
7
February 3, 2000
AMD Athlon
Processor Quick Reference FAQ
system to your new AMD Athlon processor-based system with no problems. Drives
from some systems (especially older systems) will not tolerate this. (Subtle varia-
tions can occur in the specifications like signal timing and intensity between two
different controllers.) Even if the drive will work, you should expect to load cur-
rent drivers and reload some of your software.
Ideally, to reuse an old drive, you should departition and repartition the hard
drive (using the FDISK command), and format the drive (using the FORMAT com-
mand). Then do a fresh installation of your operating system, install the
AMD Athlon platform-specific drivers, and install the applications. This way, your
system is loaded with the settings and configuration that your motherboard and
the AMD Athlon processor-based system require. Your data (but not operating sys-
tem or applications) can then be copied from your backups.
Motherboard Drivers
Please note that with constantly changing specifications and enhancements, moth-
erboard drivers are subject to being updated. Check the configuration information
web page at the following URL for updates:
www1.amd.com/athlon/config
Q.
Do I need any special motherboard drivers for proper installation of my
AMD Athlon processor and motherboard If so, what are they and where do I get
them
A.
Yes. To date there are two drivers designed for motherboards for proper
installation and performance of your operating system(s) and hardware with the
AMD Athlon processor. The motherboard drivers should have been included on the
floppy disk or CD_ROM that was included with your motherboard. Table 2 shows
the versions of these drivers as of August 6th, 1999.
Note:
These drivers should be loaded immediately after your operating system is
installed and before you load your video drivers for your specific video card.
Table 2.
AMDAthlon
Processor Motherboard Drivers
Description
Version
Date Updated
AGP Miniport Driver
(Windows 95 and Windows 98, not required for Windows NT)
IDE Bus Master Driver
(For motherboards with the AMD-756 peripheral bus controller)
4.45
08-06-1999
1.22
09-01-1999