diff -r 6fc2f1ac8acb -r db8e4e2408a0 indra/newview/app_settings/settings.xml
--- a/indra/newview/app_settings/settings.xml	Wed Oct 05 09:03:24 2011 -0400
+++ b/indra/newview/app_settings/settings.xml	Fri Oct 07 14:38:00 2011 -0400
@@ -4589,21 +4589,21 @@
         <key>Value</key>
             <integer>1</integer>
         </map>
-    <key>LastGPUClass</key>
-    <map>
-      <key>Comment</key>
-      <string>[DO NOT MODIFY] previous GPU class for tracking hardware changes</string>
-      <key>Persist</key>
-      <integer>1</integer>
-      <key>Type</key>
-      <string>S32</string>
-      <key>Value</key>
-      <integer>-1</integer>
+    <key>LastGPUString</key>
+    <map>
+      <key>Comment</key>
+      <string>[DO NOT MODIFY] previous GPU id string for tracking hardware changes</string>
+      <key>Persist</key>
+      <integer>1</integer>
+      <key>Type</key>
+      <string>String</string>
+      <key>Value</key>
+      <string></string>
     </map>
     <key>LastFeatureVersion</key>
     <map>
       <key>Comment</key>
-      <string>[DO NOT MODIFY] Version number for tracking hardware changes</string>
+      <string>[DO NOT MODIFY] Feature Table Version number for tracking rendering system changes</string>
       <key>Persist</key>
       <integer>1</integer>
       <key>Type</key>
diff -r 6fc2f1ac8acb -r db8e4e2408a0 indra/newview/featuretable.txt
--- a/indra/newview/featuretable.txt	Wed Oct 05 09:03:24 2011 -0400
+++ b/indra/newview/featuretable.txt	Fri Oct 07 14:38:00 2011 -0400
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
 version 32
+// The version number above should be implemented IF AND ONLY IF some
+// change has been made that is sufficiently important to justify
+// resetting the graphics preferences of all users to the recommended
+// defaults.  This should be as rare an event as we can manage.
 
 // NOTE: This is mostly identical to featuretable_mac.txt with a few differences 
 // Should be combined into one table
diff -r 6fc2f1ac8acb -r db8e4e2408a0 indra/newview/featuretable_linux.txt
--- a/indra/newview/featuretable_linux.txt	Wed Oct 05 09:03:24 2011 -0400
+++ b/indra/newview/featuretable_linux.txt	Fri Oct 07 14:38:00 2011 -0400
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
 version 27
+// The version number above should be implemented IF AND ONLY IF some
+// change has been made that is sufficiently important to justify
+// resetting the graphics preferences of all users to the recommended
+// defaults.  This should be as rare an event as we can manage.
 
 // NOTE: This is mostly identical to featuretable_mac.txt with a few differences
 // Should be combined into one table
diff -r 6fc2f1ac8acb -r db8e4e2408a0 indra/newview/featuretable_mac.txt
--- a/indra/newview/featuretable_mac.txt	Wed Oct 05 09:03:24 2011 -0400
+++ b/indra/newview/featuretable_mac.txt	Fri Oct 07 14:38:00 2011 -0400
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
 version 30
+// The version number above should be implemented IF AND ONLY IF some
+// change has been made that is sufficiently important to justify
+// resetting the graphics preferences of all users to the recommended
+// defaults.  This should be as rare an event as we can manage.
 
 // NOTE: This is mostly identical to featuretable_mac.txt with a few differences
 // Should be combined into one table
diff -r 6fc2f1ac8acb -r db8e4e2408a0 indra/newview/featuretable_solaris.txt
--- a/indra/newview/featuretable_solaris.txt	Wed Oct 05 09:03:24 2011 -0400
+++ b/indra/newview/featuretable_solaris.txt	Fri Oct 07 14:38:00 2011 -0400
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
 version 15
+// The version number above should be implemented IF AND ONLY IF some
+// change has been made that is sufficiently important to justify
+// resetting the graphics preferences of all users to the recommended
+// defaults.  This should be as rare an event as we can manage.
 
 // NOTE: This is mostly identical to featuretable.txt with a few differences
 // Should be combined into one table
diff -r 6fc2f1ac8acb -r db8e4e2408a0 indra/newview/featuretable_xp.txt
--- a/indra/newview/featuretable_xp.txt	Wed Oct 05 09:03:24 2011 -0400
+++ b/indra/newview/featuretable_xp.txt	Fri Oct 07 14:38:00 2011 -0400
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
 version 31
+// The version number above should be implemented IF AND ONLY IF some
+// change has been made that is sufficiently important to justify
+// resetting the graphics preferences of all users to the recommended
+// defaults.  This should be as rare an event as we can manage.
 
