ATI Displays 4.5.7: Fixes persistent error message

MacFixIt reader Patrick reports that the ATI Displays 4.5.7 update -- released late last week -- eliminates a persistent error message:

"Some support files need to be installed. This may require an administrator's user name and password. Installation failed! Do you want to quit ATI Displays? The error codes are 0, 0 ,21"

that is produced for some users when accessing the ATI Displays pane in System Preferences.

Note that although ATI's technical support department has told some customers that this update is purportedly intended only for retail ATI cards (those purchased after-market, not the cards included by Apple with shipping systems), it may resolve issues such as the aforementioned on cards that Apple ships.

Patrick writes:

"I have an Apple installed ATI Radeon 9800 Pro and have been keeping a close watch on VersionTracker and installing ATI fixes (including ROM updates) as they come along. Ever since ATI Displays 4.5.1, I have been getting (the above) error when I went to the ATI Displays System Preference."

"Apart from this error, the display worked fine. ATI claimed that the ATI ROM update in October 2004 was the cause of the problem because it was for Retail cards only. [...] The good news is that for me, ignoring ATI's advice and installing 4.5.7 fixed the error."

So if you are receiving a similar error message or experiencing other issues with your Apple-supplied ATI card, you may want to try applying the ATI Displays 4.5.7 update.

Feedback? Late-breakers@macfixit.com.

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