i845GV & built-in LCD under NT 4.0

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.os.ms-windows.nt.setup.hardware,comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.video (More info?)

Dear everyone,

I'm trying to run Windows NT 4.0 on a "panel PC"
with an integrated LCD. I've got a problem with
the graphics. The PC's got an Intel 845GV chipset
with an integrated graphics adapter (the "Extreme Graphics").

After Windows switch to the graphics mode, the built-in LCD
remains blank (with a quickly fading white flood just after
the switch), but an externally attached CRT works just fine,
I can switch resolutions / color depths / refresh rates
just fine.
I've tried both the graphics driver provided by the panel
PC vendor and a fresh driver from Intel. I also installed
the system chipset drivers just fine.
The hardware & BIOS are set up correctly, we've run
Windows 2000 on that same machine just fine. In the manual,
the vendor mentions W98/2000/XP, but not NT 4.0 - perhaps
that's a clue?

My idea is that Windows NT 4.0 fail to detect the LCD panel
and consequently misconfigure the Intel Extreme Graphics VGA chip,
either by using the auxiliary VGA port, or rather by defaulting to
an inappropriate combination of refresh rate & color depth.
Or perhaps there's something else to go wrong, software-adjustable,
between the graphics adapter and the LCD.

Most versions of Windows recognize a special "monitor" device
class. The monitor is only attached to the PC via the graphics
adapter, there's no other out-of-band link between them. In my
past experience, any PnP monitor is detected via the graphics
adapter & driver, regardless of whether it's a CRT or LCD,
and the VGA chipset is configured appropriately.

Now I have discovered that NT 4.0 doesn't recognize a "monitor"
as a dedicated device class - hence it doesn't detect PnP monitors
and can't act appropriately. It seems that NT 4.0 doesn't even have
a proper "hardware device manager", nor the ability to "add new hardware".
Hence it seems impossible to "install a driver" for the appropriate
type of monitor, and thus to select the right output of the graphics
chip and to limit the set of available refresh rates & color depths.
I've searched the screen properties and the Intel applet sitting
in the systray, to no avail - there's no way to select the
LCD output or an LCD as a "monitor type".

I'm stuck to NT 4.0 in this case, due to a legacy app.

Perhaps it would be enough to know the right
refresh rate & color depth? Or maybe there's some
other trick...
I'm not skilled with NT, maybe I'm missing something
obvious (lacking some admin privileges or whatever).

Any ideas are welcome.

Frank Rysanek

 

[Calvin]

Archived from groups: comp.os.ms-windows.nt.setup.hardware,comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.video (More info?)

Hi Frantisek,

You are correct about PnP monitors under NT4.0 - there is no direct support for
detection of the monitor type inbuilt in the OS. Having said that, many video
card drivers written for NT4.0 DO have the ability to detect the monitor
connected using DDC communications.

I suspect you are also correct that your display problems are coming from the
video chipset not being correctly configured - or as you also suggested,
switching to the 'auxilary' output instead of driving the LCD panel.

I'm not sure of what to advise you. I have built and run machines based on the
845GV chipset on NT 4.0 with no major problems - so the 'Extreme Graphics'
drivers supplied by Intel DO work on NT4.0

One minor point - have you brought NT4.0 up to Service Pack 6a yet ? MANY NT4.0
video drivers for the more advanced chipsets REQUIRE SP4 or later in order to
function correctly.

Calvin.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.os.ms-windows.nt.setup.hardware,comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.video (More info?)

Calvin <nospam@spamcop.net> wrote in
news:4119e8ca@duster.adelaide.on.net:
>
> One minor point - have you brought NT4.0 up to Service Pack 6a yet ?
>

Dear Calvin,

thanks a lot for your suggestion - we've tried that, it didn't help.

It has turned out that the recent drivers from Intel for NT4 were
incompatible with the particular display hookup or whatever.
The problem was solved by downgrading to an older NT driver.

The problem was solved by the manufacturer in about five days.
Now that NT4 is being phased out of support by pretty much
everyone, my impression is that five days is not a bad result.

Thanks again for your help

Frank Rysanek

 

[Calvin]

Archived from groups: comp.os.ms-windows.nt.setup.hardware,comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.video (More info?)

Hi Frantisek,

I would say 5 days is an excellent result ! Particularly when you consider that
some manufacturers don't even want to KNOW about NT4.0 any more :-(

Glad you problems are solved - another stable NT4.0 is born !

Calvin.