================================================================== Real 3D StarFighter(R) AGP Graphics Adapter README9X0281.TXT ================================================================== This is the Real 3D StarFighter AGP Windows 95/98 Display Drivers, version 0281. It is an update to the version 0259 Display Drivers. The version 0281 display drivers are compatible with Version 0146 of the StarFighter Video Bios. There is no need to upgrade the Video Bios if it was already flashed for Version 0259 Drivers. The Video Bios version can be verified on the Display Properties R3D Information tab. -------- WARNING: If updating the StarFighter Video Bios from a version ------- prior to 0146, the Version 0281 StarFighter Driver must be updated *BEFORE* flashing the StarFighter Video Bios to Version 0146. Bios Version 0146 is NOT compatible with some older drivers (a blue screen of death will be the result of this combination ... see recovery procedure below) These Release Notes address changes since the Version 259 Drivers. Please check the Real 3D website (www.real3d.com) for the latest StarFighter AGP Display Driver updates! New Features ------------ - Socket 7: The StarFighter 0281 Drivers provide support for Socket 7 chipsets from VIA, SIS, and ALi. Note: Although Real 3D strives for 100% compatibility, due to the number of companies producing low cost motherboards we cannot guarantee complete compatibility with all Socket 7 based motherboards. Real 3D has worked with these chipset manufacturers to determine StarFighter compatibility with the following versions of the manufacturers' AGP Drivers for Windows 95/98. Minimum AGP -Chipset-- -Driver Rev- -Web URL----------------- VIA VP3 2.6 www.via.com.tw/driver.htm VIA MVP3 2.9 www.via.com.tw/driver.htm ALi M1541/M1543 & M1621 1.1 www.ali.com.tw/eframes.htm SIS 5591 1.2 www.sis.com.tw/html/driver1.html#5591agp Some chipset manufacturers' AGP drivers were pre-release when tested by Real 3D and may not yet be available on their web sites. These AGP Drivers should be installed per the chipset manufacturer's README instructions. Also note that the SIS systems are very sensitive to installation order. Before installing StarFighter, the previous video card MUST be removed and its drivers must be uninstalled. - Multi-Monitor: Some minor corruption in Windows 98 Multi-Monitor has been eliminated. Windows 98 Plus high color screen savers now work. StarFighter AGP can run in a multi-monitor configuration with StarFighter PCI (driver versions higher than 0247) or any other Windows 98 compliant PCI adapter that supports Multi-monitor. - Direct3D: The Forsaken bug that would not allow game play at higher resolutions has been fixed. The 2D corruption in Final Fantasy 7 has been eliminated. Modifications were made to the driver to allow more Direct3D games and applications to take advantage of performance increases by checking the auto-mipmap box in the Real 3D Display Properties page. Fog table support was added to Direct3D. The exponential fog calculations for Direct3D are now identical to the default (OpenGL) fog. The Advanced D3D page accessed via the main R3D Display Properties tab, has been expanded to give control of additional graphics parameters. - OpenGL: Performance enhancements and various fixes for display anomalies in high-end applications were put in the OpenGL Installable Client Driver (ICD). Limitations or Caveats ---------------------- Running Quake II full screen at 800x600 on 4 Mb cards may produce flashing on some systems (will be fixed soon in the next web refresh). Requires Windows 95 OSR2.1 (this is Windows 95 OSR2 with the USB Supplement) or Windows 98 Requires DirectX 5.0 (release 155 or higher) Troubleshooting Hints: - Some of the StarFighter bundled software may experience problems on systems that do not contain a sound card or have sound directly on the motherboard. - Check README files or documentation that comes with other software for special system requirements or limitations. - If the graphics does not seem to be accelerated, check that the color depth is set to 16-bit color on the Display Properties Settings page. Also, some applications may have their own switch or selection to enable acceleration (Quake, for example). - Please ensure that the latest drivers for all plug-in cards have been installed. - Some monitors may not support higher resolutions or refresh rates. If some rates that StarFighter supports cannot be selected from the Display Properties Setting page, check with the manufacturer for a possible monitor .inf file update. - The current version of the StarFighter Video Bios can be obtained from the Display Properties R3D Information Tab. If the Video Bios version is not Version 0146 then you may experience minor problems. The Version 0146 Video Bios may be downloaded from the Real 3D web site at http://www.real3d.com ------------------------------------------------------------------ WINDOWS 95/98 INSTALLATION ------------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------- Hardware Installation --------------------- Please see Chapter 3 of the Getting Started Manual for details. 