ATI Catalyst 7.3 Vista 32-bit

ATI released new drivers for their Radeon series of graphics cards.

The latest version of the Catalyst software suite is designed to support the following Microsoft Windows platforms:

• Windows Vista (32 and 64 bit versions)
• Windows XP Professional
• Windows XP Home Edition
• Windows XP Media Center Edition (graphics driver support only)

AMD Desktop Family Product Support for both Windows Vista and XP

New Features

The following section provides information on new features introduced in this release of Catalyst.

OpenGL CrossFire Support Under Windows Vista

Catalyst 7.3 introduces OpenGL CrossFire support for the entire ATI Radeon X1000 product series under Microsoft Vista. Users will see significant performance gains in a number of applications when running in CrossFire mode under Windows Vista.

CrossFire Enhancements for Windows Vista

Catalyst 7.3 includes CrossFire enhancements for Windows Vista that enable the Alternate Frame Rendering (AFR) CrossFire rendering mode by default, enabling performance benefits for all AFR compatible applications immediately (including newly released applications that have not been officially profiled for CrossFire). Future Catalyst releases will add further CrossFire performance gains once new applications have been profiled specifically for CrossFire.

Performance Improvements

Dark Messiah Might and Magic performance improves 12.5% or greater on all Radeon X1000 series configurations when running in CrossFire mode under both the Windows XP and Windows Vista operating systems. Larger gains of 60% or more can be seen on high end products.

Resolved Issues for the Windows Vista Operating System

• 3DMark2006: Enabling AA to 4x no longer result in an error message being displayed when running the benchmark under the 64 bit version of Windows Vista. Further details can be found in topic number 737-26633
• Call of Duty: Setting AA to either 2 or 4x no longer results in display corruption or the Vista operating system failing to respond when using an ATI Radeon X800/850 series of product. Further details can be found in topic number 737-25523
• Call of Duty->United Offensive: Setting the in game video mode to 2048x1536 no longer results in display corruption being noticed when playing the game under Windows Vista. Further details can be found in topic number 737-25519
• City of Heroes: Changing the display resolution to 2560x1600 or higher no longer results in the game failing to run. Further details can be found in topic number 737-25518
• Doom 3: Attempting to play the game on a system running the Windows Vista operating system and containing an ATI Radeon X550/700 series of product no longer results in the operating system failing to respond. Further details can be found in topic number 737-25513
• NBA Live 07: The full animation is no longer displayed when launching the game with AA set to 2x or higher. Further details can be found in topic number 737-25803
• Never Winter Nights: Display flicker is no longer noticed when launching the game in a rotated mode of 90 degrees clockwise or counter-clockwise. Further details can be found in topic number 737-26651
• Never Winter Nights->Shadows of Undrentide: Attempting to play the game under the Windows Vista operating system (64bit version) no longer results in the opening cinematic failing to play when using an LCD display device. Further details can be found in topic number 737-25521
• The Force TV option is no longer active after deselecting the option and then re-launching the Catalyst Control Center. Further details can be found in topic number 737-23547
• The Microsoft Vista gamma settings set by the operating system is no longer overwritten when launching the Catalyst Control Center. Further details can be found in topic number 737-25505
• Launching the Catalyst Control Center after hot-plugging a secondary CRT display device no longer results in the desktop image reverting to a black and white image requiring a re-installation of the display driver. Further details can be found in topic number 737-25517
• Display corruption is no longer noticed when clone mode is enabled and the displays are set to either 1280x1024 75/85/100 Hz. or 1400x1050 60Hz. Further details can be found in topic number 737-25800
• Installing an ATI Radeon X800 GT in a system running the Windows Vista 64bit version operating system no longer results in the WDM driver being unloaded when opening a window or application. Further details can be found in topic number 737-25804
• Running through the express un-install of the Catalyst driver no longer results in a white display image. Further details can be found in topic number 737-26642
• Connecting a display device using an HDMI cable no longer results in the display device failing to display the Vista desktop image if the display device is powered off and then powered back on. Further details can be found in topic number 737-26329
• A brief green display is no longer noticed prior to the welcome screen when boot Vista or when changing the display resolution or color depth. Further details can be found in topic number 737-26627
• Connecting a TV and setting it as the primary display device no longer results in the TV screen going blank when adjusting the Flicker Removal option found in the Catalyst Control Center->TV Properties->Image Quality. Further details can be found in topic number 737-26628
• Attempting to toggle between the LCD display device and a TV using the hotkey function no longer results in extended desktop mode becoming enabled. Further details can be found in topic number 737-26629
• Hot-unplugging a secondary CRT display device while the Vista screen saver is active no longer results in corruption being noticed on the LCD display when ending the screen saver activity. Further details can be found in topic number 737-25795
• The display driver no longer fails when installing under the Korean version of Windows Vista. Further details can be found in topic number 737-26630
• The back button in the ATI Uninstaller is now functioning properly. Further details can be found in topic number 737-26631
• Attempting to resume from an S3 state under Vista no longer results in the CRT display device failing to display an image. Further details can be found in topic number 737-26632
• The date is no longer reported incorrectly within the Catalyst Control Center->Information Center->Graphics Hardware->BIOS Date. Further details can be found in topic number 737-26634
• Catalyst Control Center->Display Manager: Connecting only a CRT display device to a system running Windows Vista no longer results in TV display modes being available. Further details can be found in topic number 737-24467
• Connecting both a CRT and a TV no longer results in the displays swapping to the CRT mode only when changing the TV format from either NTSC to PAL or PAL to NTSC. Further details can be found in topic number 737-26635
• Using WinDVD 8 Platinum or PowerDVD 7 deluxe under the Windows Vista operating system no longer results in slow performance being noticed. Further details can be found in topic number 737-26636
• Using WinDVD8 to play a DVD title no longer results in the DVD menu screen appearing black. Further details can be found in topic number 737-26637
• Using the Windows Media Player to playback a DVD title under the Windows Vista operating system no longer results in the playback of the DVD appearing choppy when using full screen mode. Further details can be found in topic number 737-26639
• Catalyst Control Center no longer fails to launch when changing the status of CrossFire for the first time. Further details can be found in topic number 737-26641
• Enabling CrossFire no longer results in mouse cursor being seen on a third display device as if clone mode were enabled. Further details can be found in topic number 737-26643
• Catalyst Control Center->Digital Panel Properties->Attributes: Applying the Reduce DVI Frequency on high-resolution displays no longer results in the display device displaying a blank screen with the mouse pointer being displayed and active. Further details can be found in topic number 737-26644
• The enable CrossFire option is no longer greyed out after configuring a system with the CrossFire ribbon cable. Further details can be found in topic number 737-26645
• The slave display device no longer fails to render when hot-plugging the display device using the interlink dongle. Further details can be found in topic number 737-26648
• Enabling CrossFire followed by unplugging the dongle no longer results in a message indicating that CrossFire is disabled and CrossFire failing to become disabled. Further details can be found in topic number 737-26649
• Running through the un-install of the AMD display driver no longer results in an ATI folder remaining on the user's system. Further details can be found in topic number 737-26649
• The Catalyst Install Manger now displays all of the correct menu items under the Chinese version of Windows Vista. Further details can be found in topic number 737-26650