Probs w/Voodoo 3 PCI-W2K and the DinkyDell

[MichaelD]

Good morning everyone,

I got W2K up and running last night on the Dell (P3-550e/256mb PC100/INtel 810e chipset). Initially, I had the onboard video running; no probs.

I went out to 3dfx.com (yes, they still have a website...I was shocked too!) and DL'd their latest WHQL(!) V3000 driver for W2K. One of those self-extracting jobbies.

Extracted it. Followed the directions. Set onboard video to VGA 640x480x16 and rebooted. Went into bios, changed primary video adapter to "PCI". Can see video card in the POST screens. This card is functioning fine. In use up till about a month ago, BTW.

What happens is W2K hangs on the "LOADING" screen, right before you'd get to the "login" box. Happened multiple times. Using the onboard video, I did go in and install the driver. It went thru the "WISE installation wizard-thing" and all went well. But it just locks at the startup screen. Once I go and change the video adapter back to "onboard" everything is fine. AS a matter of fact, I'm posting this from the Dell right now!

Help me out here; I'm obviously doing something wrong. Thanks much.

 

[RanDum72]

Is there a way to completely disable the built-in VGA besides setting the primary video card to PCI? Hopefully, there's a jumper there somewhere in the mobo....

 

[LarryJoe]

I was thinking the same, it may be looking to PCI first and then somehow going to the onboard. Another obvious glitch is most likely driver related. Since the splash is hanging at the point Win2K is trying to load the video drivers. I am sure you have scoured and blew away files and reg entries for the onboard driver, changed to standard vga, rebooted and then disabled onboard or changed to pci first. Onboard video can be a pain in arse, I am suprised Dell even makes a box with that config.

LJ

 

[Mingon]

Try going into safe mode and disabling the card you dont want. I have just setup a win2k dual display with a geforce and a voodoo5500, I had the same problem with it hanging and the only way around is to disable one of the card.

 

[MichaelD]

Thanks much, guys. I had this card in this box, running Win98SE for about 18 months or so w/o any probs. There is no jumper on this mobo. Damn proprietary Dell crap; the only way to switch the video output is thru the bios.

I will try LarryJoe's suggestion first then if that doesn't work, I'll try safemode as suggested by Mingon. Way back when, when the Voodoo 3000 was the schiznit ($150!!!!) I installed it and it was up and running w/o a hitch. I don't remember what steps I took though...it was a long time ago. Well, I'll try all this stuff tonight when I get home. Thanks again and have a good day!

 

[LarryJoe]

MichaelD on my suggestion, you should switch to standard vga first, then reboot and blow away all files and reg entires for the onboard driver. Obviously, you don't want to delete the files and reg entires while the OS is still using them. My bad. After that, all steps are the same. Good luck, this sounds like it is a friend's machine. Seems I am always asked to work on my firend's Dell purchases a year after they buy it. There always seems to be a proprietary glitch. Even opening a Dell case or installing a CD drive is an adventure.

LJ