Catalyst 4.3, 9800Pro JK Academy & COD don't work

[Wblane]

I'm wondering now if this might not be a heat-related issue. On a really hot
day, I was running the opening screen of C&C Generals: Zero Hour for about an
hour and when I came back the screen was completely corrupted. I was able to
exit the game and windows seemed to run fine.

I can start a game of COD and play w/no problems for a while but then the video
gets corrupted and the game locks hard. I can start Jedi Knight Academy but
when I actually try to load or start a new game the level begins loading then
crashes w/an error about an ATI .dll crashing something like ATIOXXX.DLL
performing an illegal operation. The Jedi Knight Academy problem couldn't be
overheating then could it (since I don't even actually get to play the game
before it crashes).

All other games (Tron 2.0, Unreal, UT, AvP2, NOLF2, Quake 2, Quake III,
Warcraft III, C&C Generals + Zero Hour, Duke Nuke 'em Manhattan Project, RTCW,
Jedi Knight: Outcast work fine.

Abit NF7-S V2.0

Barton 2800+ (running overclocked at 207 FSB * 11 = 2277 Mhz,
2.06V Vcore)

Two sticks Kingston PC3200 (one is a cheap stick the other is there
performance stick) running
at 207Mhz

Using on-board sound

98SE

9800 Pro (not overclocked)

Catalyst 4.3

Directx 9.0b

Enermax EG465Pdual-fan 435 Watt PSU (all voltages are within spec)

Any ideas anyone?
-Bill (remove "botizer" to reply via email)

 

[John Lewis]

I'm wondering now if this might not be a heat-related issue. On a really hot
day, I was running the opening screen of C&C Generals: Zero Hour for about an
hour and when I came back the screen was completely corrupted. I was able to
exit the game and windows seemed to run fine.

I can start a game of COD and play w/no problems for a while but then the video
gets corrupted and the game locks hard. I can start Jedi Knight Academy but
when I actually try to load or start a new game the level begins loading then
crashes w/an error about an ATI .dll crashing something like ATIOXXX.DLL
performing an illegal operation. The Jedi Knight Academy problem couldn't be
overheating then could it (since I don't even actually get to play the game
before it crashes).

All other games (Tron 2.0, Unreal, UT, AvP2, NOLF2, Quake 2, Quake III,
Warcraft III, C&C Generals + Zero Hour, Duke Nuke 'em Manhattan Project, RTCW,
Jedi Knight: Outcast work fine.

Abit NF7-S V2.0

Barton 2800+ (running overclocked at 207 FSB * 11 = 2277 Mhz,
2.06V Vcore)

Two sticks Kingston PC3200 (one is a cheap stick the other is there
performance stick) running
at 207Mhz

Using on-board sound

98SE

9800 Pro (not overclocked)

Catalyst 4.3

Directx 9.0b

Enermax EG465Pdual-fan 435 Watt PSU (all voltages are within spec)

Any ideas anyone?
-Bill (remove "botizer" to reply via email)

First, stop overclocking the CPU and memory see if the problems go
away.

( If you ever play Far Cry, you need to check the CPU temps when the
binoculars are enabled and zoomed in the game -- probably a whole
bunch of floating-point calculations.... )

Assuming that normally-clocking the CPU/memory does not fix the
problems, then start paying attention to the video card:-

For the cases where the problem shows up pretty quickly, go buy a can
of Arctic Freeze or similar and while ther computer is operating,
spray GENTLY on the video memories until you see frost just starting
to form, then start the offending application and see if there is
correlation between cooling and problem-free operation. Repeat the
exercise for the GPU heat-sink. If you find that the problem is
centered on the video memory AND if the memory has no heat-sinks,
then purchase and fit them. Also a slot fan in PCI Slot #1 either
inhaling or exhaling air would be mightily helpful to the video
card -- if the card is the problem.

John Lewis
..

 

[blah]

I'm wondering now if this might not be a heat-related issue. On a really hot
day, I was running the opening screen of C&C Generals: Zero Hour for about an
hour and when I came back the screen was completely corrupted. I was able to
<snip>

Catalyst 4.3

Directx 9.0b

Enermax EG465Pdual-fan 435 Watt PSU (all voltages are within spec)

Any ideas anyone?
-Bill (remove "botizer" to reply via email)

I doubt it's overheating as most other games would crash as well, usually
after a certain amount of time.
Have you checked the Jedi Knight Acdemy website for patches/support.
tried these suggestions from ATI?
http://www.ati.com/support/products/pc/radeon9800/radeon9800proissuesgames.html
Found this
http://www.videocard-forum.com/ati/Jedi_Academy_problems_155102.html

HTH

 

[Wblane]

John (amazing, someone who actually posts w/their real name) I have a PCI slot
fan, but it's an exhaust fan. Wouldn't it be a bad idea to put this near the
intake on the ATI heatsink fan?

