ATI CARDS crashing, freezing, stuttering (SOLVED?)

[pod]

PROBLEM FIXED
ATI High Definition Audio Device -> DISABLED from device manager - this got rid of the stuttering -
Installed Catalyst 9.7 ATI drivers (as a turbine tech support guy suggested in another thread) - this got rid of freezing -

INSTRUCTIONS FOR INSTALLING NEW DRIVERS:
1- First uninstall your "older" drivers.
use the uninstall utility wich comes with the driver installer file: launch the installer -> let it copy the files -> choose uninstall -> custom -> select everything)
2- Reboot your system
3- (optional) run a driver cleaner program (like drivercleaner) to clear the system for any leftover of previous installations -> Reboot
4- Install the "new" drivers
5- Reboot again
6- Your computer is now running cleanly installed video drivers (this apply for every kind of drivers thou)

CATALYST 9.7 LINKS:
Xp 32bit
Xp 64bit
Vista 32bit
VIsta 64bit

LATEST DIRECTX VERSION (Aug 2009)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en
(thanks Snowine for the link)




I hope this could be of any help for other people experiencing my same problem.

NOT WORKING
After 3 days of testing (trying every catalyst driver from 8.7 up to the newest) I've found a solution.
Using the drivers linked below seems to solve the problem wich caused the game engine to stutter or crash, freezing the game but letting you tab back to windows.

http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles...or3DGames.aspx

I don't know if it has something to do with the latest patch, but now the game runs flawlessly.
So far I've tested the game with dx10 disabled and no stencil shadows, everything got fine.
As soon as I'll try dx10 on I'll give feedback on it.

EDIT:dx10 enabled, stencil shadows on high. Everything is fine but it will need further testing.

Let me know if this solves your problems.

[Autolycus]

Thanks for the info. I just downloaded the Catalyst 9.9 Hotfix driver to see if it fixes my problem, but haven't had a chance to test yet. Just curious if you had tried the Catalyst 9.9 Hotfix driver?

Also, do you know if the driver you linked works on the AGP version of their cards such as the 3650? I couldn't find any info on the page about PCI vs AGP versions of the same card.

[pod]

I wasn't aware of the existance of a 9.9 hotfix, I'll try it as soon as the server are back online.
On the agp question, I really don't know if i'ts going to work, I'm sorry.

[BobTheObvious]

Somehow, I dont think the issues are a result of ATIs drivers.

[chrupcion2o]

That hotfix maybe helped to you, but it can't be instaled with my radeon x1600 xt. I tried to find some new drivers, but i didn't find anything that realy might help, i instaled cathalysist for my radeon downloaded from somewhere, because i could't find it on ati web page (!) but it didn't help. Its just overheating again and again. It looks like ATI don't support older products. The worst is that it started after update

Now i am trying to download cathalysist from other page, if someone want, i can write whether it helped or not

E: I found original driver on sapphire page, so downloaded, instaled, and FAIL! Still freezing. I have better things than searching solution to this problem. I give up.

[pod]

Somehow, I dont think the issues are a result of ATIs drivers.

the problems has reoccurred, and with a reformat of my pc in between the tests.
I don't think it can be a problem of my setup, since it can run almost everything on high graphics without any problem.

I'm using this setup:
q6600@3.36GHz
asus p5q deluxe mother board
4Gb g.skill ram @999 MHz
MSI radeon HD4850 512 Mb DDR3
Creative Soundblaster audigy2zs
running windows vista ultimate
(I've run tests even with no OC and with EAX both enabled and disabled)

that's the only game giving me problems.
It keeps crashing even on 1024*768 on very low settings... I really don't know what's going on.

[Autolycus]

I installed Sapphire's Catalyst 9.9 Hotfix driver for my HD3650 AGP card and tried it out tonight. It was a disaster!

Initially I got in and played for ~30 minutes. As soon as some guildies came on and we were grouping for a run, black screen problem again. Of course I had to hard boot. However, every single time I reloaded, I got to the loading screen and when the bar filled, black screen hang again! Of course I can hear the game sounds. I uninstalled and reinstalled 9.9 a couple of times with no change.

Finally, I reinstalled the old Cat drivers that came on the CD with my card and was able to get in. The problem still occurs with them, but just not every single time.

