Radeon9700pro - Known compatibility issues and fixes

[Oscarr]

Like hundreds of other people, I went out and picked up the 9700 Pro, thinking myself on top of the FPS mountain...I was wrong.
Ive yet to see any sort of visual display from the 9700 pro, there isnt even a flicker at post, although my 8500le 128mb has no problems whatsoever. Im sporting an ECS M922U, 256 PC3000, onboard ac'97 audio, rather old Maxtor 25gig hd, on a 500 W power supply. I tried swapping in an older 300W power supply, and the problem persists. I tried removing all devices save the vid card, nada. Just wondering if there are any common fixes or known fcompatibility issues with any of my hardware. thx.

 

[WarRaven]

It sounds like you have a bad vid card! Have you tried the card in a diff computer? If you don't have an extra comp.. take it to your local computer store and see it the can plug it in and test it.

Just my .02 worth!

 

[BFG10K]

There's a high chance it's a problem with your motherboard. Make sure you have the latest BIOS for it and try consulting the manufacturer's website for a FAQ.

Also you might like to try a minimal boot in case it's another piece of hardware causing the problem.

 

[chizow]

Mobo or PSU..but I agree, the 9700pro isn't all its cracked up to be even when it works.

Chiz

 

[SickBeast]

the only game i'm having problems with is nfshp2, but i'm running an 8500 and i don't know if the problem is common to the 9700.

simcity4 also apparently has "issues" with some of the special effects on all radeon cards.

the only other game that i can think of is gta3...that one was a real pain for me to get going...i had to install like 3 different patches...

ati really needs to get their act together on this stuff...it's very frustrating when you come home with a cutting edge new release game only to find out that it won't run on your *supposedly* super-powerful rig.

<edit: check the rage3d.com forums for a bios update. ati doesn't provide them, but they're pretty easily found if you know where to look. if you're getting problems right from booting up, you can be pretty sure it's a bios issue or a problem with the hardware itself. also, make sure you have the latest motherboard bios, i remember hearing that the 9700 wouldn't work in alot of the AGP8X boards. good luck!!>

 

[nRollo]

"the only other game that i can think of is gta3...that one was a real pain for me to get going...i had to install like 3 different patches..."

That's odd, GTA3 ran out of the box for me on my 9700pro, to this day I've installed no patches.

"ati really needs to get their act together on this stuff...it's very frustrating when you come home with a cutting edge new release game only to find out that it won't run on your *supposedly* super-powerful rig."

Actually, I've run Mech Warrior3, UT, UT2003, The Neverhood, Veggie Carnival, GTA3, Max Payne, Q3, Kingpin, Carnivores, and Alice all unpatched. System:
Asus P4PE/P4 2.53/R9700Pro/SB Audigy/512MB PC2700.
That is a really wide variety of games, old/new/simple/complex, that I haven't had to patch.
Perhaps the patching has more to do with your VIA chipset than the R9700?

" Mobo or PSU..but I agree, the 9700pro isn't all its cracked up to be even when it works."
Mine works all the time, and I'd say it's everything it's cracked up to be and more. This is one awesome VGA, the best I've used, and I've used most of them.

 

[BoomAM]

Originally posted by: Rollo
"

" Mobo or PSU..but I agree, the 9700pro isn't all its cracked up to be even when it works."
Mine works all the time, and I'd say it's everything it's cracked up to be and more. This is one awesome VGA, the best I've used, and I've used most of them.

I agree, the 9700pro card rule, when they work.
Even on my XP1800 w/768mb of SDR memory, i get very high frame rates, that remain high even with AA & FSAA on. And the IQ is amazin as well.

 

[filmore crashcart]

I switched out my MSI Geforce4 ti4400 for my current NewEgg refurbished Saphire 9700 pro.... I keep forgetting that I have a Nvidia card sitting in my closet since, once I got the 9700 pro installed correctly, I could never look back again. This card has much better 2d quality and the fps on what few games I play have reinforced what I read about it being the fastest card out there. Maybe it's the luck of the motherboard chipset (I have a 845pe board) or the luck of getting the right combination of components, anyway, I have no stability problems at all.

 

[chizow]

Originally posted by: Rollo

" Mobo or PSU..but I agree, the 9700pro isn't all its cracked up to be even when it works."
Mine works all the time, and I'd say it's everything it's cracked up to be and more. This is one awesome VGA, the best I've used, and I've used most of them.

