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Diamond Fire GL1 Graphics Accelerator for DELL Workstations
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Please read the entire contents of this document. Information in this
file may not appear in printed documentation or online help.
This READ-ME file contains the following information:
1. GENERAL INFORMATION
1.1 List of Product Files
1.2 Driver Information
1.3 Installing the Diamond Fire GL1 Graphics Accelerator
2. INSTALLING THE DIAMOND Fire GL1 VIDEO DRIVER
3. CHANGING THE VIDEO SETTINGS
3.1 Setting Resolution and Color Depth
3.2 Choosing Display Refresh Rates
4. UNINSTALLING THE DIAMOND Fire GL1 VIDEO DRIVER
5. CONFIGURATION FEATURES AND INFORMATION
5.1 Diamond Information Dialog
5.2 Diamond Configuration Menu (for experienced users only!)
6. NOTES, PROBLEMS, AND LIMITATIONS
7. SERVICE, SUPPORT, AND SOFTWARE UPGRADES
8. SUPPORTED RESOLUTIONS, COLOR DEPTHS, AND REFRESH RATES
1. GENERAL INFORMATION
----------------------
1.1 List of product files
-------------------------
The following files are on the Fire GL1 Windows Windows 2000 Drivers
diskettes:
DISK1
FIREGL1.INF Driver installation script
VERSION.TXT Information about current driver version
READ-ME.TXT This file ( English )
FIREGL1.DL_ Display driver
FGL1EXT.DL_ Display driver extension
FIREGL1M.SY_ Miniport driver
DMONITOR.??_ Diamond Monitor control panel
DSMON???.HL_ Diamond Monitor control panel context help
DMONITOR.IN_ Diamond Monitor data base
DSMINFO.??_ Diamond Information control panel
FGL1CFG.??_ Diamond Configuration control panel
F1CFG???.HL_ Diamond Configuration control panel context help
DSNTHSER.EX_ Diamond fan control service
FGL1DEL.EX_ Diamond driver uninstall utility
DISK2
FIREGL1.INF Driver installation script
FGL1OGL.CAB OpenGL driver
VERSION.TXT Information about current driver version
FROMCAB.EXE Diamond cabinet file extractor
DISK3
FIREGL1.INF Driver installation script
FGL1OGLS.1_ OpenGL driver
FGL1OGL.DR_ Driver for 3D Studio MAX/VIZ
MAXINST.EX_ 3D Studio MAX/VIZ driver install utility
VERSION.TXT Information about current driver version
DISK4
FIREGL1.INF Driver installation script
FGL1OGLS.2_ OpenGL driver
VERSION.TXT Information about current driver version
1.2 Driver Information
-----------------------
Version: 5.00.2195.1092
Date: 14/02/2000
Product: Diamond Fire GL1
Intended Operating System:
Windows 2000
Languages: Support for English, French, German, Spanish, Korean, Japanese,
Traditional Chinese, and Simplified Chinese
NOTE: This adapter requires Windows 2000.
1.3 Installing the Diamond Fire GL1 Graphics Accelerator
-------------------------------------------------------
Your computer shipped with the first/primary Diamond Fire GL1
Graphics Accelerator and its drivers factory-installed.
Refer to the following directions and information only if you plan to
install additional Fire GL1 cards.
Refer to the User's Guide of your computer to install the Diamond
Fire GL1 Graphics Accelerator in your system.
NOTE: If you want to install the Fire GL1 card to replace your
existing graphics solution it may be helpful to set your display driver
to standard VGA before you shut down your PC and remove a previously
installed card.
The drivers are designed exclusively to
support Fire GL1 Graphics Accelerators with the Windows 2000
operating system. The drivers DO NOT SUPPORT any other type or brand of
graphics card or operating system.
2. INSTALLING THE DIAMOND Fire GL1 VIDEO DRIVER
-----------------------------------------------
NOTE: This device driver requires Windows 2000
installed.
Your computer system shipped with the graphics software drivers for the
Fire GL1 card pre-installed.
You need the information in this section on re-installation of the basic
driver software for Windows 2000 only if you are re-installing the
operating system.
For your convenience the following procedures describe how to install
the graphics driver software.
