RT2500/Win2000: Hardware Init Error

[bobo]

Greetings,

I have been struggling with tech support and a RT2500. I have started from
scratch about eight times resulting in the same error from Matrox Video
Tools:

Hardware Initialization Error: Another application is using the hardware,
quit all other applications or restart the computer.

Set-up:

Dell Precision 420 w/ 256MB RAM
All SCSI HDD
CPU BIOS A07, I tried A12 also.
Win2000 SP2
Adobe Premiere 6.0
Matrox G400 video adapter w/ driver from RT2500 CD

These are the steps I have taken:

-Format HDD
-Install Win 2000 Prof
-Install Win 2000 SP2
-Install Premiere
-Install RT2500 card PCI slot 2
-Hardware detects card and installs drivers from CD
-Matrox Tools are installed
-Set RT2500 display to 640x480, 16-bit, extend desktop

Run Tools and error occurs.

I have tried Win 2000 SP1 and I get the same result. Matrox suggested that
I needed some drivers from Intel for the 840 Chipset, but that installer
states that the installed OS has current support. I have tried various
other combinations with no success. When I look in the Device Manager, it
shows the Rt2500 on the same IRQ as some other stuff.

Any suggesting???

Thank you in advance,
Tim

[Elie]

A few other things you can do..

1-Look in control Panel/Administrative Tools/Services and check to see if the service called "DigiCtrl" is running.

2-Goto the CD, look for the G400 FLex 3D display drivers and run the setup again. The display drivers may not be installed properly.

3-Enable the second Display for the Flex 3D engine on the RT2500, set it to 16 bit 640x480

Hope this helps.
If not go to this forum and post the same issue, it is more a dedicated forum for the RT2x00.

http://members3.boardhost.com/rt2500/

Regards,
Elie

[bobo]

Thanks for your input. I started over before trying your suggestions, and now the box hangs at the end of the startup progress bar. I'm starting to think faulty hardware here as I tried getting the box up on Win ME, but that went problematically with a jerky mouse, and funny video problems (this was before installing the RT2500). I did try testing the RT2500 in a Gateway just to see if it works, but ran into problems when the installer said "You need at least 256MB RAM to install the Video Tool SW." At that point I did get Premiere to capture video through the RT2500 via 1396, so the card seems OK.

Thanks,
Tim

[Dr Mordrid]

Just off the wall with one;

Have you tried entering the system BIOS and upped the AGP apature to 128-256 megs?

Dr. Mordrid

[bobo]

Thanks for the input. I have tried all suggestions, and still get the same error. I'm at a loss here as far as software goes, so I am going to look for hardware issues such as bad RAM or a bad PCI slot.

Thanks again,
Tim