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SK · Guest

I finally installed XP on my old 503+ (AMD K-6 III 450, 40 gig WD HD, 256K
mem, ATI AIW16mb Video) and it installed fine with the Microsaft video
Driver.

When I installed the latest driver from ATI, I can't get the video out of
the lowest video setting and have to roll back to the Microsoft Driver,
which dosen't support OpenGL.

Other than the driver, I've only installed Norton Systemworks 2004.

Any ideas what's causing the problem?

Alex Zorrilla · Guest

Some graphics cards have trouble with "Write Combining" on old
motherboards. It could be that this is one of those cases. I believe
there is an option in the Windows XP advanced display options to disable
this. I believe it is under the Troubleshooting tab.

Alternatively, this may be disabled in the BIOS. Look for a setting for
Write-Back Cache Mode. "UC" is uncached mode, "USWC" is uncached
speculative write combining. Try "Disabled" or "UC".

It is just a thought, but I remember an old Matrox card with a similar
problem. This was a workaround until Matrox came out with a new driver.

--Alex

SK wrote:

Kylesb · Guest

I don't think there is a BIOS setting that affects video memory write
combining. Either the video driver supports WC and enables it, or it
doesn't. The BIOS does have a Write-back mode vs write-trhu for the
L2 cache mode of operation.

--
Best regards,
Kyle
"Alex Zorrilla" <apz@zxeng.com> wrote in message
news:csh4gq01mkh@enews3.newsguy.com...
| Some graphics cards have trouble with "Write Combining" on old
| motherboards. It could be that this is one of those cases. I
believe
| there is an option in the Windows XP advanced display options to
disable
| this. I believe it is under the Troubleshooting tab.
|
| Alternatively, this may be disabled in the BIOS. Look for a setting
for
| Write-Back Cache Mode. "UC" is uncached mode, "USWC" is uncached
| speculative write combining. Try "Disabled" or "UC".
|
| It is just a thought, but I remember an old Matrox card with a
similar
| problem. This was a workaround until Matrox came out with a new
driver.
|
| --Alex
|
|
|
| SK wrote:
| > I finally installed XP on my old 503+ (AMD K-6 III 450, 40 gig WD
HD, 256K
| > mem, ATI AIW16mb Video) and it installed fine with the Microsaft
video
| > Driver.
| >
| > When I installed the latest driver from ATI, I can't get the video
out of
| > the lowest video setting and have to roll back to the Microsoft
Driver,
| > which dosen't support OpenGL.
| >
| > Other than the driver, I've only installed Norton Systemworks
2004.
| >
| > Any ideas what's causing the problem?
| >
| >

SK · Guest

I've tried disabling write combining, but still no success. I can only use
the original Windows XP Driver.

Any other suggestions?

"SK" <stevek@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:7aOdnXD_9cs6nnHcRVn-3w@comcast.com...

Alex Zorrilla · Guest

How about the VIA chipset drivers, which include drivers for the AGP?
Go through the menu here: http://www.viaarena.com/default.aspx?PageID=2
Since you have the old MVP3 chipset, try the "Retro" 4.43 drivers
located at the bottom of the page.

--Alex

SK wrote: