Crossfire setup for Biostar TA790GX 128M

[blackrain]

I have an HTPC that currently has a Sapphire 4850 512mb. I just got its twin. The HTPC has 2 drives which I switch as boot drives through the F9 hotkey. One drive has windows xp and is for gaming. The other drive is windows 7 x64 and is mainly for HTPC/media center. I may also do some gaming in win 7.

My motherboard manual lists the following steps for crossfire setup: 1) install both cards; 2) connect ATX power to motherboard for stability; 3) Connect bridge

If I do this, will windows then automatically recognize the setup? Also, do I need Catalyst for this to work? If so, do I install Catalyst first? In other words, I know the hardware steps, but how do the software installation steps fit in?

Also, is Catalyst going to conflict with the win7 x64 media center? I would like to setup crossfire in win 7 x64 as well for gaming in win7.

 

[evolucion8]

You will need some sort of software to activate the Crossfire option. I wasn't required to reinstall the drivers when I installed my second card. I just turned off my PC, installed the card, plugged the power connector and two crossfire bridges and turned on the PC. Windows automatically detected and installed the appropiate driver which was the same that my other card was using and presto! I opened CCC and clicked on the CrossfireX checkmark and worked fine. You will need Cataclism Control Center or ATi Tray Tools to enable Crossfire.

 

[blackrain]

Windows 7 right? I guess the only remaining question....was there any conflict with windows media center?

 

[evolucion8]

I don't use Windows Media Center, but I don't see a reason why it would conflict.

 

[blackrain]

You will need some sort of software to activate the Crossfire option. I wasn't required to reinstall the drivers when I installed my second card. I just turned off my PC, installed the card, plugged the power connector and two crossfire bridges and turned on the PC. Windows automatically detected and installed the appropiate driver which was the same that my other card was using and presto! I opened CCC and clicked on the CrossfireX checkmark and worked fine. You will need Cataclism Control Center or ATi Tray Tools to enable Crossfire.

Did you install Catalyst before or after you installed the second card and enabled crossfire?

 

[Madcatatlas]

My guess is Catalyst was already installed with his first card so he didnt actually install any software aside from what win7 did by itself upon detecting the new card.