[noob] Can I get instructions on how to "properly" install new Catalyst drivers?

I

indokyne

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I've been using ATi's standard executable driver updates but I'm always reading how the "right" way to do it is to uninstall / delete / driver clean etc etc...

could someone clarify exactly what I need to do to update my driver to the latest one?
 
1, Download latest ati driver

2, Download Driver sweeper and install it.

3, Uninstall the driver you already have, do it via windows control panel Program and features Icon if you use windows 7, double click on the installed ati drivers and it will uninstall them.

4, Once they are uninstalled reboot into safe mode, keep pushing F8 when the pc restarts after shutting down to enter safe mode options, then select Safe Mode and push enter.

5, Run driver sweeper when windows boots into safe mode.

6, Select ati video drivers and then push clean

7, Reboot into windows and install the new drivers

Bingo
 
I Install the driver over the top normally. If I get problems, I just run the catalyst express uninstall utility, reboot, install the driver, then reboot again. I never bother with CCleaner/Driversweeper and all that, haven't needed to.
 
thanks for your detailed response Scot +rep if i could
gonna update now per your instructions.
Sam - yea I used to be the same way but apparently this new ATi Driver has a "10% performance boost on Black Ops" and I NEED that lol... :eek::eek::eek:

yea... we'll see.
 
Ok seriously you don't have to go into safe mode, not required. I uninstall the Catalyst Software/driver, then it asks if you want to restart. You press "Exit without Restart" then run Driver Sweeper and analyze/clean drivers, then restart Windows. Finally restart Windows and install new drivers, restart again and your done. Ok now that's the recommended way to do it, however I've done install drivers multiple of ways from installing on top of the old drivers to uninstalling Catalyst suite and installing the new ones. So... there is just multiple ways of doing it. I think my first explanation is the best way and the steps to do it isn't more work than a standard driver update. Drivers sometimes causes problems to the point that the OS gets confused on what driver to use if multiple drivers are installed upon each other and driver sweeper helps clear that out. It's not something you have to always do, it's just recommended.
 
But if their is any part of the driver or a single file that is locked/still being used by the system after the uninstall procedure, you cannot delete it until a reboot is done and sometimes even a reboot can still have them locked down.

Safemode isnt 100% necessary, a reboot would do 99% of the time, but a boot into safemode is guarateed to get rid of everything, whilst sometimes a normal reboot might not, unlikely as it is unless your OS is in a shit state to begin with.

The only drivers that have gave me any problems like that is nvidia drivers a few years back. It doesnt happen often and with that simple step, you more or less guaratee that A, you will get all the old files deleted + reg entries and B, you wont be installing new drivers which will mix in with parts of the old ones.
 
Scotsman, with my procedure after the first reboot no video drivers are present at all, try it out sometime. It's just a waste of time to go into safe mode, run driver sweeper and then reboot, install, and reboot again. The OS continues to use the last known configuration for video drivers until a reboot.
 
i ran my 4870 for 2 years without issue by using the basic method AMD suggests. no need to make it more complicated than it needs to be.

edit: Vista, and XP. the link above pertains to Windows7.
 
Last edited:
EVIL-SCOTSMAN said:
1, Download latest ati driver

2, Download Driver sweeper and install it.

3, Uninstall the driver you already have, do it via windows control panel Program and features Icon if you use windows 7, double click on the installed ati drivers and it will uninstall them.

4, Once they are uninstalled reboot into safe mode, keep pushing F8 when the pc restarts after shutting down to enter safe mode options, then select Safe Mode and push enter.

5, Run driver sweeper when windows boots into safe mode.

6, Select ati video drivers and then push clean

7, Reboot into windows and install the new drivers

Bingo
Click to expand...

This is the proper way to do it. Also use CCleaner too prior to installing the new drivers.
 
Double click the .exe. It works fine unless you're running 3rd party software like afterburner or radeon pro. If you are running software like that, I would follow the list posted earlier.
 
Just uninstall through the control panel. Ati Installer does pretty much the same thing those driver removal programs do.
 
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