NOTE: Before installing the Diamond Fire GL1 video driver, please
close all open application programs and disable any anti-virus
software that is running on your computer until the driver
installation is complete!
3. CHANGING THE VIDEO SETTINGS
------------------------------
The following dialogs in the 'Display Properties' menu allows setting and
adjusting the video settings to suit your requirements best.
Settings: set resolution and color depth
Settings/Advanced/Monitor: choose monitors and display refresh rates
3.1 Setting Resolution and Color Depth
--------------------------------------
Select the 'Settings' dialog in the 'Display Properties' window.
Set the resolution (screen area) and color depth that best suit your
requirements and your monitor's performance.
NOTES:
For multi-monitor configurations, drag the monitor icons to match the
physical arrangement of your monitors.
In a multi-monitor configuration click the corresponding monitor icon to
set resolution and color depth individually for all monitors. Check the
documentation of your monitors and make sure that each monitor supports the
resolution and color depth setting selected for it.
Use the Windows 2000 'Monitor' dialog (see 3.2) to select the display refresh
rates individually for all monitors in a multi-monitor configuration.
Refer to your Windows 2000 online help and documentation for further
information on using the 'Settings' dialog.
3.2 Choosing Display Refresh Rates
----------------------------------
Select the 'Monitor' dialog via Display Properties > Settings > Advanced
> Monitor.
For a multi-monitor configuration click the corresponding monitor icon in the
'Settings' dialog before clicking the 'Advanced' button.
In the 'Monitor Settings' section set the refresh rate for each monitor
connected to the Graphics Accelerator(s) in your system.
Warning!
Selecting a refresh rate that your monitor does not support can
permanently damage the monitor.
Check the documentation of your monitor and make sure that the
monitor supports the selected resolution and refresh rate.
NOTE: Refer to your Windows 2000 online help and documentation for further
information on using the 'Monitor' dialog.
4. UNINSTALLING THE DIAMOND Fire GL1 VIDEO DRIVER
---------------------------------------------------
This section describes how to properly remove your Diamond Fire GL1
software from your system should you need to do so.
NOTE: Before removing the Diamond Fire GL1 video driver, please close
all open application programs and disable any anti-virus software
that is running on your computer until the driver de-installation
is complete!
1. Select Start > Settings > Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs.
2. Select 'Diamond Fire GL1.
3. Click on the 'Remove the Product' button.
4. Click 'Next'.
5. When the uninstall is complete, Windows NT will automatically reboot.
5. CONFIGURATION FEATURES AND INFORMATION
-----------------------------------------
5.1 Diamond Information Dialog
------------------------------
Check the 'Information' dialog in Display Properties > Settings >
> Advanced > Information for
detailed hardware and driver information on your Fire GL1 card. This
data may be helpful when contacting Dell's technical support.
You can display the 'Information' dialog by
right-clicking the Windows Desktop background and then selecting
the 'Properties' option from the pop-up menu. Then select the
'Information' tab.
5.2 Diamond Configuration Menu (for experienced users only!)
------------------------------------------------------------
If you experience problems with your application, or if you want to try
to optimize the performance of your system on specific applications, you
may modify the configuration settings.
Select the 'Configuration' dialog via Display Properties > Settings >
> Advanced > Configuration.
You can find more information on the settings in the
'Configuration' dialog in the context sensitive online help.
You can display the 'Configuration' dialog by
right-clicking the Windows Desktop background and then selecting
the 'Properties' option from the pop-up menu. Then click 'Settings' >
'Advanced' and select the 'Configuration' tab.
For some of the most popular applications the optimal configuration
profile is factory-set by default. Select the application from the list
in the 'Configuration Profiles' section. This will change the necessary
Windows NT registry settings.
Click 'Apply' and then restart Windows NT.
1. Click the 'Add' button in the 'Configuration Profiles' section and
enter the new application for which you want to set the configuration
parameters.
2. To modify the configuration settings of a specific application, for
example, Softimage, select the application from the list in the
'Configuration Profiles' section and click the 'Modify' button.
3. In the 'Settings' section select or clear the following checkboxes
according to your requirements:
Overlay Planes
4-Bit double-buffered
Use 4 bit double-buffered overlay planes in the depth buffers. The
driver exports pixelformats with 4-bit double-buffered overlay
planes for OpenGL applications.
