Getting new drivers?

[Marhkimov]

I'm a relative newbie when it comes to downloading and installing new drivers.

Someone told me that the cat3.9 driver is the best for ATI radeons if you're playing CFS3. So where can I download it? And if you could help me install it, that'd be nice too. Thanks!

I have an ATI Radeon 9800 pro, and I'm still running on my default driver. I'm sure it's pretty crappy, but I don't know how to upgrade it...



(forgive my ignorance)

[Camaero]

I am basing this off the fact that you have windows XP.

These drivers have worked the best for me in all of my various games including Lock on, SHIII, IL2, and so on. (I have a 9800 XT which is very similar.)

Just download this and install.

https://a248.e.akamai.net/f/674/9206..._enu_29124.exe

This is also their newest drivers which are always supposed to be the best. Some people have better luck with different drivers however.

[Camaero]

Ok they blocked my link... try this and just download the "Catalyst Control Center Package"

https://support.ati.com/ics/support/...e&folderID=293

[Marhkimov]

Yes, I have Windows XP. Thanks, I'll try it...

I hope nothing goes wrong.

[Marhkimov]

How would I go about uninstalling my old drivers? I don't see any install or uninstall instructions... Confused over here.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm a dummy... Can someone gimme some more detailed instructions?

[Marhkimov]

Ok, I figured it out. Now I'm on the newest Cat drivers. Whoohoo!

[Camaero]

Kick some ass buddy.

I just downloaded and am trying the omega drivers that can be downloaded at http://www.omegadrivers.net/

So far they seem better than the ati drivers but I haven't tested them enough.

So just know that there are many other options and drivers for you to try out. It can be a pain in the ass trying to find the perfect one but once you do, you can just stick with it and run a completely optimized graphics card!

[Marhkimov]

I'm always afraid to update things, especially if they are currently in working order...

For now, I'll probably stick to your Cat drivers. Thanx a million!

[vois2]

Marhkimov --

Looks like you have transitioned to the newer drivers. However XP is incapable of removing the older drivers which *MAY* cause a performance conflict even if you don't see error messages. Over time I developed the set of cleaning instructions below, and this was done in cahoots with the guy who wrote the Driver Cleaner software. I post this frequently on Dell's forums and each day I receive a couple of emails from folks claiming that doing below, either improved their performance, or, enabled them to install a new card whereas before they had had trouble.

(quoting below)

You will need to either print them or take careful hand notes because email will be unavailable to you once you start the
process. If at anytime during this process, Windows Hardware Configuration or 'Found New Hardware' dialogue opens up by itself, you need to click 'Cancel'.


(1) Download [but do NOT install] the Radeon drivers you desire from ATI.com . I do not recommend the Catalyst version, and instead recommend the original ATI Control Panel drivers. Store them in a memorable place on your hard drive.

(2) Download and install Driver Cleaner Pro v1.2 .

(3) Restart your computer.

(4) Physically disconnect your computer from the internet -- pull the plug from the ethernet card if you have fast internet.

(5) Disable temporarily all of your protection programs -- any antivirus or antispyware or antiadware which actively
monitors.

(6) Using Control Panel | Add Remove Programs, remove the ATI Control Panel [Do NOT reboot computer afterwards!]

(7) Using Control Panel | Add Remove Programs, remove the ATI Display Driver. [Do NOT reboot computer afterwards!]

(8) Using Device Manager, Uninstall the ATI Radeon device. [Do NOT reboot computer afterwards!]

(9) [Do NOT reboot your computer] Now run Driver Cleaner, selecting the 'ATI' removal only. It takes a couple of minutes
for it to clean.

(10) Use the View Details button on Driver Cleaner to verify that it removed products.

(11) Now you are going to reboot Windows into Safe mode. The easiest way to do this (in my opinion) is to do:
Start | Run | type there----> msconfig [Enter] Then on the Boot.INI tab, select SAFEBOOT minimal.

(12) Now reboot, so that you enter Safe mode. Run Driver Cleaner again. Remove ATI again. It should find and clean a
couple more products.

(13) Shut down the computer and accomplish the physical card swap. Remove the PCI modem (if desired and present) in the slot next to the x16 bus, if you do not use a modem to connect to the internet.

(14) Reboot into normal mode for Windows. You may wish to undo what you did earlier via msconfig, by deselecting safeboot.

(15) Still disconnected from the Internet, Windows will attempt to find and install drivers for your new hardware. Select
Cancel, if at all possible.

(16) Now that you are in Normal Windows mode, double-click the executable to install new ATI drivers.

(17) Before you eventually hook back to the internet, be sure to reactivate all your protective software.