*2nd UPDATE* Geforce 2 can't play a single game - Computer freezing! - HELP!

[AnitaPeterson]

Hi,

I must confess I'm extremely upset about what's going on.

I finally took the time yesterday to load all my most beloved games on my machine, thinking I'll be able to play them at will.

They are, in no particular order, Quake 2 & 3, Unreal, Unreal - Return to na Pali, Unreal Tournament, Project IGI, Soldier of Fortune, Deus Ex, Aliens Vs Predator 1 & 2, Serious Sam, SIN, Mortyr, No one Lives Forever, Undying... and there must be a few others I can't think of right now. No Half-Life, though

As you can see, a very dedicated FPS collection.

Now, my machine (check out the sig) is a P3-900, and the card is an ASUS v7700 Deluxe (GF2 GTS 32), and I'm running Win2000 Pro, with the latest video drivers and DirectX8 installed.

I used to run Win98, until quite recently, when I upgraded for video authoring reasons. I played Serious Sam, Soldier of Fortune, and Quake 3 without any problems, in the old Win 98 configuration.

Right now, I can't play ANYTHING.

No matter which game do I start (on different gaming engines), my computer freezes right in the game menu. Sometimes the sound is looped, at other times the music goes on, but the mouse cursor is frozen, the keyboard doesn't respond, and I have to reboot.

This is driving me nuts.

Any ideas on what I could do about it? Am I missing any settings?

P.S. The PCI slot next to the video card is empty.

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Update: I called ASUS, thinking they should know better. After hanging on hold for a while, I was transferred to a tech, who told me to install the newst drivers (21.81). I told him the latest ASUS v7700 driver on their official website was 6.48, and he said I should use the 21.81, which was available for GF3 TI (ASUS 8200 Deluxe). Mind you, it's a Deluxe card, so I told him generic nVidia drivers won't do.

So, I installed the new drivers, and this time whenever I start Windows I get an error message saying "anvshell has caused erors and was shut down by Windows. An error log was generated" (I don't even know where that log is). Of course, "anvshell" is the new driver...

Not only did I lose the VIVO, but the games continue to freeze just like before.

I probably need to call them again tomorrow - the crappy part is that ASUS doesn't have a toll-free number, so I'm paying for these calls. Bah! If only they would help...

I'm beginning to wonder if a computer shop would be able to fix the *&%^% card and how much would it cost...


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UPDATE 2:

ASUS seems to be a monument of bad organisation - calling their tech support phone (NOT toll-free, mind you!) will plunge the user into a labyrinth of menus and contradictory information - for instance, the hours of operation are until 5PM Pacific, 5 PM Eastern or 2 PM Pacific, according to the message you'll be given on the SAME line!

 

[TechMasterChen]

Have you checked you sound drivers? There may be some new W2K drivers available.

 

[AnitaPeterson]

<--- Soundblaster Live Platinum with updated W2K drivers... no newer drivers on-line, AFAIK.

 

[jefflhunt]

Anita,

The ASUS v7700 Deluxe is AGP 2X/4X compatible only. I'm not sure if your motherboard, the Creative M003, is AGP 2X or not. I've looked over the specs of the board and even found the .pdf manual for your motherboard, but it is very vague to say the least.

I had the exact same problem with a PC I build a couple of years ago. I used the SOYO SY-6Y SBA+ motherboard. I went through 2 different GeForce cards with the same problems before my research revealed that my board was only 1X compatible and the video cards I was attempting to use were only 2X/4X compatible.

The end result was, that I had to purchase a Creative Labs GeForce card which came bundled with an AGP tweak program that allowed me to change the video card to work in 1X mode.

Hope this helps.

Jeff

 

[AnitaPeterson]

Thanks... that could also be an issue.

However, doesn't the fact that the machine used to work in the same configuration, albeit a different OS, contradict this hypothesis?

One thing I probably need to do is get a windows update and go through all the video and audio sites, looking for new drivers... but frankly I doubt that'd solve things.

