HELP: This is terrible - ATI 9800 PRO + 3.4GHZ ++

[fr0zen]

Hello All,

I am having this very strange problem with my BF2 and a few other games. I just dont understand what the problem is or how to fix it.

Current System Specs:
P4 3.4GHZ
ATI 9800 PRO
2 GB RAM
Latest ATI Catalst drivers

Now somedays the game works fine, but somedays this is what happens (please look at the file attached)
is it overheating? if yes WHYYYYYYYYYY!! or is there some other problem?

So far i have encountered the same problem with NHL 2005 and BF2

P.S My video settings for BF2 are on LOW and thats when i took that screenshot.... PLEASE HELP!! PLEASEEEEEEEEEEE, I really dont have the money to buy another video card. Any help will be appreciated. Thank you.

[sid77]

Re: HELP: This is terrible - ATI 9800 PRO + 3.4GHZ ++

looks like a driver problem, what version of catalyst you running?

could also be down to overclocking?

[UnrealAlex]

Re: HELP: This is terrible - ATI 9800 PRO + 3.4GHZ ++

driver problem yes.

[Shamus]

Re: HELP: This is terrible - ATI 9800 PRO + 3.4GHZ ++

Either mixed dirvers or overheating. I would remove the video card and clean the heatsink and fan. If that don't solve the issue, uninstall the vid drivers and use a program to clean your driver files from your system before reinstalling the Cat. 5.8s.

[Widkidone]

Re: HELP: This is terrible - ATI 9800 PRO + 3.4GHZ ++

Help is here!!! this a video driver issue. Follow these steps and you will be free. but also it would be nice to follow Shamus' idea as well regarding cleaning that video card fan, and might as well clean the entire of your computer tower as well if you are going to be in that tower anyways. But try this:
1. Go download Driver Cleaner 1.2 which can be found at www.majorgeeks.com www.drivercleaner.net or www.driverheaven.net

2. Run the Driver Cleaner updates

3. Go to your Add and Romove Programs and remove your ATI Control Panel and/or CCC and do not restart your system and do not restart your system just yet

4. Go to your ADD and Remove Programs and remove your ATI Drivers and do not restart your system just yet

5. Go to your Add and Remove Programs and remove the ATI Software utility then restart your system into SAFE MODE. Normally just press F8 repeatly until you get to the Safe Mode

6. Once you are in the Safe Mode open your Driver Cleaner 1.2 and set your cleaner to what ever drivers you use (ATI, Nvidia, etc). In your case it would be to ATI. Then run the cleaner ( it will take a whooping 5 seconds)

7. Then in your Driver Cleaner click on Tool and click on Cab Cleaner and run that. It should take anywhere from 2-4 minutes.

8. Restart your computer back into your normal desktop and then go to www.ati.com and download and install the drivers.

[fr0zen]

Re: HELP: This is terrible - ATI 9800 PRO + 3.4GHZ ++

thanks for the super quick replies guys but i doubt its the drivers.

I have had the same problem on Windows 2003 and on Windows XP

Also i did try and clean the fan and even changed the thermalpaste on the video card. Still no luck


If you guys insist, i can try re-installing drivers again, but the windows was formatted 2 weeks back, drivers re-installed, and i still got that screen.

[Shamus]

Re: HELP: This is terrible - ATI 9800 PRO + 3.4GHZ ++

But did you install the latest motherboard chipset dirvers (not from the CD)? They are the most important ones of the bunch.

PS
Here is the name of the sound driver you want.

Creative Sound Blaster Live! 24-bit and Sound Blaster Audigy LS driver 1.04.0055 (11.91 MB) 1 Aug 05

[NoSoup4You]

Re: HELP: This is terrible - ATI 9800 PRO + 3.4GHZ ++

This is most likely a driver issue. Although I have seen overheating cause this issue as well, and I wouldn't doubt it since you're running a relatively hot CPU to start with. Try the cleaning, if that doesn't work then download a program called "Everest Home Edition" (freeware). It is a computer diagnostics program that will tell you the core heat of just about everything on your computer (assuming it can get a reading from a sensor).

[fr0zen]

Re: HELP: This is terrible - ATI 9800 PRO + 3.4GHZ ++

But did you install the latest motherboard chipset dirvers (not from the CD)? They are the most important ones of the bunch.

PS
Here is the name of the sound driver you want.

sound driver? why would the augidy drivers effect the video performance?
As far as the latest motherboard chipset drivers go, i guess i should check that, but i do have the latest intel chipset drivers (i think you are talking about the intel chipset drivers aswell?)

- I have already cleaned the video card, but found no difference in performance. I will try putting the video card into another case (more roomy and probably more cooler)

[Dethleffs]

Re: HELP: This is terrible - ATI 9800 PRO + 3.4GHZ ++

i have the same problem, with additional out of the blue crashes which restart my pc :cry:

asus P4P800
intel 2.8
ati radeon 9800pro (atm with cat 5.7 drivers)
winxp pro

I have tried cleaning my videocard, clean driver install of cat 5.8 and 5.7, but the problem persists..

[imported_DaDDeh]

Re: HELP: This is terrible - ATI 9800 PRO + 3.4GHZ ++

i have the same problem, with additional out of the blue crashes which restart my pc :cry:

asus P4P800
intel 2.8
ati radeon 9800pro (atm with cat 5.7 drivers)
winxp pro

I have tried cleaning my videocard, clean driver install of cat 5.8 and 5.7, but the problem persists..

A clan m8 of mine had the same problem with his 9800 turned out to be not enough power from his PSU, he replaced his PSU with a more powerfull one and it sorted the problem.

[Dethleffs]

Re: HELP: This is terrible - ATI 9800 PRO + 3.4GHZ ++

ok.. thanks, ill try that when i have money :l

[Shamus]

Re: HELP: This is terrible - ATI 9800 PRO + 3.4GHZ ++

sound driver? why would the augidy drivers effect the video performance?

Because the sound engine of BF2 consumes massive resources and those resources taken away from video rendering will cause problems like this. Especially if your PCI Latency setting in the BIOS is higher than 64 clocks. (Yes, PCI Latency affects the AGP video performance.)

[fr0zen]

Re: HELP: This is terrible - ATI 9800 PRO + 3.4GHZ ++

well i have a 600W PSU - i doubt thats the problem

so what should be my PCI Latency settings?

[GreatWhiteShark]

Re: HELP: This is terrible - ATI 9800 PRO + 3.4GHZ ++

Your link will not work for me so i cant tell from that.
Latest ATI Catalyst drivers should be 5.8 is that what you have running to check > start > right click my computer > properties > hardware > device manager > display adapters > click on first one > driver > this will tell you the date and version of driver being used.

I had a 9800 once and had problems with the stock fan when running BHD and Joint Ops it was not cooling it well enough then on a check i discovered that the fan was sticking, so bought an arctic cooler for $18 £10 ish it worked well, but after a long period the card just ran out of steam, it would work for lesser programs but not intense gaming.

How old is the card, is it a stock fan and dose the experience get worse when a hot day and or after the pc has been running a while.