Windows 7 and ATI Catalyst drivers, can't force Vsync?

pcgamer420

Limp Gawd
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Jan 5, 2009
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Hello everyone. I recently installed Windows 7 and I am also new to ATI as I got my 5850's just a couple weeks ago. When I had Vista installed, CCC worked well with no issues as far as I could tell. However, after clean installing Windows 7, updating the video drivers and reinstalling CCC, I am having performance issues. At first, CF wasn't working but I think I have fixed that issue. However, I cannot get Vsync to work! One thing I can't stand is screen tearing, and even if I force on Vsync in CCC, I am still getting terrible screen tearing.

This did not happen when I was running Vista. If anyone can help me out I would greatly appreciate it!
 
As far as I can recall, Vista and Windows 7 don't allow you to force Vsync on or off at the driver level if you are using DirectX. You have to set it in-game, and if a game doesn't have the option, you are limited to whatever default the game uses (some have it on, some not.)

I can't remember if this restriction applies to all versions of DirectX on Vista/7, or just DirectX 10 and 11.

It should still be possible to force vsync on/off through the driver when using OpenGL.
 
This is really an annoying problem. I am running a 5850 with the 10.4 preview Catalyst drivers and under BFBC2 I get horrible tearing! Can't stand it!

I've tried forcing via the CCC and the in-game settings, but alas, doesn't seem to get vsync to work.

Also, I am running Win 7 Ultimate x64.
 
I have this problem with every game I have tried so far in Win7. Mass Effect 2, L4D2, and BC2. I'm not even sure it's a Vsync thing. In ME2, I tweaked the config so that my max framerate is 60, in sync with my monitor's refresh rate. FRAPS shows a constant 60 FPS, yet I am still getting what looks like screen tearing.

This is extremely frustrating. On top of the fact that I am also having snap/crackle problems with my X fi audio, so far Windows 7 feels like a massive DOWNGRADE from Vista. :mad:
 
You may have noticed that forcing VSync in CCC is under "OpenGL settings". That is why it doesn't appear to do anything for you, because you are playing DirectX games. That didn't change in Vista->7. It didn't even change from XP->Vista. And for what its worth, NVidia's driver doesn't let VSync forcing from the control panel for DirectX games either.

However, you can use D3DOverrider to force vsync for games that don't have an option.
 
Then I guess it must not be a Vsync problem. All I know is that, using the same GPUs and settings in CCC, I did not experience this screen tearing in Vista 64 ultimate. I have only had this problem since I installed 7 64 Home Premium. Is there any other explanation for "lines" appearing in the graphics of games when I move? Could this at all be related to issues in the audio that I am also having, "snap crackle pop" type sounds?
 
However, you can use D3DOverrider to force vsync for games that don't have an option.

Hmm. I'm going to have to give this little ditty a try... Thank you for the heads up!

EDIT...Looks like the only way to get the program is to install Rivatuner?? Unless I'm missing something...

http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=163

EDIT 2: You sir...are a genius! Installed RiverTuner 2.24c and started up the D3D program before running BFBC2, and all is well! No tearing!! Thank you kindly.
 
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Doesn't BFBC2 have an ingame option for vsync? I would use that...

But glad it worked for you :)
 
Doesn't BFBC2 have an ingame option for vsync? I would use that...

But glad it worked for you :)

That shit dont work sometimes.

D3D is the best lil tool around, fixed ALOT of tearing in games for me

Stalker/dirt2/metro 2033/ Mass effect 2/cod4/bfbc2....Shit you name it...it fixed it :)
 
I have this problem with every game I have tried so far in Win7. Mass Effect 2, L4D2, and BC2. I'm not even sure it's a Vsync thing. In ME2, I tweaked the config so that my max framerate is 60, in sync with my monitor's refresh rate. FRAPS shows a constant 60 FPS, yet I am still getting what looks like screen tearing.

