Graphics Card Driver Question

[Aryanar]

I use a Radeon 9800 Pro with 512RAM... shouldn't be a problem running CS and it's not - I get 90-100FPS according to the video test. But I'm running on old drivers from 29/9/04. I tried upgrading them last month to the latest ones and my FPS shot down to 35. I reloaded the old ones. Now I just tried the latest ones this month and it went up to a whopping 40FPS. Reloaded again.

It's not a big deal really, I'm just wondering why the newest drivers would cause such an amazingly crappy result on the same graphics settings. Any ideas?

[Saur]

Heeey Aryanar, nice to see ya on the forums. I wouldn't know why newer video drivers wouldn't do as well, but I see these kinds of posts from time to time. It's true though, some drivers work better than others, even if they're older. Personally, I'd stick to what works. But as far as your question goes, don't have a clue why. X.x;

<3 Saur

[The Needle]

Running a Radeon 6800 and I find that the driver from a year ago gives me twice the FPS of a current one. Weird.

[tmgsssn]

try the omega drivers they seem to completely own the stock ati drivers. just a thought it may help.

www.omegadrivers.net
(i think thats it but if it doesnt work just google it.)


mac

[Father Goose]

Drivers infuriate me.

Here's what happens- I buy a new game (see also- Battlefied 1942). It runs with serious glitches (for a while it wouldn't draw certain triangles so I could see through walls- kind of a non-intentional hack).

I upgrade the drivers. Huzzah! BF1942 works! But now Command and Conquer Generals does NOT work at all- the ground is a solid black plane and you can see through buildings.

So I have to hunt and hunt for an older driver- just the right one, so that BF:1942 works and C&C works too.

Each new game was the same damn thing. Far Cry- new driver = BF:1942 and BF:Vietnam not working! Hurray! What FUN :wallbash:

I did try the Omega drivers. They seemed to work for more games, but then City of Heroes was the one with the problem. Sigh.

I have a 9800 Pro. Mother Goose has a 9600 XT and has NEVER had any of these problems (I built both of our computers myself and they're very similar).

Right now, I'm using the offical drivers- HL2 and CS:S work, and Doom 3 works. Everything else I play is on my Xbox.

:crazy: :wallbash: :thumbsdown:

Yay for ATI. My next card will probably be an Nvidia because they don't seem to have these driver issues.

[APOC]

DO NOT use the omega drivers based off of the 5.2 ATI drivers trust me. I used them and and tehy sucked, then I tried to go back to older drivers and something with the 5.2 royally screwed up my computer I ended up having to do a full wipe and reload. I have teh 9800 pro as well, I use the omega drivers based off of the 5.1 ATI's.

APOC

[loopcycle]

* RULE OF THUMB: NEVER UPGRADE DRIVERS UNLESS YOU ARE TRYING TO FIX A PROBLEM *

ive been playing with catalyst 5.1 since i started playing CSS, and before that, Enemy Territory. they seem to work ok for me.

there are a lot of issues reported with newer ati drivers and CSS. over at the steampowered forums, the general consensus (among catalyst users) is that you will run most stable with catalyst 4.12.

for some, omegas are teh isht, and for others, not so great.

im going to give the 4.12s a go tonight and see if i get a performance improvement.

[Phenix]

I have no choice but to use the Omega 5.1 with my x800xt pe, only because any other driver causes my card to heat up. I used the new 5.4 from ATi and it shoots my temp from idle 42c to full load 70c+, with omega 5.1 its 42c idle to 51c full load. Its an interesting situation.

[loopcycle]

I have no choice but to use the Omega 5.1 with my x800xt pe, only because any other driver causes my card to heat up. I used the new 5.4 from ATi and it shoots my temp from idle 42c to full load 70c+, with omega 5.1 its 42c idle to 51c full load. Its an interesting situation.

thats strange. who makes the card? what program gives you the temp readout? are you overclocking? did you mod the card with a third party HSF or is the card stock?

[Kev Kanos]

I know why your card isnt working. There are no drivers made for radion that actually work. Nvidia rocks.

Radion has better hardware but the drivers suck. If you can ever get it working it will blow the pants off nvidia but I dont want to mess with getting it to work.

Nvidia cards work fine. I get average 87 fps and I have never had a problem with the dirvers because they know how to make drivers.

[Phenix]

thats strange. who makes the card? what program gives you the temp readout? are you overclocking? did you mod the card with a third party HSF or is the card stock?

Sapphire. Omega provides one and I also use ATitool. I overclock using the overdrive selection which came with the drivers but it's not overclocked any more, also atitool gives you the ability to overclock. It's the stock, I was looking at the arctic silencer 4 (I believe) though I don't think I need it because I know it shouldn't be raising that high. Full load should max @ 55c-60c somethings not right.

[FiLTHY_SNiPER]

I use the newest Omega drivers (with my Radeon 9800 pro) and they seem to work alright.. although lately I've been gettin drops in FPS.

[atomicbob]

You guys really know how to stress out a guy wanting a new graphics card. The first thing I need is a better one, the last thing I need is problems.

:yuck:

[Bonez]

I use the newest Omega drivers (with my Radeon 9800 pro) and they seem to work alright.. although lately I've been gettin drops in FPS.that's a source issue in drop in fps.

[loopcycle]

im going to give the 4.12s a go tonight and see if i get a performance improvement.

UPDATE

wiped out the 5.1 ati catalyst drivers with ati's driver cleaner tool, then installed the 4.12 catalyst drivers and control panel.

with the naked eye, i cant tell a difference. i average about 60-70fps, sometimes dropping to 20-30fps in heavy battle on some maps. this is what i have come to expect from CSS + 9800pro + LCD.

i am leaving the 4.12 drivers installed. i will test some config combos to get smoother performance. if i find anything i will post my findings.

[ResJudicata]

since we're on the topic, anyone know how to juice up me ATI XE 300???? i think thats the modle number.. or recommendations for a better video card.. umm.. with different price ranges....