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Can't Reinstall Geforce 4 MX440 After Clean Intsall!

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  • Can't Reinstall Geforce 4 MX440 After Clean Intsall!

    After having major problems when i tried the latest drivers from Nvidia i had to perform a clean install. I also foolishly reset the BIOS defaults and now i can't reinistall the GFX card. Here's how it goes...

    Restart machine and the new hardware wizard kicks in saying found new hardware VGA compatabile. I put my installation cd in, it installs the GFX card drivers, i restart, and it makes it as far as the XP splash then the screen goes black and the monitor goes off. I make sure that all remnants of previous drivers are deleted prior to the installation, but to no avail. I also tried to install via Update Driver in Device Manager with the same result.


    In BIOS I've checked AGP aperture is 64MB and 4x transfer and that it it set to AGP not PCI. I've also tried both options in BIOS for Plug and Play, i.e set to NO for the BIOS to assign resources, or set to YES for the OS to assign. I'm sure when i succesfully installed the drivers, a few months ago, the wizard annouced the installation of PnP Monitor drivers, after it installed the GFX card drivers. But when i'm "installing" now it just announces the GFX card drivers. A quick check in Device Manager before i restart, and there, under Monitors, is listed 2 Default Monitors and 1 PnP Monitor. However, if i go to Advanced Display Properties, it says i've got two PnP Monitors?? Every manner i know of uninstalling b4 trying again has been tried - but nope.

    I'm betting it's a BIOS setting as i everything was working fine before i reset them evil, evil things!!

    Here's quick list of what i've tried and tested with no luck;

    Clean installs, newer VIA drivers, newer Nvidia drivers, newer BIOS, RAM tests, different BIOS settings although mostly trial and error.

    After a clean install i always install the VIA 4in1's b4 the the GFX card drivers as advised.Oh and in my motherboard manaul it says i have no onboard gaphics, if that makes any difference.

    I've drawn a complete blank on this from most places for the last fortnight, so any help, or God forbid, remedies, would be great!

    Thanks

    20 Regal


    P.S. My specs are as follows

    Athlon XP 1700+
    XP Pro, No (SP1)
    KX400+ Chipset: VT8367/VT8233A
    Nvidia G4 MX440 64MB
    128 RAM
    VIA 4in1 4.40

  • #2
    one of these will fix it (fingers crossed)

    find a remove nvidia driver references from the registry utility.
    the site here may have one.



    For the tenth time, uninstall nvidia drivers. dont reboot yet.
    go to the device manager and remove both video adapter references.

    run the clear nvidia references utility from the registry. ( i do it manually but there should be something on the web to do it)

    remove all nvidia driver files in the system directory and delete the inf file in the inf directory.

    turn off comp

    at this point try removing the mobo battery for 30 minutes.

    now boot to the bios.

    Did you play with the "is a plug and play os installed " option in the registry? set to yes and let windows do its thingy under the pci bus options in the bios. (if you have a lot of devices on the pci buss, this is the better option to use, imho).

    save settings and reboot

    when windows reboots and the device installation manager prompt for video drivers, click cancel. and get to desktop.

    now run the video cd and install the drivers for the 11th time.

    good luck amigo

    Comment


    • #3
      C Deck, you're the first person to reply to this, which has been posted on about 5 forums, so i kid you not when i say thanks for replying:D

      Right when you say remove all Nvidia references from registry, do you mean from HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/NVIDIA. If so then i think i'm doing that manually.

      Can you tell me exactly how to "remove all nvidia driver files in the system directory and delete the inf file in the inf directory". As i'm not aware of how to do this.

      Also i've got the PnP option set to YES in BIOS, so any more info on "letting windows do its thing under the pci bus options in the bios" would be a help as i'm not too hot on BIOS settings to be honest.


      Thanks again for replying man and i hope your suggestions lead me back to gaming paradise!!


      20 Regal


      Edited typing errors:(

      Comment


      • #4
        Yep,thats it, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\NVIDIA Corporation
        right click on nvidia and select delete key and say bye bye to all subsequent bad settings

        all nvidia drivers begin with nv. to get a list of drivers go to device manager/display adapters hit plus right click of vid card, select properties, driver tab, driver details and a list of drivers will be displayed. Go on a "search and destroy" mission in the system32 directory for them.

        for the inf file, it is in the windows/inf folder, it is hidden by default (i think), in windows explorer, go to tools/folder option/view tab and click show hidden files and folders, unclick hide system files, unclick hide extensions.


        using explorer go to windows/inf folder. i have 3 comps but no nvidia cards in them. I think the nvidia inf file begins with NV , find a NV???.inf file , right click on it and select open. this will load notepad. scan the file for nvidia driver file names. or references to nvidia before you delete it. (Just making sure it is the nvidia inf file and not someone elses)

        as for the bios plug and play option. no will let the bios setup the i/o addresses/interupts and yes will have windows do it. windows does a good job at sorting out conflicts. if you do the above and still "no go" , try setting this setting to "NO".

        dont forget to unplug the mobo battery for 30 minutes.

        post back here to let me know how you made out.

        Comment


        • #5
          C Deck,

          Right here we go....