This is extremely frustrating. On top of the fact that I am also having snap/crackle problems with my X fi audio, so far Windows 7 feels like a massive DOWNGRADE from Vista. :mad:
of course you are still getting tearing because vsync is off and tearing can occur no matter what the frame rate is. its usually just more noticeable the higher the frame rate though. every game is different so tearing may be more noticeable in some games than others.

I certainly can still force vsync on in 7 with my Nvidia cp and this looks like a good reason for me to stay away from ATI because I cant stand tearing.
 
That shit dont work sometimes.

D3D is the best lil tool around, fixed ALOT of tearing in games for me

Stalker/dirt2/metro 2033/ Mass effect 2/cod4/bfbc2....Shit you name it...it fixed it :)
yeah I never could get the in game vsync to work in BC 2 but forcing it on through the Nvidia cp worked fine.
 
NVidia's driver doesn't let VSync forcing from the control panel for DirectX games either.

Just wanted to point this out, because it is important for people to note.

Both ATI and Nvidia drivers will allow you to switch on or off the option to force vsync in their control panels, but it won't do diddly with DirectX games.
 
Yep nvidia cp works great for forcing vsync in bf

Except it doesn't. Nvidia CP doesn't enable VSync in DirectX games just like ATI's doesn't. NVidia's CP even states that it doesn't work in DirectX games (just like ATI's states that it is only for OpenGL). Unless you and cannondale06 think Nvidia is lying about what their CP options do?

Look at the bottom under "Typical usage scenario". Note that under Vista (and 7) the vsync option won't do jack shit for DirectX games.
http://www.sevenforums.com/attachme...eed-fix-asap-aero-vsync-2009-03-16_232726.jpg
 
Just wanted to point this out, because it is important for people to note.

Both ATI and Nvidia drivers will allow you to switch on or off the option to force vsync in their control panels, but it won't do diddly with DirectX games.

Except it doesn't. Nvidia CP doesn't enable VSync in DirectX games just like ATI's doesn't. NVidia's CP even states that it doesn't work in DirectX games (just like ATI's states that it is only for OpenGL). Unless you and cannondale06 think Nvidia is lying about what their CP options do?

Look at the bottom under "Typical usage scenario". Note that under Vista (and 7) the vsync option won't do jack shit for DirectX games.
http://www.sevenforums.com/attachme...eed-fix-asap-aero-vsync-2009-03-16_232726.jpg
both of you are WRONG. how in the heck can you say that Nvidia users cant force vsync on from Nvidia control panel for DX games? thats bullshit because I do it in plenty of DX games. hell I just said that I force it on for BC 2. would you two like a freaking screenshot of every DX game I play with vsync forced on? stop spreading false information. :rolleyes:
 
both of you are WRONG. how in the heck can you say that Nvidia users cant force vsync on from Nvidia control panel for DX games? thats bullshit because I do it in plenty of DX games. hell I just said that I force it on for BC 2. would you two like a freaking screenshot of every DX game I play with vsync forced on? stop spreading false information. :rolleyes:

I'm not, you're the one spreading false information. Nvidia states right there on the goddamn setting that it only works for OpenGL games. Go look in the Nvidia CP right now and you'll see the same damn thing as what I posted. Although I guess Nvidia should ask you what their settings do, huh? You seem to know more about Nvidia's settings than Nvidia does :rolleyes:
 
I'm not, you're the one spreading false information. Nvidia states right there on the goddamn setting that it only works for OpenGL games. Go look in the Nvidia CP right now and you'll see the same damn thing as what I posted. Although I guess Nvidia should ask you what their settings do, huh? You seem to know more about Nvidia's settings than Nvidia does :rolleyes:
you are an idiot. unlike you, I actually have an Nvidia card and I can force it on and it works so what else needs to be said? do you want screenshots or what?
 
here you go and I can post screens all day long. so now whats your excuse?


Dead Space with no vsync







Dead Space with vsync forced on from Nvidia control panel

 
you are an idiot. unlike you, I actually have an Nvidia card and I can force it on and it works so what else needs to be said? do you want screenshots or what?

My roommate is new to PC gaming, he is running 9600GT's in SLI. He has MASSIVE tearing in DX games as well.

