Graphic card problem?

Six year old computer / XP Home / sp3 / AVG 7.5 Free / Windows Firewall.

Wife's computer started to act very strange (I was not home at the time). She said computer very sluggish, screen narrow/widen inbetween screen updates, at times would locked up. She rebooted computer, but problem continued. She left computer on, at logon screen.

When I got home, I noticed monitor (CRT) light was yellow (no signal - computer was ON), so I shut computer off. Next morning I started computer. Monitor status light turned green, computer was booting and was working on windows load, when monitor went black, monitor status light went to yellow (no signal). I let the computer finish loading by watching the HDD activity light. I then pushed/held the primary "Power on" button, computer shut off.

I powered up computer, monitor status green, went into Safe Mode. Computer acted stable. Went into device manager, all looked good. Ran a full Everest report, saved to floppy. Powered / off computer, removed monitor and attached a different CRT monitor. Started up computer, green status / monitor until windows load, monitor went black, monitor status light went to yellow. Monitored HDD/forced power down. Restarted, nothing issued to screen. Forced down again, will leave off and let graphic card cool off (??) until tomorrow.
Any suggestions ... other than replacing graphic card. It is original, 6 years old MSI gForce Ti4200. Can't complain, been doing a good job for many years.

 

Hi Dennis,

Try going into Safe Mode. Do some tests for while there, but if it stable then it appears to be the graphics drivers. I suggest getting the updated drivers from the graphics card manufacturer's website, otherwise get them from nVidia.

There will be an uninstall for the drivers in Add or Remove Programs. If you don't have the drivers available for reboot into normal mode, click Cancel in the Add New Hardware wizard and then run the driver installation when you get to the desktop.

I always tend to update the chipset drivers at the same time as the graphics drivers.

I expect the card has a fan, so check that it is spinning freely.

Matt
PS you can also try using the VGA mode selection in the Startup Options menu (F8).

 

Ti4200 - very nice card in its day. I could be wrong but I don't suspect drivers at all. I'd pull the card, clean the contacts with a pencil eraser and re-install it. Could just be oxidation after six years. Most likely culprits in my book would be the card itself or the PSU. Blow out the case while you're in there too.

 

Sounds more like a hardware problem to me as well. A lot of things can happen after 6 years of use...or non-use. Corrosion, dust build-up, etc.

 

Thank you all for your suggestions ...

Removed card - eraser cleaned contacts. (fan works) - No change.

From this point ALWAYS in Safe Mode / Safe mode Networking or VGA Mode because signal failure always occurs during "Windows" load session defaulting to a black screen.

Checked drivers, current drivers are most current. Uninstalled them anyway via Add/Remove. Reinstalled fresh download of latest driver (same version that were installed). During restarts always forced system back to one of Safe Mode's. In VGA Safe Mode, system is recognizing the graphic card and system is stable. At this time it is running at 8-bit. Normally we run at 32-bit 1024x768 @ 85htz.
I have tried numerous combinations, including 16-bit, 800x600, 70htz while in VGA Mode. The system will accept and make screen adjustments, BUT mouse becomes jerky. Running Logictech wireless mouse. So disable Logitech from loading, shut down computer, connected a plain Jane mouse. Went back into VGA Safe Mode, tried moving away from 8-bit, same jerky action of mouse.

Many times with the above changes I allowed system to boot normally. The same condition continues ... during "Windows Load ", monitor loses signal and the monitor goes black. This occurs using 2 different CRT's. Their are never any error messages issued to screen.

 

Dennis, why do you give us such complex problems?

If you can run in safe (VGA?) mode, but not in normal mode, I would suspect drivers even more.

The graphics drivers may have a deep-seeded problem. If you ran the Add/Remove uninstaller in VGA mode, run it again instead in safe mode.

Did you check for updated chipset drivers?

The graphics drivers you are using may be too "new" for the adapter, that is why I suggested getting the drivers from the graphics adapter manufacturer's website, not nVidia.

Latest may not greatest as far as graphics drivers are concerned.

If you have installed SP3 on a Win XP system, that makes me wonder again. [Rereading, SP3 is installed...mmmm]

Matt

 

Posted twice

 

I like to use "Driver Cleaner" first before loading new drivers, has done the trick for me before.
hawk22

 

VGAsave loop - resolved

Final update ....

