I'm having the same problems as you are. i've posted a few messages on a couple other forms so if i find out whats the solution i'll be sure to tell you.

Hey feoen, Lelan here. That's not your graphics card. That's just the info from the server taking longer to load into your computer, so once it finally catches up to itself, it goes in steps like that (aka LAG). I've got a 9800pro and everything runs beautifully. When that happens, check your sending and recieving speeds. Try your connection. Also, if POL isn't the active window on my puter, sometimes it goes VERY slow (?) but as soon as I activate it again (or if there's a big program running in the background, like if windows is loading or a windows update) it will bog it down. Try and run POL and FFXI with everything not nessecary (sp?) shut down (messenger, FRAPS, etc...) and see if that helps.

EDIT: Hmm...just realized I don't have DirectX 9.0c; I think I have 9.0b. I'll try installing the newer version.

If anyone else comes up with a solution, including installing the 56.64 drivers, PLEASE post...

Certainly.

You see, there is a special verification process that a driver has to go through in order to pass the Windows Certification tests. I'll try to educate without being piarrhetic.

Unfortunately, that driver failed to meet the specifications put forth by Microsoft, and has failed to meet up to it's criteria, or they simply did not attempt to get it verified in time to meet certain deadlines.. a number of different issues could have caused this.

"Microsoft is the self-made god of its own standards, and there is one thing no one will complain about with MS, and that is its brutal enforcement of its standards. People may complain about how the standards are made, or how MS uses them, but the standards themselves have brought us a relatively sane computer industry with hardware and software that works together. MS is understandably ****** about these standards, and defends them vigorously. If you see the sticker with the logo on it, you know what it brings.

Microsoft has a raft of tests, and the ones that concern graphics all revolve around DirectX. With the release of Direct 9.0c a little less than a month ago, the Vole also released a new round of tests to certify compliance levels. The new DCT level is 5.2, and it basically makes you adhere to SM3.0, and adhere closely. No games are permitted, you play by Microsoft rules or take your ball and go home. Consumers really do win here.

The compliance sticker is not all that pretty to begin with, and anyone with a bit of pride will rip it off the computer as her or his first act of case modding. The problem is that the little sticker brings a lot of money in the door, and out the door if you don't have it.

But I understand you, us people don't like that box, and if you don't know much about computers, this fearsome warning may very well prompt a panic call to tech support. I have had a few from friends myself, so I know it is a real problem. Support calls like that cost money, and negatively impact consumer sentiment. Both are very bad for a manufacturer.

The thing that is much worse is that large OEMs know this, and for reasons of self preservation, and for the bags of MS money that comes with it, they insist on the Microsoft certified logo. So, no logo, little mom and pop vendors like Dell and HP won't ship it. This is considered bad in the industry, and pretty much fatal for a supplier of parts.

Now don't get me wrong, having a Driver certified by MS is a GREAT thing, but having a driver that is not certified, isn't nessacerily a BAD thing either. It does take a little bit of effort, time, and money in order to take every driver through this process. Hence, sometimes they skip a few revisions in the efforts to save time and money. In my mind this is a horrible way to develop drivers because you can only be certain that the versions that passed the cert. process are actually what they should be.

I remember reading an article put out by Toms Hardware about a recent ATI driver.

You may want to check them out at www.tomshardware.com. You will find some more info there. Look for ATI Driver something or rather. Sorry I can't be more specific.. if I find the link again I will edit this post.

Also, the last few times I have posted something HELPFULL to the main page I was ACTUALLY RATED DOWN. If this post gets rated down, I'll just quit posting to the main page.

Edited, Fri Sep 17 15:15:36 2004

The 56.64 drivers may be the latest ones WQHL certifed, which is why hey are recommending them. I could be wrong on the WQHL certification though.