PCIe card that is currently FOR Windows 10?

Melissa2008B

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Apr 28, 2008
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Preface: I'm an intermediate PC user and former electronics tech, circa 1967. :)

OK, this PC is getting a little long of tooth.

ASUS CG5270-BP004 MOTHERBOARD E4576_P5QL-VM EPU

I THINK I got it refurbed, around 2010. I was running Win 7 on it until I made the BIG mistake of doing the "free upgrade" to Windows 10. Since then, it's made my life HELL by changing the video drivers all the time, with each "update" so that they go into BSOD mode constantly, with unstable video. Then I have to run radeon-crimson-relive-17.3.3-minimalsetup-170321_web to get things stable again. My video card is a Radeon HD 5670.

So from what I can tell, that card is plugged into a PCIe X16 slot ( whatever that means - it says there's an X1 and an X16 slot, in the PDF manual, which I have here )

And NO, there IS NO way of keeping Windows 10 from automatically updating that driver! I've searched for it, and NO. Apparently only certain versions allow that and this is NOT one of them.

So anyway, I'd spring for $30 for a new video card, IF it's PCIe and would be designed FOR Windows 10, so this problem would be solved, once and for all.

I also picked up a newer refurbed PC last SUMMER and planned on moving everything to it, BUT have been SO BUSY with my part time home based business since then that I haven't had time to do much of anything, except keeping this PC running so I can keep my business running.

I have tons of stuff on this PC - my whole computing life since 1994, including everything my little business needs, and I am NOT looking forward to the ordeal of moving things from this older ( now Windows 10 ) PC to the newer one, which I purposely bought with Win 8.1 to avoid the HELL I've been through since "upgrading" to 10!

I'm thinking that it could soak up 80 hours of my time, which I JUST don't have.

So YES, I've been in AVOIDANCE, while I have a perfectly nice newer refurb ( even has USB 3! Built in wifi...) sitting here in a box since last summer.

Anyway... are there video cards like this, around?

Thanks.
 
Solution

As I said, the problem is you installed the wrong driver which is being updated over. You should not be using Crimson at all as driver support for your card was discontinued after the first Beta of it. Try the last WHQL Catalyst one like everyone has been telling you to all along, and it won't update ever again.

You did not say you wanted to play new games...
If you remove the current version of the driver software and install version 15.7.1, it should be ok:
http://support.amd.com/en-us/download/desktop/legacy?product=legacy3&os=Windows%2010%20-%2064

Your card is not supported by the current drivers, which is likely your issue.

If you do want to get a new card, any new PCI-E graphics card will do.
When you see "X1", "X4" or "X16", this is the number of lanes. The long PCI-E slot will be X16 and this is where the graphics card would usually be installed.
There is also the PCI-E version (1.0 up to 3.0). Not to worry though because cards and slots are backwards compatible. Your motherboard has a version 2.0 slot, your existing card is version 2.1.
Something like a GeForce GT 740 or Radeon R7 450 would be a good replacement for your current card.
 


The problem is that every time Windows 10 updates, it changes the driver to one that makes the video unstable and gives frequent BSOD's.



Don't think so. I took a look on Amazon and found highly rated PCIe video cards, BUT they said compatible up to Windows 7!



Ahh, thanks!



Just looked on Amazon - doesn't say what Windows version it supports.



I'm seeing the R7 250 on Amazon, but that doesn't say what OS is supported either. What the heck?
 
If you let Windows provide your drivers, then they will certainly be updated by Microsoft. If you install the correct package from AMD I would expect Windows to leave it alone. I have an Nvidia GPU on my Windows 10 machine and Microsoft has never attempted to update the driver.
If you install the latest drivers from AMD, Microsoft might try and replace these too since they do not support your graphics card.
You should install Catalyst Software Suite 15.7.1.

Note that you need to know if you have a 32-bit or 64-bit operating system.
32-bit driver:
http://support.amd.com/en-us/download/desktop/legacy?product=legacy3&os=Windows%2010%20-%2032
64-bit driver:
http://support.amd.com/en-us/download/desktop/legacy?product=legacy3&os=Windows%2010%20-%2064

You can also just visit the AMD website and allow it to detect your graphics card.

Most video cards won't list a supported OS at all. You will only run into problems if looking at a card not made by Nvidia or AMD, or a very old card.
Nvidia and AMD provide versions of their current driver suite for Windows 7, 8, 8.1 and 10. Windows 7 support may be dropped soon.
These same drivers support the full range of cards going back many years. Support for your card was dropped back in 2015, hence why you need to use the older driver.

