ARCHIVED NEWS
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November 2007
Game Patches
30 November 2007
Game Patches
29 November 2007
Windows Updates
28 November 2007
Microsoft has released a range of updates for all Windows versions which you can view and download individually from here, or wait for them to appear on Windows Update.
VIA Hyperion Pro 5.14A
28 November 2007
VIA has released the 5.14A Hyperion Pro chipset drivers for VIA-based motherboards.
Game Patches
28 November 2007
Firefox 2.0.0.10
27 November 2007
Mozilla has released an update to the Firefox browser, bringing it up to Version 2.0.0.10. The latest version fixes several security issues.
Game Patches
27 November 2007
CCleaner 2.03.532
27 November 2007
A new Version 2.03.532 of the free CCleaner system cleaning utility has been released. This version has several bug fixes and improvements, and adds Vista Recycle Bin secure deletion.
Game Patches
26 November 2007
Site Update
25 November 2007
After much thought, I've decided not to write any new game guides. I've come to this decision based on the fact that as the site gets more and more traffic, paradoxically my income continues to decline and more importantly, less people are actually reading the guides properly based on the feedback I'm seeing. Thus there's little point in investing large amounts of my time into writing detailed game tweak guides when most users are just skimming through them looking for quick fixes. In terms of income, I'm not interested in covering the site in intrusive ads: I wouldn't earn much more and most people use adblockers now anyway. Instead I'm again trying to pursue sponsorship options which may or may not pan out. For now all existing guides will be kept fully up to date, and I may do new system guides, but I can't make any assurances regarding future game guides. I'll update you if things change.
CPU-Z 1.42
24 November 2007
A new Version 1.42 of the CPU-Z information utility has been released. This version includes support for new CPUs, has a new loading screen, and allows you to select specific cores by right-clicking on the CPU page.
Game Patches
24 November 2007
Realtek HD Audio 1.82
23 November 2007
Realtek has released Version 1.82 of its HD Audio drivers.
Game Patches
23 November 2007
Ageia PhysX 7.11.13
22 November 2007
Ageia has released a new Version 7.11.13 PhysX driver for both XP and Vista. The main changes in this driver are for the PhysX SDK.
Nvidia Beta Forceware 169.12
22 November 2007
Nvidia has released the Beta Forceware 169.12 for Windows Vista. These drivers fix a crash when resuming from standby or hibernation on 8800GT cards, and have no other changes.
ATI Catalyst 7.11
22 November 2007
ATI has released a new Catalyst 7.11 graphics driver. The driver contains a range of fixes, however note that ATI recommends Crysis players continue to use the ATI Hotfix drivers instead of these.
FRAPS 2.9.3
22 November 2007
A new Version 2.9.3 of the FPS measurement, benchmarking and video capture utility FRAPS has been released. The changes include several fixes and improved video capture on slower hard drives.
Game Patches
22 November 2007
Game Patches
21 November 2007
Firefox 3 Beta 1
21 November 2007
Mozilla has released Beta 1 of Firefox 3. This is a significant update of the Firefox browser, however there are still many known bugs so the beta is only recommended for those who like to experiment.
.NET Framework 3.5
20 November 2007
Microsoft has released Version 3.5 of the .NET Framework for XP and Vista. This version builds upon both .NET 2.0 and .NET 3.0, but is not essential unless you're running specific applications which require it.
Update: A standalone Service Pack 1 (SP1) has also now been released for .NET 3.0 and .NET 2.0. It is recommended that users who don't install .NET 3.5 install the relevant SP for their current .NET version.
Game Patches
20 November 2007
Game Patches
18 November 2007
ATI Crysis Hotfix
17 November 2007
ATI has released a Hotfix for resolving various issues and improving Crossfire performance in Crysis on HD3800 and HD2000 series graphics cards.
Game Patches
17 November 2007
Thunderbird 2.0.0.9
16 November 2007
Mozilla has released a new Version 2.0.0.9 of its free Thunderbird email client. The updated version includes several security fixes.
Game Patches
16 November 2007
Steam Survey
15 November 2007
Valve is running another Steam Survey, and if prompted while using Steam, I encourage you to submit your results. The current survey results can be viewed here, and as you can see it provides a valuable snapshot of the types of systems gamers are currently running.
Game Patches
15 November 2007
Nvidia Beta Forceware 169.09
14 November 2007
Nvidia has released the Beta Forceware 169.09 for Windows XP and Vista. These drivers are specifically recommended for Crysis.
Microsoft Security Updates
14 November 2007
Microsoft has released its monthly set of Windows security updates which you can get through Windows Update, or if not there by viewing and downloading them from here.
