Anyone with Dell Laptop+ATI Rage Mobility = Please help!

[CZroe]

I have been pissed at Compaq since I received my custom 1800 series Presario laptop. It came with a Windows XP upgrade, but Compaq has never updated the video driver to support Windows XP. Apparently, they think that the default driver included with WinXP is fine because it allows high resolutions and color depths. However, it does not support OpenGL as the Win9x/Win2k drivers did. The Win2k driver from Compaq will not work at all. ATI does not provide generic 'reference' drivers for mobile chipsets because each manufacturer has a unique configuration and customizes their own drivers given to them by ATI. Compaq software engineers are just too damn lazy to release an updated driver. My solution used to be downloading the driver from Dell, despite the risk related to different hardware configurations. Dell now requires a 'Service Tag' to access any downloads, and the only downloads availible are downloads matching the computer. Dell provides a utility to determine the Service Tag of any Dell computer, but I don't know anyone with a Dell laptop containing the ATI Rage Mobility chipset. I assume that an Inspiron containing the Rage Mobility M3 chipset would be most similar to mine, because the Compaq Presario 1800 series is also a large desktop-replacement style laptop. This is also the driver that worked for me in the past.

Anyone with a Dell laptop containing the ATI Rage Mobility chipset, PLEASE HELP! I need a Service Tag to use once so I can download the driver. I will store it permanently and back it up this time.

Thanks!

 

[SteelCityFan]

I can get them through a premiersupport account. I think they need a customer number or something to register with. I can get them. PM me your email or whatever and I will send them to you. The M3 for the Inspiron 8000.

 

[Eug]

Do you know who makes that Compaq? If by another company and a non-Compaq version exists, then it may be prudent to use their driver. I'd be hesistant to install a driver for a different computer.

OTOH, drivers exist on the Sceptre.com website, and they made the Dell Inspiron 5000e. Good luck.

 

[nightowl]

CZroe: I have an Inspiron 8000 with the Rage Mobility M4 chipset. PM me if you need to get the drivers still.

 

[Lonny007]

I have the Dell 8100 Radeon 7500, I have heard that alot of Dell people are using these drivers, I have not tried them tell me what you think, they are for the mobility too.

http://www.omegacorner.com/ati.htm

 

[CZroe]

My Mobility M3/M4 compatible chipset is based on the ATI Rage 128 Pro, not the ATI Radeon. Someone already sent a PM with a service tag, and I was able to download a working driver.

Thanks!

 

[WobbleWobble]

So where did you get these drivers? I have an IBM ThinkPad A22m, also with an ATI Rage Mobility chipset. IBM doesn't have XP drivers available either. If you could tell me if the drivers worked or where I can get them, that'd be great. Thanks!

 

[CZroe]

The Mobility M1 and M2 are vastly different from the Mobility 128 M3. The M4 is almost identical and uses the same drivers. I got 'em from Dell with the service tag that was PMed to me. You must force one from the list unless you edit the INF file. There is a bug in these latest Dell drivers that affects OpenGL games after resuming from Hibernate mode, even on the Dell Inspiron it was intended for. If you have an M3 or M4 they should work fine for you other than that

 

[Charles]

CZroe,

I faced the same problem before when I was upgrading from Windows 2000 to XP. I can't find any official video drivers from Gateway even until now. Luckily I was able to find a WHQL video drivers at Windows Update Catalog, version 5.1.2500.0. I suggest you do the same thing.

 

[CZroe]

I use Windows Update frequently, but I don't recall it ever updating my video driver. WinXP recognizes mine as "ATI Rage Mobility (Compaq)", so I would expect to have different results with Windows Update. If the updated driver was developed by Microsoft for compatibility reasons, chances are that is does not support OpenGL (D3D games work fine with the default driver included with Windows). I have already mentioned why ATI will never release generic drivers for this chipset, not even to Windows Update. If Compaq ever updates the driver themselves, I certainly hope they will submit it to Microsoft to enhance the Windows Update site.