Vista - Low performance rating & no Aero

Hi all,

Like some others, I've been having problems with code 43 errors appearing
for the drivers on my Radeon 9600 graphics card (this occured with the
drivers on the DVD as well as those on the ATI website.)

I've just installed RC2 and it looks like this has been resolved - the WDDM
drivers on the dvd are installed and there's no error reported. However,
despite this, the performance rating for the graphics card is still listed
as 1 (hence making the overall system rating 1.) As a result, it looks like
Aero is still disabled as there's no option in appearance settings.

The graphics card is a 9600SE 128MB so it's a fairly low end card, but
surely the rating should still be better than 1? The microsoft upgrade
adviser said that the card would support Aero. I've tried tweaking some
bios settings relating to AGP but to no avail. I've also tried using the
drivers from that ATI website but they just give the code 43 error that I
had in previous builds.

Is there something I'm missing? Does something other than the graphics card
influence the graphics rating?

Hi Michael,

I'm using the same card and getting consistent ratings of 4. Frankly I have
not yet put a whole lot of stock in the performance rating scheme, I'm
thinking of it more as a gimmick than anything else. Does the video do what
you need it to do? Are you getting the glass effects (if desired) Are you
having display-write issues or lags? Flickering? If not, then I wouldn't
worry overmuch about it.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Windows help - www.rickrogers.org

"Michael Christie" <usenet@mc8.co.uk> wrote in message
news:e82n8$f6GHA.4572@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Hi all,
>
> Like some others, I've been having problems with code 43 errors appearing
> for the drivers on my Radeon 9600 graphics card (this occured with the
> drivers on the DVD as well as those on the ATI website.)
>
> I've just installed RC2 and it looks like this has been resolved - the
> WDDM drivers on the dvd are installed and there's no error reported.
> However, despite this, the performance rating for the graphics card is
> still listed as 1 (hence making the overall system rating 1.) As a
> result, it looks like Aero is still disabled as there's no option in
> appearance settings.
>
> The graphics card is a 9600SE 128MB so it's a fairly low end card, but
> surely the rating should still be better than 1? The microsoft upgrade
> adviser said that the card would support Aero. I've tried tweaking some
> bios settings relating to AGP but to no avail. I've also tried using the
> drivers from that ATI website but they just give the code 43 error that I
> had in previous builds.
>
> Is there something I'm missing? Does something other than the graphics
> card influence the graphics rating?
>

"Michael Christie" <usenet@mc8.co.uk> wrote in message
news:e82n8$f6GHA.4572@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Like some others, I've been having problems with code 43 errors appearing
> for the drivers on my Radeon 9600 graphics card (this occured with the
> drivers on the DVD as well as those on the ATI website.)
>
> I've just installed RC2 and it looks like this has been resolved - the
> WDDM drivers on the dvd are installed and there's no error reported.
> However, despite this, the performance rating for the graphics card is
> still listed as 1 (hence making the overall system rating 1.) As a
> result, it looks like Aero is still disabled as there's no option in
> appearance settings.
>
> The graphics card is a 9600SE 128MB so it's a fairly low end card, but
> surely the rating should still be better than 1? The microsoft upgrade
> adviser said that the card would support Aero. I've tried tweaking some
> bios settings relating to AGP but to no avail. I've also tried using the
> drivers from that ATI website but they just give the code 43 error that I
> had in previous builds.
>
> Is there something I'm missing? Does something other than the graphics
> card influence the graphics rating?

Hello. This seems to be a bug in RC2 a few people have reported.

I've not come across this problem personally, but the rating results are
stored in c:\Windows\Performance\WinSAT\DataStore\.

If this is a simple case of Aero being disabled because the rating is one
then in theory editing the file inside (it will have the date and time as
the filename) will re-enable it. I'd recommend using something like
EmEditor (
http://www.download.com/EmEditor-Fre...=dl&tag=button )
which is a freeware text editor, NotePad won't read the file quite right
(won't see line breaks etc).

It's an XML file, near the top are the individual performance scores. Try
bumping the graphics card up to 3 or 4.

Save the file out and the Performance tool should show the new rating, see
if Aero is available then or try rebooting.

--
Paul Smith,
Yeovil, UK.
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User.
http://www.windowsresource.net/

*Remove nospam. to reply by e-mail*

DL and install the Vista drivers from the Radeon site, then re-determine the
perf rating.


