Why can't ATI get their driver install straightened out?

[TourGuide]

I for one can see the superior technology in this generation of ATI hardware. I have always been one who has wanted the best available technology in my desktop but I just can't deal with the idea that in order to get my card working properly I'd have to reformat!

I mean, COME ON!! I went to XP so I WOULDN'T have to do this any longer! With 98 it was every 6 months like clockwork. I'm not supposed to have to do that with XP much less for a lousy vid card!

Come ON ATI!! Get WITH THE PROGRAM!!

 

[Spicedaddy]

Originally posted by: TourGuide
I for one can see the superior technology in this generation of ATI hardware. I have always been one who has wanted the best available technology in my desktop but I just can't deal with the idea that in order to get my card working properly I'd have to reformat!

I mean, COME ON!! I went to XP so I WOULDN'T have to do this any longer! With 98 it was every 6 months like clockwork. I'm not supposed to have to do that with XP much less for a lousy vid card!

Come ON ATI!! Get WITH THE PROGRAM!!

What card did you have before?

 

[TourGuide]

I have a Ti4600. Now nVidia has the install/unintsall routine down. The only thing I don't care for with the XP driver model is the way the OEM versions end up embedded even after the uninstall. That screws everything up IF card manufacturers don't take it into account with their software.

 

[Lonyo]

nVidia have the uninstall thing down, and you're complaining because you want an ATi card but will have to reinstall to get it working properly.
You'll have to reformat (I though) because of remnants of the nVidia drivers which are so wonderful to uninstall causing issues due to some bits being left in the registry.

That's what I thought at least, so that would mean it's nVidias fault for not having drivers that are easy to fully uninstall.

 

[TourGuide]

nVidias fault for not having drivers that are easy to fully uninstall.

So where does the fault lie? Is it nVidia, ATI, or Microsoft?

 

[kylebisme]

all you have to do is unlinstal your nvidia drivers first, shut down and replace the card, at least that is all i have ever had to do.

 

[Mem]

Try Driver Cleaner 1.1 from here ,works for ATI and Nvidia drivers,and
95, 98, 98SE, ME, 2000, XP .

 

[Lonyo]

Originally posted by: TourGuide

nVidias fault for not having drivers that are easy to fully uninstall.

So where does the fault lie? Is it nVidia, ATI, or Microsoft?

Microsoft of course.

 

[Soulkeeper]

ATI just can't match Nvidia on driver support
Nvidia's windows and linux drivers are just the best
that's why I bought me a GF4 and my future cards will prob be nvidia too

 

[Schadenfroh]

ATI Best Hardware/Image quality
nVidia Best drivers/software team ever to exist in the grafics industry

sounds like we need to get these two together

 

[codeyf]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh
ATI Best Hardware/Image quality
nVidia Best drivers/software team ever to exist in the grafics industry

sounds like we need to get these two together

Ditto on that. I for one will sack a little more FPS to have a more rock-solid system any day. And yes, I know some people don't have any stability problems with ATI, and I don't need every single one of you quoting me with replies about such.

 

[gtd2000]

OK here is my opinion from personal experience.

I've used Nvidia cards since 1998 and only recently tried ATi's Radeon 8500LE.

I installed this card into my Abit KT7A system without any removal of Nvidia drivers and the installation was probably easier than my Nvidia cards to be quite honest. The card was a large boost in performance from my GF2 Pro

Now when I formatted and rebuilt my system with an ECS K7S5A which worked superbly with Nvdia cards - I got a whole lot of trouble with the Radeon - in fact a week later I still cannot run the 8500 in OpenGL mode.

Now assuming I had only tried installing the Radeon into MY K7S5A then I'm sure I'd be quite pi$$ed off with ATi - however the same Radeon works perfectly in other systems. THERE IS A CONFLICT BETWEEN THE ECS BOARD AND THE RADEON 8500 - THAT I OWN. The ECS board runs othr cards fine and the Radeon runs fine on other boards - but just not together

I have installed a Radeon 9000 Pro into the very same ECS K7S5A board and guess what - it runs as smooth as silk.

I have a hunch that the ATi problems - from my experience anyway- is more from an "unknown" hardware conflict than the software/drivers - I've even observed similar symptoms which people attribute to bad drivers.