New here, some observations re ATI Radeon 8500

Silverdagger · 01-22-2003, 04:46 PM

I've been running v1.1 on Win XP with no problems until the last few days, when I decided to intall the latest drivers for my ATI Radeon 8500 64Mb (Catalyst 3.0). I did the usual uninstall of the previous drivers but found the new drivers wouldn't install fully. I could get the aquarium to run but the FPS was very low and the bubbles weren't displayed correctly. On advice from the guys at alt.comp.periphs.videocards.ati I did the following:

Uninstalled the ATI control panel & display driver, opting not to reboot when prompted.

Remove all leftover .inf files in C:\Windows\Inf - do a search for ati*.inf files but only delete those in C:\Windows\Inf.

Reboot the computer and choose no to the loading of any ATI drivers. The default VGA adapter driver will then be loaded.

Run regedit and delete the keys for ATI Technologies and ATI in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE

Close regedit and install the Catalyst drivers.

Obviously I did a system resore point before messing around with all the above and backed up the registry

Anyway it worked a treat (luckily)

S.

Tiny Turtle · 01-23-2003, 01:51 AM

Good instructions, thanks for the info...

/Tiny Thanks

drfish · 01-23-2003, 02:42 PM

That's crazy! I just installed DX9 and Cat3 on my computer last night, also running with an 8500 (64meg). I got the EXACT same results, my framerate was cut in half, however, if I turned the quality settings for Direct 3D down to the lowest I was able to get more FPS that I ever had before (even using the lowest setting with old drivers), about 190 instead of my usual 140. It looked the same to me either way. I didn't mess with it anymore beyond that, I'll do some benchmarks soon to see what kind of overall effect it had.

Silverdagger · 01-23-2003, 05:04 PM

I installed the new control panel along with the Catalyst V3.0 drivers when I was having problems and the SMARTGART page (settings/advanced) was showing the AGP speed as off. Also putting smartgart in the run command box revealed that I could not adjust any settings there, everything was greyed out. Everything was fine though after the "super clean" install

Tiny Turtle · 01-23-2003, 05:19 PM

Colton,
You an ATi boy?
I somehow had you figured out as a definitive nVidiot...

/Tiny 4200

feldon34 · 01-23-2003, 05:38 PM

"nVidiot"?

C'mon Tiny...

Tiny Turtle · 01-23-2003, 06:38 PM

What? – I'm an nVidiot myself! (Apologies to everyone who thought I was making a derogatory remark) If anyone else could come up with a wittier name, please do and I'll try and use that from now on...

/Tiny GeForce Ti4200

drfish · 01-24-2003, 03:21 PM

I like supporting the underdog, it just helps when they make good stuff. My last two video cards have been from ATI, a Radeon 32meg DDR and my 8500. Not sure what my next will be, I don't see being able to afford an upgrade any time soon... I wouldn't call myself a fanboy, but I like a lot of the stuff ATI does...

01-22-2003, 04:46 PM	#1
Silverdagger Registered Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: UK Posts: 2	New here, some observations re ATI Radeon 8500 I've been running v1.1 on Win XP with no problems until the last few days, when I decided to intall the latest drivers for my ATI Radeon 8500 64Mb (Catalyst 3.0). I did the usual uninstall of the previous drivers but found the new drivers wouldn't install fully. I could get the aquarium to run but the FPS was very low and the bubbles weren't displayed correctly. On advice from the guys at alt.comp.periphs.videocards.ati I did the following: Uninstalled the ATI control panel & display driver, opting not to reboot when prompted. Remove all leftover .inf files in C:\Windows\Inf - do a search for ati*.inf files but only delete those in C:\Windows\Inf. Reboot the computer and choose no to the loading of any ATI drivers. The default VGA adapter driver will then be loaded. Run regedit and delete the keys for ATI Technologies and ATI in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE Close regedit and install the Catalyst drivers. Obviously I did a system resore point before messing around with all the above and backed up the registry Anyway it worked a treat (luckily) S.

01-23-2003, 01:51 AM	#2
Tiny Turtle is pleased Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Posts: 7,365	Good instructions, thanks for the info... /Tiny Thanks Thanks to Morgan, Tiny Snapshots is up and running again with "Tiny Järvafält" as the latest addition – Go have a look and tell me what you think. "We knew the world would not be the same. A few people laughed, a few people cried, most people were silent. I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad-Gita. Vishnu is trying to persuade the Prince that he should do his duty and to impress him takes on his multi-armed form and says, 'Now, I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.' I suppose we all thought that, one way or another." /Robert Oppenheimer on witnessing the first thermonuclear detonation in history.

01-23-2003, 02:42 PM	#3
drfish the Doc Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Zeeland, MI Posts: 5,374	That's crazy! I just installed DX9 and Cat3 on my computer last night, also running with an 8500 (64meg). I got the EXACT same results, my framerate was cut in half, however, if I turned the quality settings for Direct 3D down to the lowest I was able to get more FPS that I ever had before (even using the lowest setting with old drivers), about 190 instead of my usual 140. It looked the same to me either way. I didn't mess with it anymore beyond that, I'll do some benchmarks soon to see what kind of overall effect it had. I don't watch commercials.

01-23-2003, 05:04 PM	#4
Silverdagger Registered Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: UK Posts: 2	Another thing........ I installed the new control panel along with the Catalyst V3.0 drivers when I was having problems and the SMARTGART page (settings/advanced) was showing the AGP speed as off. Also putting smartgart in the run command box revealed that I could not adjust any settings there, everything was greyed out. Everything was fine though after the "super clean" install

01-23-2003, 05:19 PM	#5
Tiny Turtle is pleased Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Posts: 7,365	Colton, You an ATi boy? I somehow had you figured out as a definitive nVidiot... /Tiny 4200 Thanks to Morgan, Tiny Snapshots is up and running again with "Tiny Järvafält" as the latest addition – Go have a look and tell me what you think. "We knew the world would not be the same. A few people laughed, a few people cried, most people were silent. I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad-Gita. Vishnu is trying to persuade the Prince that he should do his duty and to impress him takes on his multi-armed form and says, 'Now, I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.' I suppose we all thought that, one way or another." /Robert Oppenheimer on witnessing the first thermonuclear detonation in history.

01-23-2003, 05:38 PM	#6
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,947	"nVidiot"? C'mon Tiny... "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

01-23-2003, 06:38 PM	#7
Tiny Turtle is pleased Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Posts: 7,365	What? – I'm an nVidiot myself! (Apologies to everyone who thought I was making a derogatory remark) If anyone else could come up with a wittier name, please do and I'll try and use that from now on... /Tiny GeForce Ti4200 Thanks to Morgan, Tiny Snapshots is up and running again with "Tiny Järvafält" as the latest addition – Go have a look and tell me what you think. "We knew the world would not be the same. A few people laughed, a few people cried, most people were silent. I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad-Gita. Vishnu is trying to persuade the Prince that he should do his duty and to impress him takes on his multi-armed form and says, 'Now, I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.' I suppose we all thought that, one way or another." /Robert Oppenheimer on witnessing the first thermonuclear detonation in history.

01-24-2003, 03:21 PM	#8
drfish the Doc Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Zeeland, MI Posts: 5,374	I like supporting the underdog, it just helps when they make good stuff. My last two video cards have been from ATI, a Radeon 32meg DDR and my 8500. Not sure what my next will be, I don't see being able to afford an upgrade any time soon... I wouldn't call myself a fanboy, but I like a lot of the stuff ATI does... I don't watch commercials.