XP SP2 GART issue

[JitWad]

COuldnt find another post on this to append to...

RE: the issue between XP SP2 and VIA's GART drivers (K8 chipsets).

Anyone able to get their system running in top-notch form running a K8t800 board with an ATI card? I realize this is a known problem - but the severity of it seems to be random from person to person.

Recap: With XPSP2 - Microshite installs UAGP (Universal AGP) GART drivers to replace your current ones - be they from Nvidia or VIA. You can cause yourself big problems by upgrading to SP2 - then forcing VIA's GART driver by, say installing any Hyperion driver 4.53 or older (their new 4.55vp1 Hyperion's will not install AGP drivers if SP2 is installed).

Unfortunately - with Microshite's Intel UAGP driver (or GAGP30KX driver for AMD64) I cannot run my board at AGP 3.0 - it will crap out as soon as I stress the video (any game).

Many are suffering from Uncle Bill's newest flub - though NForce3 based boards dont seem to be hit as hard (I guess VIA offended Uncle Bill?).

I am just wondering if anyone has been able to get a steady framerate (without crashing) in anything recent - HL2, Bloodlines, Pacific Assault -- running a K8T800 Pro AMD64 system on an ATI card.

If so, do tell how you managed

My specs:
---------
Enermax Noisetaker 470w
AMD64 3200+ Winchester
Soltek SL-K8TPro-939 (K8T800 Pro)
1 GB PC3200
Radeon 9800 Pro 128 MB
Soundblaster Live! 5.1
40 GB WD IDE ATA133

Current Drivers:
VIA Hyperion 4.53
ATI Catalyst 4.12

 

[Crashman]

VIA has had GART problems on and off ever since they started making AGP chipsets. MS gets their VIA drivers from VIA and tries to package them in the best way for universal compatability...which doesn't always work. Having said that, under 98SE my MS version of VIA's drivers were always less problematic (compatable with MORE CHIPSETS than VIA's own drivers). I haven't owned any VIA platforms new enough to justify XP.

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[Cybercraig]

Yes. Set up an ASUS K8V-SE with an A64-3000+ and a 9600XT. I loaded the newest 4.012? drivers before SP2 and played HL2 till I got tired of it. No issues so far with video, but no overclock either.

Abit IS7 - 3.0C @ 3.6ghz - Mushkin PC4000 (2 X 512) - Sapphire 9800Pro - TT 420 watt Pure Power
Samsung 120gb ATA-100 - Maxtor 40gb ATA - 100
Sony DRU-510A - Yellowtail Merlot

 

[JitWad]

Ok - I was wondering if it was solely a SP2 issue, but many people on the viaarena boards are having the same issue with older KT333 and KT400 chipsets. Seems to be SP2 and VIA.

According to Microshites support site, they are basically claiming that AMD64 systems will not conform to their 'new' UAGP standard due to the memory controller (thus the AGP aperture control) being integrated into the CPU. They released a special UAGP driver for AMD64's - but it seems to either force PCI mode, or at most not allow 8x AGP (whether that is a problem only for VIA K8T owners, or if it happens to NForce3 owners as well.... I dont know).

Cybercraig:
I may try a re-install XP without SP2 (or maybe even SP1) to see if it helps. I can get my machine to run solid now - but only at AGP 4x with 'Fast Writes' off, if I try 8x I can run benchmarks - but all games crash out.

thnx for the feedback.

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by JitWad on 01/21/05 01:30 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[pat]

I have a Soltek nforce3 board and it works good with SP2 with AGP set at 8X. Running at AGP 4X instead of 8X wont really affect your benchmarks. But I would try to slipstream you version of XP with SP2 instead of installing it after you installed XP. Dont know it that would make a difference thou.

Search Google to know how to slipstream XP2 into XP CDROM



-Always put the blame on you first, then on the hardware !!!