Windows 7 - ATI Mobilty Radeon 300X Catalyst!!

I just upgraded from the release candidate to Home Premium, doing a clean install, so with the installation fresh in my mind, here are instructions for X300 Catalyst installation and also for mkv playback.

Instructions for X300 Catalyst on Inspiron 6000:

1. Go to Graphics Drivers & Software and select Windows 7 32-bit, Radeon, x300 and download the drivers. It will say Vista. That's okay.

2. Go to ATI MobilityModder - DriverHeaven.net and follow the instructions as if you have Vista (so, you don't need the first item, MSXML 6.0.)

3. Enjoy. It should boot right into 1920x1200 or whatever your resolution is. No luck in changing to 60 Hz from 59, though.

Instructions for 720p H.264 mkv playback on Inspiron 6000 under Windows 7:

1. You need every last scrap of speed, so disable all unneeded services, e.g., using the guide at Windows 7 Service Configurations by Black Viper and replace your background with a solid color but do keep Aero.

2. Uninstall any codecs you have already installed.

3. Find the 2008-09-21 version of CCCP somewhere, but it does not seem to be at CCCP - Combined Community Codec Pack (I still had my old download, and the 2009-09-09 version does not work as well for me.) Install.

4. In CCCP's settings, uncheck its H.264 box.

5. Go into Media Player Classic's options (find the program under CCCP), and under Playback->output verify that the DirectShow Video is set to VMR7 (windowed). Under Internal Filters, verify that both H264 boxes are unchecked.

6. Close any open windows as you start the video, and it should now play 720p .mkv files well under Media Player Classic. Some files play perfectly and others drop some frames, but all-in-all it's very watchable. I believe it's using Windows 7's built-in H.264 processor. Adding CoreAVC does not help, because for one thing it's still going to use Windows 7's built-in H.264 codec and for another thing Windows 7's built-in H.264 decoding is faster.

7. Optionally, you can install a newer version of Media Player Classic, but double check those settings in step #5.

I've tried Shark007, I've tried the new CCCP, I've tried using only Haali, but nothing works well for me except the old CCCP. My system is an Inspiron 6000 with 2.27 Ghz Pentium M (Dothan pin modded), 2 GB RAM, and the 64 MB ATI Radeon X300 that pretends it has 128 MB. I previously had a 1.86 Ghz CPU and it played 720p mkv's fine under XP using CCCP+coreavc.

Window Media Center does not work for me. (Black screen when full screen.)

I don't have this hardware but seems like you did a good job here. Nice. Hopefully users will benefit from it. +rep

I'm also using Inspiron 6000 but can't install the x300 driver.

I did followed these instruction but this is how it looks like

I also have an Inspiron 6000 and recently installed windows 7... had the same problem with Radeon X300 card not working to its required resolution (1680x1050) and unable to have it work with catalyst software. But now it's working properly.

The solution:

1. Download drivers for windows vista from AMD-ATI web site (9-11_legacy_vista32-64_dd_ccc.exe) and install : it will extract the drivers into C:\ATI\Support\9-11_legacy_vista32-64_dd_ccc\Packages\Drivers\Display\LH_INF).
Or just download the CL_89303.zip file containing the CL_89303.inf file below.

2. Go to Computer Manager > Display adapters > Standard VGA Graphics Adapter and right click on it. Go to Update Driver Software > Browse My Computer for driver software > Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer > (you will see 'Standard VGA Graphics Adapter' only on the list) Have Disk... and point to the CL_89303.inf file.
Choose 'Radeon X300/X350/X1050 Series' on the list (about 2/3d of the list) and next. There will be an 'Update Driver Waring' click yes.
It will install the driver and ask for reboot.

3. At reboot your laptop display should be set at 1680x1050 automatically.

Hope it will help... it worked for me !

@ yousaf465, there are three different possibilities for Inspiron 6000 video hardware:

1. dedicated ATI x300 128 MB card
2. dedicated ATI x300 64 MB card
3. onboard video

I have #2, the x300 64 MB. If you have #3, the onboard video, then I don't know what to do for that case and you may be hosed. If you don't know what video hardware you have, go to support.dell.com and enter your service tag and then look at your configuration.

If the mobilitymodded solution (a few posts above) doesn't work and neither does TodForster's solution (one post above), then I suggest trying the Windows Update Radeon x300 update under Windows 7. This has worked for many.

Well I updated and it got something like intel's video graphics. Thanks for the reply. Windows update did solve my problem.

...hit !!!
my Samsung NB R50 II 1730 ATI Mobility Radeon X300 just works...updated using driver update (hardware-device-manager/videocard/properties). set to ATI version 8.561.0.0, 2008/1/12 .

I can stop my endless seeking...

THX for brainstorming... Home Premium is more tricky than RC1 ever