Microsoft admits Win XP DirectX problems on AMD platforms

The Inquirer ^ | July 17, 2002 | Paul Hales

[JameRetief]

AMD-specific code a right mess

By Paul Hales: Wednesday 17 July 2002, 10:03

MICROSOFT HAS IDENTIFIED a problem with running DirectX 8.1 on AMD processor-based systems.

Some DirectX 8.1 programs may simply stop working on AMD PCs, says the Vole, and it has come up with a patch to fix the problem.

The problem applies to DirectX programs running under Windows XP on AMD platforms. Intel processors are unaffected, the posting on Microsoft's support site here says.

According to the posting, "the DrawIndexedPrimitive function stops working without displaying an error or debug message". Microsoft fesses up and says the error occurs because of "a code error in the AMD-specific optimized code. This code error may lead to heap corruption," it says.

So Microsoft, not AMD, messed up, in case you were wondering.

To fix the problem you'll have to call Microsoft.

One thing we're always fascinated by is the fact that Microsoft charges you around £35 per question, when you call them up. Yet, "in special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem".

So, if you run across a problem the Vole is unaware of, it'll charge you for asking about it. Or, even if Microsoft is aware of the problem, unless it has already posted a fix, it'll still charge you for asking about it.

So, if for example, you'd called up last month to ask why your DirectX 8.1 game wasn't working on your Athlon XP machine, Microsoft may well have replied, "We don't know sir. That'll be £35 please."

Now, if you call up they'll say: "yes we've fixed that, sir. If you promise to be a good boy and only ring us after we've fixed things we'll let you off the £35 this time."

How will you know before you make the call whether you'll get charged on not? Er. We dunno either. Please send your £35 to the usual INQUIRER address. µ

[Dimensio]

The more I hear about XP the more I feel good about sticking with Windows 2000. Of course, it would be nice if I could completley migrate to Linux and use my NTFS partition for something more useful, like creating an archive of all the junk e-mail I get.

[JameRetief]

I am using Win XP (on an AMD system in fact), and I can honestly say that XP is the best personal OS Microsoft has ever put out. I haven't personally had the Direct X issue happen to me (**knock on wood).

I will be glad though when another OS (perhaps it will be Linux in a few years time) is able to give MS some true competition that they can't force out of existence. When that happens, Microsoft will actually become more innovative and let go of some of the legacy baggage. Either that, or go out of business.

[steve50]

Think I'll just install my W98 on my next one, and hope Linux comes up with something a computer illiterate like myself can use soon.

[dyed_in_the_wool]

Think I'll just install my W98 on my next one, and hope Linux comes up with something a computer illiterate like myself can use soon.

Try Mandrake. You can do some good research on Linux distros at DistroWatch.
Find someone who has an old Pentium (200 or better) with 64 Meg of RAM and go to town.

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

Everyone is scaring me. We have a new Dell w/XP. Everything has gone extremely smooth. None of those irritating little "error" messages,.. nada.

Hope our "luck?" continues.. but when I read this stuff, I keep thinking I'm going to have a problem. I don't "get" it.. but then we aren't very computer savvy either. What is going wrong? Can someone tell me in layman terms?

[Paradox]

I am using Win XP (on an AMD system in fact), and I can honestly say that XP is the best personal OS Microsoft has ever put out. I haven't personally had the Direct X issue happen to me (**knock on wood).

As a computer geek, I'd have to agree. I have it running on 4 AMD systems with no problems. I too am hoping Windows gets some competition from Linux soon. In fact, I may try installing a version on one of my machines, just to get up to speed on it.

[steve50]

Thanks, think I'll put another HD in this thing and try a dual boot system with Linux on one. Should be able to put it together for less than $150

[JameRetief]

Everyone is scaring me.

I wouldn't let these kind of stories worry you. Chances are that you won't have any serious issues with your computer. Like I said, I'm using an AMD system without incident running XP since it first came out. Since you are running XP, you will have LESS potential problems than those people still using an older version of Windows.

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

Thanks.. I hate to look for problems, but gosh, this thing has ran smoother than any we've ever had. But what do we know?

:o)

(we really are computer illiterate!! but this system has seemed user friendly)

[Tree of Liberty]

I'm guessing that either SP1 (Service Pack 1) for XP, which will probably be out by September, or DirectX 9 (it's in beta 2 right now) will fix the problem.

[Illbay]

I too am sticking with Win2k, although my wife's and daughter's 'puters have XP Home. I can't risk the "mission critical" stuff I run for my consulting business on XP.

[Free the USA]

Index Bump

[dyed_in_the_wool]

Spend $400 and get the kit and the kaboodle at Wal-Mart.

[dyed_in_the_wool]

Nothing like waiting 6 months for updates and fixes. Wow, XP really is the best windows ever!

[monkeyshine]

I'm running XP pro on AMD 1600 Processor and it works great. I don't even know what DirectX is but it doesn't seem to bother me.

[Dimensio]

I don't even know what DirectX is but it doesn't seem to bother me.

It's of relevance to gamers.

[NormsRevenge]

"heap corruption"

That's a new one on me.

[Sloth]

Hmmm, maybe this is why some of my games freeze up. I'm running XP Home on a 1GHz Athlon with DirectX 8.1.

[discostu]

Being not computer savvy is a help. Windows is designed for people that don't know enough about computers to start digging around in the guts and tweaking it. I've been a Windows user since 3.1 and used to have tons of trouble, but I was always screwing with it. One day I got so exasperated I swore off all those little nudges for enhanced performance... and wouldn't you know if things didn't start running a whole lot smoother. That being said Windows still isn't the most stable critter on the planet but each generation is better than the one before it. XP rocks very stable I only have one thing that's twitchy on XP and all of my experience with The Sims on various platforms has shown that it's never really been stable (I think it's the objects, too much wierd stuff can happen at the same time). But other than Sims Hot Date crashing when I sit down at a restaurant XP has given me no problems, even played Max Payne for 6 hours straight and didn't get the old "resource drag" graphics intensive programs make on 98.