Graphics issues with ATI 6990 and G5.5

[Bananimal]

Hi guys,

I have an issue that has got me stumped. The worst part of it all is that I had accidentally stumbled upon the fix about 7 months ago when I was tinkering with other settings somewhere. For the life of me, I can't remember what I did to resolve the issue. After reinstalling G5.5 two days ago, I have spent hours on end trying to find the elusive fix for this graphics issue that destroys the enjoyment of the sim.

The problem is that when I fly any aircraft at a photo field past trees or clouds in the sky I get a microstutter that results in the aircraft only getting blurred as if there are two of them. Only the aircraft does this. Also, while flying slow, you can see strange square transparent anomolies on the wing edges and landing gear edges as if the GPU does not know exactly where to draw the object. Once again, this only happens if there are trees, scenery or clouds in the background behind the plane. It does not happen when blue sky is behind the plane.

I'm kicking myself for not writing down what I did to resolve this before.

I'm running an ATI Radeon HD 6990 with the latest Catalyst 12.4 drivers.

I have tried using all default settings, V-Sync on and off and every possible configuration I can think of. I cannot get rid of this issue. It persists even if the driver is set to global and everything is off. I'm wondering if there is an issue with my LCD settings in Catalyst. I don't know what setting it could be though. GPU scaling perhaps? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[opjose]

Do all of this as an administrator....

Download the latest drivers again... also download the ATITOOL.EXE program that removes any vestiges of older drivers.

Uninstall the existing drivers and reboot.

Run the ATITool to eliminate what may remain of the old drivers.

Reboot again, cancel any set up wizard.

Install the ATI drivers.

Reboot.

Run the DirectX9.0c redistributable again.

Reboot

Enjoy the sim.

[Bananimal]

I've pretty much done all of that already. I am setup as an admin in Win7 with complete ownership of all HDD and nested folders. UAC is off on my machine. I uninstalled the older ATI drivers, rebooted, ran nasty File remover and pulled all ATI driver files, re-installed the latest ATI driver and the problem persists. This is a configuration setting on this ATI card and I cannot remember which one it is. I have gone through all settings in all aspects of the driver. From ITC processing on the Display to V-Sync etc in the 3D options. DX 9C is installed on the system and does not require a reinstallation.

[Bananimal]

K, just for grins, I did exactly what you suggested except I did not use ATITOOL.EXE as that is an over-clocking utility. I used Nasty File Remover instead. The problem still persists.

This is a configuration issue somewhere in Catalyst Control Center. I do appreciate the responses but if you have not experienced this yourself and resolved it, please don't suggest things that you don't know will solve the issue 100%.

I contacted Real Flight Tech Support and they have no idea what would cause this. As a side, this happens in Phoenix as well which tells me it only happens in applications where a 3D object is passing infront of a background photograph.

[opjose]

Originally Posted by Bananimal

K, just for grins, I did exactly what you suggested except I did not use ATITOOL.EXE as that is an over-clocking utility. I used Nasty File Remover instead. The problem still persists.

This is a configuration issue somewhere in Catalyst Control Center. I do appreciate the responses but if you have not experienced this yourself and resolved it, please don't suggest things that you don't know will solve the issue 100%.

I have experienced it, solved it, but given your response I'll let you fend for yourself.

[Bananimal]

Originally Posted by opjose

I have experienced it, solved it, but given your response I'll let you fend for yourself.

Thanks. Your suggestion didn't work. And I knew it wouldn't. Because that was not required to resolve it before and I had already R/R the driver. I'm PC tech of 20 years. I know my way around a PC. This is not your average issue and those are the hardest to solve.

Also, I never said it was the Realflight software. I know it is not. It is an obscure setting somewhere that I am missing. I think it has to do with V-Sync and how my LCD (46" Samsung) deals with it.

[opjose]

Originally Posted by Bananimal

I'm PC tech of 20 years. I know my way around a PC.

ROTFL

Time for another job - lack of advancement.

Don't you just love those responses Jeff?

[jeffpn]

Originally Posted by Bananimal

please don't suggest things that you don't know will solve the issue 100%.

Your whole thread is about taking pot shots. Look at all of the things you said you tried, but didn't fix it. It'd be a wonderful world if you got one quick post mentioning your EXACT solution, but the world doesn't work that way. People are trying to help you.

You know your way around a PC. You're a PC tech of 20 years. You fix it!!