Game Patches
14 November 2007
Crysis Released
13 November 2007
In a surprise move, Crysis has been released today here in Australia. I managed to grab a copy earlier today and I've updated the Crysis Tweak Guide for the retail version. Nothing has really changed - the performance and graphics appear to be identical to the demo, and all the tips, tweaks and options are exactly the same.
Game Patches
13 November 2007
Site Update
11 November 2007
As more and more games are being released in the run-up to Christmas, in addition to the guides I've recently released, I will only be doing one more game guide before the year is out. I'll confirm my decision as to which game I choose in a little while. For now, those of you trying to tweak Gears of War should refer to the UT3 Tweak Guide as the two games share the same engine, and for Call of Duty 4, I've found that the COD2 Tweak Guide seems to cover many of the major tweaks which apply to COD4.
Realtek HD Audio 1.81
9 November 2007
Realtek has released Version 1.81 of its HD Audio drivers.
Realtek AC97 Audio 4.03
9 November 2007
Realtek has released Version 4.03 of its AC97 audio drivers.
Game Patches
9 November 2007
Game Patches
8 November 2007
CCleaner 2.02.527
8 November 2007
A new Version 2.02.527 of the free CCleaner system cleaning utility has been released, only days after the last release. This version fixes a single bug with Internet Explorer AutoComplete cleaning.
Crysis Tweak Guide
7 November 2007
I've finally completed the Crysis Tweak Guide, and while there are no magic tweaks or quick fixes, the guide covers all the in-game settings in detail, and provides descriptions for all the major advanced command variables which allow you to customize the game to suit your needs. There are plenty of comparison screenshots and handy tips spread throughout the guide, so if you're patient and willing to experiment, the guide will reward you well.
Nvidia Forceware 163.75
7 November 2007
Nvidia has released the official Forceware 163.75 drivers for Windows XP and Vista. These WHQL drivers provide improved compatibility for a range of recent games including Crysis, BioShock, ET:QW, Hellgate: London and World in Conflict, as well as SLI improvements and general fixes.
iTunes 7.5
6 November 2007
Apple has released Version 7.5 of iTunes. The changes include bug fixes for stability and performance.
QuickTime 7.3
6 November 2007
Apple has released Version 7.3 of the QuickTime media player. The changes include bug fixes and support for iTunes 7.5.
Process Monitor 1.26
6 November 2007
The free Process Monitor utility has been updated again to Version 1.26. The new version has minor bug fixes.
CCleaner 2.02.525
6 November 2007
A new Version 2.02.525 of the free CCleaner system cleaning utility has been released. This version contains a range of bug fixes.
SoundBlaster X-Fi 2.15.0004 Driver
6 November 2007
Creative has released a 2.15.0004 Driver for the X-Fi series under Windows Vista. These drivers resolve a number of issues.
nLite 1.4
6 November 2007
The final version of the free XP installation customization tool nLite 1.4 has been released. The latest version contains several fixes.
Game Patches
6 November 2007
GPU-Z 0.1.0
4 November 2007
GPU-Z, a free graphics card information utility, has reached Version 0.1.0, and while still in beta form is well worth trying. Also of interest is the Stats Database which is being populated with data that GPU-Z users submit, and combined with other data such as the Steam Survey, gives a good snapshot of the types of graphics hardware currently used on desktop systems.
Site Update
2 November 2007
To better accommodate the continually growing traffic and often severe demands placed on this site, our generous sponsor EuroVPS has provided us with a new server. The process of moving the site to the new server means that the Forums will be unavailable for a while, but the main site should be accessible without any interruptions. There is no need to change your bookmarks or anything else, everything will occur behind the scenes.
Meanwhile, I know that many of you are patiently waiting for the full Crysis Tweak Guide to arrive. I promise you that I'm giving it my full attention, and I'm putting together the most comprehensive guide possible through a lot of testing and research. As usual, my guides may not be the first available, but I try my best to make them the most clear and thorough ones out there. The guide should be out within the next few days, so please stay tuned.
Update: If you can see this update line, it means you're viewing the new server!
Firefox 2.0.0.9
2 November 2007
Mozilla has released an update to the Firefox browser, bringing it up to Version 2.0.0.9. The latest version fixes several bugs which were introduced in the last version.
mIRC 6.31
2 November 2007
A new Version 6.31 of the chat client mIRC has been released. This version includes a new interface as well as a range of fixes.
RivaTuner 2.06
2 November 2007
Unwinder has released RivaTuner 2.06. The changes include a large number of updates, fixes and improvements.
Game Patches
2 November 2007
DirectX10.1 ATI Whitepaper
1 November 2007
An ATI Whitepaper providing more details of DirectX10.1 is currently being circulated by TeamATI. While the whitepaper is clearly designed to market ATI graphics cards, it does contain useful general information about the new features of DX10.1.
Game Patches
1 November 2007
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