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macman · Dec 14, 1999, 01:28 AM

Anyone get an XclaimVR 128 and MacOS 9 to work (or with any OS for that fact). It crashes every Microsoft app (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, IE etc) except Outlook Express. If I remove the ATI extensions they work (yes they are the latest ones and so is OpenGL).

gene · Dec 15, 1999, 12:30 AM

I thought I read somewhere that OpenGL needs to be installed after ATI 4.2 drivers... Or is it the other way around?

macman · Dec 15, 1999, 01:42 AM

Well, I've tried it both ways and I've removed it all together.

Dec 15, 1999, 07:13 PM

did you install over top of the OS 9 ATI drivers or drag all ATI drivers to trash..use ATI 4.2 custom install, restart and trash the OS 9 ATI drivers which are in the trash.

macman · Dec 15, 1999, 09:27 PM

I installed over the top of the drivers.
The card works. The only things that do not work are Microsoft Word 98, Excel 98, PowerPoint 98, and Internet Explorer 4.5. Everything else, except the for the occasional Xclaim Video Player crashing works.

macman · Dec 17, 1999, 03:12 AM

I have officially decided to send this POS card back and get a Rage Orion. I love the ATI chip set but this card is terrrible. I highly, highly recommend that no one buy this thing until ATI fixes it.
Microsoft Internet Explorer, Office 98, and my Toshiba Digital Camera (which I am also sending back due to very bad image quality) don't work at all with the drivers for this card. As well as the crashes of the Xclaim Video Player. Do not buy this card, at least not yet. And, do not buy a Toshiba digital camera at least this one the PDR M5. They both suck (sorry it's the only way I could put it).

wjpjr · Dec 18, 1999, 12:56 AM

Hmm, I installed this card on my G4/450 with OS9 and it works !great!. Tried all my M$ apps and none of them are having any problems either. Not sure what your problems might be but I can say this card functions under OS9 and with M$ apps.

[This message has been edited by wjpjr (edited 12-18-1999).]

macman · Dec 18, 1999, 03:59 AM

Well, with all the other problems this card has been having in other people machines, it seems that the hardware makes a difference. For instance, people with G3 upgrades seem to have a lot of trouble but I don't have one of those. I have a standard G3 266 with 128Mb Ram. I've added extra HDs and a USB card but that's all.
Maybe on the new hardware it works fine but on older hardware it doesn't. So, let me revise my previous statement.
Do not buy this card unless you have a G4 which already has stunning graphics from it's own builtin Rage 128 chipset. Of course, unless you need another card and want video capture.

The bottom line is that I am sick and tired of all these problems and I am sending it back. If anyone with a similar machine to mine with OS 9 and this card has got it work, please tell me and how you did so.

Dec 18, 1999, 01:30 PM

Well, I'm glad I'm not the only person. The ATI software 4.2 that I downoaded showed an interesting error. "The installer cannot find any ATI hardware." Isn't that interesting since not only is there the ATI RAGE 128 VR that I purchased to do Video editing, but the ATI RAGE 128 PRO that came with my G4 450 isn't detected. Bizzarre. In order to get it to install I had to use the custom install trick. It installed but when I go to the control panel ATI Displays, it says it cannot find ANY ATI poduct. Bizzarre. I haven't gotten around to trying it yet, but I will see if the video support works and post it up here. Boy am I glad I'm not the only one. . .

davco · Dec 18, 1999, 03:16 PM

Has anyone upgraded their XClaim VR with a XClaim VR 128?

I am not too thrilled with the video quality of the older XClaim VR card (it works fine, but not great) but I was wondering if the new one is any better. Has anyone done any specific comparisons?

Thanks

Colin Davis

Dec 18, 1999, 05:27 PM

The VR 128 is very much like Mexican food - you either love it or rare is the one who can swallow it without trace afterwards.

The VR 128's drivers are hands down the most troublesome of any Mac product I've had to deal with but I've doggedly stuck by the thing and in every case managed to extort it into working though sometimes very extreme measures were necessary like completely reinstalling my system software. I just like the desktop video features too much which, of course, are the thing that keeps conking out.

