I found the solution.
So, here is a breakdown of what finally worked for me:
1) Install whatever Catalyst version that you can that you can boot all the way into Windows with
2) Use the CCC Software tab to determine which ClassID string is used for the 2D driver
(Open CCC, click on Information Center, then Graphics Software)
http://img710.imageshack.us/img710/2020/ccc2d.png
Here you can see 2D Driver File Path - this is the important part, so drag the slider over to the edge, adjust the stopper at the end of the "Value" line at the top and keep moving the slider until you can see the end of the string.
It will look like this:
2D Driver File Path /REGISTRY/MACHINE/SYSTEM/ControlSet002/Control/CLASS/{4D36E968-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}/0000
The final 4 digits after the forward slash are the important ones, as there will be multiple numbered folders in there, so make note of it. In the case above, it's
/0000, but yours may be
/0001, /0002, /0003 or higher...
3) Boot into Safe Mode (if you need help booting into Safe Mode, you shouldn't be attempting this fix)
Now, we have to enter 1 registry DWORD and change 1 DWORD value in the Windows Registry, so this becomes a Windows Registry hack...
4) CREATE A RESTORE POINT
**ANY time you work in the Windows Registry, there is a possibility of rendering your operating system useless, so ENSURE you've made a restore point BEFORE proceeding**
(if you need help figuring out how to make a restore point, you probably shouldn't be reading this post and would benefit from taking your card and computer to someone that's comfortable working in the Windows registry)
Ok, now that you've got a restore point to fall back on in the worst-case scenario, let's proceed.
5) Go to the Start Orb and type REGEDIT, hit enter. This opens the Windows Registry Editor. (remember, we're still in Safe-Mode!)
6) Once inside Regedit, navigate to the following area:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet002\Control\Class\{4D36E968-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}\0000 (or if the last 4 digits in YOUR Software tab in CCC are different, navigate to that folder instead of \0000
This is what it will look like inside Regedit at this specific location.
http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/1720/2dregtweaks.png
At the bottom, you can see the exact location you should be at.
At the top right, I've scrolled down a little bit to the first place we need to make a change.
7) Double-click on
EnableULPS and change it's value from it's default of
1 to
0 (zero, not "o") then hit OK.
8) Then, right-click in an empty area in the far right, and choose
NEW > DWORD (32bit Value)
Name it
PP_DisableMCDownLoadFeature and give it a value of
1
It will look like this when done correctly:
NOTE that these two tweaks only need to be done in the folder that
YOUR Catalyst Software 2D Driver File Path exists in...mine is 0000, but yours can be in any numbered folder inside the main path of
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet002\Control\Class\{4D36E968-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318} ...just remember that BOTH of these tweaks need to be in the folder that's specific to
YOUR install.
That's it.
After rebooting, you may install whatever version of Catalyst drivers you like.
I've done some fairly extensive testing, and have concluded that this 'hack' makes the cards that were having issues installing newer driver sets, work just like every other card out there.
Apparently, SOME cards out there have a different memory controller on them, and for some reason, polls those 2 specific areas in the Windows Registry for no good reason at all. The one entry that doesn't exist (the one that we created) is more than likely the one that hangs the driver from loading all the way into Windows, as the card is looking for something that doesn't exist.
Anyway, good luck to all - I know I'm a happy camper after getting this thing running correctly!!!
Psychlone
