ATI R9550 256M 128bit driver

hey guys,

I got a fairly easy one for you today lol

I need to use an old ATI Radeon 9550 256Mb 128bit video card to do some testing. one problem, I lost my driver disc. I've downloaded and tried a few drivers, none did the job, most made the graphics worse, not better than the on-board.

OS is windows XP x86 SP2 (soon to be 3 once I get this video crap sorted lol)

here is what speccy says about the card, after installing the "correct" driver lol. obviously incorrect.

Graphics
Monitor
Name on
Current Resolution 1024x768 pixels
Work Resolution 1024x738 pixels
State enabled, primary
Monitor Width 1024
Monitor Height 768
Monitor BPP 32 bits per pixel
Monitor Frequency 1 Hz
Device \\.\DISPLAY1

Thanks a bunch guys,
Nico

 

Greetings, Nico_Palm.

I usually grab legacy packages from OldApps.com - pretty reliable.

"Monitor Frequency 1 Hz", eh? That's a new one!

 

I'd try the versions listed for legacy at the AMD/ATI site first, scroll down and get the Option 2 from the bottom of this page.

 

LOL.. you should see how hard it is to even scroll on this damn web page..

I've never seen graphics this bad, and I know the card is 100% in working order.

 

Ok, so according to those 2 links I need revision 10.2 for XP.

I will download the files from both sources and try them out tomorrow afternoon sometime.

hopefully I can get this refresh rate above 1Hz :cry

 

Also, I dont know too much about Speccy yet.. I'm just getting used to it..

and forgive me if I sound stupid, but doesn't that speccy report say that this PC is running directly off the monitor without a display adapter? that would definately explain the 1Hz..

and if thats the case, I'm gonna need some help fixing this lol

 

Sorry, was in the midst of a good brain-fart there.. I believe I just answered half of my questions..

yes it's running directly off the monitor without any drivers installed..

someone deleted the drivers for on-board as well from this PC..

without proper drivers for either my V-card or on-board I will keep getting that same speccy report..

by downloading the drivers you 2 suggested I will fix my problem...

thats about it, unless those drivers dont work.. then its back to driver hunting with the 1Hz :cry

thanks guys lol

 

hey guys,

I uninstalled all previous drivers, then tried each of yours one at a time, making sure to clear all drivers in between. both gave me the same error, that the catalyst package could not install. it did give an error log if this helps at all.

Catalyst™ Install Manager
Installation Report
04/12/11 03:52:46


Hardware information
Name ATI Radeon Graphics Processor
Manufacturer ATI Technologies Inc
Device ID 0x4153
Vendor ID 0x1002
Class Code 0x030000
Revision ID 0x00
Subsystem ID 0x2084
Subsystem vendor ID 0x148c
Other hardware

Existing packagesMicrosoft Visual C++ 2008 SP1 Redistributable
Catalyst Registration

Packages for install
ATI Catalyst Install ManagerFinal Status: Fail
Version of Item: 3.0.762.0
Size: 20 Mbytes
The Lord of the Rings FREE Trial Final Status: Success
Version of Item: 1.00.0000
Size: 1 Mbytes


Other detected devices
ATI Radeon Graphics Processor
Manufacturer ATI Technologies Inc
Device ID 0x4173
Vendor ID 0x1002
Class Code 0x038000
Revision ID 0x00
Subsystem ID 0x2085
Subsystem vendor ID 0x148c

ATI Radeon Graphics Processor
Manufacturer ATI Technologies Inc
Device ID 0x4153
Vendor ID 0x1002
Class Code 0x030000
Revision ID 0x00
Subsystem ID 0x2084
Subsystem vendor ID 0x148c

ATI Radeon Graphics Processor
Manufacturer ATI Technologies Inc
Device ID 0x4173
Vendor ID 0x1002
Class Code 0x038000
Revision ID 0x00
Subsystem ID 0x2085
Subsystem vendor ID 0x148c


Error messages
Application Install: install package failure!

 

Dang it.

You got .NET installed? If so, what version? Seems like I remember that most Catalyst packages require .NET, probably around 3.5.

 

I think you may be on to something with that.. I'll update that and try again..

thanks

 

Only the CCC part needs .NET, I pointed to the drivers only for that reason.

Do you have the latest chipset drivers installed?

 

I dont think so, it's not even recognizing the on-board video when I scan for new hardware.

