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Problems with ATI Card

SystemSystem Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
Hello all,

I am having some issues with my video card on some maps. I have a card at the lower end of what is recommended so I do expect some issues.

I have an ATI Radeon X1270.

Knowing that my graphics card is far from the best for the game I run it in safe mode, with all graphics turned down, and with 30fps. Most times I can play for hours just fine except for some Exploration Missions. On some of those maps it will freeze my video while loading in or shortly after. Only way to get out of it is to do a hard-reboot. Any help besides, "Get a better system". would be great.

Here is my Dxdiag info:
Operating System: Windows Vista™ Home Premium (6.0, Build 6001) Service Pack 1 (6001.vistasp1_gdr.091208-0542)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Dell Inc.
System Model: Inspiron 1721
BIOS: Phoenix ROM BIOS PLUS Version 1.10 A00
Processor: AMD Turion(tm) 64 X2 Mobile Technology TL-64 (2 CPUs), ~2.2GHz
Memory: 3454MB RAM
Page File: 1224MB used, 5872MB available
Windows Dir: C:\Windows
DirectX Version: DirectX 10
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
DxDiag Version: 6.00.6001.18000 32bit Unicode

And for Video:

ATI Catalyst Control Center - 2007.0320.2223.38170

Display Devices
Card name: ATI Radeon X1270
Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.
Chip type: ATI Radeon X1200 Series (0x791F)
DAC type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_791F&SUBSYS_01FD1028&REV_00
Display Memory: 1151 MB
Dedicated Memory: 191 MB
Shared Memory: 959 MB
Current Mode: 1440 x 900 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor: Generic PnP Monitor
Driver Name: atiumdag.dll,atiumdva.dat,atitmmxx.dll
Driver Version: 7.14.0010.0487 (English)
DDI Version: 9Ex
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 3/20/2007 21:51:06, 2762752 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
WHQL Date Stamp:
Device Identifier: {D7B71EE2-3A5F-11CF-7F72-F721A1C2CA35}
Vendor ID: 0x1002
Device ID: 0x791F
SubSys ID: 0x01FD1028
Revision ID: 0x0000
Revision ID: 0x0000
Video Accel: ModeMPEG2_A ModeMPEG2_C Deinterlace Caps: {6E8329FF-B642-418B-BCF0-BCB6591E255F}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,1) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive {335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch {5A54A0C9-C7EC-4BD9-8EDE-F3C75DC4393B}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX videoProcess_StretchY {6E8329FF-B642-418B-BCF0-BCB6591E255F}: Format(In/Out)=(UYVY,UYVY) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,1) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive {335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(UYVY,UYVY) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch {5A54A0C9-C7EC-4BD9-8EDE-F3C75DC4393B}: Format(In/Out)=(UYVY,UYVY) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY {552C0DAD-CCBC-420B-83C8-74943CF9F1A6}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,2) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive {6E8329FF-B642-418B-BCF0-BCB6591E255F}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,1) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive {335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
{5A54A0C9-C7EC-4BD9-8EDE-F3C75DC4393B}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY
DDraw Status: Enabled
D3D Status: Enabled
AGP Status: Enabled
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2010
    Alright I was able to get back in game and read that people were turning off the dynamic lighting and vertical sync. Mine are both off and I still hat the problem. I have not tried to go back into the map but it is called:

    Theta Pegasi Lamda 985 Probe Investigation - B'Tran cluster Exploration Mission

    Maybe someone can check that mission layout from the logs.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2010
    Hmm, well first of all I'd suggest seeing if there are any newer drivers for your graphics card. Since it's a laptop you're at the mercy of Dell - they may not have any newer drivers available than the ones you've already got, but if they do, try installing those.

    STO can make graphics cards run very hot, so it could potentially be an overheating issue. I'm not sure what you can do to improve cooling on a laptop aside from using one of those special laptop stands (or improvising one) or using a small desk fan to help move excess heat away from the exhaust.