          I did a search of my HD and made sure it was looking in every nook and cranny, for nv*.inf the only files that came up where nv3.inf and nv4.inf, so i checked them and they weren't Nvidia files.
          The .inf file on the cd is NV4_DISP.inf so i think my machine is all clear, as i also had a quick peek in the Windows/inf folder.

          Here's a little more info from my side; when i tried for the umpteenth time to install my GFX card last night, i was unsuccesfull, once again. So i takes myself off to bed, praying to the Computer Gods to heal me of this terrible affliction, before i drift off to sleep. But the computer Gods, it seems, are not without a f_cking sense of humour. I awake early with one thing on my mind, press the on switch and the computer boots up. Now usually what happens is, i have to start in safe mode, uninstall the Nvidia Display Drivers and delete the registry keys, that i couldn't be bothered to do the night b4, and restart. If i don't then as soon as the XP splash goes, then my monitor follows. But this time i forgot to start in safe mode as i was still half asleep. I soon woke up though when i was greeted by the delightfull sight of the Nview Desktop install program that follows the succesfull install of the GFX card. WTF i thought?? What's goin on here i think?? So i start filling in the necessary details in the installer and what happens when i click next, what happens, the f_king monitor goes off! :mad: Not amusing in the slightest i can tell you!

          Is there a specific reason that would happen?

          Also when the computer ask me to install VGA drivers do i get them from my Nvidia installation cd or somewhere else?

          As for taking the motherboard battery out, that caused a domestic with the girlfriend as she blames me for all this, so she didn't take it too well when she caught me taking a screw driver to the machine "just to have a look". But she's goin to bed soon, so i'll give it whirl and see how it goes, but if you don't hear from me soon i've probably done even more damage. I haven't really opened computers up b4 and I have an annoying habit of breaking everything i touch, a sort of negative Midas touch, if you will.


          Now, where's my screw-driver?

          Comment


          • #6
            Don't forget to unplug the power cord before operating with the screwdriver or the next domestic will be a beauty. I know a good divorce lawyer, i've used him three times.

            A thumbnail will be better than a screwdriver, trust me (been there, dun dat).

            Kinda sounds like an i/o address conflict now(two devices want to use the same memory space). The battery will clear the cmos and the bios settings will reset (this might do it). Another way to do reset the bios is moving the cmos jumper from 1/2 to 2/3 for a few seconds and then set the jumper back to 1/2 (without the power cord plugged in). This would require a pipewrench and i don't think that you are up to that yet.

            If you get the same prob, boot to safe mode and change the desktop resolution to 640x480 and retry normal mode. If a no go, try 800x600 the next time.

            Let me know how you make out, i'll be online tonite.

            Comment


            • #7
              This is not a good sign, you are gone too long. Did the little lady use the screwdriver on you?

              I have reread your posts again ( I am not as sleepy as the last time I read your post).

              There seems to be three possibililities here. A bad atmel chip, those new nvidia drivers cooked one or more modes in your monitor or plug n play is not so plug and play. Most likely the latter.

              1) (Option) Borrow a buddy's monitor or take your comp to his place and see if it works. I bet it will. Trade monitors with your buddy or...

              2) Reboot the comp, hit f8 and boot to vga mode.

              3) Windows downloads a list of video modes from plug and play monitors. Maybe the list is being corrupted. Unplug the video cable from the vga card, gently insert it halfway back it a wiggle it a few times then screw it home. Go to the video monitor manufacturer's website and download the driver for the monitor and install it (this will ensure a correct list).

              reboot to normal mode now and see if it works . If it works, look your lady straight in the eye and beat your chest (maybe she'll have sex with you now).

              Comment


              • #8
                C Deck my man,

                He Who Dares My Son.......WINS!!

                I had a few "hairy" moments when putting things back together, mainly having one screw left over, the other was when i plugged everything back in except the power and tried to turn the machine on, when it didn't respond i thought oh sh_t here we go!!

                Any ways i still don't know what was causing it, but the F_cker is installed now, and i mean it when i say thanks a million:thumb:

                I can't wait for the girlfriend to get home from work to rub it in, as she wanted to take it to the shop b4 i did any more damage!

                Hunter Gatherers 1 Home Makers 0

                Does this remedy indicate what the problem may have been, for my info incase it occurs again?


                Right now it's time to get my ass back on GameSpy and continue popping caps into German rear-ends!

                Thanks again man:D

                Comment


                • #9
                  Most likely a static problem. When you saved the bios settings to the bios chip the data was corrupted which is why i asked you to pull the battery and not reset the data using the mobo jumpers.
                  Good thing it fixed it cuz the next steps in diagnosing would have really confused you (it would have required a blow torch)

                  Tell your girlfriend that free electrons and photons from her hairdryer caused the problem (sex may be an issue after that tho).

                  I suggest you get a radeon 8500/9100 (same thing) 9500 or 9700 whichever you can afford, for a smokin performance increase.

                  What's your nic on gamespy, mine is [DOM]C_deck. I'll be the german and you can try to shoot my butt.

                  Great you got your comp running, see ya amigo.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    20RegalKingsize is my GS username.

                    I'm in the UK and play mostly between 9-12 in the evening, still a bit sh*t at the moment, but i'm a quick learner and the experience picked up on the Play Station version has come in handy!

                    Hope to meet you in the digital world then, as u run onto the end of my Sub-machine gun!!

                    20 Regal

                    Comment

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