Help, NGO's "ATi Optimized Driver" has ruined my system.

Sentient Cheese

After two hours of failing to fix this, this forum is my last hope.

I decided I'd try out NGO's new drivers based off of the 4.12 Catalyst betas. Well, as usual I used Driver Cleaner for a clean install, and installed them. Direct3D no longer worked. I tried re-booting a few times, but the problem persisted. So, I uninstalled them, and then tried the Lite version based off of the official Catalyst 4.11's. Same problem. No Direct3D.

So........I again uninstalled, and went back to what I had before, Omega's 2.5.9.0 drivers based on the 4.11 Catalyst betas. And guess what. Direct3D still didn't work.

At this point I started to realize I was in deep shit.

I have tried multiple clean uninstallations/reinstallations now, each time using Driver Cleaner. I have reverted all my Windows XP tweaks back to default, and set all my Windows services back to their default status. I have tried loading my BIOS's default setup. I have tried reinstalling DX9.0c. Nothing works.

In my last few attempts at driver re-installations, now Safe Mode won't even boot up anymore. It gets to the Windows start screen, and then never leaves it, just hanging there indefinitely.

Also, I think I may have pinpointed the problem, just not how I can fix it. Checking the Advanced Smartgart settings via Omega's start menu shortcut, I discovered that my PCI and AGP Write and Read settings are all set to off now. Only problem is, they're greyed out and I can't even try to turn them back on. I was gonna try booting up in Safe Mode and attempting to do it there, but like I said, now even Safe Mode won't boot up.

What a horrible day for this to happen on. I want to throttle NGO now.

I should also mention that I applied NGO's Universal XP Tweaker that came with their drivers. I noticed at the end it deleted MANY files out of my Windows prefetch folder. So I dunno, could that be it? And yes, I tried running the program again and resetting the Windows default values already.


Please, for the love of all that is good and holy, somebody help me. I am completely out of ideas. Why did this have to happen today......damn you NGO.

[edit] I forgot to mention that I have a 9700 Pro. [/edit]

Sentient Cheese

Update.

I tried installing the official 4.11 Catalysts with the CCC (I hadn't done this before, I don't like the CCC).

Under the CCC, in the Advanced Smartgart menu, all the AGP and PCI Reads and Writes were checked to on. However.....every time I load the CCC, I get a message telling me the 3D preview thingie won't start b/c the current OpenGL driver doesn't support it, or something to that effect.

This makes me wonder, b/c 1. NGO's traditionally big thing is their OpenGL driver, and 2. even knowing that, when I uninstalled NGO's drivers it should also uninstall the OpenGL driver (duh).......and when I installed any other driver (like these 4.11's with CCC), it should be a new OpenGL driver.....and yet, I still get this problem. Odd, no?

Anyway, I messed with some stuff, and turned off the VPU recover. Heh, well, that then made my monitor fail to render correctly, with artifacts all over the screen. And then, oh this is getting insane, I restarted, AND SAFE MODE WORKED THIS TIME FOR GOD KNOWS WHAT REASON. So I uninstalled the 4.11's with CCC from there and here I am, Windows once again functional, just with no VGA driver for my card installed.


*narrowly resists impulse to stab self in eye with pen*

CATALYST maker

wow what a horror story man.... hate to be smug, but you shoulda stayed with the real deal

Its like wanting to have a Big Mac, but instead of going to McDonalds you go to some joint across the street that advertises Modified Super Deluxe Big Macs, which end up making you run to the toilet to take a ........

Sentient Cheese

Yep, everything has been peachy-deachy in the past as long as I stuck with either Catalyst official or Omega.

Anyway, since this issue persists now no matter what driver I try, it would lead me to believe something is screwed up with some core Windows file(s). Seeing as how you're on the Catalyst team, do you have any ideas? No ones better qualified than you.

