I think the problem is with my video card but it COULD be something to do with my monitor. I have Windows XP. My video card is an NVIDIA GeForce FX 5700.

Ever since I reformatted my computer, I havn't been able to get my video card working. When I install the video card using my "3D Graphic Accelerator" disc, the resolution in Display Properties changes to 640x480 and the color quality changes to Low (8 bit). The screen really looks the same as before the video card was installed though. I guess this is because I have to restart for it to take effect? If I try to restart it goes through it's normal thing but instead of it going to the blue screen that says 'Welcome' and has the list of users, the screen goes black. After I install the video card, if I try to change the crappy resolution or color quality, the screen goes black there too.

After this happens, I have to run in safe mode. The computer will not start up in the normal mode. In safe mode if I go into Device Manager and disable NVIDIA GeForce FX 5700 under Display Adapter, I am able to start up in normal mode. So what exactly am I doing wrong? Could it be something wrong with my monitor? Everything is plugged in fine. I have had this problems for a couple of weeks.

This problem has gotten so annoying and I really just don't know what to do. If anyone can help, I will love you forever.

Hi kyyyle, welcome to SAF

If you reformatted, you must install all proper motherboard/chipset (including monitor) drivers prior to install your videocard drivers.

Chris

Thanks for the reply.

I have a disc that says 'Motherboard Utilities' but the stuff on it didn't seem like it was for my video card. It all seemed like Realtek (my sound card) and USB stuff. There actually was a thing on it like VIA 4IN1 Driver but I'm not sure what that is for.

I just now uninstalled the video card through Device Manager, and installed the stuff on the 'Motherboard Utilities' disc. Then, I reinstalled the video card. I still have the same problem. Maybe it was because the video card wasn't completely uninstalled? I think it was though.

Also, on the disc I use to install my video card, I saw something called like 3D Stereo. Is that something I need? I don't know what it is but I just noticed it and I havn't tried installing that.

When you go to your device manager, is there any conflict ?

On monitor properties, is it set to your monitor make and model or is it a generic one installed ?

It's better to uninstall your video card stuff, and load the proper mobo/chipsets and monitor drivers (you can find the latest drivers on the manufacturer's website) and see if you can set it to 800x600 32 bit colors before reinstalling the video card drivers.

Also check if onboard/shared video is disabled on your BIOS setup.

Chris

What do you mean by conflict? I don't see any problems but I don't exactly know what to look for. There aren't any yellow ! or ?'s though.

Well, after reformatting it starts on Default Monitor. After I finish installing the video card it says it found new hardware... 'Plug and Play Monitor'. So I install that and then in display properties it says 'Plug and Play Monitor on NVIDIA GeForce FX 5700' and of course with the messed up resolution/color quality.

I did uninstall the card and install the "chipset drivers" on the Motherboard Utilities disc I have. It didn't help. I didn't install any monitor drivers unless they were on that disc. When you say to find the latest drivers on the manufacturer's website, do you mean for my monitor?

I get really confused when it comes to the stuff in BIOS. I just don't understand what any of it is. I don't see anything about "onboard/shared video". Some stuff I do see though:

Onboard H/W LAN....................Enabled
Onboard LAN Boot ROM...........Disabled
Onboard Modem Function........Disabled
Onboard Serial Port 1..............3F8/IRQ4
Onboard Serial Port 2..............2F8/IRQ3
Onboard Parallel Port..............378/IRQ7

Also, there were these that I'm not sure what they mean:

PCI1/PCI5 IRQ Assignment......Auto
PCI2 IRQ Assignment...............Auto
PCI3 IRQ Assignment...............Auto
PCI4 IRQ Assignment...............Auto

I actually noticed when highlighting one of them (I think the 4th one?) on the side it said something like Display Cntrllr. I don't know if it needs to be changed off auto or what I would even need to change it to. When changing it off auto, it just seems like random numbers between 3 and 15. I don't remember exactly what all the numbers were but I didn't understand what they meant.


EDIT: Ok, I just did a bit of looking around and found this

http://www.sceptre.com/Support/FTP/monitors.htm

I hadn't known I needed drivers for my monitor. I had been using a really old monitor when I got the computer. About a year ago or so I got a new one, and my dad had set it up while I wasn't home. He isn't exactly great with computers (neither am I) so I'm sure he didn't go on the internet and download drivers for the monitor... yet it has been working fine for all the time I've had it?

Caution when you change anything on BIOS setup... sorry for the bad explanation, but I am not English native, and my OS is in Brazilian portuguese

QUOTE

yet it has been working fine for all the time I've had it

...before reinstalling Windows. That may have changed something.

QUOTE

'Plug and Play Monitor on NVIDIA GeForce FX 5700'

You need the drivers for the monitor, because generic Windows ones may not work properly. Download and install them.

