Published on October 10, 2005 By Jonep In WindowBlinds
If your Radeon 9200 or 9250 won't do the per pixel thing here's how you do it.
step 1 uninstall all ati software, catalyst control center, control panel and 5.9 drivers.
step 2 reboot.
step 3 find your original driver disc that came with your card install drivers only (choose custom install) don't install the control panel.
step 4 open windowblinds choose a per pixel skin and your away!.
don't ask me why (no idea) this works for me and master KOL he's got the 9250.
good luck.

Comments (Page 1)
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on Oct 10, 2005
Yep works here
on Oct 10, 2005
I have a Radeon 64m DDR ViVo which equates to something like a 7200. WinFX was able to turn on per pixel. How do I do that manually?
on Oct 10, 2005
Perfect!!
on Oct 30, 2005
THANK YOU
on Nov 02, 2005
i dont have my installation cd any way around this?
on Nov 13, 2005
It appears there is no way around it. I found that updating with online drivers, even one version above the 7/19/2003 version on my CD, breaks it again. Did ATI perhaps change the API for accessing alpha blending in later drivers? Kind of stinks that I can never update the driver without breaking per pixel support. Can't afford a new card right now, so I guess I'll be stuck for the time being. Interstingly enough, it does work fine on a 9700 Pro with the latest drivers and Catalyst Control Center (I have one, but my new ASROCK MB does not like it-swapped with the kids' computer).
on Nov 13, 2005

Those with 9200 cards who have this problem should contact ATI tech support and request they fix it.

There is nothing we can do in WB to work around this as if the drivers have no support then we cannot add it for them.

9500 cards and later have no problems with it.

on Nov 13, 2005
I sent an email to them, assumed it was them. Upon further reading I do see they point out that older versions with new drivers will be installed for 9200 and earlier All-In-One and VIVO cards. I suspect they have abandoned these cards. Probably had hardware changes in newer cards that new drivers support, but can not support in older hardware.
on Nov 14, 2005
i actually did contact stardock, and they told me that they couldn't do anything because they won't resolve issues involving beta software
on Nov 14, 2005
Eazy peeps with my 9200 pro it seemed to be the control centre that was the problem I found if you lower your screen res per pixel was supported, but you do get the black borders around screen edges (ugly)
my driver properties
driver date 02/06/2003
driver version 6.14.10.6360
hope this is useful

edit google search found http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/win/41518
on Nov 16, 2005
Those are the very old drivers. Unfortunately, they are not very optimized so there is a pretty good hit on GUI performance.

While I can understand ATI saying they won't look at something that affects another beta app, my point to them is that they obviously changed something in how alpha belnding is handled by the drivers for 9200 and earlier cards and they need to either catch up or tell others what they changed. They probably won't, they like to bundle drivers and catch as many cards with a single driver as possible. I think they might have to alter specific card set drivers to address this and won't be willing... but who knows.
on Nov 20, 2005
The latest release of the Catalyst 4.x series (4.12) works well with transparency. You can get it at

https://support.ati.com/ics/support/KBAnswer.asp?questionID=1328

The release is from December 2004. This is fairly recent. I doubt the later Catalyst utilize the 9200 to its fullest...
on Nov 21, 2005
thanks for your find, this did work for me only problem is that the titlebar in every window, where the font is, is slightly blurred out, any ideas?
on Nov 24, 2005
Called ATI Sales yesterday in Toronto, spoke with someone named Mike at the call-center (888-974-6728). I called to ask if my D850GB Intel mobo with 512 RAMBUS RAM would be compatible with what card at minimum $$ to get per-pixel rendering, 3D, etc. He/they suggested either 9600 XP or X700 Pro. So happens this morning's paper had flyer from ______ listing X700 Pro at 1/2 price! Under a c-note! It seemed to me to be possibly the 'best buy' [evidently avail in either AGP or PCI Express form factor]
on Nov 24, 2005
The latest release of the Catalyst 4.x series (4.12) works well with transparency.


Does it allow per pixel at res of 1280x whatever, for me 9200 SE Catalyst 5.8 per pixel is fine up to 1152x864 anything 1280 by and no per pixel.
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