Display driver install under WinXP

[bill1971]

I've been wondering about this for some time:

Installation of a display driver under Win98/Me is pretty straight - forward - no prob. It's a little trickier with XP.

However, what is the best, or correct, way to install a display driver with a fresh install of WinXP, since it wants to install a compatible driver automatically, before you have a chance to install the MB chipset drivers, which a lot of video cards recommend before installing their display driver? (e.g., you're instructed to install VIA GART drivers before the display driver installation, as regards VIA chipset MBs).

In the case of ATI, they advise removing any previous driver using the Add/Remove Program function ; however, on a fresh install of XP where the OS automatically installs,say, a Radeon driver, that driver doesn't show up in the A/R Proggie list.

So, what I have done in the past, is either use the "Upgrade Driver" function in Device Mgr, or go to the Advanced tab under the Monitor settings(?), replace the display adapter w/ "Standard PCI Graphics Adapter", then reboot, and when the "New Hardware Found" box pops up from the system tray, I just "x" that out, and then proceed with the desired driver install.

I'm not certain that either of these is the best way to do it - that's why I need a bit of clarification. ( None of the graphics card manuals I've looked at seem to address this very well ).

Thanks for the help. . .

- Bill

[PresterJohn]

either method should work.

i prefer to use the "Upgrade Driver" method when the vendor's drivers offer enhanced functionality or is a later version than the existing drivers (ie. no hardware is being changed).

in cases where the VC is replaced, the pnp should detect the new hardware and you simply point it to wherever the drivers are. setting it to generic (or removing it from device manager) before the swap would be the safest way but it is hardly necessary nowadays.

[Xtreeme]

Well thats what I do. Standard vga then run ATI wizard. But know my 9800NP comes up-standard vga by default. Since its newer then XP, so soon it wont be a issue. All newer cards are gonna not be recognised like in past OS's. But with older ones....I do the same as you. And no issues ever from it. The reason is they dont want mixed drivers. One with ATI sig. may stay making it a MIXED bag of .dll's etc. Then games crash/act weird you name it.