HP 'proprietizing' their video & other HW??

I have read some complaints that the video drivers available for (in this case) the zt3000 series are not up to date, and that one CANNOT use ATI's updated drivers because HP has customized the video adapter to it's own specs. I remember hearing years ago that compaq used to do this with all its computers, so that trying to upgrade or update the modems, video cards, etc would flat-out not work.

Is this the case with HP's laptops? I've been researching what to buy for weks now, and was *thiiis* close to going w/ the zt3000.

Any ideas?

 

Hi wwroller65,
Pretty much every notebook maker customizes the video chip drivers to their needs, it's not just HP. You can't just install the latest ATI or Nvidia driver from video card manufacturer you need to get the driver from the notebook maker. I'm sure the notebook makers differ in how up to date they keep their custom drivers up to date. I don't know abotu HP, but IBM is very quick (usually within a couple of weeks at most) If Sony notebooks are like Sony cameras, they probably never update video drivers

Jack

 

Actually your both wrong you can install the regular graphics drivers. I am running the zx5000 with ATI Catalyst 4.4 drivers, customized by Omega and it runs just fine. They just don't offer anything but the ones HP has tested and built.

zx5000 :: 2.4M :: 512 DDR :: 40gb 4200 RPM HD :: 15.4" :: Radeon 9600 Mobilty M10 :: Aquamark3 21,862

 

The video drivers can be updated using the drivers from the ATI website. I installed the Catalyst 4.3 drivers (which ever was the version before the latest) into my NX7000 which is a similar unit to the ZT3000. You can't use the ATI automated install method, after the files are extracted, you will have to manually install the drivers.

-Vb-

 

I tried using those omega drivers. after i installed, it kept saying my video card was a radeon 9600, when its actualy a9700. he said he put a possible fix for it in the last update.. but i guess i didnt work.

Can someone tell me where to do this though.. I am quite confused by this step..

"3- In Windows 2k/XP, ALWAYS disable DDC in the ATI "Displays/Monitor" CP after
installing drivers to be able to use ALL the refresh rates and resolutions
your monitor supports, also this is the best way to avoid the 60Hz RR bug."

I cant find this DDC and im not sure what it stands for :S

my call of duty locked up on me, im not sure if it was because of the drivers or not. i put the omega ones in, then took them out, then downloaded the drivers from the dell site, and so far it works fine. Tho i think i will ge tthe 4.4 cat drivers, since some other ppl have gotten them for their 9100.. hmm

 

If I remember correctly, briggs, when that option comes off it says to select one of them if the other didn't work and to uninstall the ATI Control Panel First? This may be wrong, but thats what I remember from the brief time it took me to install them.

Also, if it says its a 9600, it may be bc a 9700 is only an overclocked 9600. What does it say for the clock speed in the Radlinker? The 9600 is something like 310, 195, so if its clocked higher its probably reading that correctly, just not saying the right name.

zx5000 :: 2.4M :: 512 DDR :: 40gb 4200 RPM HD :: 15.4" :: Radeon 9600 Mobilty M10 :: Aquamark3 21,862

 

Well, folx..

My bad (hopefully). I received email from HP stating that they do not make tweaks to the hardware, and that driver updates from ATI et al. will work fine. Sorry for crying wolf before getting the info from the horse's mouth.

-WW