Question About Disabling Onboard Video

[Salvador]

Hi,

I have an Emachines 366is (366 Celeron). I'm trying to disable the onboard video and I'm not having much luck.

If I change the jumpers the way that they should be for disable, Windows (ME) keeps rebuilding the drivers for this device. Should Windows keep building drivers for a device that is disabled?

Now.. If I go to take the video card out (16mb ATI Rage 128 Expert) and hook the monitor up to the onboard video connecter with the jumper in the disabled position, I don't get a display. This would lead me to think that the onboard video is disabled.

Now.. If I add the PCI video card, hook up the monitor to it and fire up the computer, Windows is still recognizing the onboard video and building drivers for it.

Any ideas? I'm only asking because I'm getting some buggy problems with the ATI PCI card and I think it's because my onboard is still showing up as the default display in Windows.

Many Thanks!

Sal

 

[billyjak]

I would go into windows INF files and deleate any traces to the onboard drivers, then disable it with jumpers, put the new card in and load the drivers when asked.
As long as the INF exists, windows will keep creating the driver base and load it. Deleate the references, place them in the recycle bin and deleate permanetely when your sure the systems stable.
You may have to go into the registry and search for ATI, and deleate any references there also, backup your registry first by exporting it to a file before you do any of these things.
That way you can import it back incase something goes wrong.
Same procedure goes for the Onboard sound.

 

[Salvador]

Yes.. But if the onboard video is disabled, shouldn't Windows be unable to detect it? It always starts by saying that it has found new hardware and is installing software for it. If I don't have the drivers, won't it just have the yellow exclamation point over the device in Device Manager and list it as a conflict?

I just don't want to go through any unecessary things and make it impossible to put the onboard video back when I'm done with this thing.

BTW.. How do you do a search for the onboard drivers? Just do a search on ATI? As luck would have it, the onboard video and the PCI video card are both ATI. 😉

Sal

 

[Salvador]

Well.. After an afternoon of messing around with the video card and the jumpers, I've come to realize that the onboard video is disabled in the system, but for some reason, Windows ME keeps recognizing the onboard video and keeps building drivers for it. So.. I have to go into Device Manager and disable it or the PCI video card acts really buggy.

Has anyone had a similar experience with the onboard video of an Emachines?

I'm still getting that buggy problem on startup. For some reason, on a cold boot, the monitor will come on in a row of weird colors and not display anything. If I turn the computer on and then turn it off right away and then back on again, it will boot perfectly. Is there any problem in doing this to start my computer? Will I corrupt any files this way? I don't think Windows had started at that point because Scandisk doesn't check the system because it was shut down improperly.

Anyway.. If anyone has any more suggestions on what I should try with the onboard video and the PCI card to get it so it boots up normally, please let me know.

Thanks again,

Sal

 

[MrMilney]

I had a friend who took an Exacto knife and physically cut the graphics chip off of his old Packard Bell motherboard. That worked like a charm but you had better be willing to replace the whole motherboard in case something goes wrong.

And, of course, I will in no way accept any responsibility for whatever actions you may take after reading this post. 🙂