CATALYST maker

reinstall windows

davidnsibs

i know it sounds annoying, but re-installing windows aint actually a big hassle, just stick in the CD and choose to upgrade (it'll keep all your current settings and stuff), doesnt take too long, just make sure to reinstall SP1 after, and you may want to delete any NGO driver files so that when windows automatically installs a video driver, it doesnt install that one

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Goodbye 9500pro, you've been a faithful servant through Half life, Deus Ex, Unreal 2, Max Payne 1+2, Nolf 1+2, CoD, Far Cry, Civ IV, F.E.A.R and many more

REGENERAT1ON

Sentient Cheese can you post computer specification?
and you dont need format to fix it..

first uninstall your monitor from the device manager then
use ATI Uninstall Utility

the tweaker clean safe files only and if you used RefreshForce then set monitor default refresh rate again

try reinstall chipset drivers

p.s.

"NGO Drivers" is just ATI driver with few tweaks and tricks.. and with two tools, thats it.. it could happen with the offical catalyst aswell because there is no installer or some risky changes, just INF tweaks.

and its not NGO Drivers! its "TC ATI Optimized drivers"

REGENERAT1ON

Modified Super Deluxe Big Mac is just package that include Big Mac with some toy and a drink and small ketchup. its the same Big Mac without big changes!
maybe small onion but nothing that can make big change and ruin your stomach

CATALYST maker

I love this guy!

cheers man

Sentient Cheese

I was afraid you were gonna say that.

Yeah, that is quickly looking to be my only solution. Damn it all.

Sentient Cheese

I guess since you're NGO administration you weren't on the actual team that produced the new drivers, so I assume you wouldn't happen to have any idea what's going on.

Btw, I installed the Catalyst 4.12 betas yesterday to try them out, and this sure as shit didn't happen then, so apparently that was one rancid "onion" in your version of the Big Mac.

[edit] ah christ with this slideshow I get with no VGA acceleration I missed your first post, lemme get to that [/edit]

CATALYST maker

Hey man be nice, he's trying to help. I am sure those drivers were clear in stating that they should be used at your own risk. Right?

REGENERAT1ON

well i took a look at the package and didnt found anything that can ruin your operation system. btw there isnt NGO driver! its package by TC (techconnect)

anyway lets help you now can you give more details like what you have done exactly and did you ran "dxdiag" to check the D3D acceleration tab?
can you post more details ?

Sentient Cheese

Specs, copied from Dxdiag (hope that's alright):

------------------
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 11/16/2004, 14:30:15
Machine name: CHEESELAND
Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 1 (2600.xpsp2.030422-1633)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Sony Corporation
System Model: PCV-RS420(UC)
BIOS: BIOS Date: 02/12/04 15:20:43 Ver: 08.00.08
Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.80GHz (2 CPUs), ~2.8GHz
Memory: 1024MB RAM
Page File: 114MB used, 1837MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DX Setup Parameters: /Silent
DxDiag Version: 5.03.0001.0904 32bit Unicode

------------
DxDiag Notes
------------
DirectX Files Tab: No problems found.
Display Tab 1: The system is using the generic video driver. Please install video driver provided by the hardware manufacturer. Direct3D functionality not available. You should verify that the driver is a final version from the hardware manufacturer.
Sound Tab 1: No problems found.
Sound Tab 2: No problems found.
Music Tab: No problems found.
Input Tab: Problems were found in the system registry. Details are available in the saved text file.
Network Tab: No problems found.

--------------------
DirectX Debug Levels
--------------------
Direct3D: 0/4 (n/a)
DirectDraw: 0/4 (retail)
DirectInput: 0/5 (n/a)
DirectMusic: 0/5 (n/a)
DirectPlay: 0/9 (retail)
DirectSound: 0/5 (retail)
DirectShow: 0/6 (retail)

---------------
Display Devices
---------------
Card name:
Manufacturer:
Chip type:
DAC type:
Device Key: Enum\
Display Memory: n/a
Current Mode: 1280 x 1024 (32 bit) (1Hz)
Monitor:
Monitor Max Res:
Driver Name: vga.dll
Driver Version: 5.01.2600.0000 (English)
DDI Version: unknown
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 8/29/2002 07:00:00, 9344 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: n/a
WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
VDD: n/a
Mini VDD: vga.sys
Mini VDD Date: 8/29/2002 07:00:00, 19712 bytes
Device Identifier: {D7B70EE0-4340-11CF-B063-282AAEC2C835}
Vendor ID: 0x0000
Device ID: 0x0000
SubSys ID: 0x00000000
Revision ID: 0x0000
Revision ID: 0x0000
Video Accel:
Deinterlace Caps: n/a
Registry: OK
DDraw Status: Not Available
D3D Status: Not Available
AGP Status: Not Available
DDraw Test Result: Not run
D3D7 Test Result: Not run
D3D8 Test Result: Not run
D3D9 Test Result: Not run


Alright then. Now I'm gonna try some of the things you suggested. Thanks for trying to help me out, btw.

