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Google Earth Help



Mac Specific: Known issues with Mac graphics cards

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To improve the performance and compatibility of Google Earth for the Mac, we highly recommend updating your graphics card drivers. For more information on updating your graphics card driver for the Mac, please click here: http://earth.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=32349

Listed below are the known graphics card issues for the Mac with Google Earth:

Model: ATI Rage 128 Pro, shown as "ATY, Rage M3" in system profile
Description: The labels aren't displayed correctly and appear as white blocks. We don't support this graphics card. However, some users have found success using the following steps:
1. Please select the drop down menu "Google Earth" > "Preferences." In the "View" tab change the "Detail Area" to Small (256x256) and "Label/Icons Size" to Small.
2. In the "Preferences" tab, remove the checks next to "Show Tooltips,""Show Common Layers on Navigation Bar," and "Show Print, Email, and Add Placemark buttons on Navigation Bar."
3. Click the "OK" button.
4. Re-size the Google Earth window as small as possible.

Model: ATI Rage 128, shown as "ATY, Rage M6" in system profile
Description: This graphics card doesn't support filled polygons. We recommend adjusting the detail area to be 256 x 256 by using the steps listed below. It's been reported that the higher detail area settings also work:
1. Select the drop down menu "Google Earth" > "Preferences."
2. In the "View" tab change the "Detail Area" to Small (256x256).
3. Click the "OK" button.

Model: ATI Radeon, shown as "ATY, Rage M6" in system profile
Description: We recommend adjusting the detail area to be 256 x 256 by using the steps listed below. It's been reported that the higher detail area settings also work:
1. Select the drop down menu "Google Earth" > "Preferences."
2. In the "View" tab change the "Detail Area" to Small (256x256).
3. Click the "OK" button.

Model: ATI Radeon 7000
Description: We recommend adjusting the detail area to be 256 x 256 by using the steps listed below. It's been reported that the higher detail area settings also work.
1. Select the drop down menu "Google Earth" > "Preferences."
2. In the "View" tab change the "Detail Area" to Small (256x256).
3. Click the "OK" button.

Model: ATI Mobility Radeon 7500, shown as "ATY, Rage M7" in system profile
Description: This card has been reported to work fine.

Model: ATI Radeon 8500
Description: When using Google Earth, this card occasionally locks your computer.

Model: ATI Radeon 9700
Description: This card has been reported to work fine.

Model: ATI Radeon 9800
Description: This card has been reported to work fine.

Model: nVidia GeForce 2 MX
Description: This card has been reported to work fine except the lines in Google Earth's 3D viewer are limited to 2 pixels width.

updated 4/20/2009

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