BFBC2, COD4, DIRT2. I had to use the d3d program to stop the tearing.

and Yes we had VSYNC forced on threw the Nvidia CP. This was also with the newest WHQL drivers on there website (not the ones that killed video cards).

I am not saying you are wrong. I am just telling you the experience on my roommates Nvidia System....
 
My roommate is new to PC gaming, he is running 9600GT's in SLI. He has MASSIVE tearing in DX games as well.

BFBC2, COD4, DIRT2. I had to use the d3d program to stop the tearing.

and Yes we had VSYNC forced on threw the Nvidia CP. This was also with the newest WHQL drivers on there website (not the ones that killed video cards).

I am not saying you are wrong. I am just telling you the experience on my roommates Nvidia System....
I just showed you Dead Space and I can post screenshots of any game you like. I also mentioned that I have it forced on for BC 2 and it works...no tearing and the framerate cant go over 60. only during the first couple months of Vista did I ever have trouble forcing vsync in some games. ever since then forcing it on works just fine for Nvidia and thats one of the reasons I switched back after using ATI for a few months.


and here is BF2 with vsync forced on from control panel because the in game vsync doesnt even work for me.
 
I just showed you Dead Space and I can post screenshots of any game you like. I also mentioned that I have it forced on for BC 2 and it works...no tearing and the framerate cant go over 60. only during the first couple months of Vista did I ever have trouble forcing vsync in some games. ever since then forcing it on works just fine for Nvidia and thats one of the reasons I switched back after using ATI for a few months.


and here is BF2 with vsync forced on from control panel because the in game vsync doesnt even work for me.
QUOTE]


Yea not sure why it does work for some, and doesnt work for others.

Are you running an old CRT monitor?.....I mean my roommate is a noob to pc gaming, still learning alot, and he even noticed the difference when I put the d3d program on. Now he wont load up a game without it.

I honestly think it's something to do with monitors.....I mean like I said I don't think your wrong, I just think its a system thing.

He is running windows 7 64bit as well?...either way, good to see the CP works for someone
 
it works for me on my crt and any lcd that I have owned. it worked for me in Vista 32 bit, Vista 64 bit, and 7 64 bit just fine too. now most of the time I use in game vsync but several games I have to force it from the cp to actually work. thats why I think its hilarious that he was arguing with me when I am the one who uses an Nvidia card to game on every day. anyway if there is any specific game that you or anybody else would like to see for more proof just let me know.
 
it works for me on my crt and any lcd that I have owned. it worked for me in Vista 32 bit, Vista 64 bit, and 7 64 bit just fine too. now most of the time I use in game vsync but several games I have to force it from the cp to actually work. thats why I think its hilarious that he was arguing with me when I am the one who uses an Nvidia card to game on every day. anyway if there is any specific game that you or anybody else would like to see for more proof just let me know.

Naw man i believe ya :p. I jus tknow how fucking stupidly funky Vsync with windows vista/7 is....been dealing with it alot time.
 
I have no reason to spread false information here.. I have to force vsync in the Nvidia control panel for bfbc2... bottom line.. why would i lie lol

and fyi, i plan on getting a 5850 this week and this thread sparked my interest because my monitor NEEDS vsync...
 
you are an idiot. unlike you, I actually have an Nvidia card and I can force it on and it works so what else needs to be said? do you want screenshots or what?

I have Nvidia cards too (just not in my main rig). I'm just telling you what Nvidia themselves say and what I've experienced. But again, if you want to claim Nvidia lies about what their settings do, great, keep living in your fantasy world

And screenshots don't prove shit since they can't capture tearing in action. Great, you now have an FPS cap - that doesn't mean vsync is or isn't enabled.
 
