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Level 2

475 points

OS 9 Support Dropped By ATI?

Just noticed, when attempting to access the ATI site to check on current software for Mac ATI video cards, that the new AMD/ATI site no longer provides download links for OS 9 drivers. Fortunately I have copies of the last OS 9 software updates applicable to my various video cards. Might still be able to get a link through VersionTracker.

Carl B.

Power Mac MDD G4, Mac OS X (10.4.8), Dual 1.25 GHz 2MB-L3, 2 GB RAM, Verax fans, ATI 9600, DVR-111D, SyncMaster 215TW

Posted on Nov 27, 2006 3:29 PM

101 replies

CEB II Author

Level 2

475 points

Oct 22, 2007 11:09 AM in response to Dirk Bolle

Done.

Oct 22, 2007 3:03 PM in response to CEB II

thanks so much! the comp is @ work, and im off until wednesday. i'll post the results.

Oct 23, 2007 1:04 PM in response to CEB II

ATI has not dropped the support, you just have to know that the drivers for OS x 10.2 will work as far back as OS 8.6

In the menu for downloading Video drivers select the ones for MAC OS X10.2.x then Radeon then your card.

That will take you to a page where you can download both:

ATI Displays Panel 4.5.7
and
Retail update (Feb 24 2003)

I have a MacRadeon 7000 and have installed these drivers in both OS 8.6 and 9.2.2 (especially sweet in 8.6 as it really speeds up window drawing and movement).

Oct 23, 2007 1:34 PM in response to funkymonkeypie

Alright to I made a fool of myself. I went in ready to work on this machine and BOOM, it is not OS 9, It is OS 8.1. The memory still fit in there, and the card will too, but I just need a driver. I'd say we could just buy a new machine, but this machine is the journalism machine and works parallel to a machine at the local newspaper. They both have the exact same copy of Quark XPress and so buying a new one is not a question. If I could just fix that video card it would be cool, but as it is the screen jumps as you look at it, and no one can stand to look at it for more than 5 minutes at a time. Thanks for any ideas.

Oct 23, 2007 2:21 PM in response to funkymonkeypie

This is the link for the OS X 10.2.x ATI drivers that are the same drivers that they used to post for Classic

http://ati.amd.com/support/drivers/mac/macosx10-2x-radeon.html

CEB II Author

Level 2

475 points

Oct 23, 2007 2:32 PM in response to funkymonkeypie

Interesting that the AMD/ATI "Software Requirements" state 10.1.3 to 10.2.4 for their oldest driver update and don't mention OS 9. Of course, that doesn't mean that the file won't load in OS 9, just that AMD/ATI didn't intend for it to do so.

It also states that it is for the Radeon 8500 Mac Edition, Radeon 7000 Mac Edition, and Radeon Mac Edition (AGP & PCI), which of course excludes the 9000 and 9200 that are used in OS 9 in many older Macs. I don't intend to mess with that OS 10.1/2 update to try to find out if it will work in OS 9. I think it is a lot safer to just use the OS 9 updater.

OTOH, if one has both OS X and OS 9 on their Mac, the ATI ROM updater for Radeon cards that is available for OS 10.4, will provide the most current update of the ROM, which carries over into OS 9 usage. The ATI Displays Panel 4.5.7 does not carry over into OS 9 and only affects OS X usage.

Carl B.

CEB II Author

Level 2

475 points

Oct 23, 2007 2:38 PM in response to That Computer Guy

That Computer Guy wrote:
Alright to I made a fool of myself. I went in ready to work on this machine and BOOM, it is not OS 9, It is OS 8.1. The memory still fit in there, and the card will too, but I just need a driver. I'd say we could just buy a new machine, but this machine is the journalism machine and works parallel to a machine at the local newspaper. They both have the exact same copy of Quark XPress and so buying a new one is not a question. If I could just fix that video card it would be cool, but as it is the screen jumps as you look at it, and no one can stand to look at it for more than 5 minutes at a time. Thanks for any ideas.

If it is a Radeon video card, the update I sent you should still work as the affected Control Panels and Extensions in OS 8.X are replaced by those in the updater. The drivers are video card specific, not classic OS specific. Try it, it should work.

Carl B.

Oct 23, 2007 3:27 PM in response to CEB II

Carl B.

As with many hardware companies that are in the business of selling new gear every year, there is a big difference between unsupported and not possible. The ATI Displays Panel for instance is the same version (4.5.7) from the 10.2.x Radeon 7000 to the OSX 10.4.x Radeon X800 XT. Which is also exactly the same version that they used to post for Classic. (i checked my archives). The only difference is that they now package it as a .dmg file instead of an .hqx (which is how they still send out the retail update). So the issue more about being able to open the file they send (.dmg kinda hard to do in 9.x or before). But once you get it open the new drivers run great.

