PC Drivers & Software

[boilermaker8162]

Dell precision T7400 2X3.33GHz quad core Xeon cpu's, 5X146GB sas 15k drives in raid, 16GB ram, Running dual boot system Windows 10 and Vista 64bit. XFX R9 270X runs great on win10, on win vista not so good. I have tried downloading the latest Win Vista driver package from this site, AMD Catalyst™ Software Suite, AMD Catalyst™ 13.12, also tried the original driver CD, both with same result.  Upon installing software suit the drivers do not install automatically, and ccc does not seem to install at all. I have been able to get the R9 270 series driver to install manually but sometimes not without a fight. Vista Business is a brand new and updated install with sp2 and latest direct X as well as .net several versions. Not only have I tried the original driver CD, and Vista software suit, I have also tried the latest Win XP 64bit driver package with same result, had to install the R9 200 series driver manually. Installing this video card on Vista is like nailing Jello to a tree!!!! All seems odd to me because the card was manufactured towards the middle/end of Vista's hay day while the operating system was still very much in use. Also the monitor is a Toshiba 65" 3d TV. The Toshiba is listed in the properties of the Windows 10 install and installed right away when installing the video card, but Vista has not recognized the TV no matter what driver i install nor does Vista ever Install ccc.

[pokester]

I am not an AMD employee so I don't speak for them. They are likely not going to answer you here either as these are community forums of peers like you. Vista very much in use is kind of a stretch, I don't think it even ever past 15%. As most machines sold with Vista got downgraded to XP by their users. Vista was probably the most unpopular / hated OS ever, Windows 8 a close second, and is also not supported by AMD. It was riddled with issues that never got resolved until later OS versions fixed them. I don't know if there is a driver that would work better for it? Maybe another user with that card that ran Vista and remembers might answer you? Sometimes lucky happens. I can tell that Microsoft nor AMD support that OS anymore, so I wouldn't hold my breath waiting on a fix.

If you have a real need to run that OS for some reason? You might want to run it as a VM from within Windows 10.

Good luck I hope someone else can help.

[boilermaker8162]

Thank you for the insight. Very helpful.

[elstaci]

Your Dell Precision came originally with Vista installed right?  You then installed Windows 10 later on. What did you do with the original AMD/Nvidia GPU card that came with the computer? Supposingly your computer came with a AMD FireGL 3600 or 7600 or Nvidia GPU card installed. You have the correct driver for the RX-270X for Vista x64 from AMD Support.

It is possible you still have the professional AMD/Nvidia drivers that came originally with the original AMD/NVIDIA GPU card and is clashing with the R9-270x AMD Driver set from installing.

When you install it be sure that you use Vista to uninstall all AMD Graphic drivers and related software then use DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) in safe mode (Not sure if DDU is compatible with Windows Vista or not) to eliminate all traces of AMD driver and software. Check to see if you have a folder at the Root Directory C:AMD/NVIDIA, if you do delete it. Download the full set of AMD Driver not the minimal set. Disconnect the computer from the Internet to prevent the internet from installing a different driver than the one you are installing (Not sure if Vista Update still works since it is not supported by Microsoft anymore). Once the computer Reboots.

Try reinstalling the AMD drivers for the R9-270X and see if it works and enable the Internet again and then again delete the folder C:\AMD to open up some space on the disc. Be sure to install the latest Security Update from Microsoft first from the link below.

Here is all the Vista Drivers x64 download for your computer from Dell Support: Support for Precision T7400 | Drivers & downloads | Dell US​

There also is a Microsoft Security Update for Vista SP2 from 05/26/02016 (Download Security Update for Windows Vista for x64-based Systems (KB3153199) from Official Microsoft... ) that you need to install. Maybe if this update is not installed could be a reason why the AMD Driver set wasn't installing. Vista needs to be fully Updated.

