DirectDraw "not available"?

[Matt Ion]

If ain't one thing it's another with this rig...

So now I'm getting various different apps (most notably Nero ShowTime)
reporting that "This application requires DirectDraw Acceleration, which
is not available in your system."

I have checked dxdiag, as the dialog suggests, and the DirectDraw
Acceleration option is "Not Available", the Disable button greyed out.
The "Test DirectDraw" button runs all the tests and returns: "DirectDraw
test results: All tests were successful."

I've run the ATI uninstaller and reinstalled the latest (7.11) Catalyst
drivers, I've reinstalled the motherboard AGP drivers, I've reinstalled
DirectX 9.0c, all to no avail.

System specs:
ASUS A8V-Deluxe
3GB RAM
Athlon64 3000+
Radeon 9800Pro All-in-Wonder
XP Pro/SP2 (32-bit)

NOW what???

 

[First of One]

Try Catalyst 7.8. Newer Catalysts are known to break DirectDraw (and by
extension D3D) for some users of AGP cards.

 

[Steph]

Try Catalyst 7.8. Newer Catalysts are known to break DirectDraw (and by
extension D3D) for some users of AGP cards.

--

Before that, I would reinstall directx 9c

 

[Guest]

Before that, I would reinstall directx 9c

Also check the AGP Aperture size in your system bios. If it's
64MB (or lower) it might cause this problem.

 

[Matt Ion]

Before that, I would reinstall directx 9c

Already did that, as noted in the original post:
"I've run the ATI uninstaller and reinstalled the latest (7.11) Catalyst
drivers, I've reinstalled the motherboard AGP drivers, I've
**reinstalled DirectX 9.0c**, all to no avail."

 

[Matt Ion]

Also check the AGP Aperture size in your system bios. If it's
64MB (or lower) it might cause this problem.

I'll check that, but I don't think it will even go below 64MB on this
board. Thanks.

Fak, I DON'T want to backlevel the f'n driver AGAIN... it means running
the f'n uninstall-f'n-everything-ATI program AGAIN.

This will be my last ATI card EVER.

 

[Matt Ion]

I'll check that, but I don't think it will even go below 64MB on this
board. Thanks.

Alright, options are 32/64/128/256, but it was already set for 256.

 

[Matt Ion]

I'll check that, but I don't think it will even go below 64MB on this
board. Thanks.

Fak, I DON'T want to backlevel the f'n driver AGAIN... it means running
the f'n uninstall-f'n-everything-ATI program AGAIN.

This will be my last ATI card EVER.

Right... ran the remover, backleveled to 7.8... still no luck.

I just love wasting my ****ing time over and over again with these
****ing broken drivers.

 

[Guest]

Alright, options are 32/64/128/256, but it was already set for 256.


*sigh*

Another possible cause is enabling the conferencing function in
Microsoft Netmeeting. This one's a longshot but worth checking.

I hear ya. I hate most things ATI (and AMD).

 

[Matt Ion]

Another possible cause is enabling the conferencing function in
Microsoft Netmeeting. This one's a longshot but worth checking.

Don't even have it installed.

 

[First of One]

Not to insult your intelligence, but the Hardware Acceleration slider is set
to full, right? Wonder if some app or driver installed previously may have
turned it down.

Display Properties -> Settings tab -> Advanced -> Troubleshoot tab

 

[Matt Ion]

Not to insult your intelligence, but the Hardware Acceleration slider is set
to full, right? Wonder if some app or driver installed previously may have
turned it down.

Display Properties -> Settings tab -> Advanced -> Troubleshoot tab

No insult taken... acceleration slider is all the way to Full. Write
combining box is checked - maybe I should try without that?

 

[First of One]

Yep, try without write combining.

You can also try moving the Hardware Acceleration slider back one notch.

 

[Matt Ion]

Yep, try without write combining.

Didn't help.

You can also try moving the Hardware Acceleration slider back one notch.

Urgh... I'm gonna spend all day rebooting, one tweak at a time.

 

[Guest]

Didn't help.


Urgh... I'm gonna spend all day rebooting, one tweak at a time.

You're not tweaking. You're anti-tweaking.

Dump the AMD/ATI disaster and go Intel/Nvidia. You'll thank
me later.

 

[Matt Ion]

You're not tweaking. You're anti-tweaking.

Dump the AMD/ATI disaster and go Intel/Nvidia. You'll thank
me later.

Yeah, well, next spare couple hundred dollars I have for a replacement
card, that's the first thing I have in mind.

For now, it would be really nice to get this thing working properly, or
at least as properly as it used to be.

I guess in fairness, I can't blame AMD for this particular junker, since
it's pre-takeover.

 

[Guest]

Yeah, well, next spare couple hundred dollars I have for a replacement
card, that's the first thing I have in mind.

For now, it would be really nice to get this thing working properly, or
at least as properly as it used to be.

I guess in fairness, I can't blame AMD for this particular junker, since
it's pre-takeover.

By chance have you recently installed any codec packs (such as
K-Lite)? These are notorious for causing video problems.

 

[Matt Ion]

By chance have you recently installed any codec packs (such as
K-Lite)? These are notorious for causing video problems.

None that I recall, at least not recently. This error is a relatively
recent development (like, within the last three-four months or so, at
least since it became noticeable).

Are there any PARTICULAR codecs that are known to be problematic, that I
could check for?

 

[FH]

Not to insult your intelligence, but the Hardware Acceleration slider is set
to full, right? Wonder if some app or driver installed previously may have
turned it down.

Display Properties -> Settings tab -> Advanced -> Troubleshoot tab

Listen man, do not blame ati if you ate inadept technologically,

on constructive side , uninstall your driver, go to safe mode , clean
ati friver either with guru3d driver sweeper or driver cleaner, reboot
then get this driver here:
http://radeon.ru/drivers/ATI_Catalyst_7.7_with_CP.exe
unpack it to temp directory, then right click on your driverless video
card , choose update driver and point it to directory, where driver was
placed, then say yes for unsigned driver installation and after it
installs, reboot
do not forget to disable ati smart service and hotkey service before you
reboot

latast ati drivers are crud for older hardware like yours , they seem to
break 3d dx functions, especially d3d

good luck

 

[Shawk]

If ain't one thing it's another with this rig...

So now I'm getting various different apps (most notably Nero ShowTime)
reporting that "This application requires DirectDraw Acceleration, which
is not available in your system."

I have checked dxdiag, as the dialog suggests, and the DirectDraw
Acceleration option is "Not Available", the Disable button greyed out.
The "Test DirectDraw" button runs all the tests and returns: "DirectDraw
test results: All tests were successful."

I've run the ATI uninstaller and reinstalled the latest (7.11) Catalyst
drivers, I've reinstalled the motherboard AGP drivers, I've reinstalled
DirectX 9.0c, all to no avail.

System specs:
ASUS A8V-Deluxe
3GB RAM
Athlon64 3000+
Radeon 9800Pro All-in-Wonder
XP Pro/SP2 (32-bit)

NOW what???

This has happened to me and it was down to the mobo drivers. I note
you've reinstalled the AGP drivers but as its such a quick painless task
it couldn't hurt to reinstall all mobo drivers? Via 4 in 1?