Catalyst 3.4 released

[Technoid]

yeah, what is it? a program???

[Tempest]

I think he's referring to SmartGART, the ultimate in ATi "we'll detect your AGP settings or maybe just hang the system" software

I don't think I'll update, 'cause people have mixed emotions about these 3.4's and the 3.2's are working just fine for my 8500LE.

edit: New Omega drivers based on these newest Catalysts have also been released. Get them at Omegadrive's Little Corner as usual.

What's New?

** Merged both Win9x/ME and Win2k/XP readme files since the changes
made to both are basically the same, except when specified.

* Based on the official Catalyst 3.4 ATI drivers. (9x/ME/2k/XP)
* Added support for the following chipsets: (9x/ME/2k/XP)
Radeon 9200
Radeon 9200 Pro
Radeon 9800
Radeon 9800 Pro
* Removed names for specific cards (Tyan, Gigabyte, etc.),
now they all have a common name (9700, 9500, etc.) (9x/ME/2k/XP)
* Removed support for Mobility cards in the 2k/XP drivers, those
of you that need support for mobility cards please use Patje's
Mobility Modder utility to add support. The utility can be found
here: http://www.driverheaven.net/patje/
* Updated all included utilities to most recent versions. (2k/XP)
* Added an Overclocking utility for all cards, can be found
in the ATI Control Panel, it's a new tab. (2k/XP)
* Added the Advanced SmartGart options, can be found in the folder
created by my drivers in the Start Menu. (9x/ME/2k/XP)
* The 9500->9700 and 9700->9800 hack is included and can be selected
during the installation process, but now is better explained,
easier for newbies. (9x/ME/2k/XP)
* The installer has been updated with more acurate information on all
the areas, including the readme and options description. (9x/ME/2k/XP)

[Jon P. Inghram]

I always manually strip the system of all ATI junk before reinstalling, so that wasn't the problem. And SmurfBark didn't screw the AGP settings up on my system, so that's not the problem either. And since Cat3.2 has been working just fine (compared to 3.4 at least, ) I'll just keep 'em on until they iron the glitches out next year or so.

Originally posted by The PIT
God I hate ATI drivers.

Jon uninstall and re-install manually so you don't get dumbfart loading. It's probably disabled something it shouldn't have. Still have problems pop over driverheaven and download the uninstaller program. Forgot it's name for now. Then redo the manual install.

[Topha]

Originally posted by Tempest
I think he's referring to SmartGART, the ultimate in ATi "we'll detect your AGP settings or maybe just hang the system" software

I don't think I'll update, 'cause people have mixed emotions about these 3.4's and the 3.2's are working just fine for my 8500LE.

edit: New Omega drivers based on these newest Catalysts have also been released. Get them at Omegadrive's Little Corner as usual.

Hehe, so I'm not the only one who prefers those

I always wait for the omegadrivers when new ati drivers are released, saves a lot of trouble

[The PIT]

Someone mentioned about the installer trying dial home. Well I found something else interesting. two files have suddenly appeared on my C drive and seem to replaced everytime I boot.
These files are called Pollog.txt and Pollst.txt.

Pollog contains the following

-13:09:22:484-0x00000784...Loading instance 0x400000, ThreadID = 0x784

Doesn't mean anything to me.