Heh, yah I'm sure I'd have no problems if I stripped my PC down to a glorified gaming rig, but the fact remains some of us have higher expectations of our PCs and certainly more from a $400 state-of-the-art graphics card. Whether its drivers or hardware compatibility, my 9700pro exhibits more issues than any other card I've owned in the past, and I've owned every card from either ATI or Nvidia in the last 2 generations (8500, GF3, GF4 and now 9700pro). I could probably throw in my V5 or either of my V3's with 3 year old non-supported drivers and they would be more compatible with my current hardware.

Yes, its a fine piece of HARDWARE, when it WORKS as BoomAM said (who interestingly enough has a parallel problem thread), but those out there that ignore its quirky behavior and its inexplicable drops in framerate in certain games are either serious fanboys or unwilling to face the truth. As much as I enjoy this card's incredible performance in games, I'll be waiting for the GF FX. Once hardware mfgs. start ensuring compatibility with ATI products, or ATI becomes more proficient with their drivers, I'll revisit what they have to offer.

Chiz

 

[BoomAM]

Originally posted by: chizow

Originally posted by: Rollo

" Mobo or PSU..but I agree, the 9700pro isn't all its cracked up to be even when it works."
Mine works all the time, and I'd say it's everything it's cracked up to be and more. This is one awesome VGA, the best I've used, and I've used most of them.

Heh, yah I'm sure I'd have no problems if I stripped my PC down to a glorified gaming rig, but the fact remains some of us have higher expectations of our PCs and certainly more from a $400 state-of-the-art graphics card. Whether its drivers or hardware compatibility, my 9700pro exhibits more issues than any other card I've owned in the past, and I've owned every card from either ATI or Nvidia in the last 2 generations (8500, GF3, GF4 and now 9700pro). I could probably throw in my V5 or either of my V3's with 3 year old non-supported drivers and they would be more compatible with my current hardware.

Yes, its a fine piece of HARDWARE, when it WORKS as BoomAM said (who interestingly enough has a parallel problem thread), but those out there that ignore its quirky behavior and its inexplicable drops in framerate in certain games are either serious fanboys or unwilling to face the truth. As much as I enjoy this card's incredible performance in games, I'll be waiting for the GF FX. Once hardware mfgs. start ensuring compatibility with ATI products, or ATI becomes more proficient with their drivers, I'll revisit what they have to offer.

Chiz

lol, you noticed.
As i said, when they work theyre great, its just that at the moment, with me anyway, the SmartGart is acting up(occasionally switching the AGP off)
As this is a Issues & Fixes thread, heres a link to my post that contains possible fixes to SmartGart problems.

"WTF, ATI Smartgart is acting up. Help please"

 

[chizow]

Originally posted by: BoomAM
lol, you noticed.
As i said, when they work theyre great, its just that at the moment, with me anyway, the SmartGart is acting up(occasionally switching the AGP off)
As this is a Issues & Fixes thread, heres a link to my post that contains possible fixes to SmartGart problems.

"WTF, ATI Smartgart is acting up. Help please"

Hehe yah, at least you're honest about it though There are people out there who will deny and defend computer parts to exhaustion like they're rooting for the home team or something. As for SmartGart, I read it doesn't actually do anything in the control panel, you have to shut it off in the BIOS or use a tweaker like Radeonator. I have no idea though, there's like 30 ATI tabs in my device settings, none of which do anything.

Chiz

 

[nRollo]

"Heh, yah I'm sure I'd have no problems if I stripped my PC down to a glorified gaming rig, but the fact remains some of us have higher expectations of our PCs "
Your stability problems are probably rooted in your trying to make a low end $80 cpu into what you really wanted, a 2800+ by OCing the life out of that poor little beast.

BTW- "stripped down" ? What is so elaborate about your box? That you opted for RAID?

"my 9700pro exhibits more issues than any other card I've owned in the past,"
See above, and notice I don't seem to have any problems with an Intel motherboard, not OCd?

"but those out there that ignore its quirky behavior and its inexplicable drops in framerate in certain games are either serious fanboys or unwilling to face the truth."
I'm no fan boy, I've bought all of nVidia and ATIs cards going back to TNT1/Rage 32 days. ALL of them. The lower minimum fps in UT2003 is an unfortunate aspect of this card, but it's the only negative I've seen and the positives outweigh this by far.

