RIV@NVX

Some users reported some incompatibilites between ATI drivers and Windows Server 2003. After all, Windows Server 2003 isn't officially supported by ATI; but drivers can be made working.

This thread can be considered an all-in-one collection of the common ones.

1. Installing driver on fresh installation of Windows Server 2003 fails.
It's because hardware acceleration is disabled by default, and it should be turned it on: open Display Properties\Settings\Advanced\Troubleshoot and move it from "None" to full.
Also, it is recommended to install DirectX 9 (download here).

2. Games refuse to run after driver is installed.
Hardware acceleration needs to be enabled in DxDiag Display section for DirectDraw, Direct3D and AGP Texture.

3. Video doesn't display (thanks to Enyan for researching this one).
It's because Overlay Mixer video renderer for some reason fails to work. Video player should be switched to VMR9 in order to make it work. Zoom Player and Media Player Classic have that setting configurable in Options.

4. After installing driver and restarting PC, desktop and 2d apps are stuttering.
Since Catalyst 3.7, driver installation seems to lower hardware acceleration under Display Properties to "None". Just set it back to "Full" and everything should work correctly again.
Some users also reported beeing unable to run Windows after this - just go to safe mode and alter it from there.

5. Installing driver fails because installation detects Windows XP 64-bit and says it can't install.
This issue is around since Catalyst 3.10, but it's relatively easy to workaround/install; when the files are extracted to C:\ATI\support\<driver package>, find setup.exe and apply compatibility mode set to "Windows XP"; then run it.
Fixed in Catalyst 4.2 - It is detected as normal Windows XP and installs without problems

6. SMARTGART isn't avaliable
This issues is currently being researched; this isn't really big problem, since SMARTGART doesn't have anything that requires changing in most cases.
Fixed in Catalyst 4.2 - SMARTGART appears normally

I hope this helps

__________________
-- Vedran

Greylock

for me installing new ATI drivers only worked by first installing omega´s 2443 and instafterwards installing the bnew drivers just over these.

Installing new drivers, rebooting in safe mode, setting hardware acceleration to maximum, rebooting always gave me a bluescreen on win2k3 standard edition...
Additionally the smartgart tab is under win2k3 unavailable..

RIV@NVX

I always set HW acceleration to max without using safe mode. That works for me, but one user reported different expirience.

Smartgart is unavailable, yes, I have missed that because I never use it anyway.

__________________
-- Vedran

The_Neon_Cowboy

i could of used this info a while back lol

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Greylock

very interesting...
If i install new ATI drivers (newer than cat 3.4) on a clean 2k3 installation i will never see my desktop again but in safe mode (i always get a blue screen....)

RIV@NVX

I can install any version (currently using 3.10) and it works; what card do you have?

__________________
-- Vedran

Greylock

i am using radeon 9700 Pro

orionbg

I have Radeon 9700 Pro too and i don´t have such problems! Only the SMARTGART is not working!!!! But I have made it work two times in the past!! (With Cat 3.8) If I only knew HOW???
The only new problem is this Windows XP 64 BIT Edition thing!!! It is true that My CPU is 64bit but Windows is NOT! (still)

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ASUS NCCH-DL i875, 2x Intel XEON 2.8GHz 1MB 800MHz FSB EM64T, 2x512MB DDR500 A-Data VITESTA!!, ATI Radeon X800XT PE 256MB, 2x 120GB HITACHI GXP250 SATA RAID, DVD/CD-RW Lite-On SOHC-5232K, DVD-ROM BTC 16x, DVD±RW NEC3500A, 5.1 Dolby Digital Creative Inspire 5500 Dig. Speackers, Creative Audigy 5.1 Audio, Windows Server 2003 Freestyle, 3D Mark 2001SE Score: 21096; 3D Mark 2003 Score: 12425; 3D Mark 2005 Score:5677

RIV@NVX

Perhaps driver detects NT 5.2 as Windows XP 64-bit? I don't know, but that would be incorrect.

__________________
-- Vedran

Enyan

I've installed drivers and everything's fine exept for one thing: I can't watch movies (avi, mpg, etc.).
Any idea how this comes?

I've got a r9700pro and omega catalyst 3.10 based drivers.
Windows server 2003 enterprise

(oh yeah, and previous I got the smartgart to work when I installed omega drivers over a catalyst installation with the control panel still installed.)

RIV@NVX

Did it work with previous drivers or not? Do you get full blank screen or just window?

__________________
-- Vedran

Enyan

I installed ati drivers today, and it still doesn't work, I think it worked with previous drivers.
I also found out that when I reboot, and start playing a movie right after the reboot, I do get video, but when i close the app. and start the app again, i only get a black screen with the audio (black video screen) and I can also see subtitles, but no video
TNX

ludovicf

I experience the same pb on WS2003 and 3.10... I remember it was working just a bit better with older drivers (previous to 3.10), like I was able to get the video two or three times but then nothing until the next reboot. That was using either Windows Media Player 9, WinDVD or PowerDVD latest versions (to date).

But... I've tried ZoomPlayer and then miracle, it's working fine all the time. I assume since ZoomPlayer is able to let you choose your "draw" method (overlay mixer, VRM9, Standard Renderer, System Default), it's a bit better than other commercial applications and tweaks how "DirectDraw" is displaying the movie... well that's what I understand so far.

