topic Re: VGN-A Graphics Drivers... ....A Winner !?! in PCs & Accessories

VGN-A Graphics Drivers... ....A Winner !?!

Woody27 — Fri, 03 Dec 2004 15:29:25 GMT

Dear All,

Just lately there have been many questions re. graphics drivers on the A-series laptops. I thought I would try all of the main driver options on my VGN-A115Z, one after the other, using the following games:

Half-Life 2
DOOM3
Command and Conquer Generals
Simcity 4
Quake III Arena
Return to Castle Wolfenstein

The drivers tested were:

Standard Sony Driver (factory installed)
Modded Catalyst Driver (4.11 latest from ATi web site)
Tech Magazine Half-Life 2 modded Ati driver (suggestion of TygerType)
OmegaDriver 2.5.90 (Catalyst 4.10 Beta) - NOTE: this will be updated next week with the drivers based on Catalyst 4.11!

These are my findings:

Standard Sony - CRAP, DOOM3 and Half-Life 2 only work for a limited time and then stall! They also run relatively slowly!

Modded Catalyst - Would still not install correctly even after running the mod tool! I have succesfully installed the modded 4.10 driver, but the perfomance boost over the above is negligable (it's does'nt hang as much though!)

TechMagazine - Installed OK... ..but made absolutely no difference compared to the standard Sony Drivers! DOOM3 and Half-Life 2 still hang in the same places (which seems to coincide with large amonts of HDD data retreival).

Omega Drivers- Installed OK, and all games run flawlessley! The games also run faster! The only issue I have noticed is that if I start the laptop and then do nothing for an extended period of time (several hours) the graphics do break up and then correct... ...but then the screen update is slowed. However, that is the only issue I have seen and when do you usually start the computer up only to do nothing with it?

Winner (on my system) the Omega Drivers! :smileygrin:

It will be interesting to see how the new ones perform after their release next week! http://www.omegadrivers.net

Hope this helps!

CW

PS buy the way, I have had no graphics driver problems on my PS2... ....ha ha!

Re: VGN-A Graphics Drivers... ....A Winner !?!

Dziga — Fri, 03 Dec 2004 17:08:50 GMT

Why don't you try the most obvious driver of all: the Sony 9700 driver, dated 30th October from vaio-update. It seems no-one knows this driver exists. All games work flawlessly with this driver.

Re: VGN-A Graphics Drivers... ....A Winner !?!

TygerTyger — Fri, 03 Dec 2004 17:13:13 GMT

Weird......with me it was the other way around, Omega Drivers made my system crash and Tech Mags made it run well :smileyconfused:. Drivers are a pain sometimes. Still it's nice to have results all round :smileygrin:.

Good choice of game too :smileygrin:. I was just getting shot up on the new deathmatch thing. I can run the game on medium everything nice and smoothly on a laptop, I really am so impressed with the game can't say it enough. Except for Steam.

Re: VGN-A Graphics Drivers... ....A Winner !?!

jammold — Fri, 03 Dec 2004 18:41:07 GMT

Same with me Tyger, although mine were only tested with one game - Grand Theft Auto Vice City.

The results:-
Sony factory installed drivers: cr4p , runs in frames 3/10
Omega Drivers: Buggy installation, game still runs in frames 4/10
Tech Magazine Drivers: Excellent performance with+without LCD expansion 10/10

Tested on Sony VAIO PCG-K115B, Windows XP SP2 (Home), Celeron 2.80GHz processor, 32/64/128MB Shared graphics, ATi Radeion IGP345M

Re: VGN-A Graphics Drivers... ....A Winner !?!

kee-lo_ — Fri, 03 Dec 2004 19:13:49 GMT

Well I have to admit something, I love C&C, I have to hide my CD because I can play it happily for 12hrs

Re: VGN-A Graphics Drivers... ....A Winner !?!

Woody27 — Fri, 03 Dec 2004 21:31:48 GMT

Why don't you try the most obvious driver of all: the Sony 9700 driver, dated 30th October from vaio-update. It seems no-one knows this driver exists. All games work flawlessly with this driver.

Because I don't have a Radeon Mobility 9700!

I have a Radeon Mobility 9200! :smileygrin: For which there are no updates!

CW

Re: VGN-A Graphics Drivers... ....A Winner !?!

Woody27 — Fri, 03 Dec 2004 21:36:22 GMT

It is interesting how the different graphics card iterations behave so differntly with the many different drivers available!

I don't think this topic is going away!

CW

Re: VGN-A Graphics Drivers... ....A Winner !?!

Dziga — Sat, 04 Dec 2004 05:53:32 GMT

oops sorry Woody. I assumed incorrectly that all A-series had the 9700. I guess that only came later - after all mine was still advertised as 9200 when it came with the 9700.

I'll be trying the new Omegas when released - the thirst for more fps is unquenchable of course

I will post my results for the benefit of 9700 users.

Re: VGN-A Graphics Drivers... ....A Winner !?!

kee-lo_ — Sat, 04 Dec 2004 14:42:25 GMT

I don't think this topic is going away!

Yeah have to agree Woody...

Re: VGN-A Graphics Drivers... ....A Winner !?!