(You self proclaimed gurus sure do have a tough time with Real Flight. You're not the first, you won't be the last. :sarcastic: )

[Bananimal]

Originally Posted by jeffpn

Your whole thread is about taking pot shots. Look at all of the things you said you tried, but didn't fix it. It'd be a wonderful world if you got one quick post mentioning your EXACT solution, but the world doesn't work that way. People are trying to help you.

You know your way around a PC. You're a PC tech of 20 years. You fix it!!

(You self proclaimed gurus sure do have a tough time with Real Flight. You're not the first, you won't be the last. :sarcastic: )

And this is exacttly why I will not release my photofields. People like this. And yes, I am an expert when it comes to fixing PCs. I'm sorry it is too much for you to accept. This is a tough problem to resolve. there are no logs that will point to it because there is no error. If I can manage the Anti-Virus, Encryption and Backup Software for one of the largest multi-billion dollar corporations in America, I think I can fix a PC. People telling me I ought to listen to someone because he has fixed several other problems for people is not going to convinvce me. This is not a driver re-install issue peeps.

Seriously!

[jeffpn]

What do photofields have to do with this???

Originally Posted by Bananimal

I think I can fix a PC.

So fix your PC, "EXPERT!!!"

[Bananimal]

Originally Posted by jeffpn

What do photofields have to do with this???So fix your PC, "EXPERT!!!"

You can expect I will. And that knowledge will stay with me once I do find the answer as I will not share anything with a community that tolerates behavior such as this. Have a great day. Or what's left of it!

[Maj. Numbskully]

I still think its something on your end ..........You seem to be the only one using an ATI card thats having this problem

I think The fact that it also happens in Phoenix on the same machine should tell you something

[Maj. Numbskully]

Originally Posted by Bananimal

K, just for grins, I did exactly what you suggested except I did not use ATITOOL.EXE .

"I did exactly what you suggested EXCEPT......."
Then you did not do what opjose suggested

After being here at the forum for a long time
I have seen literally Dozens of opjoses computer "Fixes" Work 99.9 % of the time.......
you may do well to try EXACTLY what he suggested ...I would without question

Never mind that its an overclocking utility .I'm sure there's a method to his Apparent "madness"

[Bananimal]

Originally Posted by Maj. Numbskully

"I did exactly what you suggested EXCEPT......."
Then you did not do what opjose suggested

After being here at the forum for a long time
I have seen literally Dozens of opjoses computer "Fixes" Work 99.9 % of the time.......
you may do well to try EXACTLY what he suggested ...I would without question

Never mind that its an overclocking utility .I'm sure there's a method to his Apparent "madness"

Not true. There was no option in ATITOOL.EXE to unistall driver remnants. I installed it to see. The version was 0.26. Perhaps I had an old version? There is no real support site that I could find for it and when I installed it, Win7 barked that it could be a threat. That is confidence inspiring. No thanks, I'll stick with NFR. I've fixed tens of thousands of PCs with these hands over the last twenty years. I've used all kinds of utilities in those years. NFR works fine for these purposes and is tried an true. I also know this sim so well that I create my own photofields for it.



While I appreciate the input, unless someone else has this exact issue, no amount of uninstalling the software is going to fix it. This is a unique problem to my PC related to my LCD and the ATI 6990. This is an obscure setting I cannot remember. I was hoping someone else has experienced it or something similar.

[Bananimal]

I agree it appears to be Z-Buffer related. I also agree that it is specific to my hardware configuration. I've suspected that it could be this and made those adjustment before. I made them again just now it's still a problem.

There is an area just around the aircraft that is shaped a little larger than the aircraft where the textures are ever so slightly distorted. This is not the case when the aircraft is sitting still on the runway or slowly taxing. It is as if the edge detection is having a problem. The faster I fly, the worse it gets until the GPU just splits the aircraft into two shapes. One being 50% lighter than the other.

And the reason a made the comment about not being 100% sure of the issue was so that I wouldn't waste anyone's time to suggest a basic fix. I'm a little more advanced and have tried everything I know. This is not something KnifeEdge has ever seen before either. He was dumbfounded when I informed him what I am dealing with. Who wouldn't be?

The fact that this exact same problem exists in Phoenix tells me it is something related to my hardware. To be honest, I kick myself for going with ATI over nVidia quite often over this card. It is very, very finicky in my current build.


Here are my Specs.

Intel 2500K OC'd to 4.6Ghz.
16 GB 2700 RAM
OS resides on an OCZ SSD
Games reside on Two OCZ SSDs striped
6990
About 8TB of mechanical storage
A 46" Samsung HDTV (connected via HDMI)
A 32" Samsung HDTV ( Second Monitor)