ATI 9200 Chipset, upset.

[Paul AU]

Hello.

I don’t know much about computers, especially with regard to video issues, so you’d better talk to me as though I’m four years old.

The problem: 3D graphics fail to load, “loading 3D graphics", then nothing more. The other, "flat" graphics, such as the control panel, scenario screens, etc, are fine.

Battlefront’s website troubleshooting section suggests I turn off anti-aliasing. The problem is, no such option appears in the appropriate Control Panel section. (Er, as far as I can see).

“Windows Control Panel, then select Display, then select Settings from the tab at the top, then click the Advanced button. Next click the ATI 3D tab, and click the custom button.”

…but in the said “Advanced” screen there’s no ATI tab, and in the “Adapter” tab, my graphics “card” is apparently:

Sis 661FX_750_741… (etc)

I’m guessing this is because I have an “ATI 9200 Chipset 3D”, and not a card, as such?

Is this correct? Have I missed something? Can this chipset run CCBB? Where’s the anti-aliasing option?

Apparently, the ATI cards are not so good in general, as far as CC goes. What is an inexpensive graphics card that will run CCBB well?

More info:

XP Home with SP2

Pentium 4, 3 GHz Prescott

DirectX 9.0b

(The system is new)

My verison of CCBB is the latest one, no software patches required.

[Redwolf]

Why do you say you have a "chipset" as opposed to a "card"?

Did you install any drivers at all?

What is reported for a video device if you right-clock on the desktop and select "properties"?

[ January 03, 2005, 07:52 PM: Message edited by: Redwolf ]

[Schrullenhaft]

It appears that you have a built-in video chipset in addition to the ATI Radeon 9200. Where did you get your computer and is the videocard something that was added later ?

As Redwolf pointed out, it appears that if you do have the videocard installed, you don't seem to have the drivers installed. However most motherboards that have built-in video, will usually disable that video if an AGP card is installed. Is your card AGP or PCI ? If it is PCI, then it's possible for the built-in video to remain enabled while a second videocard is installed (in this case a PCI ATI Radeon 9200).

If your email system can take a multi-megabyte attachments I can send you some files and instructions on getting your videochipset running with CM.

The SiS chipset will give you all of the effects of CM. The ATI Radeon 9200 will lack fog. The Radeon 9200 will be a bit faster since it is using dedicated VRAM instead of system memory for the video display. I don't know how much faster the Radeon 9200 may be compared to the SiS chipset.

If you're interested in getting the Radeon 9200 running then we'll need to know more about your setup and when you got your Radeon and if you're absolutely sure it is installed.

[Paul AU]

This is great, thanks guys.

Interim answers:

I said "ATI 9200 Chipset 3D" only because that's what the specs sheet (as in, a piece of paper) for my store-bought new PC says, not 'cause I've seen it anywhere in-system. The PC is as-bought and never been fiddled-with.

How do I check if I have “an APG card installed” and if it’s APG or PCI? I’ll check with the store.

Redwolf, When I right-click on the Desktop, and select Properties >>Settings, it just says:

Display: plug and play monitor on

Sis 661FX_750_741…

Selecting the Advanced tab, as I said, doesn't give any more info, "adapter, Sis 661FX..", (etc).

I don't see any evidence that there's an ATI card actually there. (But I see the comment about it possibly being disabled or without drivers).

I haven't D/L any drivers myself. Yet.

Hold my horse, I will check with the store and grill them (again) as to what is actually on-board my machine.

Now I understand that the Sis-thing is a chipset on the motherboard, and the ATI 9200 is a plug-in card. (I didn't know that). (A card which may, or may not, actually be present...)

The SiS chipset will give you all of the effects of CM…

(Good news!)

"If your email system can take a multi-megabyte attachments I can send you some files and instructions on getting your videochipset running with CM.”

That sounds promising. I presume that, if I wanted to, I can forget the ATI 9200 (for now), and just go with the Sis chipset? If so, and if you'd be so kind, yes, e-mail me.

I think the new Hotmail takes large attachments, so I have:

pauls__h@hotmail.com

(note the *two* underscores)

(If not, I have a 'real' address too, which I'm reluctant to show in public)

First I should probably grill the store, to confirm stuff. Tomorrow.

I may be as thick as a whale omelette, but I appreciate your help. These are the sort of games for which all this is worthwhile. One hopes.

Cheers.

[Redwolf]

Hm, that's kind of odd. It seems clear you have that SiS video chipset on your mainboard.

Is your ATI card a PCI card? Can you use it at the same time as the SiS video?

