installing cat drivers on a per game basis via a local driver - can it be done?

[Sham B]

Hi folks.

Whilst looking for a way to get IL2 Aces expansion to work using Cat 4.6 without an awful flickering
effect, I was told that the leaked cat 4.7s work with this game when you use the 4.7 openGL driver.
I also found a method of installing the cat 4.7 OpenGL driver so that it only applies to AEP.

this involves getting atioglxx.dl_ and expanding it to atioglxx.dll, then simply dropping it in the
game folder. See bottom of thread on
http://ubbxforums.ubi.com/6/ubb.x?a=tpc&s=400102&f=23110283&m=423106274
Because (I assume) the application uses .dll files that are in the home directory in preference to
those in the /system folder if it detects the local version, the game runs with cat4.7 beta openGL
(and now runs very well) even though the rest of the system uses cat 4.6.

My question is, can this be done will *all* games and a *full* set of driver .dll files?
Seems a really cool way of fixing the odd game that is broken by a new cat release; simply expand
the directX and/or openGL .dlls of the previous cat and drop it into the game directory... If so,
which files would I need to copy across to get the game to use a local version of the full cat
driver?

TIA

S

 

[James A. Cooley]

Hi folks.

Whilst looking for a way to get IL2 Aces expansion to work using Cat 4.6 without an awful flickering
effect, I was told that the leaked cat 4.7s work with this game when you use the 4.7 openGL driver.
I also found a method of installing the cat 4.7 OpenGL driver so that it only applies to AEP.

this involves getting atioglxx.dl_ and expanding it to atioglxx.dll, then simply dropping it in the
game folder. See bottom of thread on
http://ubbxforums.ubi.com/6/ubb.x?a=tpc&s=400102&f=23110283&m=423106274
Because (I assume) the application uses .dll files that are in the home directory in preference to
those in the /system folder if it detects the local version, the game runs with cat4.7 beta openGL
(and now runs very well) even though the rest of the system uses cat 4.6.

My question is, can this be done will *all* games and a *full* set of driver .dll files?
Seems a really cool way of fixing the odd game that is broken by a new cat release; simply expand
the directX and/or openGL .dlls of the previous cat and drop it into the game directory... If so,
which files would I need to copy across to get the game to use a local version of the full cat
driver?

TIA

I ended up solving a horroble crashing problem with Star Wars: Knights of
the Old Republic (KOTOR) by using the atioglxx.dll file from the Cat 4.2
version. I found that a bunch of others fixed the same problem with this
fix, so I tried it -- and it worked! Not one crash since the replacement,
when before I had them every few minutes upon entering a new level.

The problem and the fix was discussed in detail on the Bioware Forums, so
that is where I picked up the cure. I was to the point of about to tear
apart my system to see if I had a dying cooling fan or something that was
causing crashes due to overheating.

Still, it is really pretty sad when people simply trying to play a darn game
have to go out and replace .dll files to get it to run -- ON A HUGE-SELLING
GAME THAT HAS BEEN OUT FOR A FREAKIN' YEAR! C'mon ATI, get your bloody
drivers right. Each new CAT release since 4.2 introduced some new problem in
KOTOR.

 

[Ben Pope]

Hi folks.
My question is, can this be done will *all* games and a *full* set of
driver .dll files?

This has been done since the days of quake (1) and maybe before.

Not sure which files but should work with many games.

Ben

 

[Ken Maltby]

Hi folks.

Whilst looking for a way to get IL2 Aces expansion to work using Cat 4.6 without an awful flickering
effect, I was told that the leaked cat 4.7s work with this game when you use the 4.7 openGL driver.
I also found a method of installing the cat 4.7 OpenGL driver so that it only applies to AEP.

this involves getting atioglxx.dl_ and expanding it to atioglxx.dll, then simply dropping it in the
game folder. See bottom of thread on
http://ubbxforums.ubi.com/6/ubb.x?a=tpc&s=400102&f=23110283&m=423106274
Because (I assume) the application uses .dll files that are in the home directory in preference to
those in the /system folder if it detects the local version, the game runs with cat4.7 beta openGL
(and now runs very well) even though the rest of the system uses cat 4.6.

My question is, can this be done will *all* games and a *full* set of driver .dll files?
Seems a really cool way of fixing the odd game that is broken by a new cat release; simply expand
the directX and/or openGL .dlls of the previous cat and drop it into the game directory... If so,
which files would I need to copy across to get the game to use a local version of the full cat
driver?

TIA

S

Yeah, it's an old trick and works with lots of software
not just games. But remember, when you update the
normal drivers, your separate one(s) haven't changed and
could no longer work as expected with the new .dll s. It
may also be that a new general update could work better
and/or add features unavailable in your local .dll.

Just don't forget it's there.

Luck;
Ken

 

[Blahguy]

then
simply dropping it in the runs
with cat4.7 beta openGL cat
release; simply expand

Yeah, it's an old trick and works with lots of software
not just games. But remember, when you update the
normal drivers, your separate one(s) haven't changed and
could no longer work as expected with the new .dll s. It
may also be that a new general update could work better
and/or add features unavailable in your local .dll.

Just don't forget it's there.

Luck;
Ken

Trying out some OGL hacks ehh ;-)

 

[John Lewis]

Hi folks.

Whilst looking for a way to get IL2 Aces expansion to work using Cat 4.6 without an awful flickering
effect, I was told that the leaked cat 4.7s work with this game when you use the 4.7 openGL driver.
I also found a method of installing the cat 4.7 OpenGL driver so that it only applies to AEP.

this involves getting atioglxx.dl_ and expanding it to atioglxx.dll, then simply dropping it in the
game folder. See bottom of thread on
http://ubbxforums.ubi.com/6/ubb.x?a=tpc&s=400102&f=23110283&m=423106274
Because (I assume) the application uses .dll files that are in the home directory in preference to
those in the /system folder if it detects the local version, the game runs with cat4.7 beta openGL
(and now runs very well) even though the rest of the system uses cat 4.6.

My question is, can this be done will *all* games and a *full* set of driver .dll files?
Seems a really cool way of fixing the odd game that is broken by a new cat release; simply expand
the directX and/or openGL .dlls of the previous cat and drop it into the game directory... If so,
which files would I need to copy across to get the game to use a local version of the full cat
driver?

TIA

Well, you could dump Ati and go with nVidia.
Ytuly excellent backward DX and OGL compatibility with the 56.72
driver (1 April '04) or the 53.03 driver (9 Dec 03), which misses some
of the latest user-bells 'n whistles. There were a few drivers in
between that are best forgotten.

I have a vast range of DX and OpenGL current and legacy games
( including IL2) and a FX5900. I have never had to contemplate the
desperate measures that you are suggesting.

John Lewis

 

[Sham B]

Well, you could dump Ati and go with nVidia.
Ytuly excellent backward DX and OGL compatibility with the 56.72
driver (1 April '04) or the 53.03 driver (9 Dec 03), which misses some
of the latest user-bells 'n whistles. There were a few drivers in
between that are best forgotten.

Used to only buy vVidia, but the 9500 pro changed that, better bang for the bucks overall since then
IMO. ATIs do tend to get on my nerves with the time it takes to get a new Cat rev working
sometimes, you never know, might turn the tide one day soon

S