Nvidia Cards causing MASS problems with Windows

[orden]

Specs: AMD 1700xp 512PC133 Ram, AK12a Shuttle MOBO, Win98 (or WinXP), 300 Watt Power, Maxtor 15gig HD.

Hello friends,

Well, been awhile since I have been here, because have had no problems, but this one has me stumped completely.

Ok, here is the deal. One computer I wanted to upgrade the video card for is a an AMD 1ghz T-Bird running win 98se. I had a Hercules 4500 64mg (PC memory) Installed for some time. I liked it, but it is way out of date, so wanted to go with an Nvidia card that has at least 64mg of DDR memory.

I first bought a PINE Gef3 ti200 64mg DDR card. I competely uninstalled the old card (trust me, I did this right). I then popped this one in, and started up the computer. Everything so far was ok. Then I installed the Nvidia drivers that came with the disk. It installed just fine, but when I restarted the computer, EVERYTHING went haywire. I started getting Rundll erros, and Explorer.exe could not load errors. Sometimes I could get into windows, but as soon as I tried to do ANYTHING, like open an explorer window, or an Internet Explorer window, the window would crash.

So I thought, ok I will do a complete reformat right? I did that, but Windows 98 would not install properly. I would get errors during the installation. Then when I got into windows, SAME thing. I tried safe mode, no luck, same errors.

I then decided to do a fresh reformat/install of windows with the old card. Everything worked peachy. So I said, ok, defective card, took it back, and bought an MSI GeF3 ti200 with 128mg of DDR memory. I swear to god, same thing when I installed it. THen I was thinking, maybe win98 doesn't like this card, so I tried to install winXP. During the installation process, I received many errors that the certain files were not copied correctly. I could never get an XP install with this card to work. SO I put the old card in AGAIN, and did an XP install with NO problems whatsoever. But you guessed it, as soon as I put this Nvidia card in, problems galore. Now XP is a little more efficient at handling these errors, but the end result is the same, Internet explorer windows just crash on me.

Now, I consider myself to be well informed when it comes to technical issues, but this has me baffled. With the testing I have done so far I have determined that:

1. It's not a video card defective issue
2. Somehow though, the card is the root of the problem because the other card does not cause these problems.

How can a Nvidia card drivers compared to the Hercules card cause Explorer.exe corruption, or conflicts, especially in WinXP?? And how the hell could the card cause Windows installation problems?? If someone could help me in figuring out why my windows freaks out because of a GeF3 ti200 card, I would REALLY appreciate it. You guys/gals have been great in the past, so I am sure someone has the solution, or ideas to get to the solution

 

[MeTaLrOcKeR]

What it sounds like to me is that ur Power Supply unit cant deliver your whole system enough juice (power) when the GeForce card is in..........id recomend a new Enermax 350watt power supply......

<A HREF="http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?id=13597" target="_new">-MeTaL RoCkEr</A>

 

[phsstpok]

Try the latest VIA chipset drivers and the latestest nVidia driver. Since you are using Windows 98SE I recommend using both Detonator Destroyer (to remove the old Geforce3 drivers) and DirectX Eradicator to unistall DirectX.

Reload the drivers, VIA 4-in-1's first followed by nVidia Detonators and then DirectX.

You can get VIA 4-in-1's <A HREF="http://www.viaarena.com/?PageID=2" target="_new">here</A>.

Nvidia drivers and Detonator Destroyer are both available at <A HREF="http://www.guru3d.com" target="_new">www.guru3d.com</A>.

DirectX Eradicator below.

<A HREF="http://www1.freewebz.com/firecat/" target="_new">http://www1.freewebz.com/firecat/</A>

<b>I have so many cookies I now have a FAT problem!</b>

 

[orden]

Haven't tried a new power supply yet, avoiding that at all costs.

Phsstpok, thank for the detailed response. However, I think I have already passed that idea. I just reloaded windows XP again (so I am no longer on 98 now). I had the old card in, but was still using "standard VGA" driver, no prior video drivers or Direct X ever installed. I installed the latest Via Drivers (thought about that too), and those installed and worked great. I then took out the old card (which had not been installed yet), and put in the new card. I installed the latest nVidia driver for XP. But during the installation, I received an Error 39 stating it could not load the device driver, it may be corrupt or missing. And yet again, Explorer.exe keeps crashing (I get an error report). Any other ideas? I don't think the power supply would cause this problem, especially because my other computer is an 1700xp with a GeF3 ti200 (different MOBO though...), and it has the same exact power supply. I have heard the ak12a sucks though...so who knows . Oh, FYI, if I uninstall the Nvidia drivers, and pop in the old Hercules card, everything seems ok? ARRHHGGGG..heh

 

[orden]

AGHHH, ok, I rebooted with the new Nvidia card in and received this error:

Windows could not start because the following file is missing or corrupt:
\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM

Now how the hell did that happen? Could it be my HD is going bad or something? Or could an insufficient power supply really cause all this??

