what grahics card would you recormend?
Saturday, June 7, 2003 by feline | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
*sigh* following the problem with DVD playback lastnight https://www.wincustomize.com/msgboard.asp?BID=WC&id=157507 i opened up my machine to make sure that my graphics card was properly in its slot.
as far as i can tell it is, however, despite being as careful as i could be, my machine no longer boots!
all i get are some beeps from the mother board. it is as if it cannot find the graphics card.
so, it is possible (i do hope not) that i am going to need to get a new graphics card. if i do, what would people recormend?
my last machine had an ATI card, but given the problems i had with drivers i got a nvidia gforce2 for my current machine. however, i have had a mass of driver problems with the nvidia card, so i am very loath to get another nvidia card. if they cannot relably produce stable drivers, why should i by another one of their cards?
from what i have read the ATI cards seem to be very good these days, with good hardware support for winFX 2.
i dont play a lot of games, but i do play some. in power terms, my current nvidia gforce2 MX 64meg card is fine, if it would just work!
as far as i can tell it is, however, despite being as careful as i could be, my machine no longer boots!
all i get are some beeps from the mother board. it is as if it cannot find the graphics card.
so, it is possible (i do hope not) that i am going to need to get a new graphics card. if i do, what would people recormend?
my last machine had an ATI card, but given the problems i had with drivers i got a nvidia gforce2 for my current machine. however, i have had a mass of driver problems with the nvidia card, so i am very loath to get another nvidia card. if they cannot relably produce stable drivers, why should i by another one of their cards?
from what i have read the ATI cards seem to be very good these days, with good hardware support for winFX 2.
i dont play a lot of games, but i do play some. in power terms, my current nvidia gforce2 MX 64meg card is fine, if it would just work!
 |
|
Page 2 of 3 | |
|
|---|
jebland
Reply #22 Sunday, June 8, 2003 9:12 AM
Reply #22 Sunday, June 8, 2003 9:12 AM
#17, gillion
Why can''t you update? I looked on ATI''s website and it shows the Catalyst 3.4 available for the 7500 All in Wonder.
http://www.ati.com/support/drivers/winxp/radeonwdm-xp.html
(I am assuming you are on XP.)
They recommend that you:
(1) uninstall old drivers
(2) re-boot
(3) install WDM Capture driver
(4) do NOT re-boot
(5) install Display driver
(6) Re-boot
(7) Install Catalyst Control Panel
(8) Re-boot.
Hope this helps.
Have you tried this method?
[Message Edited]
[Message Edited]
Why can''t you update? I looked on ATI''s website and it shows the Catalyst 3.4 available for the 7500 All in Wonder.
http://www.ati.com/support/drivers/winxp/radeonwdm-xp.html
(I am assuming you are on XP.)
They recommend that you:
(1) uninstall old drivers
(2) re-boot
(3) install WDM Capture driver
(4) do NOT re-boot
(5) install Display driver
(6) Re-boot
(7) Install Catalyst Control Panel
(8) Re-boot.
Hope this helps.
Have you tried this method?
[Message Edited]
[Message Edited]
gillon
Reply #23 Sunday, June 8, 2003 9:34 AM
Reply #23 Sunday, June 8, 2003 9:34 AM
Thanks Jebland...I have done all that, tried clean install and everything. My system either freezes up or the text all turns into hyroglyphics. 
jebland
Reply #24 Sunday, June 8, 2003 10:01 AM
Reply #24 Sunday, June 8, 2003 10:01 AM
Sorry I couldn't help. I would contact their tech support. Seems abnormal to me. >
jebland
Reply #25 Sunday, June 8, 2003 10:17 AM
Reply #25 Sunday, June 8, 2003 10:17 AM
OK, I have one more idea. Windows does not show items in the device manager that are not connected to the computer. This gives the possibility that you have "ghost" devices that do not show and can cause grief when trying to update.
The solution is copying the following to notepad and save it as a batch file (i.e. DevMgr.bat)
cd %systemroot%\system32
set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1
start devmgmt.msc
Double clicking the batch file will open device manager. Under the "View" menu choose "Show hidden devices" Now it will actually show any duplications in your registry.
Then look under Display Adapters and see if you have any "greyed out" duplications of your card. If so, just right-click and uninstall it and then re-boot. Wouldn't hurt to check the other catagories too.
The solution is copying the following to notepad and save it as a batch file (i.e. DevMgr.bat)
cd %systemroot%\system32
set devmgr_show_nonpresent_devices=1
start devmgmt.msc
Double clicking the batch file will open device manager. Under the "View" menu choose "Show hidden devices" Now it will actually show any duplications in your registry.
