need advice: driver problems with gf256 card

[kef7]

I'm trying to put together a system with a bunch of older parts that were lying around:
soyo sy-6kl (intel LX based baby-at motherboard (using AT power supply, can use ATX supply as well)
celeron 300
128 ram
windows 98 (clean install)
hercules ddr-dvi geforce 256
20g hard drive
cd-rom
nothing else installed

After a clean install I installed the 41.09 detonators from the nvidia website and rebooted when prompted. Just before getting to the desktop the system locks up--either green system screen (with and without hourglass) or just a black screen with a dash in the upper right corner.

I then tried older drivers (I think the 28.32s). Between trying different drivers I used both detonator destroyer and regcleaner to remove all traces (I hope) of the previous driver. With the older drivers it will boot to the desktop but then lockup when I try and get into the display properties or when I change the screen resolution.

I also went to the hercules website and used their drivers for this card with similar results. I also tried another gf256 card with similar results.

Sometimes after driver install and rebooting it will just about get to the desktop and then reboot by itself.

One odd thing I noticed is that during driver install the "percentage complete bar" gets to around 65-70% and then the remaining portion installs really fast (blink of the eye fast). Maybe that is nothing but who knows.

Before I start trying older drivers just wanted to solicite advice on what to do.

I don't recall any known conflict issues with LX chipsets and geforce cards? Could an AT power supply cause issues with an AGP card?

thanks

 

[BenSkywalker]

Could an AT power supply cause issues with an AGP card?

Yes, I would actually expect it to with the GeForce 1 boards, the Herc in particular(Hercs have a default clock of 130/301 v 120/301 of the normal GF1 boards). They draw the maximum voltage that the AGP spec called for at the time, and a powersupply or delivery system could definitely be cause for some issues. Do you have a reasonably decent ATX PS kicking around? Another thing you may want to try, although I would imagine the PS is the main problem, is backing down to AGP 1X. Any line noise can cause serious stability issues with the NV10 boards.

 

[BFG10K]

Make sure you have the latest BIOS and chipset drivers for your machine, don't overclock anything, don't run any background programs and try doing a minimal boot as well.

Realistically speaking though I'd have to say that your Soyo motherboard is the culprit. From what I've seen that brand is extremely poor.

 

[kef7]

BenSkywalker--I switched to the only spare atx power supply I had which I think is 200w.

Still not working with an atx supply. I also did a fresh format and install of 98 tonight and tried the hercules drivers again. This time I was treated to technicolor/pastel icons once it booted to the desktop. Also the drivers didn't even completely install--in the past they installed but locked up once I went into display properties.

The only BIOS option related to AGP is aperture; I didn't see an option for agp 1x.

BFG10K--Motherboard BIOS is the last they posted on their website. I did flash the vidcard BIOS to a BIOS on the herc site--there was no description as to what it fixed.

I'm not overclocking and I don't think much could be running in the background (especially after a clean install with no other programs installed yet?)

Chipset drivers is one thing I forgot about. Will have to look into that.

A friend is loaning me a voodoo 2 or 3 card tomorrow--at least that should help pinpoint if it is the mobo or vidcard.

 

[kef7]

Well, no graphics now at all.

Either the AGP slot finally gave out or I damaged it putting in the voodoo3 card I borrowed (the case interferes a little and I had to force it in). The slot seems totally dead now, the fans don't turn on the vidcard but the system still seems to boot. Too bad I don't have a pci vidcard to test that out.

At least both cards didn't get damaged; they worked fine in a different system.

 

[kef7]

I guess I didn't kill the agp slot; just didn't have the card pushed down hard enough.

I gave up on the hercules 256 card and installed a radeon 8500.

The radeon 8500 installed with no problem and is working fine.

The 8500 is overkill for this backup system which will be rarely used. Guess I'll try and trade the hercules card for a simple ATI card unless anyone can offer up other suggestions as to why nvidia based cards don't play nice with this old setup.

 

[kef7]

still seeking advice before I buy another card bump

 

[kef7]

last bump