*Still*, the pb is very annoying when I do prefer to use PowerDVD or WinDVD (for SVCD or DVD playback). Anyone has a solution to that?

Thanks! Ludo.

RIV@NVX

I don't have that issue. Have you enabled hardware acceleration in dxdiag?

__________________
-- Vedran

ludovicf

Yes... I checked that. Everything is enabled.

Enyan

I've got it enabled too (and dxdiag detect's no problems at all), and with omega catalyst 3.9 based still the same problem. I'm using mv2player with ffdshow filter. I think is has to do something with the video renderer, with zoomplayer, when I change video renderer it works ok.
Hope to find a definite solution soon....until then, thanks for all the help so far.

RIV@NVX

Is there an option to disable somekind of video acceleration provided by ATI in Control Panel. I am pretty sure that >=9500 cards support such a thing.

BTW, I am using Media Player Classic (http://www.gabest.org/), but I doubt that would make a difference.

__________________
-- Vedran

Enyan

I think it does make a difference, probably it uses an older type of video renderer (windows 9x)



[COLOR=red]This one is default? and did not give me video[/COLOR]
[COLOR=green]This is probably Medi Player Classic's video renderer? (Works fine here)[/COLOR]
[COLOR=limegreen]This is the video renderer I'm using at the moment, no problems so far (and works with other apps)[/COLOR]

Hope this is correct, correct me if I'm wrong... but it works, so I'm happy

RIV@NVX

Media Player Classic allows you to select which renderer would you like to use; I use VMR9 Renderless, and so far I haven't had any problems.

I am glad that it works for you.

__________________
-- Vedran

tenndevil

Follow this guide this guide has been foolproof. I found it on neowin.net and it works really good. Just follow it step by step.

RIV@NVX

Yup, it's a great guide; but it doesn't talk anything about video.

__________________
-- Vedran

tenndevil

Hmmm....page 2 towards the bottom will tell you how to enable what has to be enabled to install both Nvidia and ATI drivers, if you don't do it, guess what, you won't get the Control Panel from ati to install, nor will you get a complete driver install.

RIV@NVX

Yes, it does talk about graphic drivers; but it doesn't talk about video (look few posts up - discussion between me and Enyan); I hoped to find some info about Overlay Mixer vs VMR etc.

__________________
-- Vedran

Enyan

Maybe I found out why smartgart doesn't work on win2k3. (Can somebody with a WinXP OS try this out?)
There is a service callen ATI Smart. When I try to start it, it stops right after and I get the following message:
"The ATI Smart service on Local Computer started and then stopped. Some services stop automatically if they have no work to do, for example, the Perfomance Logs and Alert service."

RIV@NVX

I get the same thing on Win2k3, and I have a friend with WinXP and Radeon 8500. I will try it at his computer tomorrow.

__________________
-- Vedran

Enyan

The strange thing is that SmartGart worked once when, by mistake, I had ATI CP installed with Omega drivers, maybe someone can host a original ati2sgag.exe from ATI drivers on XP (or somebody that doesn't have this problem on windows 2003) so I can try replace my ati2sgag.exe with that one.

[edit]

after installing ATI catalyst drivers and installing omega's and then catalyst again and uninstalling some times and stuff, I suddenly got it to work.... I have no idea how but miraculously it works.


It is really strange because the ATI Smart service still isn't running and won't run.

I hosted the file from advanced smartgart, maybe somebody want's to do something with it.
atiprbxx.exe (download it to, and run with %SystemRoot%\system32\ATIPRBXX.EXE /g)

[/edit]

ludovicf

I think I have the solution to the issue I've described with Windows Server 2003. It's a matter of getting rid of any application / service that might already use video overlay... and guess which one is constantly using it?.... Terminal Services!!
I discovered that after I formated my HD and then installed Windows Server 2000... I had similar issues, until I found that ATI FAQ that tells everything http://www.ati.com/support/faq/tvfai...deoerror.html. I guess uninstalling terminal services on Windows Server 2003 should also do the trick - let me know!

PS: if that still doesn't work, then check if you're not using any remote control app or something that would grab the video overlay system.

RIV@NVX

I will try it, sounds like good idea.

joikd

Every time I installed any of the Catalyst drivers on Windows 2003 I would get a BSOD upon reboot. This is after I enabled everything before installing the drivers. Safe mode didn't help at all for me.

Finally, I installed the drivers after entering Windows through "Enable VGA mode" (or something like that after pressing F8). After installation, when the comp rebooted, I entered Windows again through "Enable VGA mode", and enabled all acceleration. Then, rebooted, and everything was perfect.

This is the only way I was able to install the drivers.

vodalus

I've had problems in the past where after cleaning my drivers with Driver Cleaner I could no longer get videos to work. However, after a bit of registry comparing, I found out the solution (at least for me).

wmp9.reg

Download this registry file, check it to make sure I'm not hosing your computer, and then run it. Hopefully after a reboot you can play your videos again. If not...well, sorry.

As for the BSOD upon reboot after a new driver installation, try booting the first time in VGA mode (hit F8 at startup and select Boot VGA Mode). Once in windows, right-click the desktop, select properties, settings, advanced, troubleshoot, and make sure your hardware acceleration is maxed. It tends to get shut off sometimes. Just log off and log back on and it should be all good. [edit: Should have read the post above mine]

Hope that helps.