Gateway 700X video card question

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.gateway2000 (More info?)

Try installing the latest drivers from nVidia, which are newer than those
from Gateway.



"JE" <Zeke@legs.com> wrote in message
news:uvj6d.9189$vB1.8759@newssvr15.news.prodigy.com...
> This machine came with a NVIDIA GeForce2 MX/MX 400 card that supports
> digital output. I had the digital connected and when I tried to install
the
> MS SP2 upgrade, I could only boot in safe mode. I reconnected to the
analog
> side and everything works just fine. I suppose it is a driver problem,
but
> I can't seem to find any updated drivers for the card. Check on Gateway
and
> found nothing and I have written to them but never have gotten and answer.
>
> Any other ideas?
>
> Thanks
>
> --
> Email no good, reply to group
>
>

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.gateway2000 (More info?)

Edward,

I haven't updated my OEM nVidia drivers (version date 08/30/01) on my 700x.
I'll be holding off installing SP2 for awhile until the dust settles. Windows Update
has been recommending upgrading the nVidia drivers. Any downside to using the
drivers from nVidia's site? Any real benefit? (I'm thinking along the lines of
"if it ain't broke, don't fix it" philosophy).

Thanks!
Scott

"Edward J. Neth" wrote:

> Try installing the latest drivers from nVidia, which are newer than those
> from Gateway.
>
> "JE" <Zeke@legs.com> wrote in message
> news:uvj6d.9189$vB1.8759@newssvr15.news.prodigy.com...
> > This machine came with a NVIDIA GeForce2 MX/MX 400 card that supports
> > digital output. I had the digital connected and when I tried to install
> the
> > MS SP2 upgrade, I could only boot in safe mode. I reconnected to the
> analog
> > side and everything works just fine. I suppose it is a driver problem,
> but
> > I can't seem to find any updated drivers for the card. Check on Gateway
> and
> > found nothing and I have written to them but never have gotten and answer.
> >
> > Any other ideas?
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > --
> > Email no good, reply to group
> >
> >

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.gateway2000 (More info?)

Ben,

Thanks for the sound advice! I'll go ahead and update the video drivers and let
you know how it goes. At least XP allows me to roll back the drivers just in
case. As for SP2, I know Microsoft recommends having the latest hardware
drivers before upgrading. I'm holding off on SP2 for awhile ecause of so
many reported problems, like messing up one's network settings (I run a wired
and wireless XP, Win98 and Win95a network in my house, and it works
perfectly right now). I had similar concerns with SP1, but finally bit the bullet
and did it--with no problems. I'll go through the recommended pre-update
checklist before attempting the same with SP2. Interestingly, I just bought a
Gateway E-3200 on ebay. It came with Win XP (incl. the CD) installed, plus
SP2. I booted it up just to see if everything works, and it had no problem
joining the network. (now I need to assemble that computer desk

Scott


Ben Myers wrote:

> There is no downside to using the drivers from the nVidia web site. nVidia
> follows the overall approach that one size fits all, so their driver set works
> with quite a few nVidia chips. Well, maybe the downside could be that the
> download from nVidia is a little bloated compared to what is on the Windows
> Update web site.
>
> Benefits? Check the readme file that explains what the drivers do compared to a
> previous version. Potential areas of changes: performance tweaks, defect
> corrections, and support of newer chips.
>
> As a general rule, the drivers from a chipset manufacturers web site are
> generally just fine no matter what brand name of computer they are installed in.
> The industry has at least matured to the extent that marketing or engineering
> wise guys at a company no longer get "special" proprietary versions of chips
> spun for their brand name computers.
>
> "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" applies to the nVidia drivers as well as SP2,
> which does not always install cleanly. If nVidia advises updating the drivers
> before installing SP2, do so.
>
> Once upon a time, some wine ad said "sell no wine before its time." The
> paraphrasal "release no software before its time" does not apply to SP2 or much
> of anything else from Microsoft. The horrendous complexity of the Windows
> environment keeps biting everyone in the butt... Ben Myers
>

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.gateway2000 (More info?)

I finally "uninstalled" the card and then rebooted and then Windows reloaded
the drivers and everything has been working okay now.

Jack

"Denzil Hathway" <hathway@cox.net> wrote in message
news:J3L6d.2363$uY3.765@fed1read03...
> Ah, at last an answer-explanation to my questions-problems. I too have
> experienced a block at the Welcome screen in bootup into XP after SP2 on
> my 700XL, with a NVIDIA GeForce video card. I wrote twice to this group
> about it and got no answer. I have written three times to Gateway and have
> yet to get a reply from them. Unlike others I could uninstall SP2 in Safe
> Mode using SP2's own uninstall program. I'm away from that computer now
> for another six months so I can't test a driver upgrade.
>
> I can say though that I have installed SP2 on two other computers without
> event - a laptop and a PC. The slightly older PC has on it a NVIDIA
> GeForce2 Ultra card with which I use a generic Microsoft driver provided
> by Millenium. If indeed NVDIA's drivers are the root of the problem, it
> has to be highly specific. Denzil.
>
> ==============================
>
>
>
> "JE" <Zeke@legs.com> wrote in message
> news:uvj6d.9189$vB1.8759@newssvr15.news.prodigy.com...
>> This machine came with a NVIDIA GeForce2 MX/MX 400 card that supports
>> digital output. I had the digital connected and when I tried to install
>> the MS SP2 upgrade, I could only boot in safe mode. I reconnected to the
>> analog side and everything works just fine. I suppose it is a driver
>> problem, but I can't seem to find any updated drivers for the card.
>> Check on Gateway and found nothing and I have written to them but never
>> have gotten and answer.
>>
>> Any other ideas?
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>> --
>> Email no good, reply to group
>>
>
>