ATI Video Card Hates Dual Monitors

Should have known hardware installation is not my forte.

Yesterday I installed an ATI Radeon 9550 video card, which proudly boasts integrated dual monitor support right on the front of the box. Liars! I installed my videocard, ran the disc that came with it to install the necessary drivers, and of course, added my second monitor exactly as the help files instructed.

The problem? Sporadically -- every twenty minutes, or two hours, or hell, sometimes even only a few seconds, my computer restarts itself with no warning. After this involuntary reboot, Windows XP tells me that "the system has recovered from a serious error". When, of course, I send the error report, Microsoft tells me that this is a driver issue.

I've been to the ATI site to look for answers and have found none. A google search brought me here, so any help offered would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

if you are using the drivers that came with the card they are out of date

try these:
http://www2.ati.com/drivers/wxp-w2k-catalyst-8-10-050119a-020581c.exe

what video card were you using before? if you did not uninstall them before you installed the radeon drivers that can cause problems ... also make sure your mobos drivers are up to date as well

 

I was using an ATI Radeon 9700 Pro before, but I didn't have dual monitors set up, as that one didn't have the capability for it. I installed the driver that you linked me to, updated my Via chipset drivers (which included an AGP driver) and just as a cautionary measure, made sure my all my Windows Updates were complete.

Here goes nothing....thanks so much for your help.

 

hm ... what was wrong with the 9700? that card is better than the 9550 ... unless you bought the All-In-Wonder version and want it to record TV etc

 

Hi Ellie:

/Changing ATI Drivers
Get the latest drivers for your card and O/S
http://www.ati.com/support/driver.html
then,
1. Start >Control Panel >Add or Remove Programs >ATI Control Panel >Remove.
2. Do not Restart when prompted.
3. ATI Display Driver >Remove.
4. Restart when prompted.
5. Upon return to Desktop in Windows Standard display drivers, cancel offer to install drivers.
6. Start >Run >browse to where you downloaded the new ATI Catalyst driver package and run it.

If the above doesn’t work out, download this util: ATI Catalyst uninstaller http://www.ati.com/support/drivers/misc/catalystutils.html
This will clean your system of any ATI software along with any remnants that could be causing problems.
Use it instead of steps 1, 2 and 3 above; then continue with steps 4, 5 and 6.

Happy trails,

 

To answer your question, Pyrate, I switch vid cards because the one in my system was a loaner for about a year. When he wanted it back, I went out and bought one that supported dual monitors. Fleabus, I did what you said, and I'm still having the same issues.

Point of note: I was using C3 Media Audio onboard sound for my sound. Bought a new videogame that required a soundcard, so I bought one. Install it, everything was working fine. Now I've removed the card and the drivers, back to onboard sound. Think this might have anything to do with the issues?

 

this problems definitely smells of a driver issue ... as the MS report said ... lol ... so yea it could have something to do with your sound card but I'm doubting it .. now that I reread your original post I'm curious as to what the error report said exactly