Pollst contains

-18:08:49:484-0x00000098...Calling StartServiceCtrlDispatcher()
-18:08:49:500-0x000000a0...Entering CNTService::ServiceMain()
-18:08:49:500-0x000000a0...Entering CNTService::Initialize()
-18:08:49:500-0x000000a0...CNTService::SetStatus(1333088, 2)
-18:08:49:500-0x000000a0...CNTService::SetStatus(1333088, 4)
-18:08:49:500-0x000000a0...Leaving CNTService::Initialize()
-18:14:26:375-0x000002e8...Calling StartServiceCtrlDispatcher()
-18:14:26:375-0x000002ec...Entering CNTService::ServiceMain()
-18:14:26:375-0x000002ec...Entering CNTService::Initialize()
-18:14:26:375-0x000002ec...CNTService::SetStatus(1333016, 2)
-18:14:26:390-0x000002ec...CNTService::SetStatus(1333016, 4)
-18:14:26:390-0x000002ec...Leaving CNTService::Initialize()
-18:21:05:453-0x0000077c...Calling StartServiceCtrlDispatcher()
-18:21:05:453-0x00000780...Entering CNTService::ServiceMain()
-18:21:05:453-0x00000780...Entering CNTService::Initialize()
-18:21:05:453-0x00000780...CNTService::SetStatus(1333016, 2)
-18:21:05:453-0x00000780...CNTService::SetStatus(1333016, 4)
-18:21:05:468-0x00000780...Leaving CNTService::Initialize()
-13:09:22:468-0x00000780...Calling StartServiceCtrlDispatcher()
-13:09:22:468-0x00000784...Entering CNTService::ServiceMain()
-13:09:22:468-0x00000784...Entering CNTService::Initialize()
-13:09:22:468-0x00000784...CNTService::SetStatus(1333016, 2)
-13:09:22:484-0x00000784...CNTService::SetStatus(1333016, 4)
-13:09:22:484-0x00000784...Leaving CNTService::Initialize()

These didn't appear to after installing the cat 3.4's

[The PIT]

Haha ATI left the debugging code in the drivers and these are a log file for each session..

[The PIT]

Originally posted by Jon P. Inghram
I always manually strip the system of all ATI junk before reinstalling, so that wasn't the problem. And SmurfBark didn't screw the AGP settings up on my system, so that's not the problem either. And since Cat3.2 has been working just fine (compared to 3.4 at least, ) I'll just keep 'em on until they iron the glitches out next year or so.

ATI always mess something up.

Smurfbark LOL.

Dunno if thats better description than dumbfart.

By the way we're referring to ATI's very over eager testing program smartgart. It tests your system to see if all the driver functions can run properly. E.G AGP d3d etc. It's got one problem 60 - 70% of the time it's wrong. End result no AGP no fast writes no d3d. At least ATI have got an uninstaller for the piece of crap.

ATI claim it makes life easier for the novice by ensuring there machine is stable. However your machine turns from a 2gig P4 into a 486 nearly. I'm sure the novice enjoys taking his computer back to the shop after each driver upgrade.

[Jon P. Inghram]

Fartbarf, that sounds even better. I tested the 3.4's on my WinXP install and fartbarf was causing a hard freeze at boot time when combined with the i815 tweaker I use to enable AGP 4x and some other performance settings that the BIOS kills when overclocked. Turned I had to disable the i815 thing, go to the fartbarf tab and have it retest, reenable the i815 tweak and reboot to get everything working right again. Too bad Morrowind runs just as bad with the 3.4's in WinXP as it does in Win98.

[The PIT]

Originally posted by Jon P. Inghram
Fartbarf, that sounds even better. I tested the 3.4's on my WinXP install and fartbarf was causing a hard freeze at boot time when combined with the i815 tweaker I use to enable AGP 4x and some other performance settings that the BIOS kills when overclocked. Turned I had to disable the i815 thing, go to the fartbarf tab and have it retest, reenable the i815 tweak and reboot to get everything working right again. Too bad Morrowind runs just as bad with the 3.4's in WinXP as it does in Win98.

Normally clicking on the retest tab disables everything if dumbfart hasn't first time around. I can't understand why ATI keep using the program. Perhaps there tech support line isn't busy enougth.

[Indiana]

Originally posted by The PIT
Normally clicking on the retest tab disables everything if dumbfart hasn't first time around.

Not here. All AGP-features here are turned on, always were and still are after I press on the retest button. Depends on the mainboard, I guess.

[The PIT]

Originally posted by Indiana
Not here. All AGP-features here are turned on, always were and still are after I press on the retest button. Depends on the mainboard, I guess.

Depends on luck. Most people who've clicked on this button out of curosty have found everything disabled.

[dbdg]

Always fine on my Gigabyte board but pressing retest all on my Supermicro board really did f*ck things up.

Dumbfart really doesn't appear to like the P4SDA. Might be the AGP Pro slot that it can't mess with.

Currently with the Omega drivers

[KeiFront]

Originally posted by The PIT
Haha ATI left the debugging code in the drivers and these are a log file for each session..

Those two files are generated by the "Ati hotkey poller" service, just disable them (altough you will loose the hotkey support ). A mate of me had the same problem.