And if you need one of the other sections of the DxDiag info, specify which one and I'll post it. I had to cut it short b/c the post length was too long.

Sentient Cheese

Right, sorry. I already edited that post to include that I didn't see his initial post at first. With no hardware acceleration scrolling of any sort is tedious at best.

REGENERAT1ON

Sentient Cheese

Ever since I first installed the 1.7 Ultra's my DirectDraw and Direct3D in in the D3D tab have been "Not Avaliable."

Oh, and I forgot to mention another little gem. Now for whatever reason "cmd.exe" doesn't work for me anymore. The pertaining Windows files are still there, but I get an error every time I try to run it. I can't live w/o a command prompt. *sigh*

Oh yeah, and now I've uninstalled Service Pack 2 and am back on SP1a. No particular reason, I'm just flailing about in desperation now.

REGENERAT1ON

use ATI uninstall utility then reboot
do not install any driver!

start menu > run > cmd.exe

command prompt window will appear

type there:

Set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1
and then
devmgmt.msc

device manager will pop up, click on the "Show hidden devices" in the View menu.

now check in the device manager for uninstalled devices and make some clean up! do not touch in devices you dont know like "Kernel Audio" and stuff like that..

REGENERAT1ON

no cmd.exe ? erm.. thats may sound like virus activity! you have any scanner ?

REGENERAT1ON

k.. you have icq/msn/yim/aim ?

Sentient Cheese

Okay, and the wierdness continues.


I mentioned that I had tried the official 4.11's with CCC before. Well, I've already uninstalled those using the typical ATI software uninstall proggie provided in the control panel > add/remove programs menu with every official Catalyst release. However, I am now seeing that for whatever reason, it still thinks I have the CCC installed and it won't let me get rid of it.

I just tried to run the Uninstall utility Regeneration linked me too. It runs, finds the CCC, and tries to uninstall it. Here's what I get:

Error 1722. There is a problem with this Windows Installer package. A program run as part of the setup did not finish as expected. Contact your support personnel or package vendor.

But that's not all.....THEN I next get:

Error 1905. Module C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\atiacmxx.dll failed to unregister. HRESULT -2147220472. Contact your support personnel.

Also followed immediately by:

Error 1905. Module C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\atiamaxx.dll failed to unregister. HRESULT -2147220472. Contact your support personnel.


Yaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy.

REGENERAT1ON

well leave it for now.. gimme your icq/msn/yim/aim

Sentient Cheese

Virus scan was next on the agenda. And yes, I have aim. Handle = "CognizantCheddar". But don't IM just yet if you're going too, I'm gonna restart here in a minute or two.

REGENERAT1ON

well good news its not related to drivers
its the write delay bug..

Sentient Cheese

Yeah, so it's not NGO/TC's fault. According to REGENERAT1ON here, the optional beta XP Tweaker that came with the drivers was the culprit, as it seems it's buggy with a few certain chipsets, mine evidently being one of them.

To be fair, I should also mention that I've been having some Windows services errors recently, that while weren't causing me any real problems before, look suspicious in light of all this.......but so anyway, have no fear using the TC drivers.....just perhaps the XP Tweaker. Heh.

CATALYST maker

where did you download all this stuff. The place distributing it should be warned.

refraction

i had a problem with the agp stuff turning itself off, you know how i fixed it? reinstalled my chipset drivers, was the only way i had round it apart from reinstalling

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pr0digal jenius

try reinstallign the MSIExec and runnign a thorough virus scan

Jitter

how about simply restoring your PC to an earlier date. I know alot of people turn off system restore, but if you didnt, its alot easier than reinstalling windows.

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Judas

a windows repair followed by a motherboard chipset driver install might clear up some of the problems...

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