[NeoMagic]

This install guide was written specifically for the SAPPHIRE RADEON 3850 AGP but should work if you have problems outside of sapphire. The fps fixes are for all Radeon 3850s.

INSTALL
--------

1. Use ATI uninstall
2. Reboot
3. Download Driver Cleaner Pro
4. Reboot in safe mode and run DCP to clean ATI only - DO NOT select other variants.
5. Reboot
6. Driver install
a. SAPPHIRE XP 32
b. SAPPHIRE XP 64
c. SAPPHIRE VISTA 32
d. SAPPHIRE VISTA 64
e. SAPPHIRE PCI-E
f. HIS
g. POWERCOOLER


FPS LOW FIX (fps drops when you're moving slow or not at all)
-------------

1. Download radeon3850fpsfix

2. Before step 3 save any data as sometime Winflash will black out (may require clean boot and/or several background processes closed).

3. Open Winflash

4. Save Bios

5. Open ATI bios editor

6. Load saved bios

a. Low 3d clocks should be default around 300ish. Set it to match the High 3d clock setting. This will fix the drop in frame rate when you slow down or stop moving in-game (screenshot).

b. Click the ATI 3000 series fan fix tab and increase the acceleration of your fan (screenshot).

note: Overclocking your card can cause serious damage and even **** it up all together. I personally have a single core processor and just matched the low 3d clock setting, vcore to 1.214, and enabled fan acceleration to 80%. All working fine for me in XP 32.

7. Save

8. Load new bios in Winflash

9. Click Program (Warning: you might want to back up old bios on usb drive or other media just keep in mind especially if you overclocked your card.

10. Wait a minute or so.

11. If it says successful then reboot.



FPS HIGH FIX (fps drops when you run, fight, in town, etc)
--------------

1. Open Catalyst Control Center

2. Turn on triple buffering in 3d options

3. Close antivirus, firewall, and any mouse applications like setpoint.

4. Launch AoC

5. Set shader to 2.0, shadows to none, memory buffer to 101, water reflection to ground, view distance 100%. Experiment with the other settings for optimal performance.

6. While in-game alt-tab out and open Catalyst control center.

a. Method 1 - Change the minimap setting higher or lower.

b. Method 2 - Enable 3d refresh rate to a higher setting.

7. Apply and hit ok.

8. Wait 10 seconds for 3d refresh before alt-tabbing back in.

9. Your fps should climb and if not alt-tab back out and try changing another setting.

10. If your fps drops after re-zoning repeat steps 5 - 9.

note: After testing both methods I believe method 2 is actually keeping a steady gpu usage of 30-40%. Now if we could only get the other 60% working!


Using both fixes I get an fps of 10-20 in town, however in solo missions it jumps to a steady 35ish and as high as 70 when I'm not moving or walking slow.

[kahaman]

How is the fps after you rewrite GPU bios ?
I would like to try it

[NeoMagic]

it helped some but hard to tell with bottleneck cpu.

[Rauco]

what was your average fps? 30ish? 40ish?

[NeoMagic]

I was getting like 15-20fps in town which is the highest I've seen yet but keep in mind each system is different depending on your overall specs and configuration.

[GenaiDoma66]

i ordered a 3650 and it will be in today which i am hoping will help out with my FPS over my X800 card lol. thanks for the guide though i can do this stuff while i am installing the card. hope it helps

[Jondozer]

you would get better fps if aoc would use the gpu more >.> 20-40% isnt enough needs to use at least double at all times

[NeoMagic]

^ yeah i know thats what the fps high fix is trying to accomplish.

[kahaman]

I would like to know is anyone get better FPS after use this.

[mishikal]

I am running a 3870x2 in Vista x64.

I am not having problems or FPS problems as such, but I am curious will this improve the performance of that chip as well, or is this just 3850's.