Quickie: Recommended drivers and utils for a new 4670

doctorfrog · Feb 3, 2009, 05:16 AM

I'll be replacing a glitchy, overheated and damaged Sapphire X1950 with a HIS-made 4670 (this one: Newegg.com - HIS Hightech H467QT512P Radeon HD 4670 IceQ Turbo 512MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards) in a few days. I chose the card for its quiet nature as well as the price, it also seems to be a solid budget performer .

The long story:

I've had a number of problems with this X1950, so I'd like to avoid them. I used the Omega drivers with the card exclusively, though I do not believe that the drivers had anything to do with the overall failure of the card. Basically, I believe that the card was severely undercooled due to the default fan settings imposed by Sapphire. I only noticed this when bizarre spines were sticking out of the characters in Team Fortress 2. The problem got worse and worse, and I finally used the ATI Tray Tools bundled with the Omega drivers to check the temperature of the card over a period of time. It seemed wildly out of control and the fan settings were way too passive. I then overrode the fan settings and the glitches went away... but began to creep back. Over the months, the card crashes at lower and lower temperatures and goofy glitches show up almost immediately in games. This occurs regardless of how aggressive the fan is, and how cool I keep the card. Even 2D windows start sprouting red, white, and black dots after a while.

I have had the X1950 for less than a year, way too short for it to fail. I don't want to see this issue repeated. New card, new start.

Here are my options, as I see them:

1) Download and use ATI's official drivers. Use as intended by ATI, don't be paranoid, behave like a typical, trusting user.

2) Use ATI's drivers, plus the latest beta version of ATI Tray Tools to maintain more control over things, such as underclock the card or override fan settings to keep the card nice and cool.

3) Use only HIS's approved drivers, use as intended, don't be paranoid.

4) Use only HIS's approved drivers, plus the latest beta of ATI Tray tools to micromanage my card.

5) Other drivers and/or tools. I'm guessing that the Omega drivers are too old for this newer card, and the project itself is either stalled or dead.

I would also like to know in advance what the temperature range of the card should be, so I can have some idea of how cool to keep it. I'm a fairly advanced user and don't mind getting my hands dirty with tests and settings, but I'd also rather play games than tweak settings.

Your advice, oh forum of experts? Thank you in advance.

kn00tcn · Feb 3, 2009, 12:13 PM

personally i only use ATT with omegas on my old cards, not new ones

on my 4870x2 & 4850 at work, i use CCC+official cats

CCC's got fan control & core/mem speed settings, so unless you need ATT's more detailed/obscure settings, why use it right?

the card should be fine at 90 in theory, but i like to idle at 35-45 & load at up to 90 (at least my mem goes to 90), which on my x2 translates to 35% fan speed idle, 45-50% gaming fan speed that i manually set

that HIS with its custom cooler should be cool anyway & i doubt it needs manual fan control

i also use rivatuner for extremely detailed temp monitoring & logging

HIS approves drivers? i just go to ati's site

*CATALYST maker* · Feb 3, 2009, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doctorfrog

I'll be replacing a glitchy, overheated and damaged Sapphire X1950 with a HIS-made 4670 (this one: Newegg.com - HIS Hightech H467QT512P Radeon HD 4670 IceQ Turbo 512MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards) in a few days. I chose the card for its quiet nature as well as the price, it also seems to be a solid budget performer .

The long story:

I've had a number of problems with this X1950, so I'd like to avoid them. I used the Omega drivers with the card exclusively, though I do not believe that the drivers had anything to do with the overall failure of the card. Basically, I believe that the card was severely undercooled due to the default fan settings imposed by Sapphire. I only noticed this when bizarre spines were sticking out of the characters in Team Fortress 2. The problem got worse and worse, and I finally used the ATI Tray Tools bundled with the Omega drivers to check the temperature of the card over a period of time. It seemed wildly out of control and the fan settings were way too passive. I then overrode the fan settings and the glitches went away... but began to creep back. Over the months, the card crashes at lower and lower temperatures and goofy glitches show up almost immediately in games. This occurs regardless of how aggressive the fan is, and how cool I keep the card. Even 2D windows start sprouting red, white, and black dots after a while.

I have had the X1950 for less than a year, way too short for it to fail. I don't want to see this issue repeated. New card, new start.

Here are my options, as I see them:

1) Download and use ATI's official drivers. Use as intended by ATI, don't be paranoid, behave like a typical, trusting user.

2) Use ATI's drivers, plus the latest beta version of ATI Tray Tools to maintain more control over things, such as underclock the card or override fan settings to keep the card nice and cool.

3) Use only HIS's approved drivers, use as intended, don't be paranoid.

4) Use only HIS's approved drivers, plus the latest beta of ATI Tray tools to micromanage my card.

5) Other drivers and/or tools. I'm guessing that the Omega drivers are too old for this newer card, and the project itself is either stalled or dead.

I would also like to know in advance what the temperature range of the card should be, so I can have some idea of how cool to keep it. I'm a fairly advanced user and don't mind getting my hands dirty with tests and settings, but I'd also rather play games than tweak settings.

Your advice, oh forum of experts? Thank you in advance.

