Configuring FS with ATI 9800XT

I recently tried to readjust my video card settings because of some display problems (flickering, sparkling, flashing, etc.). I recently updated my ATI 9800 XT card's driver (8.273.0.0), so I wonder if that's why my FS settings were a little off. Anyway, I experimented within the ATI control panel and fixed everything within FS by adjusting anti-aliasing, AF filtering, etc. I returned to FS and the display was perfect. The problem is, when I reopened FS the next time, settings reverted back to what they were before I changed things. I reduced FS to the taskbar, went back into ATI control panel, saw that all settings were still OK, and went back to FS. Still like before I made changes. Back to ATI, but this time I didn't close the ATI panel, I just reduced it to the little ATI icon in the taskbar. Returning to FS it showed all the smooth improvements I made. It appears that as long as ATI is reduced to the taskbar, my FS settings changes are OK, but if I close the ATI interface, FS reverts back to pre-change settings. When I made changes in ATI, I selected apply or save on exit, so that can't be the problem. I never had this problem before. Any ideas??? Thanks. Tom