How to Upgrade an ATI Driver

If you've noticed problems with your ATI graphics card, the problem can often be attributed to an out-of-date driver. An outdated driver causes problems and must be updated when a new driver is available. Otherwise your computer will not perform efficiently. You can download the newest ATI graphics card by visiting AMD's website or using the Windows 7 driver update utility. The Windows 7 driver update utility may not work correctly and may not display any updates for your ATI driver. In this case, you may have to manually download the update from AMD's website.

Instructions

Downloading the Update From AMD's Website

1. Click the "Start" button and type "devmgmt.msc" without the quotation marks into the "Search" field. After pressing "Enter," click "devmgmt" under "Programs" and double-click the "Display Adapters." The ATI graphics card model will appear. Make a note of the model name and number.

2. Visit the AMD graphics and drivers website. Select the type of graphics you wish to update, such as desktop graphics, notebook graphics and integrated graphics.

3. Select the product line, such as a Radeon 7, 8 or 9 series. This is the first number next to your graphics card under "Display drivers." For example, if your graphics card is a Radeon 9500, then it is a Radeon 9 series.

4. Select the model number, which coincides with the product line. For example, if you chose the Radeon 9 series, you can select from a from the 9100 model up to the 9800 model. Select your operating system and click "Display Results." The following page will display the most up-to-date driver.

5. Scroll down and click "Download" under "Full software suite." Elect to save the ".exe" file to your desktop. Double-click the ".exe" file after it is downloaded to begin the installation process.

6. Follow the onscreen instructions to update the ATI driver. This typically involves agreeing to the terms and conditions and confirming that you wish to update the driver. A "Finished" screen will appear after the driver is updated. Click "OK" to exit the screen; your ATI driver is now up-to-date. You may have to restart your computer after the installation, depending on which version of Windows you are running.

Using Windows 7 Driver Update Utility

1. Click the Windows "Start" button and click "All Programs." Select "Windows Update" from the list of available programs.

2. Click "Check for updates" when the "Windows Update" appears.

3. Click "View available drivers." Any available updates for your ATI driver will be displayed. Click on the driver update and click "Install." Windows will automatically install the update. You may have to enter the administrator password to install the update, depending on your security settings.

Tips & Warnings

• When selecting the product line from the AMD website, note that Integrated graphics are graphics that are built into a motherboard, and usually come standard on inexpensive desktops and notebooks. ATI integrated graphics, as of November 2010, are displayed as the Radeon 1, 2 and 3 series, Radeon Express series, Radeon IGP series or the AMD 700 series. For example, the Radeon 2200 is an integrated graphics card, while the Radeon 9300 is not. Consult your computer's manual if you're unsure whether or not you have an integrated graphics card.

References

• AMD Support: How to Identify the Model of an ATI Graphics Card
• AMD: 7-series Integrated Chipset
• Microsoft Windows: Update a driver for hardware that isn't working properly

Resources

• AMD: Graphics Drivers and Software