and am workign on troubleshooting the hardware.

back story:

I DL'ed F.E.A.R Combat (free online multiplayer) and it came with the next DirectX release. Well, something about that installation totalled whacked my system out. Started getting BSODs and STOP errors. i rolled back the system restore to the day before i DL'ed and installed F.E.A.R. and DirX, and it worked fine for a day or two. Then the PC hard cerashed in mid flight in Ah2, and the system wouldnt reboot becuase there was an error in my Windows System Config file.

(read: Windows got corrupted after a crash).

I just got done wiping, format, reinstalling everything last night. Right after installing all the security updates and patches from windows, I updated the ATI catalyst drivers on my X800 PE 256MB. After that I started DL'ing America's Army, only to have the machine lock up and the screen go blank. Fans kept running, but screen blanked and HDD activity stopped. I tried rolling back the system to before I installed those drivers and it crashed the same way during the reboot. Then I booted to Safe Mode and tried it, and it died again. I got it up and tried to run Prime95 to test my RAM, and it crashed before the program got up and running.

Now im sitting here trying to think what I need to trest and troubleshoot next. Heat could be a problem, but I would doubt it since I just did an entire case cleaning and fan cleaning. I also reinstalled the CPU with fresh Arctic Silver compound.

Sigh, I hate troubleshooting PCs sometimes. Takes so long to find culprits!!!

Skuzzy · « **Reply #1 on:** August 24, 2006, 02:38:46 PM »

For the X800, use the Catalyst 4.12 drivers WITHOUT the Catalyst Control Center. Use the ATI Control Panel.

Casper1 · « **Reply #2 on:** August 24, 2006, 08:22:30 PM »

Thanks Skuzzy. Why are the 4.12 drivers for the X800 ideal? They are a good bit out-of-date...

I found my problem, by the way....

During a reboot, I enabled Q-Fan in my BIOS (have an Asus A7N8X-E Deluxe MoBo), to help cooling issues that I think were the culprits of my original crashing problems.

Anyways...if you use a large heatsink/fan (92mm-ish) for cooling your CPU (usualy when you OC like I do), the fan spins at a relatively low RPM. Q-Fan interprets this low RPM as a failing of the cooling device and thus shuts the processor down to avoid damage.

So everytime I got something up and running, the CPU would heat up a bit, Q-fan would try to spin the fan faster, and it couldnt...so it would shut the machine down to avoid what it tought was damaging conditions.

Anyways, I turned it off and things are running great now. SpeedFan shows things running at cool temps across the board.

Krusty · « **Reply #3 on:** August 24, 2006, 08:44:46 PM »

Wow.. I'd never have thought of that...

I'll have to remember that. I think I've got QFan enabled (But I'm just running a basic 80mm on my heatsink)

FOGOLD · « **Reply #4 on:** August 25, 2006, 01:50:55 AM »

Can you operate the latest Ati drivers without the Control Centre? Does it lose AA and AF control?

Casper1 · « **Reply #5 on:** August 25, 2006, 07:19:24 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Krusty
Wow.. I'd never have thought of that...

I'll have to remember that. I think I've got QFan enabled (But I'm just running a basic 80mm on my heatsink)

The only reason I thought of it was because i sat at work all day thinking of all the thigns i had recently changed that would so suddenly affect operations...

Skuzzy · « **Reply #6 on:** August 25, 2006, 11:07:45 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by FOGOLD
Can you operate the latest Ati drivers without the Control Centre? Does it lose AA and AF control?

After the 4.12 driver release, ATI dropped the ATI Control Panel. You have to use the Control Center. Damn shame, as that Control Center chews up CPU time even when it is not running due to the activation of .NET.
The regular ATI control panel has support for AA and AF settings, so I am not sure what you are asking about there.

FOGOLD · « **Reply #7 on:** August 26, 2006, 04:31:10 AM »

What I mean is, can you set AA and AF settings without the CCC. If so, why bother with the Control Centre at all? Most games (not AH) have the ability to control Anti Aliasing and AF in game anyway.

buzkill · « **Reply #8 on:** August 26, 2006, 08:52:30 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Skuzzy
After the 4.12 driver release, ATI dropped the ATI Control Panel. You have to use the Control Center. Damn shame, as that Control Center chews up CPU time even when it is not running due to the activation of .NET.
The regular ATI control panel has support for AA and AF settings, so I am not sure what you are asking about there.

huh? cat 5.3 can be installed without ccc........they give you the choice, and it supports more modern games like COD2

Clutz · « **Reply #9 on:** August 26, 2006, 12:11:39 PM »

I got a x850xt two days ago. It would not take the 4.12 driver. After two days of trial and error I came up with this. The 5.11 driver, control panel, and wdm integrated driver. I installed them all separately. I had to install the wdm because I had a yellow unknown device in device manager. I think it was there because have a vivo card. The 5.11 driver will work with the newer version of control panel that is on on the 5.11 page or the old version that went with the 4.12 driver, without .net. It is also the latest driver that will work without the control center. The control panel may work with newer drivers than the 5.11, but it is not offered as an option on any driver pages higher than 5.11, so I dont think that is a good idea. I have AA and AF controls. As I'm not to good with pc stuff I stand to be corrected on any of this I say. Because I installed and uninstalled so many drivers and .net's it may be a freak accident it is all working, but I don't think so. All seems real good.

Gunthr · « **Reply #10 on:** August 28, 2006, 09:57:33 AM »

I was under the impression that for an x850, the latest Catalyst drivers are the recommended ones...

FOGOLD · « **Reply #11 on:** August 28, 2006, 10:29:10 AM »

I just installed the latest drivers for my 1900XL and you have to have the CCC to get any adjustments. Oh well.

Skuzzy · « **Reply #12 on:** August 28, 2006, 10:49:35 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Gunthr
I was under the impression that for an x850, the latest Catalyst drivers are the recommended ones...

They work ok Gunthr, but you are forced to use the Catalyst Control Center, as opposed to the ATI Control Panel.

Clutz · « **Reply #13 on:** August 28, 2006, 02:08:42 PM »

Quote

They work ok Gunthr, but you are forced to use the Catalyst Control Center, as opposed to the ATI Control Panel.

No no skuzzmeister. I don't think so. I can't believe I got the nerve to disagree with my hardware software hero (you), but I don't think so. *(cowers and turns away about to put foot in mouth)*. For my x850xt I got 5.11 drivers, WDM integrated driver, and "Control Panel". These are not the latest drivers, but they are drivers to use that don't need Control Center. No Control Center and no .NET. It all seems like it is working fine. Once again, NO "Control Center" NO .NET.

Just to confirm: I right click my desktop icon "ATI CATALYST" and went to properties. It is listed as Target Location: ATI Control Panel. Also,I went to Add Remove Programs and there is no Microsoft .Net in there.

This is what the 5.11 page says:

High Speed
(Cable / DSL) With Control Panel Download
1 of 1 25.8 11/11/05 Display and WDM Drivers included in this bundle

Newman · « **Reply #14 on:** August 30, 2006, 02:05:31 AM »

For those of us taking a leap of faith (ATI 3200 Chipset with Crossfire.. or Biodiesel).

I have NO problems with CCC or running Crossfire with 2X X1600XT vid cards.

FR's are very respectable with 6X AntiAliasing.

SALUTE!

Newman