[boilermaker8162]

Vista is completely updated and it is a new install like i already said. I threw the old video card away, yes it was like one of the models you have listed which would be nothing like the R9 270X, not even the same memory type. I have removed all AMD drivers and reinstalled several times, even removed all ATI/AMD from the registry. I have been through the support page on the Dell site already, I have had this PC for quite some time.

[plumboby]

Another idea maybe wipe the whole system & do a fresh 10 install with fresh AMD drivers. Be the best suggestion to fix any conflict issues. Its a way I do with OEM builds like Dell HP etc. I completely wipe all factory bloatware 3rd party crapware & do a fresh 10 over write & install the drivers in need. As a base install 10 Will install best drivers to suit your machine, you got a decent card that carrys updates still so an idea would be fresh 10 first then Display drivers once you got a stable OS running. Its a work around I do with Laptops & the odd Prebuilt I get asked to do a OS upgrade on. I dont bother with installing factory programs from Prebuild computer companies as half the times the programs software is out dated & cause havoc with later upgrades. Idea to would be have a fresh Harddrive with a later OS ready to boot even off SSD load it up with the most recent OS updates the Apply AMD videocard drivers. A suggestion would be to check your PSU to as if its in an older Pre built the PSU would be a 3rd party crappy probly under powered & due to crap out. Just a few ideas for some1 whos worked on a few pre built tidy ups on a budget.

[boilermaker8162]

Thank You for the ideas, but just exactly how would my windows 10pro 64 bit which is a fairly new install that as i said "R9 270X runs great on" affect a completely different install of Vista which is a dual boot system running on another drive? The 1000W PSU is far more than enough, I'ts built for crossfire and up to 64GB of RAM.

My issue seems to be more in line with a conflict between Vistas SP2 update and the drivers that AMD did NOT update after 2014. I understand that AMD isn't going to update drivers for an outdated operating system, but that's not the case here. Vistas end of life was 2017!!! and AMD updated the drivers after 2014 for Windows XP, but not Vista? There should be drivers that I can download from AMD for Vista from 2017, after all the R9 270 was released during the Vista era.

[pokester]

I hear your reasoning for thinking AMD should have supported Vista longer, at least as long as MS did. Unfortunately it's the same issue with Windows 8/8.1 right now. 8.1 is still supported by MS but AMD left many users that could not or would not upgrade to Windows 10 stranded. The only benefit these users have over your situation, is that some of the Win 8 users have had success loading the newer Windows 7 drivers. I hope you found resolution to your issue. I don't know what you are using Vista for. As I mentioned earlier, maybe a virutual machine install would do you better as the VM wouldn't need the hardware dependency the standalone install does? It really just depends on what you are running.

Either way I sure wish you the best. Good Luck!

[elstaci]

I am not sure, but try downloading R9-270 Drivers for Windows 7 from AMD Support then use "Compatibility" for Vista before installing the driver set.

I imagine the worst will be an error message saying it can't install in Vista. But it is worth a try since Windows 7 was the next Windows after Windows Vista.

[pokester]

That's a great idea. Glad you thought of it. You come up with good stuff a lot buddy! I know I have done that same thing with printer drivers and it has worked. Worth a shot anyway!

[elstaci]

Sometimes I get lucky and my mind start getting less foggy from dementia

[pokester]

Who are you? Did you say something? Oh hello, who are you, did you say something? What was I doing?  LOL, Dang I know that feeling!

[boilermaker8162]

I tried that a couple days ago, can't do backwards compatibility from vista with a win 7 driver. In other words ounce you download the 7 driver onto Vista when you click compatibility Vista only gives options for prior operating systems not the future ones, only gives XP, 2003, win 2000, does not give win 7 to win vista option. However I did try to make the win 7 driver compatible with xp and it didn't work.

[pokester]

maybe try another way to install that driver. Don't run the install. Go to device manager find your card. Update driver from there, and browse to that folder. It may not install all the fluff but maybe install the display driver by itself.