This PC is a HP/Compaq d220 MT that was given to me after someone tried "fixing" something on it and messed everything up. I had to do a fresh instal of XP because he deleted most of the system32 directory thinking all those files were "trojans and worms"


I'm just trying to get it running good enough for youtube and basic stuff again..

 

Ok, before you can install the gfx card correctly, you'll need to find and install the correct chipset driver to allow Windows and the AMD installer to recognise the card that's in there. I think this is the HP installer for an older version, you might be better going to the Intel site and getting the latest drivers though.

 

Well I tried that driver, didn't work.. tried one from intel's site, didn't work.. tried another one from somewhere else.. didnt work.. they all said the chipset wasn't supported..

So that got me thinking.. maybe this computer of his isn't really a compaq on the inside, it does have a 2.4Ghz Northwood like the compaq, but when I checked the motherboard it was an MS-7104 ver 1.0 otherwise known as PM8M-V..

So now I've downloaded everest from here at majorgeeks (thanks guys) and it says:

Northbridge: Via P4M800

Integrated Graphics Controller
Type: Via/S3 unichrome
Status: disabled

AGP Controller
version: 3.05
status: enabled
device: ati radeon 9550 (RV350)
size: 128MB (the card is a 256MB not 128)
supported speeds: 1x, 2x, 4x, 8x
current speed: 8x

 

So it reads like you now need the Via 4-in-one drivers, see if this page leads you through the process and download.

 

ok I have the zip file with everything in it.. is there any program I can use to make sure all previous drivers are for sure wiped 100% before continuing? I want to make sure I have all bases covered here, this one is becoming a pain fast.. :-D

 

Every time I've had to use the 4-in1 drivers (yesterday was the last time), they've auto-installed over the top of the default Windows drivers. I don't use them but I'm pretty sure there's been a couple of threads about driver backup/restore software during the last week or two here.

 

Ok,

I just unzipped the 4-in-1 installer and ran the setup.exe. It sucessfully installed all components.

However, the VGA is still not registering in the device manager, is there something else I need to do that im forgetting? Everything else is working.

 

Now you need to run the AMD/ATI driver installer, try not to install the CCC-equipped version, keep it as clean as you can.

 

Ok will do, but shouldnt the on-board be functional after installing those Via drivers? i still have the 1hz refresh rate, no on-board. sorry, just curious.

Thanks,
Nico

 

The onboard will only be functional and be installed correctly after you've removed the add-in gfx card and rebooted

 

that made sense.. So I removed the card, and rebooted, it found new unknown hardware (the graphics and on-board audio)

but it could not find any drivers for the device searching on the PC or the web still. I took a screenshot and attached it.

Should I still just go ahead and try the GPU like you already said, or do we still need to get the chipset fully functional first?

 

At that point, you should probably have re-reun the 4-in-1 - but, as the S3 Chrome gfx is only a couple of steps above having no gfx , I'd leave it and go back to installing the R9550.

Then you'll need to install the audio drivers - I think this is the right one.

 

Thank you,

I will just go ahead with the radeon then, I apprciate your insight

As for audio, I already installed a creative SB Live! because I hate how buggy realtek's are. It installed fine without issue and is crystal clear with good definition. It does throw off quite a bit of heat though, so I placed it as close to the air-flow from the case fan as possible.

 

Ok, disable the onboard sound in the BIOS then, it might rid you of the flag in Device Manager - it might not, sometimes Windows is just too clever

 

lol I realized right after you said something about the audio driver, when I uninstalled all the yellow checkmarks to start over yesterday I uninstalled the audio one too. it was diabled, but I forgot to diable it after that. thanks

 

Ok Satrow,

I used your option #2. I double-clicked the downloaded file.

Ati Setup began, it said something about logo verification not being right, I clicked continue anyway.

-USB Video Driver installed first
-then something like Avivo?
-PC Restarted and has a BDARemote icon on desktop and programs runs at startup.

I'm also given the folder below in the C:/ directory.

No video yet, but I think we're getting close :-D

 

Hmm, sometimes I hate installing drivers, especially from packages as complex as this one seems to be - everything but the kitchen sink included

What does the Device Manager look like now?

 

This is by far the worst driver I've ever had to install, and I really miss the CD that came with the card

Screen shot of DM is below.

Should I try the next setup.exe in the ati folder in the C directory?

nevermind, i just tried it, it's the same setup as the autorun from the main installer :|

 

Hmm, remove both video adapters listed in DM then reboot and see if Windows detects and installs them correctly.

 

I'm gonna check my bios after reading this and see if thats my problem :| lol

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/219936-30-p4m800pro-recognize-video-device-manager

 

That sounds a very plausible fix Well found.