OK, so where could the glitch be:

1) sound card drivers
2) video card drivers
3) video card settings
4) power supply (?) - although it worked for Win98 in my case...

What else?

 

[jefflhunt]

My bad. I was somehow under the assumption that you "upgraded" to the GeForce 2. Yes, that definitely disproves my theory. I can tell you from experience that Windows 2000 isn't the best gaming Operating System around. If you are looking for the benefits of Windows NT without the limitations of the traditional NT kernel, you should definitely go with Windows XP Pro (not Home).

As for your problem, I now tend to think that the problem may be a resource conflict of some kind. Check in the Device Manger and see if you have any kind of Creative Legacy Emulation devices installed. If there is one there, disable it in the current hardware configuration (you won't need DOS compatibility with your sound card on Windows 2000).

You may want to also remove any unnecessary hardware components (firewire card, netword adapter, modem, SCSI card, etc.) from the PCI slots and try again. If it works, start adding one card at a time and keep trying until you've narrowed down the offending piece of hardware or the PCI slot that it is in.

Keep us updated!

 

[AnitaPeterson]

will do.

BTW, welcome to the forums!

 

[AnitaPeterson]

Nope.

I just finished checking out the drivers - just as I expected, it looks like the most recent stuff is already in place.

No conflicts or suspicious items in Device Manager, either.

Maybe it's the video card settings... but how the hell would I know what are the good settings to keep?

Please continue to post solutions - I'm almost desperate and tired enough to try anything...

 

[sep]

Are you OCing your processor? If so, try orig settings.

It sounds like the GL drivers don't want to initalize or fail. Try removing the video card drivers, reboot, resinstall the latest Nvidia drivers and test.

Check to see if any thing in BIOS changed that might be related?

Good Luck!

 

[tenoc]

It's a pain you-know-where, but you might have to set up a
dual-boot (2K & 98se) system.

 

[AnitaPeterson]

No, I'm not overclocking anything.

I did a fresh install of W2k, following a HD format, so normally the drivers should have been installed properly. After which I converted to
NTFS. And since I conerted to NTFS, I don't think I can do a dual-boot machine anymore.

Now, a question... since, as sep suggested, it could be a faulty OpenGl initiation (although some of the games use Direct 3D, and still crash), is there any check-up program I can download, and which would verify if the card functions properly?

 

[Mem]

You have all video shadowing disabled in bios,also disable fastwrites and disable system bios cacheable,I always leave PCI slot one(nearest to AGP) empty even with 2k/XP OS.

It sounds like a possible Win2k conflict/software problem since you did say it was fine on 98,I too would go back to basics and try it with minimal hardware installed & clean install of 2k and see how it goes from there,you can always try moving the sound card to different slot as well.I also prefer XP for gaming which is what I`m using at the moment over my other 98 PC.

Last note what are you temps?

 

[MAS5]

I am having the same problem, except it is on a new system. I have a Gainward GeForce 2 Ti/500 Gold card running on an EPOX 8kha+ mb with Windows XP home. Every time I try to run Unreal Tournament or Half-life I get a freeze or funny lines or distorted screen and the system locks up and then reboots. Windows states that it was a NV4_disp.dll that caused the fault. i have tried 4 different drivers including the newest from Nvidia the 28.32. It seems that we are haveing the same root trouble. i have an audigy sound card. No device manger problems. anythign else out there I can try to fix this?

 

[AnitaPeterson]

Mem, I have trouble following you - i'm not THAT knowledgeable.

Can you please repeat your suggestions?

Win2000 pro was installed "clean", after a complete HD format, and the video card was actualy the first piece of hardware I installed afterwards.

BTW, the PCI slot next to the video card is free, and the sound is on-board (Creative MB with SBlive Platinum on-board and external connectors), so I can't move that particular card around.

 

[unclebud]

i really don't know anything, but i THINK your open gl drivers are corrupted (or something )
glsetup is where you can get updated drivers, and the download page is where you can probably decide if this will fix your problem before you install.
hope my advice doesn't blow up your computer! good luck!

