New Graphics Card Installation Somehow Incorrect | Forums

[wstrohm]

Wife has a Fry's FM7540 computer. Intel Pentium IV 2.8 GHz CPU, upgraded to 2 GB RAM. Original graphics was provided by on-board video which used "shared video memory" of 64 MB. Uru played correctly on this system, except for a few artifacts. But since the computer has an AGP 8X slot, we bought an ATI Radeon HD4650 graphics card, first installing the Catalyst Suite v 11.6 and then the card. The DVI interface works, resolutions are adjustable. However, when opening URU, the error message "Uru has found a problem with (filename.exe) and will now close. Do you want to report this to Microsoft?"

I suspect a problem with the drivers or a conflict with existing drivers, but cannot be sure. Wife says other apps work OK except for a new problem with scrolling.

We tried to follow the written instructions in the ATI booklet, but could not find some of the folders/files that were supposed to be deleted.

Any idea where we should look? She can't find the ATI Catalyst control panel either, although the installation program said it installed correctly.

[nanoukmetal]

In the mean time and for more fun, check this thread and see Heimdall's response...
http://forums.ubi.com/eve/foru...171038336#3171038336

Originally posted by wstrohm....

Any idea where we should look? She can't find the ATI Catalyst control panel either, although the installation program said it installed correctly.

Did you disable the old onboard graphic card through "Device Manager and System devices" ??

Which version of Uru ?????

Do you know the size of the power supply ?

Until Heimdall comes by, you could read this page on the net. (do not miss the instruction about .Net Framework)...
http://www.tweakguides.com/ATICAT_6.html

[wstrohm]

nanoukmetal,

Thanks for the link; I printed the pages. ".NET" is installed as confirmed by her computer display. She has been getting notices from Windows to reinstall the ATI software, so we will try that first, then try to find the ATI Catalyst Control Panel again. Unfortunately I am totally ignorant of Windows housekeeping (file arrangement) stuff, being 100% Mac user. So this will probably take a while.

[Heimdall_G]

Please answer the following questions:

1. Which version of Windows is the PC running, and is it 32-bit or 64-bit?

2. Which version of Uru is it - original Uru, The Path of the Shell, or Complete Chronicles?

3. Other than messages to re-install the ATI software, have you gotten video-related error messages with any program other than Uru since installing the new video card, and if so, what was the exact wording of the messages?

4. What Desktop video resolution are you running, as in 800x600, 1024x768, or...?

5. Regarding the Catalyst Control Center (CCC):
-- a. Does right-clicking on a blank area of the Desktop result in a drop-down menu with a line item for the CCC?
-- b. Is there a red ATI/CCC icon in the right-end group of the Desktop's bottom taskbar?
-- c. Is there a CCC line item in the All Programs list?

6. Does the PC still have the OEM 350-watt power supply? (Recommended minimum power supply capacity for the HD 4650 chipset is 400 watts.)

7. If the video card has a Molex or 6-pin socket for auxiliary power along the top edge or at the rear of the card, did you plug in the appropriate lead from the power supply?

8. Did you disable the onboard Intel Extreme Graphics 2 chipset through both Control Panel's System > Device Manager and the system BIOS? (For details on accessing the BIOS, see page 4 of the FM 7540 manual.)
-- a. Does Device Manager show an "Unknown PCI device"?
-- b. Did you use Control Panel's Add or Remove Programs to uninstall the Intel graphics drivers?

9. What's the manufacturer and exact model number of the new video card?

10. Is the video card properly and completely seated in the AGP slot, with all of the gold contact fingers bottomed out in the slot?

11. Are the video-card-to-monitor cable connectors properly and completely seated at both the card end and the monitor end?

[wstrohm]

1) Windows XP Home Edition (assume 32-bit)
2) Complete Chronicles - ran fine just before the ATI card and software was installed
3) Yes - Windows displayed text message at boot-up that there was a problem... gave choice of opening with "Last good settings" or some such. However when opening with last settings, Uru still will not open.
4) When ATI graphics card is being used, the slider control for resolution does slide, but reverts to 640x480 immediately when "Apply" is clicked. Cannot maintain any other resolution although lots are "available" on slider.
5) a) No. b) No. c) Yes.
6) Power supply is OEM 350 watts.
7) Yes.
8) No, not both. The ATI booklet says to disable the stuff in the Device Magager listing, which we did, although it was only identified as a yellow question mark. a) Yes - now disabled. b) No, because until now we were not instructed to. But wife is doing that as I write.
9) ATI - Diamond Radeon HD 4650, 512 MB DDR2, S/N DM093900000898
10) Yes.
11) Yes.

The Intel Extreme chipset software is now all removed, although in Device Manager it is only disabled. Now we get the "Windows did not start successfully" text screen again; wife was forced to go back to "Last known good settings."

[Heimdall_G]

In general,
1. Install Uru to your C: drive.
-- a. Be certain that Uru saves its game progress files to your C: drive.
-- b. If you have a very small C: that's reserved for system files only, install Uru to D:. Be certain that Uru saves its game progress files to D:.
2. Start Uru from a fresh boot.
-- a. Reboot, log into Windows, and close all open applications.
-- b. Disable all anti-virus/spyware/adware/pop-up programs running in the background.
-- c. If you have only a software firewall, do NOT disable it.
-- d. Do NOT run any other programs before starting Uru.
3. Never boot up with a CD or DVD in the disc drive.
4. If the Uru disc autostarts when inserted into the drive, cancel back to the Desktop.
5. Always start Uru with the Desktop shortcut/start icon, NOT from the CD menu.