The GF Fx will certainly have a downside as well. No card is everything to everyone.

 

[chizow]

Originally posted by: Rollo
"Heh, yah I'm sure I'd have no problems if I stripped my PC down to a glorified gaming rig, but the fact remains some of us have higher expectations of our PCs "
Your stability problems are probably rooted in your trying to make a low end $80 cpu into what you really wanted, a 2800+ by OCing the life out of that poor little beast.

BTW- "stripped down" ? What is so elaborate about your box? That you opted for RAID?

"my 9700pro exhibits more issues than any other card I've owned in the past,"
See above, and notice I don't seem to have any problems with an Intel motherboard, not OCd?

"but those out there that ignore its quirky behavior and its inexplicable drops in framerate in certain games are either serious fanboys or unwilling to face the truth."
I'm no fan boy, I've bought all of nVidia and ATIs cards going back to TNT1/Rage 32 days. ALL of them. The lower minimum fps in UT2003 is an unfortunate aspect of this card, but it's the only negative I've seen and the positives outweigh this by far.

The GF Fx will certainly have a downside as well. No card is everything to everyone.

There aren't any stability problems inherent with my CPU or Overclock, its passed the tried and true measure of Prime95 torture running the past 2 days without issue. The same problems occur even if I run at stock speeds, so I guess we can rule out that conspiracy theory. The reality of it is that AMD XP chips are superior to Intel P4's pound for pound, mhz for mhz, dollar for dollar. I guess you haven't stumbled across any of those tragic instances of P4's dying prematurely at the slightest hint of an overvolt. Intel fanboys fail to realize this and are more than willing to pay the premium, so I'm sure the concept is lost on you.

You listed compatibility with the main purpose of having a fast 3D accelerator, for video games. If I simply wanted blistering fast frames from my computer I'm sure I'd be happy, but guess what? I expect a lot more out of my video card, like the ability to capture and edit video, watch TV, watch DVDs, rip different media formats, manipulate digital pictures, edit DV, and any other multimedia function that REQUIRES my video card to be compatible with my other hardware and software. Interesting how I didn't have any hardlocking issues, video overlay or directdraw issues with my GF4 OC'd on the same platform?

I never said there was anything special about my rig, I just said I used it for a lot of other uses besides the 1 you described: gaming. Come to think of it, I just bought something that does the exact same thing you use your computer for and it only cost me $200, its called an XBox.

Chiz

 

[BoomAM]

Originally posted by: Rollo
" No card is everything to everyone.

How trues you are, i could`nt agree more in fact.
You hit the nail on the head there, and settled every "my components better than yours/which is better" arguements on the AnandTech Forums

I know someone who absolutly loves his 56k modem (dont laugh, oh go on then!!!), he always claiming that he getting like 15kb/s download speeds with it in kazaa. Yeh whatever. The technological maximum for 56k is only about 7kb/s, and thats under perfect conditions. But will he belive me.....like hell he will.

I`d readally admit that the 9700PRO isnt all that, its fast, its got good image quality, but, the drivers tend to be a bit buggy and have very few updates done to them.
And im willing to bet that the GF FX wont be "all that" as well.

Also, chizow, your right there as well. mhz for mhz, the AthlonXP is infinately better than a Pentium4.

X-Boxes however....dont even get me started on them.
Not wanting to cause an argument, but, IMO they are glorified micro pcs that dont use keyboard & mice.

 

[BFG10K]

but I agree, the 9700pro isn't all its cracked up to be even when it works.

I disagree. Even with the few driver problems it has the 9700 Pro is quite possibly the best vidoe card I've ever used and the 3D image quality is definitely the best I've ever seen.

And I haven't even begun to talk about the awesome speed the card provides; 1600 x 1200 x 32 with 16x anisotropic is an option for just about any game currently in existance.

 

[nRollo]

"I never said there was anything special about my rig, I just said I used it for a lot of other uses besides the 1 you described: gaming. Come to think of it, I just bought something that does the exact same thing you use your computer for and it only cost me $200, its called an XBox. "
LOL- touche'.

You forgot my second, just as important use of the pc though- PORN.

The R9700 really plays a nice mpg, Jenna's hoots just come to life.....

 

[SickBeast]

haha shoulda bought a ps2.