Having used the old Rage Pro VR for over a year beforehand with little trouble, I don't think there's anything wrong with the VR 128 as a card. The problem seems to be that the drivers just aren't anywhere close to up to speed. Far too fickle. I'm just hoping they fix it since things do work now for me, just sometimes I have to fight to get them that way. Macfixit and Xlr8yourmac have lots posts about possible fixes on the various problems, including the 'can't find ATI hardware' issue.

All that said, I'd say that there's no question the 128 has a better picture than the Rage Pro.

oy · Dec 18, 1999, 09:32 PM

This is just a hunch but have you installed Microsoft's unified update for MacOS 9.

I have an xclaim VR 128 working fine on my machine, installing was painfull, but other than that it has been good.

Omar

macman · Dec 18, 1999, 11:34 PM

Yes, I know the drivers are at fault but without the drivers, there is nothing and I'm just tired of it. I am used to my Mac working 100% of the time not 50% of the time. If I wanted to fool around with it this much I would have bought a PC.

Microsoft's unified update for OS9? Where is this? can you post a link?

Dec 19, 1999, 02:42 AM

I am using the Xcliam VR 128 in a G3 upgraded PowerCenter Pro and have had no problems (I am however using OS 8.6). While I am writing this in Explorer I have MS Word open and am watching TV with the Xcliam Video Player. I have found that when MS Office or Explorer crash it is because either the MS extensions have been corrupted or (more likely) some program that you never thought would install a MS extension does. Photoshop does this and it took me a while to figure it out. As soon as I ran MS Office First Run my problems when away. Hope this helps.

AAPl Shareholder · Dec 19, 1999, 06:15 AM

OK... here is how to fix this stupid problem. First of all... it is not a problem with the hardware... it is a problem with the drivers.

�After you click the new ATI card into your mac's pci or agp slot Trash ANYTHING that says ATI or OpenGL from you extentions folder and control panels folder.

�Next download the newest ATI Driver update from ATI as well as Open GL 1.1.2 from Apple.

�Install both of those things and restart.

Now that should fix your problem. All of the over the counter ATI cards have been experiancing problems similar to this. It tends to stem from the fact that the cards ship with half done drivers and a poor installer.

Hope this helps

tarkus · Dec 19, 1999, 11:28 AM

G3/266/224MB/V2/VR128/USB/OS9.0

Don't let these posts scare you away from this card. It's worked with every piece of software including MS Office 98 and IE. Not one problem after months of use. I'm guessing the troubled ones have driver issues.

Dec 19, 1999, 01:39 PM

Well, I am therecipient of my own VR 128. I am going to agree with most everyone else. I've got a 6500/250 with a NewerTech G3. I use the built-in video for a second monitor. My old VR Pro worked fine, the VR 128 does not. After I installed all of the latest drivers Open GL 1.1.2 then ATI 4.20. I went in and disabled the ATI Xclaim VR 128 Driver. This limits my crashing in 2D... waiting to hear from ATI for 3D. I have tried every imaginable combination of drivers.

macman · Dec 19, 1999, 08:50 PM

It seems that different people have different experiences. Like I said once already, I like to be able to plug something in a have it work (100% of the time). Has anyone had any trouble with the rage Orion?

oy · Dec 20, 1999, 12:25 AM

You can get the Microsoft Unified Update for OS 9 from
http://www.microsoft.com/mactopia

from there go to the download sections and you'll see it.

I've had no problems with office and my ATI card, im guessing its probably something wrong with office and OS 9...

macman · Dec 20, 1999, 01:23 AM

The Office 98 update for OS 9 didn't work. Office 98 and OS 9 worked before I got this card. So, it is a problem with the drivers.

To tarkus:
When you installed the drivers for the card, how exactly did you do it? What else might you have installed? What drivers are you using?

macman · Dec 26, 1999, 04:49 AM

Just to keep anyone who is interested informed: I installed a clean copy of OS 9 on a partition and tried installing the ATI drivers and OpenGL just like everyone said to. Internet Explorer still doesn't work. I then erased that install and installed a clean copy of OS 8.6 and the ATI/OpenGL install the right way. Same thing.
The only thing I can think of now is a hardware conflict with my Entrega USB PCI card. I have still decided to get rid of this card as soon as Outpost sends me an RA number.