Thanks to everyone who offered suggestions, tried them all when allowed. This was a very persistent problem. I wore out Reg Seeker and Drive Sweeper to no avail. When nVidia drivers were removed, was the ONLY time I could boot into normal windows (VGAsave, MS default drivers provided view to monitor). When nVidia drivers were loaded, I could always load VGA Safe Mode, and system would recognized make and model of graphic card. But the second I installed nVidia drivers, I would again fail at normal windows load / black screen. This loop went on dozens of times, using current, previous, older yet nVidia drivers ... sourced from card manufacturer and nVidia.
The loop I was in was MS's "VGAsave" mode view became default. When in this mode and you are in normal windows load with nVidia drivers removed, device manger does NOT list a Display adapter. If you delete this file off the system you have nothing, just a black screen. The lions share of user issues were unique to a GPU card model, which was not mine. In all causes they suggested one, some, or all of the following .......

Delete specific registry entries (did not apply to me).

Install / reinstall motherboard drivers. This was not an option. The manufacturer of the MOBO (Syntax) is no longer in business and has not provided any support to users continuing to use their boards.

Their was one possible fix, run the "Install CD" which came with the card. This could / may install a VGA file the system could use other than default loop VGAsave. I did not have it and the local builder for that computer no longer lives in this area. MSI, the manufacturer of this card did not offer an install download for my card.

So I ordered a compatible card from Newegg, had the computer polished cleaned for the zillionth time for any old nvidia drivers. Installed the card, ran the install CD, computer restarted for the first time in normal windows load "with a listed Display adapter in Device manager" since a week ago and a 100 plus boot attempts ... finally.

So now the question is asked ... pull out the new card and put back in the old card. Both are nVidia compliant and are very close to model version. This would test the issue, card bad/broke or does the "install process" add a special VGA type driver file to the system. We may never know ... I eluded to that same question to my wife (her computer). I got "the look" .... and her response would never be allowed on the forums.

 

Dennis, you don't need the actual motherboard drivers, the chipset drivers are the ones that oversee the graphics. If you put the motherboard model number, along with the term "specifications" into a websearch, you can find the chipset model. Updated chipset drivers will be found at the manufacturer's website (some are SiS, VIA and ULi).

Try to get those chipset drivers.

Matt

 

Thank you Matt
I didn't explain myself clearly when referring to mother board drivers in reference to chipset drivers.
The following is how Everest lists my wife's MOBO info
Motherboard:
CPU Type AMD Athlon XP, 1800 MHz 2200+
Motherboard Name Syntax SV266AD (5 PCI, 1 AGP, 2 DIMM, Audio, LAN)
Motherboard Chipset VIA VT8366A Apollo KT266A
System Memory 1024 MB
BIOS Type Award (06/19/03)
Communication Port Communications Port (COM1)
Communication Port ECP Printer Port (LPT1)

The download page for chipset (modern and legacy versions) where offered. Modern version did not list KT266A series. Legacy offered KT2##, which would appear to be the correct ones.
But their was TWO differences .....
I needed - KT266A
The ones offered where KT2##(no 3rd varaiable)
I needed "Apollo" type. The type offered where Apollo PRO.
The above would probably work, but with no guidance, support, suggest drivers to choose via MOBO manufacturier (Syntax - black hole on Internet searches), I did not like my back doors if this update went south and porked the board.

So for less than $27.00, I chose an alternative route. Ordered a compatible Vcard from Newegg. If the install CD created/provided the missing VGA driver, system was fixed, with a new card replacing a 6 year old card. I preferred my odds on that route .. and lucked out, card works great.

 

I wouldn't term it, 'lucked out ", all indications were that your old video card was on its way out. Regardless, you made a good decision.

 

The KT266A is one of VIA's standard chipset models:
http://www.via.com.tw/en/products/chipsets/k7-series/kt266a/index.jsp

The KT2## are the ones you need. That is, they recommend using the 4-in-1 drivers rather than the Hyperion drivers (although the Hyperion drivers should work).

Matt

 

Matt:

Just for future reference, Hyperion Drivers are also 4-in-1 drivers with some marketing guy's twist re: the nomenclature. That KT266A chipset was the first intro of a 133x2 or 266MHz system bus and it dates back to the second generation of Thunderbird processors. First generation were all 100x2 or 200MHz. I believe Dennis is running a 2200+ Thoroughbred although it could be a rare Palamino but he's still on a 266MHz bus. The first Hyperion drivers were introduced about the time of the Palamino rollout so they were probably what was recommended when his board was brand new. If you ever need any older 4-in-1's, I've archived these going way back before the V 4.43's referenced in that link. I find no call for these any more but just in case, holler if help is ever needed.

 

Hi Rockster,
...only talking about the (Retro) chipset drivers, VIA says:

http://www.viaarena.com/default.aspx?PageID=420&OSID=1&CatID=1070

For a KT266A chipset, I would use the old/original 4-in-1 drivers.

Matt

 

No argument. In fact, I'd use older ones than 4.43 with that particular video card. All I was saying is, if you ever need them, I've got a bunch of older ones archived.