G200, driver 5.52 & 3D crashes AND no info on matrox site.

[Vliegvlug]

I recently purchased a G200 and downloaded the latest driver 552 for win9x from www.matrox.com.
The beginning of a long headache. No problems
with the installation and no problems with 2D (so far so good).
3D (openGL or Direct3D) however crashes my
computer or plainly shutsoff the powersupply.
Tried several things from disabling AGP 2x,
reinstalling directX, reinstalling the matrox
drivers, other VIA AGP drivers (i have a VIA
MVP3 based motherboard). Nothing worked.

After searching the internet and finally coming to this forum I found the solution in another post. There it says:
"The 5.52 Powerdesk drivers will not work well, with the G200. This problem has been reported and will, hopefully, be fixed with the next drivers."
And the note to use the 5.41 drivers for the time being.

And indeed this fixed the problem!

However this problem gave me with bad feeling because it could easily be avoided with some information on the matrox site.

When I look at the matrox site and want to get the latest driver for the G200 I'm directed to the 5.52 driver. Why is this!!

There are also no remarks with this driver that says anything about possible error when using 3D with the G200. And if so to use the 5.41 driver.
The is only the note "Sorry, release notes are not available at this time.", while "sorry no 3D support for G200 with this driver" would be much more useful.

I find this to be very disappointing and creating much problems for the enduser and it would be very nice if these matter would be dealt with more careful in future releases of drivers.

Michiel

[Jorden]

Hi Michiel,

First off, let me tell you that we're by no means attached to Matrox in any other way than that we have a Matrox videocard. We're the MURC, meaning Matrox <u>Users</u> Resource Centre

Have you tried emailing this complaint to Matrox? Or if you know about their Matrox forums, you can post the same complaint on their forums tomorrow when it's opened up again.

In the mean time, we're here to help people with their problems, and trying to solve them, as well as talk about the problems in great length and detail

(I think we'll be seeing you soon in The Soap Box, as this post will probably be relocated there )

Welcome aboard !

Jord.

[This message has been edited by Jorden (edited 10 July 2000).]

[ganyaik]

Hi,
I'll try to sum things up and save you a lot of time...
First: I also have a G200 and a socket7 board...
There's a known issue with G200 and _socket7_ mobos and HW 3d accelleration with _bus_mastering_turned_on_. However there are some driver versions which don't have this 'freeze everything feature'. These are the older 4.51, 5.41 and the latest PD6 beta(!). I tried these and they work fine.
On the other hand my friend has a slot1 mobo with G200 and on his machine all drivers are working fine.
So let's wait for the latest PD6 final drivers and hope they'll work.
BR,
Chris

[Vliegvlug]

Thanks everone for your replies.

First I would like to say that I indeed have mistaken this forum to be Matrox's. Sorry for that, Jorden. And thanks for the link to matrox forum , I will be posting it there then, or try to mail it to matrox. Does anybody know what would be the best mail address, 'costumersupport' or something?

And thanks Chris & Box for pointing me to the pd 6 drivers. I will be trying them out shortly. Still no sure I will wait for the final release or use the betas. Anyone know how soon the final drivers will be released?
Beta just sound too much like trouble to me. :-) Well maybe if I feel lucky.

Grtnx Michiel

[Haig]

You can send all your complaints to customerservice@matrox.com

Haig

[box]

Just use the PD6.0 beta.

I have to Epox MVP3G mobos running G200's with no problems at all, using the newest Via 4in1 + PD6.0 beta, seems like Matrox really cornered the Via conflict this time.

[Mellow_Dude]

The PD6 Beta driver works excellent with my Via chipset system and G200. I have yet to find any game, D3D or OGL that will not run on it.

However after you unzip the PD6 Beta driver ito the MGA folder you must replace the install.inf file with the file from another PD set. ie: copy the install.inf from PD5.52 into your PD6 Beta folder and then install otherwise the PD install will not recognise you have a G200 in the system.

Also make sure you use the uninstaller before upgrading to the PD6 file.

I would be surprised if you are disappointed.

Cheers,

Mellow_Dude

[Vliegvlug]

Thanks for the info. I will give the beta6 drivers a try and see how they work.

Michiel

[Spooon69]

Final Fantasy 7 has major graphical glitches with PD6 Beta + G200 (even though the driver passes all the tests in the FF7 configuration menu).

[Bixler]

Vliegvlug:

This forum is populated with a wealth of very knowlegeable users who (for the most part rightly) assume that posters here have been following all the latest threads. If you are new to this, WELCOME!!!

Do a search on this section of the forum (link above called "search") and check the later threads on "powerdesk 6.x". The latest betas are up, but must be adjusted (older .inf file) to install easily with your G200.

All the info. you need is in these threads if you read carefully.

If you don't want the hassle, the latest final official release will be out by the end of July.

You are now experiencing what it's like to have available a vidcard company that takes driver updates seriously, and keeps 'em coming. In fact, for your G200 there have been probably 20 or so updates since your vidcard was first introduced...some work with SS7 boards and some don't, but the underlying problem is with the SS7--not Matrox, who are simply providing to their customers a wealth of alternatives depending on what they want.

Good luck, and keep posting in if you have questions. You are likely to have many (questions) in the wonderful world of PC 3D and the best help in the world is here, if you will remain patient and keep posting back if you don't understand some of the highly technical advice given.

[Jorden]

Good one there, Tim

If you do have certain technical questions, Michiel, don't hesitate to ask for the non-technical explanations by the Bixler-Jorden team

We've done it before... Ah, remember that time, Tim?

Jord.

[Bixler]

I still get heartburn when I think about it!

As PaulCS said "A massive bug hunt" But it did get me hooked.

[Vliegvlug]

Hi there Bixler,

I did follow the threads on this and on matrox's forum, that's the reason I already had my problem solved. This post was only to express my annoyance with the lack of release info on matrox's part. And I indeed made a mistake in posting it here instead of in the official matrox forum. I was confused, sorry.

I agree with you that it very good of Matrox to continue to support the G200 and still releasing new drivers for it. I have no problem with that obviously.
My complaint was about the release notes. I know my problem is a SS7 problem but it is not my fault that always the intel chipsets are used as a reference.
Well Matrox seems to share my point of view about the release notes as their reply to the same post there as I did here was:

>I agree Michiel,
>we will be including more detailed release
>notes with every driver release from now on.
>A few people also complained
>about this on the driver feature request
>forum and this will be acknowledged for
>win9x, NT, and win2k.

>Regards
> ------------------
> Haig
> Matrox Graphics
> Technical Support Manager


Grntx Michiel

[Bixler]

Vliegvlug

Issues acknowleged.

In spite of your frustrations, you gotta admit that the Technical support (both official and NON) is absolutely the BEST out there.

When Haig talks...Matrox listens. You're gonna have a lot of fun!