Try using Catalyst-Drivers and ATI Tray Tools
Hi,
I would recommend to un-install your CCC (Catalyst Control Center), because:
I personally don't like this app. It's cluttered with GUI-stuff and it is sooooooo slooooooow. Startup-time is annoying and I don't like the fact, that the .net-framework has to be run in the background to change the settings of my GRAPHICS CARD !?
Why should I run a pretty fast system (4GB RAM, QuadCore, Radeon 4870 1 GB) and loose some memory and CPU because of a framework that drives my GPU?
I use the ATI Tray Tool (V 1.6.9.1374) on a 64-bit Vista Ultimate. It works perfectly, fast and stable. I can easily manage my game-configs (that was the main topic in this thread, I think :-) , set per-game-AA and AF and am able to over- or underclock my Card.
Yes, I do some underclocking :-D
When in normal Windows-mode or working in Photoshop, Illustrator and the likes, I underclock my Radeon to about 50% GPU clock and 50% memory clock. This saves a huge amount of power (which is expensive in these days :-( ) and it stretches the lifetime of my GPU.
BUT: One of the most important features of The ATI Tray Tools (ATT) is, that I can easily(!) manage my FAN-speeds. My card NEVER exceeds 72° C !!! In normal mode, the card is heating up to a max of 62° C. Before I was using ATT, the idle-temp of my Radeon 4870 was about 80° C to 82° C.
remember: lifetime of your card :-D
I hope this will help you to decide if you will use ATT in the future. I did and am VERY comfortable with it.
greetings from Myself