HIS 2600XT GPU: Update my BIOS?

[Silverwulf]

Just upgraded my Dell Dimension 8300 with a new HIS 2600XT 512MB GPU. I used the most recent drivers from the HIS website and it loaded fine. Tried to play games (haven't tested for long hours as of yet), and it can run on higher settings, just not as smooth as expected. Do you think it would serve me any advantage to update the BIOS? I'm currently at A05, but it goes up to A07. Here's the revision history:

BIOS: Dimension 8300, 8300N
Release Date: 10/01/2004
BIOS Version: A07

The following changes have been made to BIOS rev A06 to create A07:

1. Fixed Quick Boot menu when no bootable drives are selected in SETUP.
2. Updated microcode for newer CPUs.
3. Fix corner case for the weekday auto-on setting.
4. Fix to the utility partition search code.
5. Improved keyboard test when booting from Hibernate.
6. Fixed possible hang after unplugging and re-plugging USB hubs.
7. Increased USB keyboard wait time to allow all USB devices being enumerated.
8. PXE Code Update for spanning tree issues.
9. Prevent false MCE errors from causing "bad CPU" error in POST.
10. Fix the Performance Processor detection/enabling.
11. Fix to the native HD ISR.
12. Added error check for 1394 memory base programming.
13. Disable /Enable PCI transaction timeout timer for slow cards.
14. Fixed memory size errors when changing the AGP aperture.


BIOS: Dimension 8300, 8300N
Release Date: 07/19/2004
BIOS Version: A06

The following changes have been made to BIOS rev A05 to create A06:

1. Updated Copyright strings from year 2003 to year 2004.
2. Enable Utility partition to work on all internal IDE or SATA Hard Disk
Drives.
3. Enable Asset Tag to be modified remotely via CM studio or VB script.
4. Enable support for new Pentium 4 Processors.
5. Enable L3_Cache support.
6. Fixed RIS server failure when SATA HDD present.
7. Enable SMBIOS token for integrated NIC with RPL.
8. Fixed issue where some 3rd party keyboards cause a keyboard failure
error message.
9. Enabled support for VESA 4F09h function. Corrects system splash video
corruption with some AGP video cards.


BIOS: Dimension 8300, 8300N
Release Date: 03/01/2004
BIOS Version: A05

The following changes have been made to BIOS rev A04 to create A05:

1. Add support for external system management tools to adjust asset tag.
2. Prevent boot failure in F12 Boot Menu if "Hard-Disk Drive C:" is
unchecked.
3. Prevent problems on first customer boot with manually going into
Utility Partition.


BIOS: Dimension 8300, 8300N
Release Date: 02/10/2004
BIOS Version: A04

The following changes have been made to BIOS rev A03 to create A04:

1. Added support for Pentium 4 CPU with 1 MB cache.
2. Updated microcode for new CPUs.
3. Fixed non-bootable system issue after power is removed while the system
is in standby.


BIOS: Dimension 8300, 8300N
Release Date: 10/23/2003
BIOS Version: A03

The following changes have been made to BIOS rev A02 to create A03:

1. Updated CPU microcode to support latest CPUs.
2. Fixed possible issue with the auto-power-on WEEKDAYS function of Setup.
3. Improved password handling in the BIOS update program.
4. Improved USB booting operations for USB devices.
5. Eliminated extra error messages and improved interrupt handling
for Serial ATA drives.
6. Correct key interpretation in the Boot Sequence menu.
7. Fixed IRQ routing table for Linux issues involving NICs and SATA drives.
8. Insure a successful PXE boot results in diag LED pattern GGGG instead of
GGGY.
9. Fixed issue in CDROM boot support that shows up when booting an ISOLINUX
distribution on a system with only RAID HDs.
10. Updated code to support additional Option ROMs.


BIOS: Dimension 8300, 8300N
Release Date: 08/07/2003
BIOS Version: A02

The following changes have been made to A01 BIOS to create A02:

1. Improved memory size reporting in setup.
2. Added support for 3.2GHz CPUs.
3. Fixed bootmenu problem when no drives are attached.
4. Fixed BIOS version reporting error in some operating systems.
5. Fixed splash screen problems with some older PCI video cards.
6. Improved password error count reporting.
7. Fixed install mode persistence error in some older operating systems.
8. Fixed problem with prefetchable memory behind bridges on add-in cards.
9. Fixed problem with PCI option ROM installation on some add-in cards.
10. Fixed POST hot-key reboot persistence problem.
11. Improved Serial-ATA interrupt handling.
12. Added network interface failure logging.
13. Added Serial-ATA initialization check for warm boots.
14. Updated CPU microcode to support latest CPUs.


BIOS: Dimension 8300, 8300N
Release Date: 05/29/2003
BIOS Version: A01

The following changes have been made to the A00 BIOS to create A01:

1. Updated memory initialization code.
2. Added updated support for Northwood F29 D1 processors.
3. Optimized BIOS SATA support.


BIOS: Dimension 8300, 8300N
Release Date: 03/31/2003
BIOS Version: A00

1. Initial BIOS Release.

 

[Silverwulf]

I'm currently running a Dell Dimension 8300 with a 3.2 P4, BIOS A05, 4 GB of RAM on XP Home Edition (3.25 GB registers).

I just got a new HIS ATI 2600XT 512 AGP card. I had no trouble with installation or getting it to function. However, it "hitches" quite a bit in games. I tried the newer drivers from the HIS site, the Omega Drivers, and now the Hotfix for AGP.

I was running a GeForce 6600 256 before with no problems, just on low settings. I'm playing Lord of the Rings Online, and it detects my optimal settings as "Very High." It looks great, just lags and hitches too often for my liking. Even if I turn the graphics down to "Low," where my 6600 would run smoothly, the game still hitches.

Does this sound like a driver issue or something else I should be looking at?

 

[OnDborder]

It's recommended, by most of us here, that when you exchange nvidia with an ati card(or vice a versa), format and re-install the os.
If you don't want to do that: un-install the vcard drivers, download/install "drivercleaner pro 1.5" http://drivers.softpedia.com/get/Other-DRIVERS-TOOLS/Others/Driver-Cleaner-Professional-15.shtml , go into "safemode", run the drivercleaner, clean nvidia and the ati's.. Reboot into "normal" boot, install ati catz.