Ready to throw in the towel... Please help!

[ddeder]

Here are the specs:

ASUS P5A-B mobo
Diamond Viper V550 video card
Windows 98 (1st ed)

Here is what I was told:

The computer has always worked fine.

The computer was taken to Best Buy to have an internal zip drive installed.

Best Buy had some sort of problem where computer would not boot but eventually got past it and installed the zip drive.

The computer was brought home and turned on. While booting, a window pops up saying:

Your display adapter is not configured properly. To correct the problem, click OK to start the Hardware Installation wizard.

This sends the computer thru the process of re-installing the video drivers which I did. When asked to reboot, I said okay and the screen immediately went blank except for a couple of lines at the top which said Windows Protection Error, You must restart your computer. This I do, but then the window telling me the display adapter is not configured pops up again.

This time, I cancel out of the hardware installation wizard and go to the device manager. There I see the little yellow symbol with an exclamation point in it next to Diamond Viper V550 for Windows 98. The device status says: This device is either not present, not working properly, or does not have all the drivers installed (Code 24).

When I go to the settings tab on the display properties panel, I can only get 16 colors. There is no option for anything else. I cannot change the screen resolution either. If I just hit the apply button, I get a long message:

At this time, display properties settings are limited to troublshooting changes only. The next time you start your system the display will be set to 640x480x16 color mode, custom refresh rates will be removed, and any secondary displays will be disabled. After you have restarted successfully, you will be able to change your driver or make other settings changes. Choosing not to continue will retain your original display settings. Are you sure you want to continue?

When I click on NO, the box simply disappears and nothing is changed. When I click on YES, I immediately get the Windows Protection Error and the computer shuts down.

I am 99% sure that I have the most recent drivers for the video card. And remember, this computer was working fine before Best Buy got their hands on it.

Here is something I found at Diamonds website (FAQ):

(16222) - When I boot into Windows I just get a black screen or Windows tells me my display adapter is not configured properly. I have an exclamation mark on the Viper in Device Manager.

This is usually caused by the Viper not receiving an IRQ. Boot into your system CMOS and look for an option to Assign IRQ for PCI VGA. Make sure it is set to enabled or auto.
If the Viper is not receiving an IRQ and the system BIOS does not have an option to assign an IRQ you'll need to contact your motherboard manufacturer to check for a BIOS update.

It looks like I have the most recent BIOS version and I do not see anywhere within the BIOS where I can "Assign IRQ for PCI VGA".

Has anyone got any ideas what the problem is here?? It is not bad enough that I get the display adapter error message every time I boot. There are a number of applications that will not run with just 16 colors. I need to get back the 256 color option.

HELP ME PLEASE!

 

[compuwiz1]

The issue, if memory serves me right is with the obligatory installation of the VIA AGP Mini Port driver. This should be a service pack, or VIA 4 in 1 driver set that is shipped with the board.
BTW, those AT boards, typically did not work well with AGP cards anyway. A PCI board may be the solution, when all else fails.

 

[KGB]

Deder,

Have you tried restoring an older version of the registry (before it went to Best Buy)?

Wiz,

I believe that board uses an Aladdin chipset (ALI).

 

[Woodie]

Don't let Bestbuy touch your computer again!

Try the vid card in a different PCI slot, or put it in a different one for one or two boots.

--Woodie

 

[whom2be]

How are your IRQ's assigned? Who is sharing, conflicting? Even if there are no conflicts some devices just don't like to share.

 

[ddeder]

Thanks for the replies.

The registry was never backed up so I do not have and older version to restore from.

If I go into device manager and double click on "computer" at the top of the screen, there are two columns, Setting and Hardware using the setting. Under setting, there is a little icon and a number which I assume is the IRQ. Most of the hardware has it's own IRQ number but the number 11 shows up 8 times:

OPTi 82C861 PCI to USB Open Host Controller
LT Win Modem
ALi PCI to USB Open Host Controller
Diamond Viper V550 for Windows 98
IRQ Holder for PCI Steering
IRQ Holder for PCI Steering
IRQ Holder for PCI Steering
IRQ Holder for PCI Steering

I assume that this means that the IRQ is being shared? How would I go about changing the IRQ? Can I safely temporarily disable a couple of devices and reboot to see if that fixes the problem?

In regard to the Via 4 in 1 drivers (VIA AGP miniport drivers), are there many different versions of these drivers each different depending on which video card is being used? Or is there just one set of these drivers that I can just download and install?

I will try to put the video card into a different PCI slot in just a little while...

Please keep the input coming!

 

[ddeder]

Actually, I can't put the video card into a different PCI slot. It can only go into the AGP slot.

 

[ddeder]

OUCH! I thought I was using the most recent BIOS but then I checked again and found I wasn't. I flashed the most recent BIOS and then rebooted, entered setup and loaded the cmos and bios defaults. I then exited and the machine booted to Windows.

The screen goes crazy with flickering lines running everywhere and all the icons duplicated four times. I can barely read what is on the screen. On the bright side, the error message telling me that my display adapter is not configured properly did not show up. I was able to get to device manager and click on display adapters. Through all the haze it told me that the Diamond Viper V550 is working properly. I was also able to get to the display settings and see that I now have the option to set 256 colors.

Now my only problem appears to be the flickering duplicate screens.

I booted to safe mode (which displays the screen just fine since video drivers are not loaded) and went to the device manager. Interestingly, Monitors shows up in the device manager in safe mode whereas Monitors never shows up in device manager when not in safe mode. There are four monitors listed, 3 of them x'd out. None of the monitors listed match the monitor I am currently using (an old 15 inch Compaq). I will try to get the monitor that was being used with this computer later this afternoon, but in the meantime does anyone have any ideas how I can get this to work with the monitor I am currently using? Is the monitor likely to be the sole source of my problem now?

 

[Darkluck]

I'd say boot into safe mode and remove all of the monitors, then go back into windows and see if it loads properly. If it doesn't, try loading the drivers for your vid card again while in safe mode then boot into windows.

 

[ddeder]

Update:

I tried a Packard Bell monitor which did not work at all. I then tried another Compaq monitor and this time the computer recognised the new monitor, loaded software for it, and booted into Windows without a problem. The video card now appears to be working fine and I can change to 256 colors.

There is one more problem though...

When I power the machine on, it starts counting the RAM (64MB SDRAM) and when it gets to where it should stop counting, it just starts over and begins counting again. It loops indefinitely until I press esc to bypass or del to enter setup. When I hit esc, it boots into Windows without a problem. Any ideas why this is happening?

 

[Darkluck]

either there is something wrong with the ram or the bios.....update your bios to the newest version or reflash it if you have the newest version and see if that clears it up. If not switch ram sticks with another comp and see what happens.

EDIT: sorry, reread your earlier post....did you get a beta bios? or is it an official release version?

 

[whom2be]

Man your just full-o-problems!

Ok the cycling ram is an easy one.

You flashed your BIOS.
Go into BIOS
go-> Advanced BIOS Features
go-> Quick on power test "ENABLE"

some MoBos will cycle the memory 3 or so times to check for errors.
If your memory is fine you don't need to waste the time. Enable the board to bypass the test.

Depending on your BIOS the names of the features my vary.

 

[ddeder]

You are absolutely right. I actually discovered that little tweak a couple of hours ago (I had started a new thread and commented on it in there). Thanks for the comment though. It's good to know there are some good tech people available thru here...