The R7 250 is a card from 2013. It is supported by the current drivers and hence on Windows 10.
Here is the supported products list for the current driver:

AMD Desktop Product Family Compatibility​
Radeon™ RX 400 Series Graphics
AMD Radeon™ Pro Duo
AMD Radeon™ R9 Fury Series Graphics
AMD Radeon™ R9 Nano Series Graphics
AMD Radeon™ R9 300 Series Graphics
AMD Radeon™ R9 200 Series Graphics
AMD Radeon™ R7 300 Series Graphics
AMD Radeon™ R7 2​00 Series Graphics
​AMD Radeon™ R5 300 Series Graphics
AMD Radeon™ R5 200 Series Graphics
AMD Radeon™ HD 8500 - HD 8900 Series Graphics
AMD Radeon™ HD 7700 - HD 7900 Series Graphics
 
I had 5 BSOD and restarts in rapid succession this evening. The first said "Bad Pool Header" and the ones after that were just the usual video lines, then restart. So I went into BIOS at boot and reset it to defaults again, just to make sure, then when Windows came up, I stopped the execution of my Task Plus manager, which Windows 10 doesn't recognize. ( a 2010 program where it hasnt been updated since then and they went out of business, but a very useful program ) I also found out that I had it set for compatibility with XP - probably not a good idea. I set it to Win 7.

Stable again, for now...

Oh, this is a 64 bit system.
 
Most of the old graphics card companies have been bought by Nvidia and AMD, or just disappeared. What has really changed though is that these companies make the GPU chip and a reference design, and mostly let other companies make the end product. It means you buy a card from Zotac, Gigabyte, Asus, MSI, etc. but the GPU chip and drivers come from AMD or Nvidia.

The software suite from Nvidia and AMD will notify you when new drivers are available and allow you to download them outside of the Microsoft update process. Once the software is installed (again, the older version for your current card), Microsoft should not try to update this software.

Trying to run old programs on Windows 10 will be hit and miss, especially if they were tightly integrated with the old user interface. You can try compatibility settings, but I would disable these all together until you get it stable.

Comments for Task Plus suggest the last supported operating system was Windows XP. Try Windows XP compatibility mode for this software, or hopefully there is an alternative designed to run on Windows 8 and later.
 


Task Plus was running just fine on Win 7, so I just tried setting it to that.

So are there any newly produced less expensive PCI Express cards? Like ones that just came out in 2016?

By the way, I don't do gaming AT ALL. My only game has ever been chess. So the needs are simple: Keep this box running until I can move things out of it.

I also own a registered version of AutoCAD 2002, which still ran fine on Win 7 but is a little flaky on 10. So you can see how crazy this is.

 
Fisrt of all in the future if you are using lots of old software that were barely running on current windows dont try tu update you will have problems for sure, with a windows upgrade it should come software that were designed and compatible with current OS, old software were compatible with OS from that perioad, if you update windows and use software older de 4 years you are asking for trouble. About your question, R7 250 would be a great choice, also GT 740 from nvidia is great for you, this would be budget minded videocards which are 100% compatible and stable with windows 10. I also got the big brother of R7 250, the R9 290X which they work great on windows 10 (the AMD 200 series were released in the same year).
 
Have you tried installing the package I linked? I really don't think you need a new card.

The R7 250 you found would be fine, similar in performance to your current card.
The R7 350 or R7 450 are more recent versions of this, and better performing.
These are all AMD Radeon cards.

Nvidia are good as well. The GeForce GT 740 would be a good card for what you want.
You might see a cheap GT 720 around that will work, but it is a very basic card.
 
I agree with VincentP, you installed the wrong driver that does not support your card and Windows has been updating that ever since, in case you do ever install a card that driver is for.

The big clue is AMD announced there will be no newer drivers for your card ever again two years ago. I have various 5xxx, 6xxx and 7xxx cards running 15.7.1 and Windows has never tried to update those drivers because there isn't a newer one and there never will be.

A new card will do absolutely nothing for you given that kind of usage.

Things are not greener at team Green either because even though they offer far newer drivers (which of course means much more frequent updating), odd things are just broken. The GT210 cannot wake from hybrid sleep mode, and the GTX260 BSODs about a minute after waking. I noticed the drivers for 6xx and 7xx actually remove the hybrid sleep option from the Power control panel as their "fix."

I would much rather have a card stuck with old drivers where everything works, and never have to worry about some update borking it.
 