From the near total lack of driver updates from ATI over the past 5 years it's pretty clear that AMD wants to abandon this corner of the market.

What is the version number you have for the OS9 Retail update?
If its "radeon-0210" is the same as the one posted under the OSX 10.2 section. If its "ati-radion-10-3-6-jan2005" its the same as the one posted all the way up to OSX10.4 Radeon X800 its just that its a .dmg now.

CEB II Author

Level 2

475 points

Oct 24, 2007 12:32 AM in response to funkymonkeypie

The ATI Displays 4.5.7 is the latest driver and preference panel update for Mac OS X for Radeon video cards. It contains an OS X installer and cannot be used in OS 9. It is dated December 2005. I can't find any way to open the .dmg in OS 9, but I'm quite sure that there isn't an OS 9 installer embedded in the file.

The Radeon updater posted at ATI/AMD for Mac OS 10,2 is listed as Retail Update and dated both 10/16/02 and 2/24/03. If you unstuff it in OS X, you get the ATI Displays 4.5.7 again. If you unstuff it in OS 9, you get the Radeon-0210 updater (i.e., the October 2002 Retail Updater). The release notes for that updater are dated 10/18/02 and do not cover the Radeon 9000 or 9200 video cards.

The last OS 9 updater for Radeon video cards is dated January 2005. It contains an ATI Displays control panel, version 3.2, dated 2002. The release notes for that updater are dated January 2005 and cover all of the Mac Radeon video cards that are supported in OS 9. This updater is not available on the ATI/AMD web site in any form. It disappeared when AMD and ATI combined their web sites.

Carl B.

Message was edited by: Carl B

Oct 24, 2007 1:49 AM in response to CEB II

I got one part of ATI Displays 4.5.7 to work in OS 9.2.2.
The "ATI ROM Xtender" located in OS 10.4 at System -> Library-> Extensions -> AppleNDRV -> ATI ROM Xtender.
It is version 1.27f2. The OS 9 version I have is is 1.17.

I got a system freeze the first time I booted OS 9 with it, but it started fine the second time. I didn't notice much difference in the Monitors Control Panel though, but my card has a reduced ROM.

CEB II Author

Level 2

475 points

Oct 24, 2007 10:28 AM in response to Dave Hamilton

Yes I see those same extensions. If it works, go for it. Which Radeon video card are you using in OS 9?

If you ran the ATI Mac ROM Update Aug 2005.dmg on your video card in OS 10.4, then the ROM extender really doesn't buy you anything as your ROM is fully up-to-date. The ROM doesn't care if you are booted into OS 9 or OS X.

Carl B.

Oct 24, 2007 11:38 AM in response to CEB II

Man I feel like I am in a totally different world. I am so used to working on Windows machines, and have no idea where I am going on this Mac. Is there an online resource that I could be directed to? I have the drivers, and I either don't know where to put them, or can't open them. The only message that I get is about having no applets on the page. I can admit my shortcomings and I want to jump this hurdle, and start working on more Macs, but man, right now I am lost. Thanks for any help.

Oct 24, 2007 12:17 PM in response to That Computer Guy

I was hoping that I could edit this... I figured out how to apply the driver to the current video card in use, but how do I switch between the 2 cards? I don't even care to use the on board card, what ever it is. Thank you.

CEB II Author

Level 2

475 points

Oct 24, 2007 12:38 PM in response to That Computer Guy

Not knowing what model of Mac you are working with makes it hard to advise you. But, if you don't have anything connected to the on-board video port (many earlier Macs had a video card built into the MoBo and the back of the case is so marked), then the on-board video won't come into play. Connect your monitor cable to the PCI or AGP video card port and that makes that video card primary.

Once the ATI driver software is loaded, it will be active regardless of whether you are using the on-board ATI video or the PCI/AGP ATI video card.

So what model Mac are you working on? What ATI video card are you trying to use in it?

Carl B.

Oct 24, 2007 12:53 PM in response to CEB II

It is a Power Macintosh G3. The old beige desktop version. It is running Mac OS 8.1. I dropped 256 MB ram into it, which did wonders for the speed (it had 32) and put the video card in. The video card may be the problem. It is an ATI Rage 128 16MB PCI Video Card. I saw it on ILuvMac.com I want to say. I thought that it was Radeon. I may have to order again. Thanks for any help.

OS 9 Support Dropped By ATI?