 // NOTE: This is mostly identical to featuretable_mac.txt with a few differences
 // Should be combined into one table
diff -r 6fc2f1ac8acb -r db8e4e2408a0 indra/newview/llstartup.cpp
--- a/indra/newview/llstartup.cpp	Wed Oct 05 09:03:24 2011 -0400
+++ b/indra/newview/llstartup.cpp	Fri Oct 07 14:38:00 2011 -0400
@@ -367,7 +367,9 @@
 		//
 		// Initialize stuff that doesn't need data from simulators
 		//
-
+		std::string lastGPU = gSavedSettings.getString("LastGPUString");
+		std::string thisGPU = LLFeatureManager::getInstance()->getGPUString();
+		
 		if (LLFeatureManager::getInstance()->isSafe())
 		{
 			LLNotificationsUtil::add("DisplaySetToSafe");
@@ -375,12 +377,14 @@
 		else if ((gSavedSettings.getS32("LastFeatureVersion") < LLFeatureManager::getInstance()->getVersion()) &&
 				 (gSavedSettings.getS32("LastFeatureVersion") != 0))
 		{
-			LLNotificationsUtil::add("DisplaySetToRecommended");
+			LLNotificationsUtil::add("DisplaySetToRecommendedFeatureChange");
 		}
-		else if ((gSavedSettings.getS32("LastGPUClass") != LLFeatureManager::getInstance()->getGPUClass()) &&
-				 (gSavedSettings.getS32("LastGPUClass") != -1))
+		else if ( ! lastGPU.empty() && (lastGPU != thisGPU))
 		{
-			LLNotificationsUtil::add("DisplaySetToRecommended");
+			LLSD subs;
+			subs["LAST_GPU"] = lastGPU;
+			subs["THIS_GPU"] = thisGPU;
+			LLNotificationsUtil::add("DisplaySetToRecommendedGPUChange", subs);
 		}
 		else if (!gViewerWindow->getInitAlert().empty())
 		{
@@ -396,7 +400,7 @@
 		LLStartUp::startLLProxy();
 
 		gSavedSettings.setS32("LastFeatureVersion", LLFeatureManager::getInstance()->getVersion());
-		gSavedSettings.setS32("LastGPUClass", LLFeatureManager::getInstance()->getGPUClass());
+		gSavedSettings.setString("LastGPUString", thisGPU);
 
 		// load dynamic GPU/feature tables from website (S3)
 		LLFeatureManager::getInstance()->fetchHTTPTables();
diff -r 6fc2f1ac8acb -r db8e4e2408a0 indra/newview/llviewerwindow.cpp
--- a/indra/newview/llviewerwindow.cpp	Wed Oct 05 09:03:24 2011 -0400
+++ b/indra/newview/llviewerwindow.cpp	Fri Oct 07 14:38:00 2011 -0400
@@ -1644,7 +1644,7 @@
 
 	if (LLFeatureManager::getInstance()->isSafe()
 		|| (gSavedSettings.getS32("LastFeatureVersion") != LLFeatureManager::getInstance()->getVersion())
-		|| (gSavedSettings.getS32("LastGPUClass") != LLFeatureManager::getInstance()->getGPUClass())
+		|| (gSavedSettings.getString("LastGPUString") != LLFeatureManager::getInstance()->getGPUString())
 		|| (gSavedSettings.getBOOL("ProbeHardwareOnStartup")))
 	{
 		LLFeatureManager::getInstance()->applyRecommendedSettings();
diff -r 6fc2f1ac8acb -r db8e4e2408a0 indra/newview/skins/default/xui/en/notifications.xml
--- a/indra/newview/skins/default/xui/en/notifications.xml	Wed Oct 05 09:03:24 2011 -0400
+++ b/indra/newview/skins/default/xui/en/notifications.xml	Fri Oct 07 14:38:00 2011 -0400
@@ -2665,9 +2665,18 @@
 
   <notification
    icon="alertmodal.tga"
-   name="DisplaySetToRecommended"
-   type="alertmodal">
-Display settings have been set to recommended levels based on your system configuration.
+   name="DisplaySetToRecommendedGPUChange"
+   type="alertmodal">
+Display settings have been set to recommended levels because your graphics card changed
+from &apos;[LAST_GPU]&apos;
+to &apos;[THIS_GPU]&apos;
+  </notification>
+
+  <notification
+   icon="alertmodal.tga"
+   name="DisplaySetToRecommendedFeatureChange"
+   type="alertmodal">
+Display settings have been set to recommended levels because of a change to the rendering subsystem.
   </notification>
 
   <notification