Problem Installing drivers

[Will Bradshaw]

I've searched the newsgroup but can't find anything on this, so sorry if I
missed something.
I decided to update Catalyst and during the install it comes up with an
error message saying 'Setup was unable to complete the installation. Try to
setup your display adapter with a standard VGA driver before running setup'
I've tried several different versions of Catalyst, and several drivers on
their own, but none will install. I also downloaded some 'Omega' drivers,
which installed, but didn't work. I googled the error message and it looks
quite common, but I couldn't find a solution. Does anyone here know how I
can get the driver installed?

My specs are:
Connect 3D Radeon 9800 pro 128MB
Athlon XP 2000+ 1.7GHz
1GB DDR 333
MSI MS-6590
XP Pro SP2

 

[Custom Computers]

I've searched the newsgroup but can't find anything on this, so sorry if I
missed something.
I decided to update Catalyst and during the install it comes up with an
error message saying 'Setup was unable to complete the installation. Try to
setup your display adapter with a standard VGA driver before running setup'
I've tried several different versions of Catalyst, and several drivers on
their own, but none will install. I also downloaded some 'Omega' drivers,
which installed, but didn't work. I googled the error message and it looks
quite common, but I couldn't find a solution. Does anyone here know how I
can get the driver installed?

My specs are:
Connect 3D Radeon 9800 pro 128MB
Athlon XP 2000+ 1.7GHz
1GB DDR 333
MSI MS-6590
XP Pro SP2

Did you follow the instructions as they are listed on the ATi web site?

 

[Geoff]

I decided to update Catalyst and during the install it comes up with an
error message

uninstall drivers
then install new ones

updating em doesn't work well, if it all ?

 

[JamesH]

uninstall drivers
then install new ones

updating em doesn't work well, if it all ?

I update them all the time without any problems

 

[Captain Midnight]

I've searched the newsgroup but can't find anything on this, so sorry if I
missed something.
I decided to update Catalyst and during the install it comes up with an
error message saying 'Setup was unable to complete the installation. Try to
setup your display adapter with a standard VGA driver before running setup'
I've tried several different versions of Catalyst, and several drivers on
their own, but none will install. I also downloaded some 'Omega' drivers,
which installed, but didn't work. I googled the error message and it looks
quite common, but I couldn't find a solution. Does anyone here know how I
can get the driver installed?

My specs are:
Connect 3D Radeon 9800 pro 128MB
Athlon XP 2000+ 1.7GHz
1GB DDR 333
MSI MS-6590
XP Pro SP2

Use the Add Hardware wizard in Control Panel to install the VGA driver.
Don't know why but had to do it once even though XP was using it.

Probably would be a good idea to use the manual uninstall instructions at
ati.com/install to make sure everything is clean.

 

[Will Bradshaw]

Did you follow the instructions as they are listed on the ATi web
site?

Yes, for the uninstall, manual uninstall, and install, and it still wouldn't
install.

 

[Will Bradshaw]

I update them all the time without any problems

I've uninstalled and reinstalled several times but I get the same error.
I've installed new drivers several times before, and they have always
installed normally, but for some reason they won't this time.

 

[Will Bradshaw]

Use the Add Hardware wizard in Control Panel to install the VGA
driver. Don't know why but had to do it once even though XP was using
it.

I've tried that several times, selecting every single option, and none work,
with that method I get 'There was a problem installing this hardware:
RADEON 9800 PRO
An error occurred during the installation of the device
The system cannot find the file specified.'

I've tried it by pointing to several different driver versions, but always
get the same error message, Is there any way I can find out what file is
being specified and does anyone have any more suggestions?

Probably would be a good idea to use the manual uninstall
instructions at ati.com/install to make sure everything is clean.

Thanks, but I've already tried that.

 

[JamesH]

I've tried that several times, selecting every single option, and none
work, with that method I get 'There was a problem installing this
hardware:
RADEON 9800 PRO
An error occurred during the installation of the device
The system cannot find the file specified.'

I've tried it by pointing to several different driver versions, but always
get the same error message, Is there any way I can find out what file is
being specified and does anyone have any more suggestions?