I'm running an AGP HD 4670 chipset (essentially a fancier HD 4650) on my Win XP machine, and the following are basis the "fun" I had getting everything to work correctly.

Suggestions, to do in the order shown:

1. You should have installed Win XP Service Pack 3 (SP3). If not, it's available here using Windows Update.
-- a. However, I've found that the least-obnoxious way to install SP3 is to:
----- 1. Run Windows Update and install at least the Critical Updates, EXCEPT for SP3.
----- 2. Download WindowsXP-KB936929-SP3-x86-ENU.exe from Windows XP Service Pack 3 Network Installation Package for IT Professionals and Developers.
----- 3. Burn WindowsXP-KB936929-SP3-x86-ENU.exe to a CD or DVD.
-- b. Install SP3 from Safe Mode using the CD or DVD.
----- 1. Reboot. Immediately and repeatedly (about once/second) press F8 during the bootup sequence to enter Safe Mode.
----- 2. Using Start > Run, run WindowsXP-KB936929-SP3-x86-ENU.exe to install SP3. Accept the install defaults whenever possible.
-- b. When SP3 installation is complete, reboot.

2. Win XP Home Edition is 32-bit only. AMD/ATI has issued a Win XP driver "hotfix" to correct various problems with HD 46XX AGP chipsets. Go to AMD Catalyst™ Hotfix.... and download 11-6_agp-hotfix_xp32_dd_ccc.exe to a folder, NOT to your Desktop.

3. The ATI drivers, etc., that you've already installed must be removed before re-installing anything. Before proceeding, see GPU-57: How to uninstall pre-existing graphics card drivers from a Microsoft Windows based system.

4. Do the following in the order shown:
-- a. The system BIOS may be able to detect that an AGP video card has been installed and automatically disable the onboard video chipset. If not, under one of the main BIOS menu headings, there should be a line item (or something similar) "access AGP first on bootup" or "disable onboard video".
----- 1. Select the appropriate item, and press F10 to save the change.
----- 2. Reboot, and again access the BIOS to verify that the change has taken effect.
----- 3. Reboot.
-- b. This time, immediately and repeatedly (about once/second) press F8 during the bootup sequence to enter Safe Mode. Remove existing ATI software as per the articles in suggestion 3, above.
----- 1. You may not find "ATI - Software Uninstall Utility" in Control Panel's Add or Remove Programs listing. If not, remove "ATI Control Panel" and "ATI Display Driver".
----- 2. When removals are complete, reboot into Safe Mode.
-- c. Using Start > Run, run 11-6_agp-hotfix_xp32_dd_ccc.exe to install the various ATI drivers and software. Accept the install defaults whenever possible.
-- d. When installation is complete, boot into normal Windows.
----- 1. During bootup, Windows should find new hardware (your HD 4650 chipset) and install the drivers for it. If Windows wants to install drivers for the onboard Intel video chipset, cancel out of that effort.
----- 2. Access the Catalyst Control Panel, and set up your video as appropriate.
-- e. Reboot, and start Uru as per "in general" items 2 through 5, above.

[wstrohm]

We have done essentially everything with the exceptions noted:

Your paras. 1-5 regarding Uru: Uru ran fine before installing the ATI drivers. It's on the C hard drive, and did save games properly.

Regarding the HD4650 installation:

1. Service Pack 3 had been installed prior to the ATI card being added (via automatic Windows update). It has been in place for some time with no problems noted.
2. The Catalyst HotFix v 11.6 was the first thing installed. Later we tried disabling that and installing the Diamond OEM software (v 5.6), then later tried the ATI Radeon software v 6.2.1, and then re-installed the v 11.6 Hotfix. Nothing worked. Somewhere along the line a "Display Adapters" folder appeared in Device Manager which contained the ATI file. However, Windows would not open and stopped at a page telling us to either "Open Windows Normally," or "Open Windows with last good settings." Choosing the first option looped us back to the same page. Choosing the second option allows the computer to work normally but the ATI software is disabled.

The weird thing is that all ATI dialog boxes during and after installation say that installation was successful and that the new hardware is ready to use. But rebooting Windows sends us back to that page again.

We don't know what you mean by "under one of the main BIOS menu headings..." Neither of us knows where the BIOS menu is or how to get there.

[nanoukmetal]

I am inclined to suggest a "dxdiag" report as per instructions found at the bottom of this post...<a href="http://forums.ubi.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/524109302/m/937105842?r=937105842#937105842" target="_blank">"To post a DxDiag report"
click here</a>

[gnorke]

To get to the bios on a pc, on start up, immediately hit F2. That is what most pc's now use to access bios.

[nanoukmetal]

According to the FM 7540 manual, page 4 "Technical support" at the link previously given by Heimdall, it is supposed to be the "Del" key,

1) Each time you start your computer, a message appears on the
screen before the operating system loading that prompts you to “Hit
<DEL> if you want to run SETUP ”. When you see this message,
press the Delete key, and the Main menu page of the Setup Utility
appear on your monitor. If you don’t see the message, keep tapping the Delete key and you should be able to enter the Bios.