I've been all over that issue and it appears that there is no permanent driver fix for the 5670 and won't be. Windows keeps changing it, it does BSOD's, and I have to keep running that AMD latest update, to get it stable again. It's like that old movie, Groundhog Day.



Not sure what you mean.



I just posted about the GT 730, which has 4.5 stars in over 900 reviews on Amazon, and came out in 2014. Good choice?

I searched Amazon for the ones mentioned here: R7 350 and 450 ; not found there, and I'm guessing way above my meager budget and needs. ( remember, I don't do ANY gaming at all )

They have the R7 250 for $78. The GT 740 is pretty new, and is $90.

So which of those should I get, please? I gotta do something soon - tire of this.


I would much rather have a card stuck with old drivers where everything works, and never have to worry about some update borking it.[/quotemsg]

 


works fine as I know first hand - EVGA also has the best support Ive ever experienced so far (EU based).
side note: the late gddr5 versions are alot faster than the previous ddr3 PCB's.

edit: If youre going for a more pricey card than a gt730 gddr5, I recommend a gtx1050 - the videocards you listed arent worth their price vs a gtx1050 (it would also beat the gt730 gddr5 in terms of money/value) - again, I know first hand.
 


Yay! :)



I just took a look and expected $300 or something, but at $110, I could do that, if it solves my problem with this PC and Windows 10 and extends the life of the PC so I have time for the move to the newer one. Thanks! :)
 


as I said, the gtx1050 has more money/value overall, which also includes gaming up to 1080p medium settings aswell.
going for the gt730 is just to save you a few dollars, but will do in office just fine.
however, given the fact the gtx1050 is of the newest product line and fully developed+supported for win10, Id say to avoid any issues in future (for atleast win10's lifetime) you better spend some more dollars on a gtx1050. Zotac and EVGA have good fans, Gainward are using crap/noisy ones - other brands I dont know, maybe someone can chime in and give a feedback on this.
 


The 5670 isn't listed there. I HAVE BEEN using that "Radeon Software Crimson Edition Beta", when Windows updates and I start getting BSOD's. It stops the BSOD situation until the next time.



BTDT; "been there done that".
 


Whooo, looks like more than a few bucks difference.

Video%20cards%20under%20consideration.jpg


A $40 difference. Being I don't play games and just need to save this PC until I can move to the newer refurbed one, I think the 730 should do. Thanks!
 


The HD 5670 is listed there:
AMD Radeon™ HD 5000 (including M variant) Series Graphics

Don't use the beta driver, use Catalyst Software Suite 15.7.1.
 

As I said, the problem is you installed the wrong driver which is being updated over. You should not be using Crimson at all as driver support for your card was discontinued after the first Beta of it. Try the last WHQL Catalyst one like everyone has been telling you to all along, and it won't update ever again.

You did not say you wanted to play new games, only that you want a card that works and will not keep updating drivers. You already have such a card.

As I said, only if you don't want to be able to use Hybrid Sleep. It also still gets new drivers every couple months.

That's not what you said in the original post. There you clearly stated you have been repeatedly installing the non-beta 17.3.3 over and over again. The release notes for that one as well as all of the other non-beta Crimson drivers do not claim to support any 5xxx card and in fact don't. Windows may actually be installing the correct driver which is BSODing because it isn't compatible with Crimson, only Catalyst Control Center.

By this point your driver situation is so screwed up that simply uninstalling from Control Panel's Programs and Features might only uninstall the first Crimson driver you installed + leave all the updates, so delete the display adapter from Device Manager and tick the box to also delete the software from this computer. Then before rebooting, uninstall Crimson and use AMD's helpful uninstaller utility amdcleanuputility.exe to eliminate any leftover traces. Disconnect from the internet and reboot, then install Catalyst 15.7.1 while not connected to the internet.

I try to avoid 3rd party utilities, but as a last resort Display Driver Uninstaller does seem to work well, and may save you the 80 hours of reinstalling you mentioned trying to avoid in the original post. You should also remove any trace of AMD's drivers before installing any other card.
 
Solution
Ah, well I do have a GT730 and it is quite a nice card, although it's no faster than your HD5670. You'll still want to remove any traces of your old card's drivers right before you go install the new card, so check out those links.

And gigabit is Auto MDI-X so doesn't need a crossover cable, if both computers have gigabit ports.
 


Auto MDI/MDIX is an optional feature of 1000BASE-T. The cross-over cable will always work between two end devices but not necessarily a straight through cable.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gigabit_Ethernet