Thanks, but I've already tried that.

Do you have Anti Virus software enabled? ATI says to disable it if you do or
drivers may not install correctly. BUT I have had no real problems if I
forget to turn it off

 

[Randy]

Have you tried installing from safe mode? Not sure if you can but sometimes
safe mode will let you install things easier. Others may know if this will
work.

Randy

 

[Bill Anderson]

I've tried that several times, selecting every single option, and none work,
with that method I get 'There was a problem installing this hardware:
RADEON 9800 PRO
An error occurred during the installation of the device
The system cannot find the file specified.'

I've tried it by pointing to several different driver versions, but always
get the same error message, Is there any way I can find out what file is
being specified and does anyone have any more suggestions?


Thanks, but I've already tried that.

Will, I've been exactly where you are with my AIW 9600XT and before that
my 8500DV. Yes, I know that VGA driver problem all too well. Actually
I think I once was able to re-install the VGA drivers from my WinXP
installation disk, or maybe I pointed the driver wizard to the system32
directory and it found what it was looking for. I just don't remember.

The fact is, I never found an elegant solution to the problem -- I just
finally took the sledgehammer approach and reformatted my drive and
re-installed Windows and re-installed the ATI drivers from scratch.
That worked just fine.

I can easily do something like that because I keep all my data files in
a partition separate from my OS and applications partition. I install
everything carefully, making sure my All in Wonder is playing TV
properly and everything else is working fine -- sound, printer, Office,
etc. etc. etc. -- and I point everything toward my data files on the
separate partition. (Examples: Microsoft Word is installed on C: but
it knows to look at D: for my documents. Also, my All in Wonder is
installed on C: but it knows to save TV captures on D:.) Then I back up
the entire C: partition using Norton Ghost. It takes up most of two DVDs.

Then, when I find myself in a pickle like the one you're in now, I just
pull out the backup DVDs and overwrite the problem -- replacing
everything on C:. Sure, if months have gone by since the last backup I
may have to reinstall a few new applications and get my virus database
up to date and reinstall all the Microsoft patches that have been issued
since the last backup -- but that doesn't take too long. And my system
is humming again just like it was after the clean install that I'd
backed up. Of course it's a little trouble, but for me at least it's
proven to be a much easier process than puzzling out a solution to the
ATI driver mystery.

I don't need to do this very often, thank goodness. But a few months
ago my AIW just inexplicably quit working and no
uninstalling/reinstalling of drivers, Catalyst, MMC, etc. would fix it.
So out came the backup disks and soon my problem was solved.

I realize this is no solution for your current problem. Just thought
you might like to know how one person manages the ATI driver mess.

 

[Julian Richards]

Have you tried installing from safe mode? Not sure if you can but sometimes
safe mode will let you install things easier. Others may know if this will
work.

How about the technique of running the official uninstaller, run
Driver Cleaner, reboot and install. I found this as the only way to
get the drivers (in my case Omegas) to install to the latest version
Omega has out. There seems to have been something lurking from a
previous install. I believe that in my case it was linked to the soft
mod but it does show how files seem to hang on even when they are
supposed to have gone.
--

Julian Richards

www.richardsuk.f9.co.uk
Website of "Robot Wars" middleweight "Broadsword IV"

 

[Will Bradshaw]

Do you have Anti Virus software enabled? ATI says to disable it if
you do or drivers may not install correctly. BUT I have had no real
problems if I forget to turn it off

I had NIS 07 installed, but because I was getting cross and trying anything
I uninstalled it, and it still wouldn't work. I don't usually get problems
with it either.

 

[Will Bradshaw]

Have you tried installing from safe mode? Not sure if you can but
sometimes safe mode will let you install things easier. Others may
know if this will work.

I hadn't actually tried that, so I did. I ran the ATI Software uninstall
utility for the 583 time and restarted into safe mode, ran the installer and
got the same error message. Then it came up with an add new hardware
wizard, and I told it to install automatically, expecting it to fail again,
which it did, and it asked me to restart, so I did, I opened device manager
and somehow it was installed and working. The driver (which it found on the
Connect 3D CD I had left in the drive) is a bit ancient, but I'm not about
to attempt to update it. I'll play AOE III for a bit and see how that goes
then I'll post an update.

