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Dell's Not Going To Support ATI Mobility Drivers!

post #1 of 12
6/13/05 at 9:28pm
Thread Starter 
ATI will only be supplying mobility driver updates for system builders who have agreed to support these drivers. Dell has not agreed to support ATI's new mobility drivers on its notebook systems.

There is more info about this here.
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post #2 of 12
6/13/05 at 9:36pm
I gave up with Dell long time ago
They are always months behind the original catalysts and the omegas.
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post #3 of 12
6/13/05 at 9:48pm
I always felt Dell's version of driver was crap anyways. I only use modded ATI's or Omegas and get way better performance. Plus ATI are starting to make their drivers available for mobile cards anyways so u don't need to mod them. Its only takes a few secs to mod them anyways though.

Can't see the point of Dell continuing to release video drivers.
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post #4 of 12
6/14/05 at 5:10am
Hello, I've never had a pc or laptop with a real graphics card before (now have I9100 with MR9800) - so could someone please explain the deal with this drivers business? I read the article, does it mean that it will be UNSAFE to upgrade with the drivers from the ATI website in the future (in terms of system stability)? Who cares if Dell validates them, can I just go and download them anyway?

Thanks for any help!
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post #5 of 12
6/14/05 at 7:50am
Quote:
Originally Posted by dell-boy
Hello, I've never had a pc or laptop with a real graphics card before (now have I9100 with MR9800) - so could someone please explain the deal with this drivers business? I read the article, does it mean that it will be UNSAFE to upgrade with the drivers from the ATI website in the future (in terms of system stability)? Who cares if Dell validates them, can I just go and download them anyway?

Thanks for any help!
Hi Dell-boy,

Video drivers is the link between your video card and the result of the computer. It provides an interface to the instructions contained on the GPU. Bottom line; the more efficient the driver software is, the better your video performance.

However, I think we are missing the point with the new Catalyst drivers. Of course Dell won't support them, ATI is talking about releasing new versions every month; there is no way Dell could realistically keep up with each driver release and support them with their customer base. They will continue to pick a driver version that is the most stable and make that the "official" Dell driver. And that will be fine for the masses.

For us power/tweak freaks, we will enjoy the benefits of new features and improved performance. We will also run the risks that new drivers could be "less than perfect" and introduce new problems. We can't run to Dell everything this happens, and they are right not to listen.

Updating your drivers won't hurt your video card, but its possible that it could negatively affect your video (even give you just a blank screen). If that's the case, roll back the drivers. Rule of thumb; it you are happy with it, don't mess with it.
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post #6 of 12
6/14/05 at 1:43pm
Thanks for that, and...

Quote:
Originally Posted by delphigreg
Rule of thumb; it you are happy with it, don't mess with it.
Very true! Its too easy to get caught up in wanting the latests stuff or imagining problems even if what you have now does the job perfectly. I have the same issue with whether to get a notebook cooler (see my other moanings). The I9100 seems to take care of itself perfectly well so far.
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post #7 of 12
6/15/05 at 5:51am
I really dont think that for a company like Dell it is that hard of them to just change a few lines of code (I am guessing) to make the drivers mobility versions...I mean take a look at Patje's driver modding tool...
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post #8 of 12
6/15/05 at 10:34am
Changing the lines of code is easy - it's making sure that they can let the drones support the drivers when you phone them that's hard.

Personally, I don't care, since Patje's mod works just fine (still). And failing that, there's still Omega and Detonator.
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post #9 of 12
6/15/05 at 3:48pm
Yeah you are right KevDA. I agree. But I have yet to hear from people of complaining that much about driver issues that they resort to calling tech support...
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post #10 of 12
6/16/05 at 12:04am
You probably wouldn't here - most of the people on this board are reasonably tech savvy. But from a corporate stand point, Dell has to cover all the angles. Otherwise someone somewhere will come up with some lame-@$$ lawsuit about how Dell is distributing inappropriate drivers and it caused them enough distraction and frustration that they burned their trailer down or some such BS (hey, we're talking about a country where you can sue Micky D's and win for selling coffee that's - gasp - hot...) Actual technical reasoning need not apply.
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post #11 of 12
6/16/05 at 2:05am
LOL great point! Yeah I didnt think of it that way. I guess we notebookforum members should start advertising or something...say that if there are questions regarding laptops this is the place to come to.
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post #12 of 12
6/16/05 at 2:24am
Come and get it!
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ATI Mobility Radeon 9800, v.8.131.1-050512a-023547C, A04
Release Date: 06/14/2005
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Looks like 5.5 to me but point is Dell has to support its product. Unfortunatly for us they use exactly the same logic: why make new drivers when old ones work fine? Ironic...
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