"Michael Christie" <usenet@mc8.co.uk> wrote in message
news:e82n8$f6GHA.4572@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Hi all,
>
> Like some others, I've been having problems with code 43 errors appearing
> for the drivers on my Radeon 9600 graphics card (this occured with the
> drivers on the DVD as well as those on the ATI website.)
>
> I've just installed RC2 and it looks like this has been resolved - the
> WDDM drivers on the dvd are installed and there's no error reported.
> However, despite this, the performance rating for the graphics card is
> still listed as 1 (hence making the overall system rating 1.) As a
> result, it looks like Aero is still disabled as there's no option in
> appearance settings.
>
> The graphics card is a 9600SE 128MB so it's a fairly low end card, but
> surely the rating should still be better than 1? The microsoft upgrade
> adviser said that the card would support Aero. I've tried tweaking some
> bios settings relating to AGP but to no avail. I've also tried using the
> drivers from that ATI website but they just give the code 43 error that I
> had in previous builds.
>
> Is there something I'm missing? Does something other than the graphics
> card influence the graphics rating?
>

FWIW, I remember someone who had been having the code 43 error tracking the
problem down to the PCI to AGP bridge controller on the motherboard.
Apparently it didn't have suitable drivers. It wasn't the graphics drivers
themselves. What motherboard do you have?

--
Jane, not plain 64 bit enabled
Batteries not included. Braincell on vacation :-)
"Michael Christie" <usenet@mc8.co.uk> wrote in message
news:e82n8$f6GHA.4572@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> Hi all,
>
> Like some others, I've been having problems with code 43 errors appearing
> for the drivers on my Radeon 9600 graphics card (this occured with the
> drivers on the DVD as well as those on the ATI website.)
>
> I've just installed RC2 and it looks like this has been resolved - the
> WDDM drivers on the dvd are installed and there's no error reported.
> However, despite this, the performance rating for the graphics card is
> still listed as 1 (hence making the overall system rating 1.) As a
> result, it looks like Aero is still disabled as there's no option in
> appearance settings.
>
> The graphics card is a 9600SE 128MB so it's a fairly low end card, but
> surely the rating should still be better than 1? The microsoft upgrade
> adviser said that the card would support Aero. I've tried tweaking some
> bios settings relating to AGP but to no avail. I've also tried using the
> drivers from that ATI website but they just give the code 43 error that I
> had in previous builds.
>
> Is there something I'm missing? Does something other than the graphics
> card influence the graphics rating?
>

After serious thinking Michael Christie wrote :
> Hi all,

> Like some others, I've been having problems with code 43 errors appearing for
> the drivers on my Radeon 9600 graphics card (this occured with the drivers on
> the DVD as well as those on the ATI website.)

> I've just installed RC2 and it looks like this has been resolved - the WDDM
> drivers on the dvd are installed and there's no error reported. However,
> despite this, the performance rating for the graphics card is still listed as
> 1 (hence making the overall system rating 1.) As a result, it looks like
> Aero is still disabled as there's no option in appearance settings.

> The graphics card is a 9600SE 128MB so it's a fairly low end card, but surely
> the rating should still be better than 1? The microsoft upgrade adviser said
> that the card would support Aero. I've tried tweaking some bios settings
> relating to AGP but to no avail. I've also tried using the drivers from that
> ATI website but they just give the code 43 error that I had in previous
> builds.

> Is there something I'm missing? Does something other than the graphics card
> influence the graphics rating?

I am using a ATI 9600Pro with 256MB ram and everything seems to be
working like a charm with an overall rating of 3
I am using the WDM drivers for now and all themes and the aero are
working for me
I feared that the switching between aero and the classic theme would
cause problems lik it did in RC1 but even that is working out fine

check if your mobo drivers could be upgraded, sometimes the trouble is
with the AGP port driver instead of the videocard itself

grtz

Hi,
It seems there is a problem with RC2 if you don't have 1GB of RAM however
they say this will be fixed in the Final release. A gentleman on another
site found this work around.