I have Nvidia cards too (just not in my main rig). I'm just telling you what Nvidia themselves say and what I've experienced. But again, if you want to claim Nvidia lies about what their settings do, great, keep living in your fantasy world

And screenshots don't prove shit since they can't capture tearing in action. Great, you now have an FPS cap - that doesn't mean vsync is or isn't enabled.
are you fucking kidding me? so now vsync is only capping my framerate at 60 but not stopping the tearing? lol. look moron, there is NO tearing when I force vsync from the Nvidia control panel. do you want a fucking video showing tearing with it off and then no tearing with it on? :rolleyes:
 
are you fucking kidding me? so now vsync is only capping my framerate at 60 but not stopping the tearing? lol. look moron, there is NO tearing when I force vsync from the Nvidia control panel. do you want a fucking video showing tearing with it off and then no tearing with it on? :rolleyes:

ok kllrnohj I made a video just for you since you keep saying that forcing vsync from Nvidia cp doesnt work. I am sure you will still have something ignorant to say though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIb8RytV8Ic

OK, first, chill with the personal attacks. Totally uncalled for. But I guess if I'm a moron then the driver developers over at Nvidia must be morons too, right? I mean, they wrote on the CP that it doesn't work in DirectX games - clearly they don't know what they're talking about either, right?

Second, aww, you made a video for me :)

Out of curiosity, what does setting it to application controlled in the CP do? Because dead space has an in game vsync option as well (which you didn't show if it was set to on or off). Likewise, BFBC2 also has an ingame option and you also claim that force on works for that and that the in game option doesn't work (gg nvidia drivers)
 
lol, the vsync option in bfbc2 doesnt work in windows 7...

we will have to say it again.. we need to force it in the nvidia cp to work in bfbc2 for windows 7
 
OK, first, chill with the personal attacks. Totally uncalled for. But I guess if I'm a moron then the driver developers over at Nvidia must be morons too, right? I mean, they wrote on the CP that it doesn't work in DirectX games - clearly they don't know what they're talking about either, right?

Second, aww, you made a video for me :)

Out of curiosity, what does setting it to application controlled in the CP do? Because dead space has an in game vsync option as well (which you didn't show if it was set to on or off). Likewise, BFBC2 also has an ingame option and you also claim that force on works for that and that the in game option doesn't work (gg nvidia drivers)
okay I will try and be nice here. when Vista first came out there were issues in forcing vsync in some DX games so I guess thats why Nvidia originally made that recommendation. after a few months and a few driver revisions Nvidia actually allowed you to force vsync on just fine from the cp and its been working fine for years in Vista and now 7.

when I used a 4670 in my other pc I could never get vsync to work form the ccc so thats one of the reasons I went back to using Nvidia cards. yeah setting it for application in the Nvida cp just allows you to use the in game vsync.

what you are saying about my Dead Space video makes no sense because you see that the video is not edited at all. you see me start the game with vsync forced on in the control panel and then turn it off in the control panel. the in game settings were NEVER touched.

I also used Dead Space in my example to you because everyone that has played that game knows if you use the in game vsync it will cap you at half refresh rate. you have to use your cards vsync to get it to match the refresh rate and again that wasnt possible with ATI but works just fine from the Nvidia control panel.

just to be clear I am using the actual game profile and not the global settings. I have no trouble forcing vsync on in ANY game that way if I choose to do so. all of your arguing with me doesnt change the fact that is does work just fine for Nvidia. ;)
 
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what you are saying about my Dead Space video makes no sense because you see that the video is not edited at all. you see me start the game with vsync forced on in the control panel and then turn it off in the control panel. the in game settings were NEVER touched.

Ingame option set to vsync enabled. You launch with Nvidia CP "Force On", which ends up doing nothing since the game has the option set. Get it? You don't show whether or not that is or isn't the case.

I've also never played Dead Space and have no idea what the vsync issue is you talk about. What I do know is that in the few games that don't let you enable vsync, D3DOverrider works just fine.
 
I dont think v-sync works for me in bc2, but i get no tearing without vsync so who gives a shit.

Tonight i experimented with dirt2 with one 5850 cuz tessellation wont work in CF, maxed out 1920x1200 8xAA 850/1200 I was cruising at 60fps mostly. So i turned vsync on and HEY IT WORKED, vsync in dirt2 works for me, dx11 no need to force in driver on w7 64.
I dont know what else works cuz i really dont use vsync unless its an opengl game and those are extinct.
 
