Ecompro
asked on
ATI Radeon 2600 PRO driver for Windows Server 2003?
For 3 years I've been happily using a Sapphire HD 2600PRO (ATI Radeon 2600 PRO based) card in a management workstation that runs Windows Server 2003. System was rock-solid and card supported 2 monitors.
Fan on the video card went bad, and in the effort to replace with an aftermarket unit-- which turned out to be a slightly wrong fit-- we accidentally damaged the card. It's hard to find a mainstream card that supports 2 monitors because they all advertise working with Windows XP but not Server 2003. So I decided to stay with "what we know works" and bought a card from VisionTek that was based on the Radeon 2600 PRO chipset.
Problem-- the driver CD's install utility errors out due to unsupported OS. So I manually installed the drivers via Device Manager. Now the machine runs for a while-- sometimes 2 minutes, sometimes 2 hours-- then the display goes blank. Programs are still running in the background, but I cannot get the display back without going to another workstation and remotely rebooting mine.
Can anyone recommend where I might be able to find a suitable driver that will work on this card and OS combination?
Fan on the video card went bad, and in the effort to replace with an aftermarket unit-- which turned out to be a slightly wrong fit-- we accidentally damaged the card. It's hard to find a mainstream card that supports 2 monitors because they all advertise working with Windows XP but not Server 2003. So I decided to stay with "what we know works" and bought a card from VisionTek that was based on the Radeon 2600 PRO chipset.
Problem-- the driver CD's install utility errors out due to unsupported OS. So I manually installed the drivers via Device Manager. Now the machine runs for a while-- sometimes 2 minutes, sometimes 2 hours-- then the display goes blank. Programs are still running in the background, but I cannot get the display back without going to another workstation and remotely rebooting mine.
Can anyone recommend where I might be able to find a suitable driver that will work on this card and OS combination?
Davis McCarn
You should buy another Saphire! They're readilly available: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Sapphire%20HD%202600PRO&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbo=u&tbs=shop:1&source=og&sa=N&tab=wf&biw=1071&bih=687
ASKER
Problem was solved by ditching ATI based cards and buying a Matrox M9120 dual-head card, which has official support from the manufacturer for Server 2003 and 2008 operating systems.
So I suggested you buy an identical replacement (since the drivers were working) for $35 and you, instead spend over $90 to effect the same thing?
Saphire 2600 Pro for $35 http://compare.ebay.com/like/390287987880?ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&rvr_id=214775849411&crlp=1_263602_304662&UA=WXI7&GUID=6c816c5b12e0a47a26d189e1fdd5fabe&itemid=390287987880&ff4=263602_304662
I not only gave you a solution, it would have saved you money!
Close, points not refunded at best!
Saphire 2600 Pro for $35 http://compare.ebay.com/like/390287987880?ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&rvr_id=214775849411&crlp=1_263602_304662&UA=WXI7&GUID=6c816c5b12e0a47a26d189e1fdd5fabe&itemid=390287987880&ff4=263602_304662
I not only gave you a solution, it would have saved you money!
Close, points not refunded at best!
ASKER
Sapphire lists the 2600 as a "legacy" product and are no longer in production. They are circa 2007, and I am not going to buy a product no longer sold by the manufacturer, from some reseller's close-out stock on eBay-- especially not when it's going to be installed in a live production server. (this server acts as a management station actively supporting public-facing servers)
If I have to replace parts on a production machine, they must come from new stock as current products actively supported by the vendor.
If I have to replace parts on a production machine, they must come from new stock as current products actively supported by the vendor.
Since AMD doesn't offer anything below the Radeon 3000 Series, why did you buy a "legacy" product to replace the failed one in the first place? The ASCENDTECH link I listed is for a NEW card, not a refurbished item, so it would have been "rock solid" as you said in your first post (especially if you started blowing the dirt out once per year or so)
BTW, ATI has NO server drivers listed for the 2600 series, at all so, Saphire went the extra mile to write them before that server ever went into use and whoever bought that first card didn't do their homework.
All I said was that you should not get your points refunded; you asked, I answerred, and then you gave no other feedback, at all.
BTW, ATI has NO server drivers listed for the 2600 series, at all so, Saphire went the extra mile to write them before that server ever went into use and whoever bought that first card didn't do their homework.
All I said was that you should not get your points refunded; you asked, I answerred, and then you gave no other feedback, at all.
ASKER
I never said the eBay link was for a used/refurbished item. The Radeon 2600 card I bought as a replacement is still sold and actively supported by VisionTek.
Sapphire no longer sells the 2600 and lists it as a legacy product.
Sapphire no longer sells the 2600 and lists it as a legacy product.
ASKER
Forgot to mention this in my previous response.... As for points being refunded, I don''t care what is awarded because I'm on a paid-for "unlimited" membership. My original question was never directly answered, and the problem was remediated by using a different vendor's product.
OK; to answer your original question, you get the Device Instance Id from the device manager for the VisionTek card, locate the drivers for the Saphire, edit the INF file and change it to match the VisionTek's, save it, and then it will install (But I wouldn't do that on a server, either).
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ASKER
Mods, PLEASE close this question. I'm tired of arguing with this guy.