The reason I ask is that most certainly you internal chipset (the SiS) gets turn off and is unusable when you plug in an AGP card. Since you can use the SiS that suggests that you either have the ATI totally deactivated or that you have a PCI ATI.

Sorry for the stupid question, are you sure there is an additional video card in there at all? Is there one or two VGA connectors on a AGP/PCI slot?

Can you post a photo?

It occurs to me that maybe you have one of the ATI mainboard chipsets and it a ATI video chipsets at all. I don't know whether there are already on the market but it must be the worst thing, even worse than an ATI video card

[86smopuim]

at risk of being too many chefs

my fear is the company charged him for a video card he never recieved.

do you have 1 or two plug ins on your computer for video?

here is what they look like:

note it has 15 holes. It'scalled a db15 plug.

Note: the db15 looks very similar to the db9 "serial" plug here:

which has... well nine holes or pins in it.

Theyare NOT the same thing. your computer will have 1 or 2 db9 plugs.

If you have only 1 vga plug on your puter, you probably got ripped off by said computer store, and you can trust nothing they tell you.

If indeed you have two vga plugins, assume the SiS is 'onboard', and the ATI is an add-on card.

To tell if the ATI is AGP or PCI, open your computer up and look at theslot its plugged into.

PCI slots are almost always white plastic, while AGP slots are almost always brown plastic.

[ January 03, 2005, 08:33 PM: Message edited by: 86smopuim ]

[Schrullenhaft]

Paul AU - I've sent the 3.64 drivers zipped via your Hotmail account with instructions in the body of the email on installing the SiS drivers. If the problem persists, we'll need to handle this on a more basic step-by-step procedure.

I'm guessing with 86smopium that the Radeon 9200 probably isn't present in your system. As he pointed out there would be two 15-pin VGA connections (or the possibility of a DVI connection that is often colored white and much larger than a standard 15-pin connection).

Hopefully these SiS drivers will work for you. One other problem with Integrated Video chipsets is that some of the newest ones don't do too well when they are used at the maximum bus speed of the chipset. In other words if your CPU is running at 800MHz on the Front Side Bus, then the video may not behave too well (compared to if it were running 533MHz on the front side bus). This isn't universally true, but it has been an issue with many integrated video chipsets.

[Paul AU]

86smopuim, I've got one normal 15-pin video socket (and yes, one 9-pin serial plug). But there is another 15-pin socket, but larger (not the usual video size), and er, it's orange.

Schrullenhaft, thanks for the e-mail. All recieved and unzipped, ok. I've looked at the instructions which accompanied them, and think I can I see all the files you mentioned pretty much where you said they'd be.

Just lemme check one thing...

Add/Remove Programs control panel > select

>the SiS video drivers entry and click "remove". This should

>uninstall your video drivers and their control panels...

There are two possibly relevent files there:

Sis 900 PCI ethernet fast adapter driver (0.04meg)

Sis VGA Utilities (14 meg)

I should remove both?

(I ask because I fear re-booting with no video at *all*, should something go wrong)

[Schrullenhaft]

Paul AU - The 'orange 15-pin port' is your Game port, used to hook up joysticks (which now more commonly use USB) or possibly external MIDI devices (synthesizer keyboards, etc.). On many ATX motherboards this connector is right above the audio jacks.

The standard analog VGA connector on a videocard will be 15-pins (female - so actually holes) arranged in three rows. If there is only one of these on your computer, then it would seem that you didn't get the ATI Radeon 9200 after all.

Uninstall only the SiS VGA Utilities (14Mb). The other software is your network driver, which you don't want to uninstall. If you have any other problems installing these drivers let me know.

Don't worry about not coming up with any video after uninstalling the drivers. Windows XP will use its Safe Mode Super VGA driver "VGASave" to display the screen. You'll just be unable to play any games since it isn't a hardware specific driver.

[Paul AU]

Guess what? It worked. All systems are apparently go.

I just finished a test - running some 3D halftracks amongst some ground-huggin' Ruski, and gee it looked good. (Well to me it did, probably not to the Ruski...)

Now all I have to do is learn to play the game properly. But, that will be fun.

Not sure how to thank youse all for your help. Thanks. Danke schön. Спасибо.

I'd especially like to pin a medal on Corporal Cranky's lapel - for service above and beyond the call of duty, and without whos help the battle would probably have been lost... cybercross, firstclass, with INF-file cluster.

*Salutes*

[Paul AU]

Dozens of hours later: yes, in case the next guy asks, this Sis chipset works well. Good reliable graphics quality, weather effects at max, max horizon, etc. Good.