Can't update drivers on Radeon graphics card.

[atibugsme]

Okay, so, I have a VERY annoying problem.

 

My graphics card won't get updated drivers! Yay!!

My ATI Radeon 3650 factory overclocked REFUSES to update drivers. Its currently stuck at 8.6 (which I finally got up from 8.2 after a few hours), while the newest is (i believe) 9.4 .Running Windows Vista (for this part of the fixing attempts. read on.)

Also, it should be noticed that Valve's game client Steam always alerts me when opening Left 4 Dead that my driver is out of date and is in fact 8.14.10.662, and it reports this even after I got it to 8.6

So, things I have tried to update it:

1. Simply installing new drivers. No.

2. Installing the Catalyst+Drivers. No.

3. Uninstalling old drivers, reverting to onboard VGA, using a driver wiper to WIPE THE OLD ONES, then install using the new 9.4. Huh. It still is 8.6. Funny joke ATI.

4. I installed Windows 7 32x beta on a new hard drive to make it my primary and unplugged the old one, then installed the new drivers. Nope.

5. Booted in safe mode, uninstalled the old drivers, tried to install the new ones, got a "Failed to load detection driver" error, which I read has to do with not updating the C++ Microsoft Distrubition, so I did that, same error.

6. Used driver wiper to wipe all traces of anything ATI on my computer, and still, the drivers remained the same version.

7. Went back to basics, I told Windows to go find the updates itself, it said I have the most updated.

8. Showed Windows the actual folder where the new driver was and told it to update. It said it didn't see any.

These are all the things i've tried. Have any other solutions? Please post them, I probably already tried and forgot to mention, but post them anyway .

This problem causes Left 4 Dead to crash my computer on low settings for everything. It is not a BSOD, it is simply a freeze with one screen turning an olive color and the other a mild blue and restart.

ATI, April Fools day was a long time ago, and the Nvidia online store is looking pretty nice right now.

 

Anyone have any ideas?

 

Edit: New symptom, I just tried it again, and the same thing happened except for my secondary monitor turned into blue sqaures with blue lines spazzing out in them and static everywhere. Fun.

[socrates]

Honestly, you've taken nearly every troubleshooting step there is.

On that note, good work.

My suggestion is this:

Try reinstalling the driver and choosing to pick your own driver manually.  Go to the folder where the new driver is and manually pick that driver.  The problem could be that Vista doesn't see that driver as a "vista compliant" driver and it's ignoring it.

Another step to take would be to make sure you have all windows updates applied.

If this does not work, honestly, I'd not waste another moment and I'd call up ATI and get them to either give you a miracle fix or replace your card.

[atibugsme]

Hey Socrates, thanks for the reply.

Unfortunately, I have yet to find a way to actually tell Windows 7 (which I am currently running, all though I didn't see it with Vista either), that HERE is the driver. I haven't found a way to actually choose it in an explorer window to install. The options for manual install are

1. Search for a driver in the folder (you basically say here is the folder, now look for the driver)
or
2. Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer, which are ATI Radeon HD 3600 Series, or ATI Radeon HD 3600 Series (Microsoft Corporation WDDM 1.1), or Standard VGA.

None of those help me.. Actually, choosing to install the first two brought down my driver version to 8.53. Tomorrow I will call AMD for some help, or if you have any other suggestions, please let me know


 P.S. Anyone know to find the Ordering Part Number of my card?

[socrates]

I haven't used windows 7 yet, but from the other windows options I would say to choose number 2- let me pick.  Usually when you choose that you can say "have disk" or something like that to browse to your folder.

Try that, and let me know your results.

[patio]

I'd use the drivers that shipped with the card and wait for Win7 drivers to come out.
The stock drivers for that model work under Win7.