Go with option 1 or 2. 1 if you are a standard user, 2 if you are a power user.

doctorfrog · Feb 4, 2009, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kn00tcn

the card should be fine at 90 in theory, but i like to idle at 35-45 & load at up to 90 (at least my mem goes to 90), which on my x2 translates to 35% fan speed idle, 45-50% gaming fan speed that i manually set

that HIS with its custom cooler should be cool anyway & i doubt it needs manual fan control

i also use rivatuner for extremely detailed temp monitoring & logging

HIS approves drivers? i just go to ati's site

Thanks, I would figure that the old and new cards would be solid at least past 70-80, esp if the ATI driver doesn't flag it as 'hot.'

By HIS-approved drivers, I meant the ones offered officially from their web site, as opposed to the latest from ATI. Sounds like ATI + ATI Tray Tools (latest beta) is a safe enough bet.

doctorfrog · Feb 5, 2009, 03:04 AM

Another update, I've just received and installed the card. It is unbelievably quiet, almost unnervingly so. Marvellous budget card.

ATI Tray Tools don't seem to work with this card, so it looks like I might have to turn to RivaTuner instead. I hope that it has the features I'm looking for (fan speed control, over and underclocking, graphing of data, temp and RPM overlays in 3D apps, etc.)

kman225 · Feb 9, 2009, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doctorfrog

Another update, I've just received and installed the card. It is unbelievably quiet, almost unnervingly so. Marvellous budget card.

ATI Tray Tools don't seem to work with this card, so it looks like I might have to turn to RivaTuner instead. I hope that it has the features I'm looking for (fan speed control, over and underclocking, graphing of data, temp and RPM overlays in 3D apps, etc.)

good, rivatuner should work great man.

thegoldenstrand · Feb 16, 2009, 05:05 AM

but I prefer em.

Feb 3, 2009, 05:16 AM	#1
doctorfrog DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 5 Rep Power: 0	Quickie: Recommended drivers and utils for a new 4670 I'll be replacing a glitchy, overheated and damaged Sapphire X1950 with a HIS-made 4670 (this one: Newegg.com - HIS Hightech H467QT512P Radeon HD 4670 IceQ Turbo 512MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards) in a few days. I chose the card for its quiet nature as well as the price, it also seems to be a solid budget performer . The long story: I've had a number of problems with this X1950, so I'd like to avoid them. I used the Omega drivers with the card exclusively, though I do not believe that the drivers had anything to do with the overall failure of the card. Basically, I believe that the card was severely undercooled due to the default fan settings imposed by Sapphire. I only noticed this when bizarre spines were sticking out of the characters in Team Fortress 2. The problem got worse and worse, and I finally used the ATI Tray Tools bundled with the Omega drivers to check the temperature of the card over a period of time. It seemed wildly out of control and the fan settings were way too passive. I then overrode the fan settings and the glitches went away... but began to creep back. Over the months, the card crashes at lower and lower temperatures and goofy glitches show up almost immediately in games. This occurs regardless of how aggressive the fan is, and how cool I keep the card. Even 2D windows start sprouting red, white, and black dots after a while. I have had the X1950 for less than a year, way too short for it to fail. I don't want to see this issue repeated. New card, new start. Here are my options, as I see them: 1) Download and use ATI's official drivers. Use as intended by ATI, don't be paranoid, behave like a typical, trusting user. 2) Use ATI's drivers, plus the latest beta version of ATI Tray Tools to maintain more control over things, such as underclock the card or override fan settings to keep the card nice and cool. 3) Use only HIS's approved drivers, use as intended, don't be paranoid. 4) Use only HIS's approved drivers, plus the latest beta of ATI Tray tools to micromanage my card. 5) Other drivers and/or tools. I'm guessing that the Omega drivers are too old for this newer card, and the project itself is either stalled or dead. I would also like to know in advance what the temperature range of the card should be, so I can have some idea of how cool to keep it. I'm a fairly advanced user and don't mind getting my hands dirty with tests and settings, but I'd also rather play games than tweak settings. Your advice, oh forum of experts? Thank you in advance.

Feb 3, 2009, 12:13 PM	#2
kn00tcn DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Toronto Posts: 649 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	Re: Quickie: Recommended drivers and utils for a new 4670 personally i only use ATT with omegas on my old cards, not new ones on my 4870x2 & 4850 at work, i use CCC+official cats CCC's got fan control & core/mem speed settings, so unless you need ATT's more detailed/obscure settings, why use it right? the card should be fine at 90 in theory, but i like to idle at 35-45 & load at up to 90 (at least my mem goes to 90), which on my x2 translates to 35% fan speed idle, 45-50% gaming fan speed that i manually set that HIS with its custom cooler should be cool anyway & i doubt it needs manual fan control i also use rivatuner for extremely detailed temp monitoring & logging HIS approves drivers? i just go to ati's site __________________ http://www.kn00tcn.net/site/ati-catalyst-profiles/ http://www.kn00tcn.net/FPSLimiter.rar

Feb 5, 2009, 03:04 AM	Thread Starter #5
doctorfrog DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 5 Rep Power: 0	Re: Quickie: Recommended drivers and utils for a new 4670 Another update, I've just received and installed the card. It is unbelievably quiet, almost unnervingly so. Marvellous budget card. ATI Tray Tools don't seem to work with this card, so it looks like I might have to turn to RivaTuner instead. I hope that it has the features I'm looking for (fan speed control, over and underclocking, graphing of data, temp and RPM overlays in 3D apps, etc.)

Feb 16, 2009, 05:05 AM	#7
thegoldenstrand DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: California Posts: 35 Rep Power: 0	Can Omega Drivers be used? I know they are old... but I prefer em. __________________ Support the Alky Project!! Get Direct X 10 to be available in XP and Linux! Support Cody!