AA Problems with Fx5200 and the 45.33 driver

[odo324]

This forum has greatly helped me get rid of most of the graphical glitches in FF7. Thank you VERY much!

EDIT: This has turned into an AA problem, as stated below (in the next post).

Yesterday, I still had some (rare) black squares (and green dots) while using a 52.x nvidia driver. So I decided to downgrade the driver to 45.33, as stated in the FAQ (couldnt find "45.32").

1. Uninstalled 52.x driver,
2. Rebooted,
3. Installed the "45.33 WDM 2.13" driver (download from Nvidia's site),
4. Rebooted...[/list:u]---------------------

But now... I can't run

anything DirectX[/b]! It's as if all support for it vanished. I still have DirectX 9c installed!

To make matters worse, my video card isn't even reconized! I checked the "Device Manager" and my card is listed under "Other Devices", with that yellow question mark by it!

---------------------

I checked "RivaTuner" and it said "No supported drivers for this display adapter! WTF

So what should I do?
I'm no slouch with computers, but this has me (nearly) stumped! I think I'll just go download a Detonator driver from a 3rd party site (like osnn.net or something) and see it that works. But I'm using Dialup, so I detest all this downloading! -_-

Nvidia 5200FX (the sucky "non-ultra" version)
Nvidia driver version 45.33 WDM 2.13 -> FYI: 52.x worked fine with RivaTuner!
WinXP Pro

[odo324]

Ok, I "Force Fed" the driver. It wouldn't detect a compatable driver, so I did that "Choose Driver to Install" option. (Something I've never needed to do before.) Now, its installed and RivaTuner works normally.

But, in FF7.... I've lost my AA! -_- WTF!   All 3d objects are blocky and ugly!

AA is set on 2x2 in RivaTuner. I even tried 4x in my Nvidia's advanced display properties! (2x2 wasn't available in their.)

:weep:  :weep:  :weep:  How can I get my AA back?!?

[Threesixty]

If I were to guess, I'd say DirectX9c isn't backwards compatible. You may have to stay with the 50x drivers.

I don't think any of the 40's have Forceware support, anyway. And that Rivatuner anti-alaising trick only works with drivers, that support Forceware.

[odo324]

So...
Detonator (v4x.x): No AA?
Forceware (v5x.x): Black Blocks and Green Dots?

Ugh! :z

Rivatuner anti-alaising trick only works with drivers, that support Forceware.

Hmm... I'm going to read Rivatuner's Doc's and see if that's true.
Nope, not true. Go into "Rivatuner/Dx/Antialiasing" Click the Question Mark button and click on the AA dropdown box.

It says:

"Tip: The list of available antialiasing methoids depends on the hardware installed on your system and the version of Detonator drivers."

I'm going to find version 45.32 (since I'm using 45.33).
I couldn't find it on Nvidia's site, but it must be somewhere!

[Threesixty]

... I was speaking of the trick....the paste and cut thing....look at what your pasting and cutting.....

[ForceWareFSAAModes]
FSAAMode01=2 x 1
Required01=170h,18Fh,200h,
FSAAMode02=1 x 2
Required02=170h,18Fh,200h,
FSAAMode05=2 x 2
FSAAMode06=ff06
FSAAMode0C=ff0c
FSAAMode0D=ff0d
FSAAMode0E=2x
FSAAMode0F=Quincunx
Required0F=170h,18Fh,200h,
FSAAMode10=4x
FSAAMode12=4x 9-tap
Required12=170h,18Fh,200h,
FSAAMode13=4xS
Required13=170h,18Fh,200h,
FSAAMode17=6x
Required17=200h,
FSAAMode19=8x
Required19=200h,
FSAAMode1A=16x
Required1A=308h,30Fh,338h,33Fh



If the driver doesn't support ForceWare, the paste and cut methiod isn't going to work.

The disabling of the 8bit pallet and using the whole TNT patch should work....though. I don't know about the "old" Anti-Alaising (non-Forceware) I don't remember what it did with FF7....or if it would even work...or give you a layering problem if activated. I'm pretty sure all the pre-50x drivers are none Forceware drivers and the Anti-alasing is handled differently.

[odo324]

Oh ya, sorry. I remember that in the FAQ. But I don't need the AA trick because it's not a "Grid Line" problem, as the FAQ states it's for.

AA just doesn't work. It must be the 45.33 driver.

I'm gunning for v45.32 because, it says in the faq:

...for GeForce FX cards, you may get some graphical glitches unless you use some older drivers (i.e., 45.32).

As I see it, it's just a really strange problem!
45.33 -> It didn't want to be installed and (once it was) it won't show any AA.


UPDATE: The 45.32's Readme only lists support for "5800 Fx", so 5200 Fx apparently isn't supported. But it does install normaly, so I'm going to try it anyway.

[odo324]

Finally, it works now! No Black Texture Blocks, no Green Dots, no Hard PolyEdges!

  AA Works and the Textures display Flawlessly!

Thanks for helping, Threesixty.

If anyone else, with a 5200 Fx, wishes to get FF7 working; this is what I did:

1. Find and Download the 45.32 driver. It may not show that 5200 is suported, just download it anyway.
2. Uninstall any Display Drivers you may be using! Then Reboot. (Ignore the "New Hardware Found" upon startup.)
3.Install the Driver, using it's "setup.exe" file. (I don't think its WHQL certified, but it doesnt matter.)
Note: Do "NOT" manually install this! Don't let XP search for the driver either.
4. Near the end of the install, the "New Hardware Found" box may popup. CLOSE IT!
5. Once the 'setup' is finished, Reboot.

*If you already had RivaTuner installed...
1. After the reboot, open RivaTuner.
2. Go to the DirectX settings.
3. Change AA to "2x2".
4. Apply changes and REBOOT. Yep, this would be the 2nd time.
5. After, again open up RivaTuner.
6. Check your DirectX Settings.

  Then Have Fun!