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anon1978

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#1 anon1978
Member since 2008 • 25 Posts

I figured out why my game was black screening. I had to go into the steam program and configure each game (portal etc) with the launch command:

-autoconfig

After adding that they all work with the new intel G33 graphics drivers. I can even play Team Fortress 2 at very reasonable speed. I love it!

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anon1978

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#2 anon1978
Member since 2008 • 25 Posts

I have a Dell Inspiron 530s. With the pre-installed graphics drivers I could play Portal, Half-Life 2 episdoe 2 and Team Fortress 2. After installing the new drivers from the intel website, the games I just listed stopped working with a black background after the opening screen (guy with plug in head then the game screen saying loading then black).

Half Life 2 Episode one lagged in a room before I upgraded the drivers (too bad it broke the rest of the games, especially portal). The new drivers fixed the lag in the big room in Half Life 2 Episode one. I also tried Quake3 and of course Quake3 still runs fine with the newest drivers.

I think I'll rollback my driver (Intel G33 integrated graphics) so I can finish Portal then reinstall the new driver because it obviously fixes some issues (but causes others). To be fair, I was surprised Portal ran on the integrated G33 chipset (playable speed too, only laggy in one or two spots). The speed increase in the big room on Half Life Episode one makes me wish the new intel driver didn't break Portal and the other newer Orange Box games. :(

Summary:

The old Intel G33 driver (have fun finding it without an old Dell install CD) works on all games in Orange Box, but has lag issues in some rooms (and is mostly unplayable in TeamFortress2 and sucks pretty bad in HL2 Ep2).

New driver works only on old games (no Portal, no Half-Life2 Episode 2, no TeamFortresss2) but works a lot better on older games like Half Life 2 Espisode One.

Also, if you're going to get a new video card for your Dell Inspiron 530s you have to get a slimline card, and also you have to get a slimline bracket for it. Even if you buy a slimline card, it will come with a normal bracket. You have to buy the slimline bracket seperately. Also, some slimlines might not even fit into the 530s. You have to do some web browsing.