 

[MeTaLrOcKeR]

Heres a thought....

r u Overclocking??

check if u r or not....make sure ur FSB is set to 133MHz...

now again i believe it CAN be ur power supply..

now when u install windows with ur Hercules card in there...does windows supply the driver for that on its own??? cuz if it does......and u install the driver off the CD for ur new card.....try downloading the absolute latest driver from nVidia by clicking <A HREF="http://download.nvidia.com/Windows/30.82/30.82_winxp.exe" target="_new">Here</A> and installing it....DONT use the cd that came with the card at all......see if it makes any kind of a difference.....if it doesnt.......try the video card in ur other XP1700 system......if it works....try the power supply from the XP1700+ system in the one ur getting problems with....even though its the same......just remember.....no 2 electronic/mechanical parts are perfectly EXACTLY the same in everyway...and when it comes to electronics...ur system/components is only as good/strong as its weakest link...

<A HREF="http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?id=13597" target="_new">-MeTaL RoCkEr</A>

 

[Matisaro]

Hard drive file corruption is one of the signs of a failing psu, you need a new one!

The Cash Left In My Pocket,The BEST Benchmark

 

[orden]

Ok, I just went out and bought a 400W (little overkill but hopefully will work).

I am not overclocking, and FSB is set correctly. My PSU is ok, pretty new, and no problems ever except with this card.

I thought of something on the way home though. Does it matter that the card has DDR memory, but the MOBO only supports and has PC133 memory? I figure that should not be a prob because the DDR memory interfaces with the video card. If there was a compatibility problem, the card would not work at all I think...but can't hurt to ask.

If the 400w power supply is not the problem, I will switch out the card in this computer, and put it in the other, and vice versa (good idea).

Well, here it goes, wish me luck

 

[orden]

Well, the powersupply didn't change anything. But when I went to Bios settings and hit "Optimal settings" saved, and restarted, it made a big difference with installing WinXp with the new card. But alas, it still just hanges after the "preparing installation phase". I took out the GeF3 from this computer, and put it in the older computer. I then took the new GeF3 I am having trouble with in the old computer and put it in my newer computer. No problems at all. But with the older computer, even with the older Gef3 from my new computer, same installation problems with WinXP. So that means same problems, even though I KNOW both cards are working fine.

So that is good news in a way. Because both cards work, and I ruled out it is the Power Supply, that means it can only be the MOBO, BIOS, CPU, or Hard Drive. Hmm, which one is going to be very difficult to determine. Any other help guys?

 

[Matisaro]

Viaarena

sounds like you have been hit by the via southbridge bug.

read up on it at www.viaarena.com

The Cash Left In My Pocket,The BEST Benchmark

 

[orden]

Could you be more specific? Maybe post a direct link for this bug you mention? I did go to the sight and found some things I will try (like taking out one of my dimms, and just leaving one, and a couple bios settings).

Thanks for any and all help!

 

[orden]

Still not resolved, anyone else out there?? =)

 

[papasmurf]

http://www.theddrzone.com/news.asp?id=404

check out this link, it is not the card it is the old driver you are using, windows xp is at fault not nvidia, you are talking about the infinate loop error right?

Life . A sexually transmitted disease which afflicts some people more severly than others.

 

[orden]

Well, I finally figured it out. I think it did have something to do with the infinite loop (I read about that at Via's website earlier). An article stated something about Nvidia having problems if two different types of OEM memory are on the MOBO. As this is my older computer that is having probs, back in the day I was naive to buy two different type of 256mg PC133 dimms (OEM). I never experienced a problem for a year with the hercules card. But I took one of the chips out, and magically, everything works perfectly.

Lesson today, always buy name brand memory (I alway by corsair in my newer computers).

Though, I still wish I could have a technical explanation why the two dimms worked fine with the hercules card, but not the Nvidia Gef3?

Thanks for all who responded (and maybe will respond to my last question...=)

 

[Monkeymagic]

I had the same problem last week. But it sorted itself after I formated the HDD for the second time. My system is as follows:

XP 1800+
Creative Geforce 4 TI 4400
MSI KT3 Ultra ARU
1 * 256 mb pc2100 DDR ram

I have since had a problem where the monitor wouldn't switch on, sorted itself though???? Tested with second monitor. Could this be down to cheap RAM???

OS is XP pro