Then look under Display Adapters and see if you have any "greyed out" duplications of your card. If so, just right-click and uninstall it and then re-boot. Wouldn't hurt to check the other catagories too.
joetheblow
Reply #26 Sunday, June 8, 2003 11:35 AM
Reply #26 Sunday, June 8, 2003 11:35 AM
wow cool thread. I am computer shopping and I did want to know what is what.
the ATI sounds good. I don't understand the greaphics card RAM thingy... 64 RAM sounds good and winFX workd fine on my slower computer with 4mb RAM.
Then there is the system bus. I hear it can go as high as 133mb
Anyway, I'll think I'll go with the ATI as long as it doesn't cost more than 200 dollars.
SDRAM, RAM, DRAM... its getting so confusing.
the ATI sounds good. I don't understand the greaphics card RAM thingy... 64 RAM sounds good and winFX workd fine on my slower computer with 4mb RAM.
Then there is the system bus. I hear it can go as high as 133mb
Anyway, I'll think I'll go with the ATI as long as it doesn't cost more than 200 dollars.
SDRAM, RAM, DRAM... its getting so confusing.
[email protected]
Reply #27 Sunday, June 8, 2003 3:25 PM
Reply #27 Sunday, June 8, 2003 3:25 PM
One small caveat with ATI: the 8500 and 9000 boards are not DX9 compliant (think the same about the 9200's if those are still around as well).
While hardly an issue right now even in terms of games, if you expect to be using Longhorn in 2005 with that card, it's worth noting. Course, if you get an 8500 or a 9000, the money you save will go nicely toward a new card 18 months down the road.
kona0197
Reply #28 Sunday, June 8, 2003 5:45 PM
Actually the new Pentium 4 and AMD athlon boards go up to 533 mhz on the front side bus.
I can explain it if it helps...
Reply #28 Sunday, June 8, 2003 5:45 PM
| Then there is the system bus. I hear it can go as high as 133mb |
Actually the new Pentium 4 and AMD athlon boards go up to 533 mhz on the front side bus.
| SDRAM, RAM, DRAM... its getting so confusing. |
I can explain it if it helps...
yrag2
Reply #29 Sunday, June 8, 2003 6:06 PM
Reply #29 Sunday, June 8, 2003 6:06 PM
Jafo must be at the races this weekend....'recormend'???? 
yrag2
Reply #30 Sunday, June 8, 2003 6:19 PM
Reply #30 Sunday, June 8, 2003 6:19 PM
feline- if you flashed your bios or made adjustments to it...go back in and make sure your bios is set to AGP and not PCI. That should make your card show up. If your machine doesn''''t boot and you removed card while the computer was still plugged in ,you may have a fried card. For what it''''s worth I use a FX5900 and have no problems at all with it. I paid way too much for it....but then again I''''m nuts 
[Message Edited]
[Message Edited]
For what it''''s worth I use a FX5900 and have no problems at all with it. I paid way too much for it....but then again I''''m nuts 
[Message Edited]
[Message Edited]
kona0197
Reply #31 Sunday, June 8, 2003 6:35 PM
Reply #31 Sunday, June 8, 2003 6:35 PM
You forgot to mention that if the BIOS was flashed and done wrong, the motherboard itself might be toast.
feline
Reply #32 Monday, June 9, 2003 3:48 AM
Reply #32 Monday, June 9, 2003 3:48 AM
feline *sigh*
i updated the bios about 3 weeks ago.
the machine was booting fine on Friday evening, but DVD playback would not work. the only advice i found at nvidia's website was check the cable connection, or its a driver problem.
since i had just had a problem where the sound card wasnt properly in its slot, i opened up the machine to make sure the video card was properly in its slot.
take video card out, put it back in, machine no longer boots.
it is as if the card died, but i have no idea what i did wrong, since i was very careful. i have swapped the video card on my work machine several times (long story) and never had this problem.
i updated the bios about 3 weeks ago.
the machine was booting fine on Friday evening, but DVD playback would not work. the only advice i found at nvidia's website was check the cable connection, or its a driver problem.
since i had just had a problem where the sound card wasnt properly in its slot, i opened up the machine to make sure the video card was properly in its slot.
take video card out, put it back in, machine no longer boots.
it is as if the card died, but i have no idea what i did wrong, since i was very careful. i have swapped the video card on my work machine several times (long story) and never had this problem.
Fuzzy Logic
Reply #33 Monday, June 9, 2003 5:12 AM
Reply #33 Monday, June 9, 2003 5:12 AM
Could be something as simple as the card being fried by static. It can happen.
If you can't get more than a blank screen then it has to be a hardware fault.