1. Shut down the computer, disconnect the monitor cable, and remove its cover. 2. Remove existing AGP video adapter from the AGP slot and save the screw. 3. Place the StarFighter AGP graphics board into the AGP slot, ensuring that it is inserted completely into the socket, and replace the screw. 4. Replace the computer cover and reconnect the monitor cable. Note: If you have no video when power is applied and the computer emits one long and two short beeps, this indicates that the StarFighter card is not seated properly. --------------------- Software Installation --------------------- Please see Chapter 5, section 5.2 of the Getting Started Manual for details on new StarFighter installations. SW Upgrades: updating previously installed StarFighter drivers ----------- Windows 95: ----------- 1. StarFighter board and drivers should already be installed in the system. Power On the system. 2. Right-click on My Computer and choose "Properties" or click on "Start", "Settings -> Control Panel" and double click on the "Display" icon. 3. Choose the "Settings" tab and click on "Advanced Properties" 4. Click on the "Change" button. 5. Click on "Have Disk". From the "Install from Disk" dialog box, click on "Browse". Navigate to C:\Real3d\Drivers, or the directory chosen when the download was unzipped (the .inf file will be the only file visible in the browser) and click "OK". 6. Click on "OK" in the "Install from Disk" dialog box. 7. Select the Starfighter AGP on the "Select Device" dialog box and click "OK". 8. Files will be installed. 9. Choose "OK" on the "Advanced Display Properties" dialog box 10. Click on "Apply" on the "Display Properties" dialog box. 11. Choose "YES" in response to the "DO YOU WANT TO RESTART?" query to reboot the system and complete the installation. ----------- Windows 98: ----------- 1. StarFighter board and drivers should already be installed in the system. Power On the system. 2. Right-click on the Desktop and choose "Properties" or click on "Start", "Settings -> Control Panel" and double click on "Display". 3. Choose the "Settings" tab and click on "Advanced..." 4. Choose the "Adapter" tab and click on the "Change..." button. 5. Click on "Next". 6. Select the top choice, "Search for a better driver" and click on "Next". 7. Clear all check boxes except "Specify a location:" and click on "Browse". Navigate to C:\Real3D\Drivers, or the the directory chosen when the download was unzipped (the inf file will be the only file visible in the browser) and click "OK". 8. Click on "Next". 9. Select "The updated driver (Recommended)" and click on "Next". 10. Click on "Next" and the files will be installed. 11. Click on "Finish". 12. Choose "YES" in response to the "DO YOU WANT TO RESTART?" query to reboot the system and complete the installation. --------------------------------------- Blue Screen of Death Recovery Procedure --------------------------------------- If you have inadvertantly updated the StarFighter video bios to Version 0146 before upgrading to the StarFighter Version 0259 Display Driver this will result in a fatal error. To recover your system use the following procedure: 1. Boot system into "Safe" mode. 2. Click the "Start" button. 3. Click "Settings -> Control Panel". 4. Double Click on the "System" icon. 5. Click the "Device Manager" tab. 6. Double Click the "Display adapters" icon. 7. Click "StarFighter AGP Release XXXX" 8. Click the "Remove" button. 9. Click the "Ok" button. 10. Reboot your computer. 11. See Chapter 5, section 5.2 of the Getting Started Manual for details on installing the new StarFighter Driver. ------------------------------------------------------------------ All product names listed are trademarks or copyrights of their respective owners. www.real3d.com ================================================================== Real 3D, Inc. Copyright 1998, All Rights Reserved ==================================================================