Woody27 — Sat, 04 Dec 2004 18:07:37 GMT

Dear All,

I'm going to give the new Omega Drivers a whirl tonight, I will post the outcome a.s.a.p.!

CW

Re: VGN-A Graphics Drivers... ....A Winner !?!

Woody27 — Sat, 04 Dec 2004 18:11:33 GMT

oops sorry Woody. I assumed incorrectly that all A-series had the 9700. I guess that only came later - after all mine was still advertised as 9200 when it came with the 9700. 


I will post my results for the benefit of 9700 users.

Actually, many of the new A-series still have 9200 chips (for e.g. VGN-A215Z), the 9700 chips are used mainly on the 17" screen versions of the machine!

It would be great if you would post the results of your driver exploits, thanks in advance!

I am also tempted to see what would happen if I try to install the new 9700 Sony updated driver on a 9200 based VAIO. I'll have a think about that.... ....but if I do try it i will post the results (if my VAIO does'nt blow up, haha! :smileygrin:).

CW

Re: VGN-A Graphics Drivers... ....A Winner !?!

kee-lo_ — Sat, 04 Dec 2004 18:49:34 GMT

I wouldn't

Re: VGN-A Graphics Drivers... ....A Winner !?!

TygerTyger — Sun, 05 Dec 2004 00:12:06 GMT

Doubt it will even install. I wish Sony would wake up and listen to all this.

Re: VGN-A Graphics Drivers... ....A Winner !?!

kee-lo_ — Sun, 05 Dec 2004 16:09:33 GMT

Doubt it will even install. I wish Sony would wake up and listen to all this.

Me and you both!

Re: VGN-A Graphics Drivers... ....A Winner !?!

TygerTyger — Sun, 05 Dec 2004 16:48:50 GMT

Just out of interest Woody, did you use a driver cleaner in between tests?

Re: VGN-A Graphics Drivers... ....A Winner !?!

Woody27 — Sun, 05 Dec 2004 19:06:24 GMT

Just out of interest Woody, did you use a driver cleaner in between tests?

Sort of!

I completely uninstalled each driver and then manually cleaned up the registry entries with regedit! :smileygrin:

Regedit is not for the novice user, you can easily screw Windows up completely if you go round deleting the wrong entries!

CW

Re: VGN-A Graphics Drivers... ....A Winner !?!

Woody27 — Sun, 05 Dec 2004 19:21:22 GMT

I wouldn't

Well actually, think about it for a moment!

They are only modified ATi drivers, which are made for all compatabile graphics cards (9700, 9200 etc.)!

So I tried them!

Result..... ......They installed and run perfectly on a 9200 based system... ...and no more game crashes!

Actually, compared to the new Omega Drivers (not much change from pervious) I think they run better (to my amazement), even on a 9200 based system!

So I'm keeping them on my VGN-A115Z.

I have tested all the games, DVD films, Click-to-DVD (uses the overlay function), kept the computer running constantly for over 24 h, suspend, hibernate, projector, all NO PROBLEMS!

In display properties it relates the new driver number and that it is working with a 9200 chip and Sony 1280x800 display at 32 bit depth! What can I say they seem to work perfectly (and don't have that glitch that the Omega drivers had it you left the computer on for long periods of time)!

I think that Sony has only released them for the 9700 series as VAIOs containing these cards had big display problems (lower part of screen missing etc.). The 9200 chips only real issue was that they stalled on some games. I don't think Sony would consider this as a big problem and therefore don't issue them for those systems!

Remeber the catalyst drivers etc. are only one set of drivers for all of the ATi based cards. I'm not really that suprised that these updated Sony drivers for 9700 cards also work on 9200 cards!

Anyway.... ....Winner updated Sony Drivers?!?

Never thought I would be saying that at the end of my tests!

CW

Re: VGN-A Graphics Drivers... ....A Winner !?!

Woody27 — Sun, 05 Dec 2004 19:29:59 GMT

PLEASE NOTE:

I am not suggesting that all users of Radeon Mobility 9200 based VAIOs update the graphics drivers of their machines using the updated 9700 based drivers....

....you do this at your own discretion and risk!

I am only reporting what I have found to work best on my system!

If your are unsure what you are doing and are unfamiliar with the use of regedit to delete all previous Windows driver entries my suggestion is... ...stay well alone!

But if you feel competant... ...try AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Doing so is no worse than installing the unofficial graphics drivers (Omega etc.)!

CW

Re: VGN-A Graphics Drivers... ....A Winner !?!

kee-lo_ — Sun, 05 Dec 2004 21:01:44 GMT

Nice one Woody, glad they worked.
You know me, like to be cautious!
I bet the rest of the Club are happy you tried!

Re: VGN-A Graphics Drivers... ....A Winner !?!

TygerTyger — Mon, 06 Dec 2004 18:14:37 GMT

Hm.....it just occurred to me it would actually be more helpful if we told people where to get the drivers [:">].

Omega Drivers
Tech Magazine Half Life 2 Optimised Driver
Sony OEM Drivers
ATi Catalyst Drivers which must be modified for Mobility Graphics Cards using Patjes Catalyst Mod