 

nope nothing.. in my IRQ section the only options were to enable or reserve 10 or 12 entries..

I did have a primary display adapter section with 2 options.. PCI or AGP.. its currently set to AGP.

I did see overclocking options while I was in there too, but that wont do me any good without graphics lol


Im just confused as to why it wont recognize any type of display adapter at all.. it just refuses to acknowledge they exist.. :banghead

or maybe I just didnt look hard enough in the Bios.. I'll go have another look-see.. theres got to be something..

 

Try the PCI setting, save and reboot, if it installs correctly, fine - if not, back to BIOS, set it to AGP, save and reboot. Can you grab shots of the BIOS screens with a 'phone/digicam? It might help if we could all see the possible options.

 

I dont have a cam at the moment but I'll go pick one up later today.

I even just tried resetting the CMOS and loading optimized defaults for graphics control, but there was no changes good or bad..

the on-board and GPU obviously work since I'm getting a good picture when the screen is still. It's either my motherboard or windows not recognizing the display adapters, and I doubt its windows..

I just dont know what could cause a motherboard to do this besides the bios, or a dead AGP slot, but we already know the AGP slot is good.

so it must be in the Bios?

and if not.. WTF? lol



PCi setting had no effect :|

 

So your monitor's still connected to the onboard? Do you get anything when connected to the ATI?

 

Well Satrow,

I've dug through a box and found an old Nvidia card.. specs are in screenshot below..

my motherboard and windows recognized the card instantly and installed the software automatically..

refrsh rate is still 1Hz..

what now? lol

i'll give up on the Ati, and see if I can at least get video from this less beastly card

 

I tried both the on-board and the crad VGA connections to see, both were the same, nothing identified, with just the monitor running the 1Hz..

 

hehe.. sucess with nvidia.. refresh rate is in a normal range.. went into monitor properties and it wasn't locked at 1Hz anymore as it was before when trying the on-board and the Ati..

it still doesnt explain why the on-board and the Ati aren't registering.. that is really bugging me..

 

Hmm, I think I'd call it quits and leave the nVidia in there, unless it's your only machine. It sounds like there's some odd conflict going on, SB Live? Dunno.

 

no its not my only machine, just one I wanted to try and get working again, as it wouldnt even boot when I found it. and the previous owner messed around with and/or deleted just about everything that was important.

it's too bad, I was looking forward to overclocking the Ati and the northwood, never got a chance to play with one of these yet. I'll keep reading around, maybe theres an answer somewhere out there, but it's far from obvious.

Thanks for all your help Satrow

Best Regards,
Nico



and what I might do is try it with windows 7 and see if windows will pick it up then, I've read that win7 supports a lot more devices than XP.. but I'm not sure if it's a total load or not, but it's worth a shot I guess, I'm only doing this for fun

 

Good luck with it, as you suggest, history may be playing a part here.

Keep us updated on it, if I bump into anything that might shed some light on the problem, I'll post back.

 

Just for S&G, why not boot to a Linux distro with the onboard or the ATI, see if you get a change in refresh rate readings?

 

Well guys,

just for S&G lol.. I installed windows 7 x86 fire edition with added graphics support.

ands it's running like a pro now. it was really that simple, just had to scrap XP and upgrade to a platform with built in support.

I might try linux, I bet I get the same result as windows 7


But for some reason on this PC, windows 7 fire wouldnt boot past the welcome screen with 2Gb of RAM installed, but it would boot with only 512Mb.. I found that odd.

 

It could be that the RAM isn't set correctly in the BIOS? Often, you have to set it manually because the BIOS gets it wrong, check the specs on the RAM makers site?

 

Thanks again Satrow,

For some reason when I added the RAM, which is 200Mhz DDR400, the Bios set it to run at 166Mhz :|

I dont know why it did that, but it was an easy fix

The radeon is hitting a 4.0 on the windows index, that surprised me for it's age, it out-performs alot of cards that came out later :-D

 

Yeah, baby - guess we won't see you around here much anymore. You'll be too busy fraggin' Crysis 24/7...:cool

Good job - glad you're up and running.

 

Hey, that's great. I was wondering about where that gfx card lay in the gaming order, I've no experience of it - keep your powder dry now

 

What would you guys suggest for a benchmarking program to see where the new graphics are at?

I dont want to push it too hard with cutting-edge benchmarks. Is there one available from back in the radeon's day?

 

Something like 3DMark05 should give you numbers that aren't too low?