Also a slot fan in PCI Slot #1 either
inhaling or exhaling air would be mightily helpful to the video
card -- if the card is the problem.

-Bill (remove "botizer" to reply via email)

 

[Wblane]

Interesting stuff HTH. What's particularly interesting is that COD crashes
immediately if I try to enable the highest detail textures. The fact that no
other games have problems (even Jedi Knight: Outcast) makes your observation
that overheating isn't the cause all the more cogent. It's strange but Jedi
Knight: Academy worked w/Catalyst 4.2 perfectly.

I doubt it's overheating as most other games would crash as well, usually
after a certain amount of time.
Have you checked the Jedi Knight Acdemy website for patches/support.
tried these suggestions from ATI?

http://www.ati.com/support/products/pc/radeon9800/radeon9800proissuesgame s.html
Found this
http://www.videocard-forum.com/ati/Jedi_Academy_problems_155102.html

HTH

-Bill (remove "botizer" to reply via email)

 

[Bandit]

Have you tried the 3.10 cat drivers ??? COD would not run with the 4.2
for me had to go back to the 3.10 from ATI now all is fine

 

[blah]

Interesting stuff HTH. What's particularly interesting is that COD crashes
immediately if I try to enable the highest detail textures. The fact that no
other games have problems (even Jedi Knight: Outcast) makes your observation
that overheating isn't the cause all the more cogent. It's strange but Jedi
Knight: Academy worked w/Catalyst 4.2 perfectly.

HTH = Hope This Helps

Did have someone call me TIA once (Thanks In Advance)
Overheating usually affects everything.
You could try taking the side cover off the PC (fan blowing on it maybe?)
and seeing it that makes a difference.
If COD worked with 4.2 then go back to them. I got fed up ages ago with
constantly changing drivers, so I stay put till there is a problem.

My only other suggestion would be to try a fresh OS install. I had an
episode where Quake 3 that would crash on a demo I used for benchmarking
purposes, always at the same place. Did my best to track it down and at the
end I did a fresh OS install and it all worked fine.

 

[Wblane]

I hate to downgrade my drivers -- especially since I've got 98SE, but I guess
that's the only option I've got now. I've heard to go to Cat 3.7 but now that
I've heard two people say got to Cat 3.10 that'll be my next step.

Have you tried the 3.10 cat drivers ??? COD would not run with the 4.2
for me had to go back to the 3.10 from ATI now all is fine

-Bill (remove "botizer" to reply via email)

 

[Wblane]

I've never been able to run COD. I used to be able to play Jedi Knight Academy
for as long as I liked (at 1280x1024 and details maxed) w/Cat 4.1 (I never
tried 4.2 after reading about the known problems with it). I think I'm going to
go w/another poster's advice and try Cat 3.10.

Did have someone call me TIA once (Thanks In Advance)
Overheating usually affects everything.
You could try taking the side cover off the PC (fan blowing on it maybe?)
and seeing it that makes a difference.
If COD worked with 4.2 then go back to them. I got fed up ages ago with
constantly changing drivers, so I stay put till there is a problem.

My only other suggestion would be to try a fresh OS install. I had an
episode where Quake 3 that would crash on a demo I used for benchmarking
purposes, always at the same place. Did my best to track it down and at the
end I did a fresh OS install and it all worked fine.

-Bill (remove "botizer" to reply via email)

 

[DrWho]

Wblane said...

I've never been able to run COD. I used to be able to play Jedi Knight Academy
for as long as I liked (at 1280x1024 and details maxed) w/Cat 4.1 (I never
tried 4.2 after reading about the known problems with it).

Known problems with Cat 4.2? Related to Jedi Academy? I'm playing that
on Cat 4.2 (Omegas) right now. What are known problems are there?

 

[Wblane]

Cat 4.2 had a list of games it was problematic with. One of these was
Wolfenstein: ET. Since I play ET at LAN parties Cat 4.2 was out.

Known problems with Cat 4.2? Related to Jedi Academy? I'm playing that
on Cat 4.2 (Omegas) right now. What are known problems are there?

-Bill (remove "botizer" to reply via email)