Installing an ATI HD 6970

v 0.2

I'm getting old.  It used to be easy doing this stuff.  Stick the card in, load the driver and away you went.

Not so now.  Let's start at the very beginning, as Julie Andrews advised.

I have a quad-core Win7 64 desktop I keep for a WWII Flight Simulator.  A very good flight simulator as it turns out .. and then there is FS-X with the Pmdg 747-438 (which I haven't played with for a while, but nostalgia might get to me).  I was using an nVidia GTS 450, DVI cable and Chimei 22 inch monitor at 1650x1080 resolution.

Now, IL2 ( the WWII Flight Sim ) has released a new version.  Wonderful graphics BUT needs tweeking and VERY demanding of video cards.  An HD 6970 or nVidia 570 would probably be the minimum you would think of.

Back to the installation.  I removed the nVidia card and replaced it with the 6970.  That 6970 sure is a much heftier card than the GTS 450.  First problem.  I ran out of power supply points.  Then I realised I had replaced the power supply some time ago with a more powerful one and I had some spare cables.  Reading the labels on the spare plugs on the power supply - hmmm specific plugs for video power supply.  Search my desk drawers .. presto .. connect and done!

Connect the DVI cable to the main port (the card has DVI and HDMI output) and boot.  Blank screen.  Let it churn for a while.  Reboot.  Churn and then ... a screen at 640 x 480.  Install drivers, then update drivers .. screen resolution STILL only 640 x 480.  Bother.

Phone a friend.  It is the monitor.  Find drivers for the Chimei monitor ... nope.  Bother.  Final suggestion was to use the DVI - VGA plug and plug the monitor in using the VGA cable.

TA-DA

Worked like a charm and straight to the native resolution.

So now, I need to find a driver for either my Chimei monitor OR a similar 22 inch monitor that does 1650 x 1080 and then try DVI again.


Now where did I leave that Horse-hair vest .........


Later....