problems with an ATI driver install...

[deadken]

Hi guys,

I just installed a fresh copy of Win XP on my daughters machine. She is 17 and I don't really want to spend any money on her system since I figure she will be needing a laptop in a year or so. She has a S754 3200+ CPU, Nforce 4 Mobo (MSI), 2x1GB CorsairXMS pc3200, and a X1650Pro video card. The most demanding thing that she runs is Sims 3. After installing Windows XP downloaded the mobo drivers from MSI's website and I have downloaded and installed the 'driver only' from ATI.

Unfortunately, the system won't recognize the Video Card. I went as far as to remove the card (through device manager (yellow exclamation point)) and I physically removed the card from the case, blew out the PCI-e slot with air duster and re-installed the card. I rebooted the system and the video card still won't show up (yellow exclamation points). I have downloaded and installed an older set of drivers (9.8, I think) and ran those. Still no good. I directed Windows to look in the ATI folders (each and every one) and it still won't find the drivers.

I am sorry to say, that I did have a slight problem with the install. The installation CD would say that a file wasn't found (@ %41 of installation). I swapped in a different CD hoping it would find the file on it, but no good. So, I shut down. Let the system cool for a 1/2 hour or so and then installed Win XP. I am guessing that I will have to re-install the O/S again. I am hoping that I am just missing something simple. Any ideas?

-Thanks, Ken

 

[cusideabelincoln]

Hmm.

Well you did download the XP drivers, right? Not the 7 or Vista ones? This is what you need: http://support.amd.com/us/gpudownlo...px?type=2.4.1&product=2.4.1.3.13&lang=English

Have you tried the Catalyst Suite?

Also after you download the driver suite and extract it, it will usually create an ATI folder on the C: drive. So the path would be C: \ATI. And then there will be another folder. in Vista that folder is Support. So the path is C: \ATI\Support. And then there is another folder, which should be the name of the driver version. And in that folder is a folder called Driver, and the driver you need to manually install them should be here. So if you download the Catalyst suite and after the files are extracted, if you manually install the driver with Device Manager then just go to, for example, the path C: \ATI\SUPPORT\8-12_vista32_dd_ccc_wdm_enu_72275\Driver. This is what the installer does in Vista, and I'm pretty sure it does the same for XP.

 

[railven]

I've ran into issues after a botched OS install in the past.

A scratched IS disk would sometimes give me an install error and the usual "retry, ignore, abort" options and using the ignore I'd always have OS issues from audio to video.

If you tried the usual things, correct driver, reseating the the card, and yada with no success I'd say try a reinstall of the OS. It might save you more time than trouble shooting the card.

 

[cusideabelincoln]

Ah yes. You could probably just do a repair install Windows instead of a complete reformat. That should fix any bad files (if you are using a good disc; like mentioned a scratch disc can screw things up), and shouldn't have any issues considering you just did a format. And if all else fails, format again and try to get another XP CD.

 

[Barfo]

This wouldn't happen if you had an nvidia card.

 

[deadken]

... You could probably just do a repair install Windows instead of a complete reformat. That should fix any bad files (if you are using a good disc; like mentioned a scratch disc can screw things up), and shouldn't have any issues considering you just did a format... CD.

Good points guys (except for barfo). I figured that is what I needed to do, I just was hoping against hope that I was overlooking something obvious.

I didn't consider just doing a repair. I usually go whole hog so that I know everything is new. Since everything else is new, I will just repair this time.


-Thanks again

 

[Will Robinson]

Just use System Restore to revert to your pre Catalyst install state.
Then install the latest driver package from ATi.

 

[lopri]

Did you install .Net framework (2.0 or 3.5) prior to Catalyst installation? It's a prerequisite (and a pain in the you-know-what) if you're on XP.