If there is no conflicts on device manager, it's a good thing, but I am quite sure that if you install the proper monitor drivers, it will probably work.

After doing that, right-click your desktop and try to set a new resolution/color.

if you have GeForce utilities, try to play around with them also

Still not working

Here's the steps of what I have done since this morning:

1) Reformatted

2) Installed internet

3) Installed sound drivers

4) Installed VIA 4IN1 Driver (because I think I need that)

5) Installed DirectX 9.0c

6) Installed video card

7) Installed monitor drivers

After installing the monitor drivers and hitting 'Finish', the screen just went black and I had to run in safe mode. Maybe I need to install the monitor drivers before installing the video card? The problem is that I can't though. Before installing the video card it is on 'Default Monitor' and I can't install the drivers when it is like that. Once it goes to 'Plug and Play Monitor' I can, but it doesn't go to that until after the video card is installed.

This is getting so annoying and I have had the problem for about a month. I finally got to the point where I didn't know what else to try so I have posted on forums for about 10 different sites. You are the only one I am really getting help from so I just wanna say thanks.

It's a driver or driver conflict issue, kyyyle...

In your list, I can not see if you installed the latest VIA drivers, but you can download them at http://www.viaarena.com/default.aspx?PageI...ID=6&CatID=1110

btw, are you sure you installed the proper monitor drivers ? It may also be working at a wrong refresh rate... try changing this if you can.

You can also try this: go to your device manager, click on monitors and kill the plug & play one... click <refresh>. Your system will find a new hardware. Point to your monitor driver. If it does not work, try selecting the nearest monitor type on the Windows list, for example, I am using LG Studioworks 700 drivers with my LG Studioworks 710E monitor.

Hope it will fix that

Other members are also invited to advice here

Ok well I did system restore to after installing DirectX 9.0c which is right before I installed my video card. I used Driver Cleaner to make sure the video card stuff was completely off. I downloaded and installed those Hyperion VIA 4in1 Drivers I think it was. I installed the video card and still have the same problem. I wasn't sure if I should get the other drivers on that page. I did system restore again to where I didn't have the video card. I downloaded the Hyperion VIA 4in1 Drivers at the top and also the VIA 4in1 Drivers at the bottom (the middle one isnt compatible with Windows XP). I installed the video card but still have the same problem.

Yeah I installed the right monitor drivers. After installing them it would say the type of monitor I have instead of Plug and Play Monitor in display properties.

I tried different refresh rates that it says are compatible but none fixed the problem with the resolution and color quality.

I didn't see any 'refresh' thing but this sounds just like how I installed the monitor drivers. I saved the .ini on a disc and went into monitor properties -> driver and clicked 'I have a disc'.

After trying each thing I tried changing the resolution/color and it didn't work.

Reading the Nvidia FAQs, it appears that it have its own resolution settings windows...

1. Right click on your Windows desktop and move your mouse over NVIDIA Display.

2. Select Analog or Digital display from the menu . Note: Release 65 drivers will report your monitor model number.

3. Choose Screen resolutions from the side menu.

4. Use the SCREEN RESOLUTION & REFRESH RATE slider to change your resolution.

Have you tried this instead of Windows resolution ?

Kyyle, no video card should give you the problems this one does.

At this point, I suggest setting your BIOS back to default. To do this, pop the cover of your computer. There is a small, silver battery about the size of a quarter mounted on the mainboard. Take that out and let the computer sit for 1/2 hour. Then snap it back in and reboot. There may be a setting in the BIOS also that will allow you to reset back to default, but at this point you may not know what to look for.

Now you may want to check HERE for a post from someone else who was having the same problems. Follow my suggestions that I gave him. If you have physically installed the card properly, deleted the old drivers, and installed the newest drivers available for it, and your BIOS is set back to factory default settings, and you still have the same problesm, the problem is a conflict with your system and that card.

Monitor drivers are generic and come with Windows XP. If you install the "drivers" that come with any monitor, these are only "custom tweaking" proggies that give you options that are usually useless. So if you have a newer monitor, and you have tested it on a different computer and it works fine, the problem is not the monitor or monitor drivers. Normal default settings are all you need under ordinary circumstances.

Reformatting your harddrive is not going to help you - your operating system is running fine and that is not the problem.

An e-mail or phone call to Nvidia (if available) might help. They may document certain systems as conflicting with certain cards. This is not an unusual occurence.

One last question: Do you have integrated (shared) video on your mainboard or not? If you are not sure, post the manufacture and model number of your mainboard. Also, please post the make & model of the computer that you have. If it is a homebuild, then the mainboard model as I mentioned above.

If you computer has integrated video (IOW - the "video card" is actually part of the mainboard itself, and shares the computer's memory) that means that your video card was added afterward. In such case the integrated video must be turned OFF or it could conflict with the card. If you do not have integrated video this is not an issue.