Video card problem, help please! (1 Viewer)

[Keith_R]

Hey all, my friend and I are trying to install a 64MB NVidia Geforce 4 through PCI slot on my old PC. The old Pc was recently upgraded to 256 MB of ram with Windows XP Pro.

The videocard installs nice and easy but when trying to use it we seem to encounter a strange problem. The monitor doesn't seem to work, it turns on but once it reaches Windows it goes black and you can't see anything or use it. We've narrowed it down to the Geforce because once you try taking the geforce out and using the original integrated video everything works fine.

Is there anyway to fix this? do we install any drivers? I can say for a fact that it worked fine on his other pc? any ideas? thanks.

 

[Rob Gillespie]

Has the onboard video been disabled in the BIOS?

 

[JamesHl]

Sounds like the res on the card is higher than your monitor can handle. Start in safe mode and see if it comes up, then make sure the resolution is whatever your monitor can handle.

 

[Rob Gillespie]

James, unless I'm reading Mark's message incorrectly, they haven't got as far as installing the drivers yet, so resolution shouldn't be an issue.

Safe Mode is still a good idea though.

 

[Keith_R]

This Maybe a stupid question but How do we start in safe mode?

 

[Rob Gillespie]

When the PC starts booting keep pressing F8 until you see the loading menu.

 

[Keith_R]

Thanks a lot for the help guys. That's why I love HTF . I'll try it in safe mode later and let you all know what came out of it.

 

[Paul_Fisher]

I had a problem like this. What I did was before I installed my GeForce card, I uninstalled the the drivers that the old card was using. Then I took the old card out and put the new one in and xp automatically detected it and installed drivers for it. Then I updated the drivers from Nvidia's website.

 

[Rob Gillespie]

Keith - make sure the onboard video is disabled before trying the Safe Mode option.

 

[Keith_R]

will do Rob, please remind though how do I get into the BIOS to turn off the onboard video?

 

[Max Leung]

On most PCs, pressing the Delete key after turning on the PC will give you access to the BIOS menu.

Can you tell us what brand and make of motherboard is in your PC? If you don't know, tell us the brand and make of your PC (ie. Dell, Compaq, HP, etc.).

 

[Keith_R]

I found out how to do the bios on my old PC. To clarify, you all are basically saying that I need to

1. turn off the onboard graphics
2. install the geforce 4 in to the pci slot
3. plug the monitor in to the new graphics card
4. if needed install any drivers

Obviously if it doesn't work this way than it is probably something else like the monitor right?

 

[Glenn Overholt]

Paul has the correct answer. Windows is expecting your old card, and is using the drivers for your old card. Remove the old drivers and change your video to 'standard VGA' before you turn it off and put the new card in.

Glenn

 

[Rob Gillespie]

The onboard graphics must be disabled first. If you just uninstall the drivers they will merely reinstall themselves the next time you boot.

You're basically swapping one hardware item for another so just think of it like that and you'll be fine.

 

[Keith_R]

Okay, as I sit here typing this I'm using the aforementioned computer. The geforce is inside of it and the monitor is plugged in to the geforce but it isn't working.The only time it works is in safe mode. /I've tried going into the Bios to disable the onboard graphics but it won't let me disable them and will only let me change the memory from 512k to 1MB.I've tried plugging the monitor back in to the original graphics card and when you do that it doesn't work at all where as the Nvidia at least gets to the XP boot-up. The problem is the Nvidia won't show a picture past windows boot-up unless in safe mode. What is going on here? any ideas?

Edit: Major update! I just managed to get it working! I started it in safe mode and went under the control panels to system and from there to device manager. It turns out that I had to disable to Intel integrated graphics under the device manager and when I restarted the computer in normal mode it worked! the problem appears to be solved.

 

[JamesHl]

Those dastardly leftover drivers. Always make sure to uninstall old ones first!

 

[Rob Gillespie]

I've tried going into the Bios to disable the onboard graphics but it won't let me disable them

It's probably controlled by a jumper on the motherboard then rather than through the BIOS.

 

[Max Leung]

It's also possible that Windows XP is using BOTH video drivers. It may be using the integrated video as the primary monitor, and the nvidia as the secondary monitor, which is normally disabled by default (you'd have to go to Control Panel->Display to reactivate the nvidia video).

Uninstalling the integrated video drivers may not work, as windows will redetect it anyways. keith's solution is the best I think (assuming there is no jumper)...disable the sucker in device manager.