I have no problem loading into Guild Wars with any of the drivers I've tested. Come on Turbine, we need a fix for this! Talk to ATI, check your code, or something.

[rfachini]

I've had a freezing problem running an Alienware M17 with ATI MOBILITY RADEON M88 XT 512MB HD3870. I freeze the first time I enter gianthold public area on any character. Then I often freeze during large battles in gianthold outdoor. The machine is pretty good but I've turned the video settings down anyway. I'm trying the 9.9 hotfix.

[pod]

tuning the setting down fixed your problems?
mine remained the same either on very high and low.

[rfachini]

Nope. Turning down settings and applying the 9.9 hotfix did not fix the problem. I also freeze up in quests and entering instances. I also get a flickering of objects or item descriptions. Very disappointing.

[pod]

Nope. Turning down settings and applying the 9.9 hotfix did not fix the problem. I also freeze up in quests and entering instances. I also get a flickering of objects or item descriptions. Very disappointing.

same as me.
have you ever experienced client crashing while launching? (i.e. you enter you account name and password, click connect, the game autenticates, load servers but crashes as soon as it goes fullscreen)

[pod]

I am now using a 3d club HD4870 512Mb gddr5 card.
Everything seems to work perfectly.
Tormorrow I'll try my old HD4850 on a friend's PC, to check if there was some kind of incompatibility between my previous card and the rest of the system, or if it's really a game problem with that specific piece of hardware.

[rfachini]

same as me.
have you ever experienced client crashing while launching? (i.e. you enter you account name and password, click connect, the game autenticates, load servers but crashes as soon as it goes fullscreen)

Yes, exact same thing. 2nd time I launch it's fine. Happens if I use the desktop icon or the task tray download manager to launch. I wonder if it's due to Vista changing the desktop setting to Vista Basic.

[Taitiana]

Gonna try it out now-I have an ATI 4850-Runs great most of the time combined with a i7 quad core. Then the screen just blacks out...The game is still going though.

Be right back with the results of this supposed fix.

Back. God, the game works with the download....Thank you! The game is great, got to stormreach, and glad I'm getting the chance to play this game. It hasn't crashed since.

[ogboot]

Update for me.
I moved to Win7 x64 RTM and have had ZERO issues. Max everything, no trickery with the install of the OS, drivers, or the game. Just loaded everything up and away I went. Running all the directx 10 settings, etc etc.
Ati 4870
i5 cpu
2gb OCZ

[Hardur]

I still have this issue (in DDO only, not other games).

The game freezes now and then, and there don't seem to be any kind of pattern as I have seen at least.

I can sometimes play 20 minutes, sometimes it happens at character generation/selection.

Spec:
- Windows 7 Ultimate x64
- i7 920
- 6 GB RAM
- XFX ATI Radeon 4890 1 GB

I have tried removing gfx drivers, downgrading, upgrading (9.7-9.10), no luck.

This started not long ago, I belive 1 - 1 1/2week or so.

[Preylor]

I just got an ATI 5870 and inside some buildings like the bank and some npc houses, the game will pause every few seconds, and eventually freeze up. I noticed it happening last week when I was still using ATI 3870s in crossfire with the same drivers. Never had this problem before since rejoining when Free-to-Play launched.

Windows 7 64 bit
ATI 5870
Catalyst Driver 9.10

[rfachini]

Mod 9 did not fix this, and it actually seems more frequent for me now. I froze four time in a couple hours, once near the Inspiration area of the harbor, once near Jeets, once in the Jeets quest, and once near the brothers in the marketplace while taking screenshots. Turbine has not given me any support. I was told Mirthgar would help me, and I received an e-mail from my tech ticket, but I have not been contacted or given any help. ATI sent me an e-mail saying they lost some tech tickets, so I'll have to resubmit. I'd like to see Turbine support their paying customers.

[Alikhan]

Please can anyone help me?? at least give me a working link for the fix posted in the first post of the thread?

Im paying for a game i cant play, this makes no sense. I havent heard from turbine also, they wont answer
im getting REALLY mad and frustrated turbine doesnt give a **** if their costumers are pleased or not.

I pay for a game, I play it for months and months with no problem in this very same machine and all of sudden it doesnt work anymore? I mean I was playinng LOTRO just a few minutes ago and it ran properly, no problems!

but, guess what, lotro sucks!! I want my ddo back :/