nVidia 40.41 and XP

[bairdjc]

Here's the problem: I installed 40.41 detonator drivers on my XP system and they worked for awhile. Now I get "Cannot find any direct3d devices." error - even trying to view a d3d screensaver! I have a geforce2 GTS, and I have also tried this with a Geforce2 mx400 as well. I've tried it with regular XP and XP with SP1 installed - both on clean installs and as soon as I install 40.41 - there goes the D3D! Does anyone have a clue what's going on? I search MS and nvidia's websites and nothing.

Thanks;

 

[ejsmith2]

They might just be incompatible with those older processors.


Seriously here. Anything over the detonator 28.xx's is a mmoooooooot point for the Geforce 2.


You're not getting speed. You're sure as hell not getting stability.

You're not getting features. You're not even getting a warm fuzzy, it seems.

If I was j00, I'd drop back to the 28's or possibly the early 30's.

=)

P4's @ 3600Mhz ()wNz J00 4LL!!!!!!

 

[bairdjc]

Thanks for the reply. I forgot to mention that I tried 3 different versions of drivers (40.41, 30.82, and the install cd). What's strange is that now I observe that in safe mode, d3d seems to work fine (well my main indicator is the d3d windows screensavers, not much else you can run in safe mode). which leads me to believe it might be a resource conflict of some sort. I have tried everything! I am about ready to go out and buy a new card!
Any more suggestions?

 

[CMRvet]

I had almost the same problems after installation of the Detonator XP 40 drivers and also using a Geforce 2 MX 400 DDR.

What I did: just <b>uninstalled</b> the older drivers-reboot- installation of the XP 40 drivers-reboot- ready.

About the performance gain: maybe 2% 3DMarks.


<b>(<font color=yellow>as good as it looks</font color=yellow>)</b>

 

[CMRvet]

They might just be incompatible with those older processors

No really sure. One of the main features of the NVIDIA drivers is to be compatible with all the line of GPU’s. (same as VIA 4 in 1)


<b>(<font color=yellow>as good as it looks</font color=yellow>)</b>

 

[bairdjc]

OK, Well I'll try that later today. So far, it seems the only thing that works is to reinstall windows completely. With XP I am finding it difficult to completely uninstall the old drivers (going in and physically deleting the driver files) - it seems that XP wants to do everything automatically and doesn't even give you a chance to choose your own drivers or "Have Disk" before it goes and uses some from it's driver banks. Also, I should mention that I have a friend who has almost the same setup I do (same mobo, processor, cdrw, xp w/sp1, etc) except for the fact that he has a geforce4 ti4200 and his d3d works fine. However, it wouldn't make sense that the 40.41 drivers don't support the geforce2 because that's nvidia's whole selling point on them - they are supposed to work for ALL geforce cards, no?
Thanks, I'll try your suggestion and get back.....

 

[CMRvet]

With XP I am finding it difficult to completely uninstall the old drivers (going in and physically deleting the driver files)

Don’t worry. I just uninstalled the drivers going to Control panel / add or remove programs. After that you need to restart the system and windows will install the default drivers (very low performance). Then you just install the XP 40 drivers and restart again.

I’m very happy with the XP 40, they even accept the coolbits hack to be able to change the CPU and RAM speed directly from the NVIDIA drivers.

Good luck


<b>(<font color=yellow>as good as it looks</font color=yellow>)</b>

 

[bairdjc]

Thanks for all your help. Unfortunately, nothing has helped! I still cannot fix the D3D problem. The only thing that works is to reinstall XP! I seriously am considering buying a new card, maybe a ge4 ti440 or something. any good suggestions?

 

[slvr_phoenix]

any good suggestions?

Don't install the new drivers after reinstalling XP?

<pre><A HREF="http://www.nuklearpower.com/comic/186.htm" target="_new"><font color=red>It's all relative...</font color=red></A></pre><p>

 

[Dark_Archonis]

Aww man, you won't believe how many times I tell people these things...

