[BugMeNot]

The drivers for ATI's X1[somethingoranother] cards after version 7.10 include a ****ed up version of OpenGL. Problems that you may experience when playing FSO with an ATIX1*** graphics card include (but are not limited to) random crashing, persistent crashing, graphical oddities and such and such. But not to worry; there are cures.
Quick fixes:
On Windows XP: Just install the latest drivers for your card, then download one of the following atioglxx.dll files:atioglxx.dll #1 or atioglxx.dll #2. Place it to your \freespace2\ folder. This will make the game engine use the older OpenGL .dll without the need to tamper the drivers themselves. If one of them doesn't work, try the other one as well; they're different versions.
Do not use the .dll's unless you're having problems with the game. Also, keep the file name as atioglxx.dll ; the FSO engine won't use the file if the file name is something else. One more thing: these .dll files will work on Windows XP ONLY!
On Windows Vista/7: Open the Launcher, open the "Features" tab, select the "Troubleshoot" list type and tick on "Disable GLSL (shader) support". FSO should now work. You won't get normal maps (that is, the absolutely bestest graphics), but it'll work.
1337 fix:
Install Catalyst 7.10 drivers. Surf to C:\Windows\System32\ and copy the file atioglxx.dll to your \freespace2\ folder. Uninstall Catalyst 7.10 and install the newest drivers for your graphics card. The result: FSO will use the older (but working) atioglxx.dll in \freespace2\, while other games can use the newer atioglxx.dll which resides at C:\Windows\System32\ . Handy.

can anyone who tried the second solution can upload the atioglxx.dll file please ?

[BugMeNot]

err, sorry just noticed it...  early morning sorry about that.  to bad there is no delete or undo stupidity button ...

[jr2]

Well, this woulda been handy if I'd known it...

[jr2]

Double-post... how hard would it be to hack the atioglxx.dll and patch through the working parts that don't cause a problem into the newest .dll for vista / 7?  It's either that or no glsl for me. 

EDIT Moved the rest of this post here.