So, as some of you may know... I have been fighting with my computer for about a year and a half now. Issues with Poser, inability to run Studio, memory problems all over the place no matter how good my video card is, no matter how much RAM I had.

Well, I finally found the problem for both of those issues!! And I can render. FINALLY. Reliably!!

Turns out, the Daz Studio problem I was having - this was the one where DS4 Pro wouldn't even launch because it kept detecting OpenGL 1.1 and needing version 1.3 as a minimum? My core OpenGL version WAS 1.1, but wait - why, when my video card and all of my hardware was capable of 3.2??

It was 1.1 because this stupid desktop has a stupid ONBOARD video card! Anyone who knows me and has heard me talk about computers will tell you that I have what seems like an unjustifiable level of hatred for on-board ANYTHING. Well, I am now feeling VERY validated and "I told you so!"-ish about that.

The problem was two-fold, actually. On the first hand, the on-board video card had a "generic" version of OpenGL, which was equivalent to OpenGL 1.1, and for some stupid bloody reason, it NEVER UPDATED the OpenGL despite all the windows updates, firmware updates, etc etc etc. So, begin the geek-out process of me learning how to manually update the OpenGL to a recent (the current 4.x) version. That was fun.

On the second hand, the ONBOARD VIDEO CARD was superceding EVERY video card I placed in my system. In other words : no matter how good the video card was, no matter how good the specs were... when I placed the new video card into my system, IT WAS NOT BEING USED. Why? Because the ONBOARD video card was overriding it, and the system was using ONLY the ONBOARD video card! So basically, I was running with like 64megs of video memory!

Gee, no WONDER I was having memory problems and stupid not-rendering issues with Poser!! Now begin the process of me geeking out AGAIN and having to learn how to DISABLE the ONBOARD (*#%&(*#%\~#@#!!! video card.

When I discovered this second problem, tried the solution and it worked, I totally had a "HAH! Toldya so, toldya so, THIS is why I hate onboard! I'm NOT baseless for hating it!!" moment. LOL

So, having disabled the onbaord video card, and my system is now using my Radeon card.... Poser runs beautifully, and renders beautifully! And doesn't crash constantly, doesn't freeze, etc etc etc.

And having manually replaced the generic OpenGL version which was ALSO supplied by the ONBOARD card to something that is current, Daz Studio 4 Pro now not only launches, but works wonderfully!

The picture I posted of the little girl sitting? That would be this one :


That was done in DS4 Pro. This is the first version of DS I have ever felt even remotely comfortable in the interface. I have to figure out how to work the lights, but I actually LIKE this interface! And I do honestly like the Genesis figure, too. I absolutely love the autofit functionality.

And having fixed the overriding of my Radeon by the ONBOARD video card, I can now open up POSER and set up, build, render, create once again without wanting to pull my hair out, swear in three languages and throw my system out a third story window.

The second image I posted, of Jake Mitchell was rendered in Poser! And that would be this one, here :


This goes SUCH a long way towards my much needed vent and outlet for all the hell my life has been since January, and goes such a long way towards my ability and motivation to create and render again. I don't have words for how thankful I am right now for this. I am absolutely thrilled.

So to all those people who have critisized me, laughed at me, or blown me off and rolled their eyes about my very vocal, intense hatred of onboard crap, I have one thing to say to you :

I TOLD YOU SO!! HAH!!