If you can't get more than a blank screen then it has to be a hardware fault.
yrag2
Reply #34 Monday, June 9, 2003 8:23 AM
Reply #34 Monday, June 9, 2003 8:23 AM
ok feline.....can only come up with one thought...this has to be a hardware problem. It might be that you did nothing wrong and it is one of those 'things'. If you're not getting a post there's a chance your mobo is shot. If you are getting a post and it stops, it's probably a card. Try one more thing ...remove all your PCI cards and leave the AGP card in. Try to boot. If it doesn't, try another AGP card. If it does boot you can easily determine which card it is. There is a slim chance just one slot is fried, so try a PCI graphics card if the AGP card doesn't do it. Sorry to say, if it's a bad slot that's as good as a bad mobo, but at least you'll know your cards are ok.....and it will be off to see the wizard for a new mobo. Good luck...again
gillon
Reply #35 Monday, June 9, 2003 8:59 PM
Reply #35 Monday, June 9, 2003 8:59 PM
Yeah!! Jebland, I got it. I needed to update my bios...now the new ATI drivers are working. Thanks for the tips 
feline
Reply #36 Tuesday, June 10, 2003 3:50 AM
Reply #36 Tuesday, June 10, 2003 3:50 AM
feline *blush* *confused*
last night the hardware expert looked at my machine. he took out the video card, and he put it back in. then the machine started working!
thats what i did, and when i did it, the machine didn't work
what he did looked identical to what i did, even he agreed that i seemed to have the card in the slot properly *shrug*
so, i will postpone getting a new video card for now. however, many thanks for the helpful suggestions i know what sort of thing i will be looking for when i get a new video card now
in the mean time, i think i will stop opening up my case, and just stick to software instead.
last night the hardware expert looked at my machine. he took out the video card, and he put it back in. then the machine started working!
thats what i did, and when i did it, the machine didn't work
what he did looked identical to what i did, even he agreed that i seemed to have the card in the slot properly *shrug*
so, i will postpone getting a new video card for now. however, many thanks for the helpful suggestions
i know what sort of thing i will be looking for when i get a new video card now in the mean time, i think i will stop opening up my case, and just stick to software instead.
hashonboat
Reply #37 Tuesday, June 10, 2003 4:47 AM
Reply #37 Tuesday, June 10, 2003 4:47 AM
I just got a new 128 MB NVidia GeForce FX 5200 Ultra last night. I haxe WinXP Pro, P4-1.6 GHz, 512 Mb DDR, It worked fine for about 7 hours then crashed my computer & I haven't been able to get it to work since unless I un-install the card in device manager. I downloaded the latest drivers from BFG before I put the card in. I tried using the drivers that came with the card & no luck.
feline
Reply #38 Tuesday, June 10, 2003 5:27 AM
Reply #38 Tuesday, June 10, 2003 5:27 AM
hashonboat, i have been there myself
part of my problem turned out to be a conflict between my old bios and the nvidia drivers (solved by a bios upgrade). it is worth looking in the system log to see if that gives any clues as to where the problem lies.
BFG? have you tried the latest drivers from www.nvidia.com ?
if you are going to try different drivers (probably you need to) check out:
https://www.wincustomize.com/msgboard.asp?id=154784&BID=WC&page=1#157244
post #24 by yrag
i havent tried this program yet, but i intend to tonight when i try to get some nvidia drivers that let me watch DVD's.
part of my problem turned out to be a conflict between my old bios and the nvidia drivers (solved by a bios upgrade). it is worth looking in the system log to see if that gives any clues as to where the problem lies.
| I downloaded the latest drivers from BFG before I put the card in. |
BFG? have you tried the latest drivers from www.nvidia.com ?
if you are going to try different drivers (probably you need to) check out:
https://www.wincustomize.com/msgboard.asp?id=154784&BID=WC&page=1#157244
post #24 by yrag
i havent tried this program yet, but i intend to tonight when i try to get some nvidia drivers that let me watch DVD's.
kona0197
Reply #40 Tuesday, June 10, 2003 7:41 AM
I am using a old nvidia tnt 32 megf card with xp pro I have never had a problem.
I think the problem is that the nvidias work better with a AMD setup than a overpriced P4 setup.
Reply #40 Tuesday, June 10, 2003 7:41 AM
| I just got a new 128 MB NVidia GeForce FX 5200 Ultra last night. I haxe WinXP Pro, P4-1.6 GHz, 512 Mb DDR, It worked fine for about 7 hours then crashed my computer |
I am using a old nvidia tnt 32 megf card with xp pro I have never had a problem.
I think the problem is that the nvidias work better with a AMD setup than a overpriced P4 setup.
Please login to comment and/or vote for this skin.
Welcome Guest! Please take the time to register with us.
There are many great features available to you once you register, including:
- Richer content, access to many features that are disabled for guests like commenting on the forums and downloading skins.
- Access to a great community, with a massive database of many, many areas of interest.
- Access to contests & subscription offers like exclusive emails.
- It's simple, and FREE!
|
|
Page 2 of 3 | |
|
|---|
Reply #21 Sunday, June 8, 2003 7:10 AM