Ingame option set to vsync enabled. You launch with Nvidia CP "Force On", which ends up doing nothing since the game has the option set. Get it? You don't show whether or not that is or isn't the case.

I've also never played Dead Space and have no idea what the vsync issue is you talk about. What I do know is that in the few games that don't let you enable vsync, D3DOverrider works just fine.

again I used Dead Space so you could not make any excuses yet you still did. the in game vsync in Dead Space will cap at half refresh rate which would have been 30 in my case. the video clearly shows me force vsync on in Nvidia cp and the game at 60fps with NO tearing. forcing it off shows the higher framerate and of course tearing.

whether you can accept it or not, I can force vsync on from the Nvidia cp in any DX game and it stops the tearing. you were wrong this whole time by telling me I couldnt. I have gone out of my way to show that because I know exactly whats going on with my games when it comes to tearing.
 
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Nvidia's drivers work fine with Vsync in windows 7. Ati's do not and never have. I have to use rivatuners's D3D overrider to force it. Even though its forced on in the CCC it still does not work. I have no idea why ATI hasn't fixed this. I have sent a few emails to their tech support about this and never got a reply. My understanding is, if the game itself does not have an in game option for vsync then it will not work. That was one of the reason I stuck to Nvidia for so long was their drivers did work with it in vista and windows 7 where as Ati's do not and I doubt they ever will...
 
Nvidia's drivers work fine with Vsync in windows 7. Ati's do not and never have. I have to use rivatuners's D3D overrider to force it. Even though its forced on in the CCC it still does not work. I have no idea why ATI hasn't fixed this. I have sent a few emails to their tech support about this and never got a reply. My understanding is, if the game itself does not have an in game option for vsync then it will not work. That was one of the reason I stuck to Nvidia for so long was their drivers did work with it in vista and windows 7 where as Ati's do not and I doubt they ever will...

With Nvidia's it works sometimes, and doesnt work other times.

I would say my 8800gt I had back in the day did not work either, but I honestly just don't remember...

But yea.....it sucks having to use d3d with ATI all the time...pretty annoying and I agree they fucking need to get on the ball and implement this
 
Nvidia's drivers work fine with Vsync in windows 7. Ati's do not and never have. I have to use rivatuners's D3D overrider to force it. Even though its forced on in the CCC it still does not work. I have no idea why ATI hasn't fixed this. I have sent a few emails to their tech support about this and never got a reply. My understanding is, if the game itself does not have an in game option for vsync then it will not work. That was one of the reason I stuck to Nvidia for so long was their drivers did work with it in vista and windows 7 where as Ati's do not and I doubt they ever will...

Because it is listed under "OpenGL settings" - holy shit nobody reads what the settings do. It isn't broken, you just didn't read.
 
Well I tried the d3doverride thing and it works well for l4d2 and bc2, but I'm still having issues with mass effect 2. I just don't understand why ATI has not fixed this in CCC, it's ridiculous to have to use 3rd party software to address something as basic as Vsync. Otherwise I am quite happy with the performance of these 5850s, they are blazingly fast cards.
 
You can't capture v-sync in a screenshot.

What you've enabled in screenshot 2 appears to be Anti-aliasing, not V-Sync.
wow another ridiculous comment. it shows the framerate at 60fps which clearly indicates that I have vsync forced on. if I was using the in game vsync for Dead Space it would be at 30fps. I didnt touch the AA which doesnt even work in Dead Space anyway. not to mention I made of video so why dont you actually look at that before making a comment?
 
With Nvidia's it works sometimes, and doesnt work other times.

I would say my 8800gt I had back in the day did not work either, but I honestly just don't remember...

But yea.....it sucks having to use d3d with ATI all the time...pretty annoying and I agree they fucking need to get on the ball and implement this
if you force it on within the Nvidia cp games profile it works in EVERY game for me. I have just went through about 15 games in a row including FEAR, Call of Juarez, Bad Company 2, Clear Sky, Fallout 3 and so on without any trouble forcing vsync on.
 
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