Big issues with STALKER

Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU 3.40GHz (2 CPUs)
             Memory: 1024MB RAM
          Page File: 380MB used, 2447MB available
        Windows Dir: C:WINDOWS
    DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)

Card name: Radeon X1600 Series 
     Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.
        Chip type: ATI Radeon Graphics Processor AGP (0x71C2)
         DAC type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
       Device Key: EnumPCIVEN_1002&DEV_71C2&SUBSYS_215C17AF&REV_00
   Display Memory: 512.0 MB
     Current Mode: 1024 x 768 (32 bit) (75Hz)
          Monitor: Plug and Play Monitor
  Monitor Max Res: 1600,1200
      Driver Name: ati2dvag.dll
   Driver Version: 6.14.0010.6683 (English)
      DDI Version: 9 (or higher)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
 Driver Date/Size: 3/15/2007 02:57:34, 267776 bytes

These are my DxDiag specs, and yes, I can *run* STALKER - but playability is questionable, even on medium/low settings with static lighting - I get constant crashes and sometimes I have to reset - sometimes only after 5 mins of play. Could anyone help with this?

I did everything they said to do when the game and the first 2 patches came out... updated drivers, stopped overclocking, tweaked all the settings and none of that worked.

then the 1.0003 patch or whatever came out and it runs fine now... maybe you just have to play the waiting game like i had to