    I suppose another thing you could try is running in windowed mode for a while. Although it will worsen your performance windowed mode can sometimes prove more stable, at least if this is a game-related error and not a hardware lock-up.

    You'll also want to check windows event viewer to see if there are any helpful error messages in the log that could identify it as either a hardware lock-up or a game freeze.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2010
    Amarinth wrote:
    Hmm, well first of all I'd suggest seeing if there are any newer drivers for your graphics card. Since it's a laptop you're at the mercy of Dell - they may not have any newer drivers available than the ones you've already got, but if they do, try installing those.

    STO can make graphics cards run very hot, so it could potentially be an overheating issue. I'm not sure what you can do to improve cooling on a laptop aside from using one of those special laptop stands (or improvising one) or using a small desk fan to help move excess heat away from the exhaust.

    I suppose another thing you could try is running in windowed mode for a while. Although it will worsen your performance windowed mode can sometimes prove more stable, at least if this is a game-related error and not a hardware lock-up.

    You'll also want to check windows event viewer to see if there are any helpful error messages in the log that could identify it as either a hardware lock-up or a game freeze.

    Thanks, but it is not an overheating issue as even without a temp reading my comp was cool to the touch when it first happened. I thought it was a heating issue. Like I said, another thing that also suggests it is not a heating issue is that I can play the game for hours on end with no problem. It is just loading into some maps that does this.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2010
    I'd suggest checking out the event viewer in that case as it might given more hints as to the source of the problem. If it's in the same place as on windows 7 then it's R-click on My Computer -> Manage -> Event Viewer -> Windows Logs. Mainly System and Application logs will be of interest. See if you can find any critical entries around the time that your laptop froze.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2010
    I just see general, "The previous shutdown was unexpected" and that is probably due to me forcing a hard-reboot.

    - System

    - Provider

    [ Name] EventLog

    - EventID 6008

    [ Qualifiers] 32768

    Level 2

    Task 0

    Keywords 0x80000000000000

    - TimeCreated

    [ SystemTime] 2010-03-12T00:47:34.000Z

    EventRecordID 202320

    Channel System

    Computer

    Security


    - EventData

    6:46:28 PM
    3/11/2010


    135


    DA07030004000B0012002E001C009E02DA07030005000C0000002E001C009E02600900003C000000010000006009000000000000B00400000100000000000000



    Binary data:


    In Words

    0000: 000307DA 000B0004 002E0012 029E001C
    0008: 000307DA 000C0005 002E0000 029E001C
    0010: 00000960 0000003C 00000001 00000960
    0018: 00000000 000004B0 00000001 00000000


    In Bytes

    0000: DA 07 03 00 04 00 0B 00
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2010
    I would install the latest driver with the have disk method. You can use the same procedure that Intel provides an example for their embedded chipsets.

    http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/windows/Legacy/Pages/radeonaiw_vista32.aspx?type=2.4.1&product=2.4.1.3.7&lang=English
    Work-around
    A work-around is available if you choose not to use your computer manufacturer's validated graphics drivers and want to install Intel's generic graphics drivers instead. However, if you encounter problems with using the generic driver, Intel recommends reinstalling and using the validated drivers from your computer manufacturer.

    The work-around involves using the Windows* "Have Disk/Known File" method for updating a driver. A disk is not needed. To apply the work-around, follow these steps:

    * If you have Microsoft Windows Vista*, click Have Disk Installation steps for Windows Vista.
    http://www.intel.com/support/graphics/sb/CS-029635.htm
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2010
    I would install the latest driver with the have disk method. You can use the same procedure that Intel provides an example for their embedded chipsets.

    http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownload/windows/Legacy/Pages/radeonaiw_vista32.aspx?type=2.4.1&product=2.4.1.3.7&lang=English

    I think that may have done the trick. I looked all over for a driver update, thanks for the link.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2010
    No dice, the game still locks up my video card upon loading into some ground maps. Anyone else have any ideas? I know it is not related to temp, not related to having outdated drivers, only localized to some ground maps on exploration missions. The more and more this goes on, the more I think it is a bug in the genesis system that overloads some ground maps.
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