1/ Ensure that you have the following registry value set to :

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\DWM\Composition set to 1 (32-bit DWORD)

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\DWM\CompositionPolicy set to 2 (32-bit DWORD)

2/ Restart DWM by opening a command prompt with administrative privileges :

- Type 'net stop uxsms'
- Then 'net start uxsms'

It works!!
--
Paul


"chriske911" wrote:

> After serious thinking Michael Christie wrote :
> > Hi all,
>
> > Like some others, I've been having problems with code 43 errors appearing for
> > the drivers on my Radeon 9600 graphics card (this occured with the drivers on
> > the DVD as well as those on the ATI website.)
>
> > I've just installed RC2 and it looks like this has been resolved - the WDDM
> > drivers on the dvd are installed and there's no error reported. However,
> > despite this, the performance rating for the graphics card is still listed as
> > 1 (hence making the overall system rating 1.) As a result, it looks like
> > Aero is still disabled as there's no option in appearance settings.
>
> > The graphics card is a 9600SE 128MB so it's a fairly low end card, but surely
> > the rating should still be better than 1? The microsoft upgrade adviser said
> > that the card would support Aero. I've tried tweaking some bios settings
> > relating to AGP but to no avail. I've also tried using the drivers from that
> > ATI website but they just give the code 43 error that I had in previous
> > builds.
>
> > Is there something I'm missing? Does something other than the graphics card
> > influence the graphics rating?
>
> I am using a ATI 9600Pro with 256MB ram and everything seems to be
> working like a charm with an overall rating of 3
> I am using the WDM drivers for now and all themes and the aero are
> working for me
> I feared that the switching between aero and the classic theme would
> cause problems lik it did in RC1 but even that is working out fine
>
> check if your mobo drivers could be upgraded, sometimes the trouble is
> with the AGP port driver instead of the videocard itself
>
> grtz
>
>
>

I have the same problem, in the previous releases Aero could be enabled and
my score was over one (I can't remember exactly) but with RC2 I tried
installing drivers for Vista from ATI and doing some workarounds posted on
the web, but I still can't enable Aero. Also when I try to restart my PC it
goes stuck, the same happened while installing...but this is another issue,
I know!

Thanks PaulB, it worked fine fo me.
Issue solved.

Frank


"PaulB" wrote:

> Hi,
> It seems there is a problem with RC2 if you don't have 1GB of RAM however
> they say this will be fixed in the Final release. A gentleman on another
> site found this work around.
>
> 1/ Ensure that you have the following registry value set to :
>
> HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\DWM\Composition set to 1 (32-bit DWORD)
>
> HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\DWM\CompositionPolicy set to 2 (32-bit DWORD)
>
> 2/ Restart DWM by opening a command prompt with administrative privileges :
>
> - Type 'net stop uxsms'
> - Then 'net start uxsms'
>
> It works!!
> --
> Paul
>
>
> "chriske911" wrote:
>
> > After serious thinking Michael Christie wrote :
> > > Hi all,
> >
> > > Like some others, I've been having problems with code 43 errors appearing for
> > > the drivers on my Radeon 9600 graphics card (this occured with the drivers on
> > > the DVD as well as those on the ATI website.)
> >
> > > I've just installed RC2 and it looks like this has been resolved - the WDDM
> > > drivers on the dvd are installed and there's no error reported. However,
> > > despite this, the performance rating for the graphics card is still listed as
> > > 1 (hence making the overall system rating 1.) As a result, it looks like
> > > Aero is still disabled as there's no option in appearance settings.
> >
> > > The graphics card is a 9600SE 128MB so it's a fairly low end card, but surely
> > > the rating should still be better than 1? The microsoft upgrade adviser said
> > > that the card would support Aero. I've tried tweaking some bios settings
> > > relating to AGP but to no avail. I've also tried using the drivers from that
> > > ATI website but they just give the code 43 error that I had in previous
> > > builds.
> >
> > > Is there something I'm missing? Does something other than the graphics card
> > > influence the graphics rating?
> >
> > I am using a ATI 9600Pro with 256MB ram and everything seems to be
> > working like a charm with an overall rating of 3
> > I am using the WDM drivers for now and all themes and the aero are
> > working for me
> > I feared that the switching between aero and the classic theme would
> > cause problems lik it did in RC1 but even that is working out fine
> >
> > check if your mobo drivers could be upgraded, sometimes the trouble is
> > with the AGP port driver instead of the videocard itself
> >
> > grtz
> >
> >
> >