I know everyone's excited about the 40.41 detonators, but you must remember they are <b>beta</b> drivers. I wish it stated that loud and clear on nvidia's driver page so they wouldn't be getting so much mail about 40.41 problems. The 40.xx is a new generation of drivers which support the Cg programming language, as well as the totally new algorithms which will be one of the things that gives the NV30 such amazing performance. These algorithms also work with all Geforce cards when the drivers are installed. You are correct, the new drivers work on ALL Geforce cards, but they are in beta right now with these drivers, and the drivers are only available on win2k/WinXP. PLus, the drivers haven't been "thoroughly" tested by Nvidia yet, and are yet to be WHQL certified. You are probably asking why? Well, they will be certified once Nvidia releases the final version of the first 40.xx drivers, which will be thoroughly tested, and optimized, not to mention should have WHQL certification. I mean think about it, why certify beta drivers?

Also, quite a few people have been reporting performance problems with the 40.41's; those should all be fixed with the final versions.

You must realize the 40.xx drivers (Detonator 5) are a MAJOR departure from the 20.xx drivers (Detonator 4, XP). The 30.82's right now fit into the Detonator 4 generation of drivers. But, they are stable, and final versions, and I recommend to anyone who's using the 40.41's to move back down to 30.82's, and wait for the final versions to come out. Or, if you want, just sit tight with the 40.41's until the final's come out.

- - -
<font color=green>All good things must come to an end … so they can be replaced by better things! </font color=green>

 

[bairdjc]

Thanks for your post. I understand all of what you say. I'd be more than happy to move back down to 30 or even 20 series of drivers, if I could get them to work! I've tried 20, 30 and 40 sets of drivers (20 and 30 final versions) but I can't get any of them to work properly. I think it has something to do with some of the driver files, when installed, being of different versions (like some files a 30 series and some others a 40). So, I guess it's reinstall the system or just wait until a final version of 40's come out.
Any more ideas are welcomed....
Thanks;

 

[Unolocogringo]

Use detonator destroyer. Uninstall windows driver.
DO NOT REBOOT.
Run det.dest.
now reboot.
Install standard PCI graphics adaptor.
reboot.
Install detonator drivers.
reboot.
Reinstall Direct X.
reboot.
Your system should run properly now.

I aint signing nothing!!!

 

[Dani_mq]

Use the system restore, and go to your previuos drivers, then use the 23.11's, thats what works best for me. Im also on XP pro and a gts. good luck

 

[ejsmith2]

Continuing the trouble-shooting line of reasoning:

1) Crack open your hard disk.
2) Clean it like in that one article with Windex and speaker magnets.
3) Reinstall hard disk.
4) Load Unix.
5) Use the computer, instead of the computer companies using you like a b!tch.

P4's @ 3600Mhz ()wNz J00 4LL!!!!!!

 

[bairdjc]

thanks everyone for the posts.
I've tried all the suggestions and still no luck. I've thought of reinstalling directx, but how do you do that in xp? MS provides no directx downloads for xp (as it is integrated supposedly). Also, does anyone know how to change your display adapter to a simple vga adapter? It's not as simple as 95/98/ME/2k - when I go to change it it just lists a bunch of nvidia chipsets; i just want a plain old vga adapter where xp won't try and automatically install the display adapter.
Thanks again;

 

[Bends]

Not sure if this will help, or if it is even related to your problem. Just briefly went through all the posts.... Check to make sure Direct3d is enabled for dirext x. Open "dxdiag" in the run menu, and then go over to the "display" tab. Make sure Direct 3d is enabled. You can also check to see if Direct3d devices work by using "dxdiag". Hope this helps.

 

[bairdjc]

EUREKA! IT'S FIXED! I read this article (after about 5 hours of searching google):
http://www.computing.net/windowsme/wwwboard/forum/17693.html
Basically, all I had to do was to set my refresh rate to default, and DX fixed itself. The only problem now is that the monitor practically blinks. That explains why d3d worked in safe mode, too.
Well, thank you all for the help;