 

[Will Bradshaw]

I opened device manager and somehow it was installed and
working. The driver (which it found on the Connect 3D CD I had left
in the drive) is a bit ancient, but I'm not about to attempt to
update it. I'll play AOE III for a bit and see how that goes then
I'll post an update.

I played it for an hour and it didn't crash or freeze, the graphics looked
good, and it wasn't running slowly, so it seems to be fixed. I noticed that
a couple of shadows wern't quite as good as I think they used to be, and I
didn't see any birds, but that might have been the map I was playing.
Anyway thanks for all the suggestions, even though the stupid thing just
decided to install its self in the end.

 

[jasonmlange]

i'm having the EXACT same problem. it all started with me trying to
update my catalyst drivers. have you had any luck fixing teh problem?

 

[Julian Richards]

i'm having the EXACT same problem. it all started with me trying to
update my catalyst drivers. have you had any luck fixing teh problem?

Have you run "Driver Cleaner"? I needed to do that to upgrade from one
Omega driver to the next. Sometimes stuff gets left behind even when
it ought not to. I ran uninstall, then Driver Cleaner with all ATI
options selected, then rebooted and then reinstalled.
--

Julian Richards

www.richardsuk.f9.co.uk
Website of "Robot Wars" middleweight "Broadsword IV"

 

[Guest]

I played it for an hour and it didn't crash or freeze, the graphics looked
good, and it wasn't running slowly, so it seems to be fixed. I noticed that
a couple of shadows wern't quite as good as I think they used to be, and I
didn't see any birds, but that might have been the map I was playing.
Anyway thanks for all the suggestions, even though the stupid thing just
decided to install its self in the end.

Hi:

When you go here http://ati.amd.com/support/driver.html
and navigate to where you download the CCC/Drivers for your card,
follow the "Installation Instructions" link that gives you the steps
to update the software.
There are specific steps ATI wants you to follow which includes
removing items in Registry.
If you install new software over old, or just use Add/Remove Programs,
you can expect trouble.

Happy trailz,

 

[KCB]

Hi:

When you go here http://ati.amd.com/support/driver.html
and navigate to where you download the CCC/Drivers for your card,
follow the "Installation Instructions" link that gives you the steps
to update the software.
There are specific steps ATI wants you to follow which includes
removing items in Registry.
If you install new software over old, or just use Add/Remove Programs,
you can expect trouble.

That's not what it says. It actually directs you to use Add/Remove
Programs to properly remove the old drivers/software before you install
the new ones. It gives the Manual directions only "If you encounter any
error messages while uninstalling..." It doesn't say to muck around
with the registry right off the bat. What a PITA that would be for
every driver uninstall/install! I've been using the Add/Remove properly
for years and it's worked fine.

 

[Captain Midnight]

That's not what it says. It actually directs you to use Add/Remove
Programs to properly remove the old drivers/software before you install
the new ones. It gives the Manual directions only "If you encounter any
error messages while uninstalling..." It doesn't say to muck around
with the registry right off the bat. What a PITA that would be for
every driver uninstall/install! I've been using the Add/Remove properly
for years and it's worked fine.

Probably isn't necessary for display drivers and CP or CCC until about the
third try. Have had little problem with them. Just because you don't get
error messages doesn't mean you won't have problems left over from the
previous install though. Besides the registry, manual uninstall includes
cleaning Program/ATI folders and the Temp folder which I've had problems
with left over files. It's a PIA but better than doing installs until the
Installer gets it right. It's a judgment call.

I normally only update display drivers when upgrading MMC and do the manual
uninstall every time for it. I also would do it whenever going back to an
older version of anything ATI. Was a time when uninstall and install worked
fine. Then needed to use CatUninstaller occasionally, then every time.
Finally having to use the manual method every time, for MMC at least.

Appears updating MMC won't be a problem any longer.