Help! G400 Millennium Single-Head problems...

[TomDavidson]

I'm running an AMD K6-2 350Mhz system with 32MB of RAM, and I've noticed some VERY strange problems since I installed the new Matrox card. For one thing, merely shutting down causes the entire system to blue-screen; I haven't successfully shut down ONCE since the card was installed.

Additionally, exiting some programs now seems to cause lock-ups.

Even worse, I can't seem to install any of the new drivers; I've downloaded them, but actually installing them just makes Windows open onto a completely black and inactive screen when it next reboots. Luckily, the card works in safe mode -- which allows me to re-install the old driver and continue normally.

Any ideas?

[UncleJoe]

Well... At first you could post your system details (mobo... etc. and ofcourse os)... And have you tried your previous card, does it work if you install it now ... (just to make sure that it's your G400 card,and not something that has broken during changin card,that's reason to you trouble)...

J.

[TomDavidson]

Ah. *blush* Sorry about that.
I'm on Windows 98 (first edition), for one thing.

I'm not actually SURE what kind of motherboard I'm running, which is partly the problem. It's one of those "all-in-one" cheapies with the modem, LAN, and 4 MB of video on-board, but I don't know much more than that. I strongly suspect that the motherboard is the problem, but don't know enough about motherboards to tell.

Out of desperation, I've already updated the BIOS on the card and tried several of the new drivers, to no avail.

I've got a Microtek scanner and a Lexmark printer hooked up to the parallel port, and am using a Mag DX17 monitor.

My original card -- an ATI cheapie -- does still work when I put it in, and the problems seem to go away.

[space7]

Are you desinstalling the previus driver before installing the newer one ? Bios upgrad of the card must be in pure DOS environement. Sys.Spec will be helpefull

------------------
My concern is with growth. You must grow to become one, to become whole, to become sane. I am not going to force sanity upon you. Rather, I am going to bring out your insanity. When it is pulled out completely, throw into the wind, sanity will happen to you, you will grow. You will be transformated. That is the meaning of meditation

Osho
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I will try to use a dictionary when I can't
(Corrected by Robert&Collins dictionary)

[UncleJoe]

It would be quite important to know are you using ALi or VIA chipset, but generally...
Make sure that:
1) if you have integrated display adapter on your mobo, that it is disabled (from bios)!
2) you have latest agp and other drivers for chipset of your mobo, and ofcourse newest bios for mobo wouldn't hurt.
3) Check your registrys that there is only one display adapter (0000) in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\Class\Display and that your previous display drivers are properly uninstalled.
4) Check that your g400 have IRQ of its own (only irg holder sharing it)(from your controlpanel/system)
...
list continues, but check these first...

J.

Could you post more detailed system information please !

[Rags]

Let's hope that his motherboard uses an ALI or VIA, and NOT an SIS....

[EchoWars]

I can second that!

[TomDavidson]

Sorry about not providing more information earlier.

While I can't find much of an ID on my motherboard (mainly because it's covered by a bunch of parts I don't feel like removing), a little utility tells me that the BIOS ID is 2A5LEH0AC-00 and the Chipset ID is 577+ITE8661. I don't have the faintest idea what any of that means, unfortunately.

*blush*

[Bixler]

DON'T always assume it's the fault of your new card. High performance cards demand high performance from everything else.

1. Check AMD's website for a Windoze patch that is specific to the AMD K6 350...it has to do with a sync problem and is a well known bug. Install the patch, and several clock speed issues will be solved.

If your MB is an all in one cheapie, get a good replacement...one of those should be a cheaper solution than anything else. Just make sure if you do that you order one that is compatible with your memory chips.

[UncleJoe]

Okay Tom does this look familiar ???
<A href="http://www.pcchips.com/m577.html">http://www.pcchips.com/m577.html</A>
If it does I think you should consider changing your mobo because of reasons:
1)this doesn't allow you to upgrade your processor. AMD K6-2/350 may not have enough power to G400.
2)It may be that your mobo can't maybe even supply power enough to G400 (all new graphic cards are quite POWER HUNGRY !)

and there would be more reasons ....
But If you want to keep your mobo and processor then I advice you to change G400 to some else (not to tnt2, you will face similar probs with it !) graphics card. (I wouldn't do that ! ) Other option is to get new ss7 mobo with VIA-chipset and keep G400 and K6-2. Here are a lot of people who can give you recomendations about vendors and models...
Third option is to get new mobo and processor, and there is a lot of possibilities....
But if you want to keep all equipment you have @ the moment... then give us your operating system, irqs and everything else we need to trying solve your problem. If you don't know how to get information out from your system, ask people here how to do it.

J.

[Buuri]

Actually you could get away with it by upgrading your mobo BIOS and the respective Windows drivers.
I'm having hard time to believe that mobo can't deliver enough power for it to shut down..

I know I got blue screens after installing to PowerDesk 5 on my Asus P5A until the day Asus gave out their most recent BIOS upgrade for the board.

But that was with G200, tho.

_
B

[This message has been edited by Buuri (edited 18 November 1999).]

[TomDavidson]

Sadly, it appears I must upgrade my motherboard. Since I don't have a whole lot of money -- and will need to purchase both a modem and a sound card, as well -- I'm willing to ask for low-cost suggestions.

[Rags]

For low cost, find yourself an ABit BH6, they are reasonable in cost and are good overclockers. If you are not interested in overclocking, another good solution is the FIC VB601 (the one with the intel 440BX chipset). Soundcards, they can be found for under 30 dollars for the SB16 type. Modems, well your onboard modem was a winmodem anyways, so you *could* go with one of those, or find yourself an upgradeable Sportster 33.6 or X2, that way you could upgrade to V90 when you have the cash (or you can find the hack).

Rags

[TomDavidson]

*twitch* If it's at all possible, I'd like to keep my current CPU.

Are there are low-cost AMD-compatible motherboards out there that can handle the voltage?

[Rags]

OOOPSSSS.....Sorry I forgot you had an AMD. Just get an Epox motherboard, they are very affordable and are probably the most stable super 7 boards out there.

Rags