Widescreen Gaming Forum

Need some advice from some other Eyefinity users. I have an Alienware Area 51 desktop with dual HD 5800 cards in crossfire, and I am running three Acer 21.5" montiors. I am currently using older drivers version 8.861.0.0, and I would like to update them. I had tried to do this about 6 months ago with disasterous results that only a format reinstall of Windows 7 64 bit would solve. Is it generally recommended to completely uninstall all Catalyst components before installing new drivers? If so, should you install the entire new Catalyst suite or just the display drivers? Why the hell is this so hard compared to Nvidia drivers lol?!? I just dont want to dive off on my own again and end up with a reformat. I would greatly appreaciate if someone could point me to a good step by step post on the best way to install the newer versions without fubarring your system

Need some advice from some other Eyefinity users. I have an Alienware Area 51 desktop with dual HD 5800 cards in crossfire, and I am running three Acer 21.5" montiors. I am currently using older drivers version 8.861.0.0, and I would like to update them. I had tried to do this about 6 months ago with disasterous results that only a format reinstall of Windows 7 64 bit would solve. Is it generally recommended to completely uninstall all Catalyst components before installing new drivers? If so, should you install the entire new Catalyst suite or just the display drivers? Why the hell is this so hard compared to Nvidia drivers lol?!? I just dont want to dive off on my own again and end up with a reformat. I would greatly appreaciate if someone could point me to a good step by step post on the best way to install the newer versions without fubarring your system

I'm not sure just why you had such a huge problem updating drivers. ???

I've been using nothing but ATI cards since the early to mid 1990s. And, only on very, very RARE occasions have I had a problem when updating drivers. So, it shouldn't be hard at all.

If you're simply updating the drivers, you can just run the Install option and the drivers will update. I do it 99% of the time just "over the top" of the existing drivers. Only in those very rare instances when I may go back to previous drivers do I use the Uninstall option. I also do a Custom installation every time. This way, I do have the option to select certain drivers and features I want...or don't want.

One thing that may be good to do at this stage of development of Eyefinity, however, is to DISABLE the Eyefinity setup and limit yourself to the one main monitor. Then do the driver update and reconfigure Eyefinity after a successful driver update.

Good luck!

_________________
~Windows 7 x64 Professional~MSI X58A-GD45~Intel I7-950~6x2 GB DDR3 1600 RAM (Triple Channel)~RealTek Onboard~XFX HD 6950 2 GB GDDR5~3 ViewSonic 24 inch LCDs in Eyefinity~SATA Dual Layer DVD RW~1000 W PSU~And a Whole Lot More!~Done with Vista~XP Pro on the way out, too!~AND....250 GB XBOX 360~

I install new drivers every release (and a bunch of beta ones as well) with no issue. If you're running crossfire then I recommend staying away from the 10.6 drivers. Just use the 10.5's.

Installing them isn't a big issue... just uninstall old ones, then install new ones (the full catalyst suite). Only consider full sweeps if something's wrong or if you're switching from nvidia to ati or vice versa.

awesome, thanks for the advice!