*Cries*

[Jay2645]

Well, I got the Orange Box 3 days ago. Finally.

I put it in my computer, and when I boot up Portal, it says, Hai, why don't you install some new drivers for your video card?

So I agreed, and after that, I cleaned up my Hard Drive because I had 120 MB left on it. Got rid of a whole bunch of shit, deleted all but the most recent system restore point (After I installed the drivers), then I tried running Portal. I get a "Failed to initiate D3D Device" error. I check the Steam support site, and I follow every step in it. Apparently, people running my graphics card (ATI Radeon 9600) need the latest drivers, according to the step. I thought I HAD installed them, so I installed them again. No Portal.

Frustrated, I boot up CE. I get a flashing white and black screen for about 15 seconds, then it crashes to desktop, telling me it failed to initiate D3D device. I run DxDiag, and it appears my drivers don't support D3D for some reason. Another installation of the same drivers, same problem.

Now I can't do anything. I reinstalled DirectX, and the installer crashes when it boots up. ATI's site is of no help, and I can't roll back my drivers or go back using System Restore (I cleaned up my Hard Drive, remember?). My speakers also stopped working a couple months ago (I think I fried my Sound Card, I've been ordering a new one), and now I'm frustrated.

I think it's time to downgrade to Vista, but I want to see if anyone here can help me first.

EDIT: A quick Yahoo search gave me a link to the older driver (6.11), so I'm going to install it and hope I get better luck. I'll let you guys know after I finish installation.
EDIT 2: Nope. Setup crashed.
Specs:
Processor:AMD Sempron
Graphics Card: RADEON 9600 Series
Memory (RAM): 512 MB
Primary Hard Drive: 80 GB
Secondary Hard Drive: 5.98 GB
Power Supply: None
Case: None
Sound Card: Realtek AC97 Audio
Primary Monitor: Plug and Play Monitor
Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition

[Botolf]

Did you uninstall your drivers before installing the new ones?

[legionaire45]

Uninstall your current drivers and run Driver Cleaner Pro (http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=745) and then try reinstalling again. If that doesn't work then uninstall, run DCP again and then install these drivers here (http://www.omegadrivers.net/ati.php).

[Dr Nick]

Just use "-dxlevel 70" in the launch options.

It doesn't exactly solve the problem, but at least you'll be able to play it.

[Jay2645]

Just use "-dxlevel 70" in the launch options.

It doesn't exactly solve the problem, but at least you'll be able to play it.
The Orange Box requires -dxlevel 81 at the least, and that doesn't work. I'll run that driver cleaner and see if it makes a difference.

[WaЯReN]

Well, SiMuLaCrUm's didn't work right but I dont think its the same problem.

My Hypothesis:

Portal started out as a free mod. Sim downloaded it from Steam...paying for it.
Jay bought the hard CD copy....paying for it.
I got it from another source torrents not paying for it.

Its obvious to me someone at Valve was angry at the choice to profit from it and made it so if you bought it it would not work, that way more people would get it in other ways

torrents

Or at least thats my hypothesis.

[Syuusuke]

I think the problem happened when Jay installed the new drivers without uninstalling the older ones...

[Sel]

I think the problem happened when Jay installed the new drivers without uninstalling the older ones...

I had no driver problems at all, but my computer is relatively new, soo....

[Jay2645]

Well, SiMuLaCrUm's didn't work right but I dont think its the same problem.
After Sim telling me that the 7.12 update was screwed, he gave me a link to the 7.7 update, which I downloaded, and it works. So Sim, my love for you is like a truck. And I'm not sure if that's good or bad.


Uninstall your current drivers and run Driver Cleaner Pro (http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=745) and then try reinstalling again. If that doesn't work then uninstall, run DCP again and then install these drivers here (http://www.omegadrivers.net/ati.php).
That driver cleaner helped, too. You get some truck lovin' as well.