 

[DragCity]

MAS5: I had very similar crashes entering and exiting Half-Life with a GeForce 2 Ti and Epox 8KHA+. The nv4_disp.dll error is one that you can get with the dreaded infinite loop. If you search around the forums here and elsewhere you'll find plenty about the loop. There is no catch-all fix, but I found the problem for me was that the default WinXP desktop was 32-bit color and it was crashing when games tried to run in 16-bit. Changed the desktop to 16-bit and haven't seen a blue screen since.

 

[sep]

Goodone Dragcity. What's your desktop res/col at? Try scaling it down to 800x600x16 for testing (reboot for changes to take effect).

Try logging on as Admin (NTFS Security Issue accessing files...maybe?).

Try disabling the Sound Card on the MB.

Do you have all these games installed? Try uninstalling them all and reinstall one at a time testing it before moving on.

If you do start over, reinstalling OS, try these steps.

1.) OS (FAT32)
2.) OS patches
3.) Latest Nvidia Drivers
4.) One game at a time (openGL game first, DX game second).

Hope this helps. Don't you had trouble shooting problems like this :disgust:

 

[Mem]

AnitaPeterson ,ok so you have done a clean install etc, I`m confused as to did you install Asus drivers first then Nvidia drivers after? Since this would cause big driver problems with gaming etc ,you must make sure Asus drivers are removed before Nvidia drivers are installed and vice versa .


Nvidia recommend you shut down anti-virus to prevent possible installation corruption of their drivers and also download accelerators like DAP are not used for download of their drivers.

 

[AnitaPeterson]

Mem, I didn't add any nVidia drivers, just the cASUS card drivers. Do you think I should've installed the card drivers, and then install extra layers from nVidia? I know generic nVidia drivers will disable my VIVO, so I didn't tinker with them.

 

[Mem]

<< Do you think I should've installed the card drivers, and then install extra layers from nVidia? I know generic nVidia drivers will disable my VIVO, so I didn't tinker with them. >>



Well you can try the Nvidia drivers and see if that helps you get your 3D gaming back,make sure you remove ASUS drivers first before trying the lastest official Nvidia 28.32 drivers.

There`s no big deal using Asus drivers since they will have added features for your Asus card ,but if you find you can`t get any games to work I would remove the Asus drivers and also the Asus software that you`ve installed if any(like what comes with the ASUS drivers on the Asus CD),then try the latest official Nvidia drivers and see if that gets your games to work.

That`s what I do with my Leadtek card,I don`t bother with the Leadtek drivers and just always install the official Nvidia drivers.

 

[deadcell]

I had an extremely similar problem. I installed a PCI card and everything worked fine. I determined it to be bad AGP port on my mobo (SOYO Dragon+) and after a mobo swap everything worked perfectly.

 

[AnitaPeterson]

The only thing I'm worried about is losing my VIVO capabilities as well... ahhh, damn it, ASUS, can't you make a card that wouldn't have to go through all this crap!!!!

 

[Bozo Galora]

link

 

[Jrouss]

I am having the same problems with an overclocked Soyo Dragon P4S. I think however, I have somewhat fixed the problem by bumping the AGP slot voltage. Anyone else have thoughts on this?

 

[AnitaPeterson]

OK< I tried the last available nVidia drivers - from the website - and while I was able to play UT for about 3 minutes (didn't have time for more), Q3 froze almost immediately after I started it.

I have to say also that the image was strangely corrupted in UT - when you get to change the skin of your character in the Options menu, it didn't actually have a face - just "holes" where the face and the torso should have been, although the body outlines were present.

The second CSR from ASUS I spoke with told me to try the drivers for ASUS 7700 TI (which were something like 14.xx), but they continued to freeze my machine. He said that he does not know what else he should recommend, that the problem was above him, and therefore he'll forward me to a supervisor...

Needless to say, I haven't heard from anyone yet - no surprise, considering it's a holiday, but still...