8-Bit single-buffered
Use 8 bits of each 32-bit frame buffer pixel as single-buffered
overlay planes.
Force copy swap
Force blit copy from back to front buffer.
Wait for vertical retrace
Buffer swap 'synched' to vertical retrace. This improves the
picture quality but reduces the view performance in, for example,
benchmark testing.
4. Click the 'Apply' or 'OK' button to enable your Configuration
settings.
6. NOTES, PROBLEMS, AND LIMITATIONS
-----------------------------------
Driver Errata
5.00.2195.1092
Known issues
Fixed issues
- 3DSudio MAX screen corruption issue is fixed.
5.00.2195.1089
Known issues
Fixed issues
- Special driver for 3D Studio MAX 3.0 / VIZ added. Driver automatically
detects the application
in the system and installs itself with user prompt.
- MAYA 2.0 disappearing menu problem is fixed.
- Catia V RC3 Dr. Watson problem is fixed.
- FreeForm Dr. Watson problem is fixed.
- SoftImage|DS crash problem is fixed.
- Master Series 7.0 wrong color with Simulation test.
5.00.2183.1082
Known issues
Fixed issues
-Compatible with W2K build 2183 (RC3)
-Winstone 2000 content creation test hang-up problem is fixed.
-MAYA 2.0 disappearing menu problem is fixed.
-Catia V RC3 Dr. Watson problem is fixed.
-FreeForm Dr. Watson problem is fixed.
7. SERVICE, SUPPORT, AND SOFTWARE UPGRADES
------------------------------------------
For information on how to contact Dell Computer Corporation's
technical support, refer to the Getting Help section in the Diagnostics
and Troubleshooting Guide that shipped with your system. You can
also contact Dell's technical support via the World Wide Web at
www.dell.com.
8. SUPPORTED RESOLUTIONS, COLOR DEPTHS, AND REFRESH RATES
----------------------------------------------------------
The resolutions and refresh rates supported by the Fire GL1 are
dependent on the monitor that is selected. To display the resolution
that are supported and the maximum vertical refresh rate for your
monitor, refer to the 'Monitor' dialog in the 'Display Properties'
window. You can display the 'Monitor' dialog by right-clicking
the Windows desktop and selecting 'Properties' and then
selecting the 'Monitor' tab.
The table below is showing screen resolution, pixel size, horizontal
line rate and refresh rate for all modes supported under the MS NT4.0
operating system, all modes are providing full screen double buffering
using the OpenGL API.
+==========+=======+=======+===================+
|Resolution| Color | Alpha | Refresh Rate |
| | Bits | Bits | (Hz) |
+----------+-------+-------+-------------------+
| 640x480 | 24 | 8 | 60, 75, 85 |
+----------+-------+-------+-------------------+
| 800x600 | 24 | 8 | 60, 75, 85 |
+----------+-------+-------+-------------------+
|1024x768 | 24 | 8 | 60, 75, 85 |
+----------+-------+-------+-------------------+
|1280x1024 | 24 | 8 | 60, 75, 85 |
+----------+-------+-------+-------------------+
|1600x1200 | 24 | 8 | 60, 75, 85 |
+----------+-------+-------+-------------------+
|1600x1024 | 24 | 8 | 76 |
+----------+-------+-------+-------------------+
|1920x1200 | 24 | 8 | 60, 76 |
+==========+=======+=======+===================+
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All product names listed are trademarks or copyrights of their
respective owners.
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S3 Inc. / Diamond Multimedia (c) 1993-2000, All Rights Reserved
Professional Graphics Division
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Download Driver Pack
After your driver has been downloaded, follow these simple steps to install it.
Expand the archive file (if the download file is in zip or rar format).
If the expanded file has an .exe extension, double click it and follow the installation instructions.
Otherwise, open Device Manager by right-clicking the Start menu and selecting Device Manager.
Find the device and model you want to update in the device list.
Double-click on it to open the Properties dialog box.
From the Properties dialog box, select the Driver tab.
Click the Update Driver button, then follow the instructions.
Very important: You must reboot your system to ensure that any driver updates have taken effect.
For more help, visit our Driver Support section for step-by-step videos on how to install drivers for every file type.