A VERY Strange Problem!!!

[whoomer]

Hi... I've got this VERY annoying problem

The thing is that I got an Radeon 9800 SE (128 Mb) from a friend (used).
When I got home, I of course intalled the new card in my comp. And everything worked just fine....
Untill the comp. crashed during gamplay (EQ2).
It went like that a few times, before I realised that My PSU was 'a bit' on the low side to run everyting..
SO...I replaced the card with my old card, a GF 5700 (256 Mb), and everything worked (almost, still crashed every now and then...but I was pretty used to that.. :-| ).
A week, or so later, I bought myself a NEW PSU, and at the samt time a pair of mem-sticks.
And hapy as a clam, I went home and replace the PSU...the RAM and the Graphics-card...'
And here's where the 'fun' starts..

When I start the computer with the ATI-card in place...the BIOS doese'nt seem to find the card...that is, I don't get the usual message (before the POST), that tells me what videocard I've got (Like I said before : It USED to work!!!).
But I do have picture...
And then Winsows starts (a tad slow...but...it starts)..
I was sortof expecting Win to fin new hardware....but NO...it did'nt.
It happily started in 1024*768*32....but in 60Hz...
Of course I tried to adjust that (who can live with 60Hz??).
Did'nt work..

So...I DL:ed, and installed the latest catalyst-pack....restarted the comp... Nthing had changed..
Whn i tried to run the software installed with the driver-package...it said something about NOT finding any ATI hardware..
So..I checked the Device Manger...found the card..under 'unknown devices'...(it found two of them, actually..but I think it should, dual monitor and everything...).
Turned the comp. off...waited...restarted..
STILL NO identification of my videocard...
And, of course, no change whatsoever in Win..

By this time, I was pretty pissed at the situation.. So I turned off the comp.
Changed back to my old card...more or less expecting that to not work either..
But to my surprise..everything was as it should.. The card got ID:ed, windows startded just fine...everything was back to normal again..

Untill I tried switching card again...No ID of the Radeon before POST, not found by the software/drivers in Windows....but still, it 'works'..in normal mode anyway...
But I can't change nothing...(xcept for the res, but NOT the refresh)...
And I still find 2 Radeon's, under 'unknown devices' in Device Manager....

I don't have a clue on WTF happened...it USED to work just fine before I changed the PSU & RAM..
I've even tried to remove one of the sticks, because someone suggested it might have something to do with the memory...but nothing changed...
I've looked through theese forums for someone with a similar problem, but have'nt found any...

But I hope some of U guys will have an answer to my problem...

FAA

[JC316]

It sounds like you have some drivers left over in your registry. First, go to the "Add/Remove Programs" list in the control panel. Now remove anything that has to do with ATI. Now click "start" then "run", now type regedit and press enter. Go file, export and save it to your desktop. Now click on Hkey_Local_Machine, now go to software. If you find anything ATI, delete it. Restart your computer and install the Catalyst pack. That should fix your problem.

[whoomer]

Ehhh, I think not..

Because the thing is :
The card isn't ID:ed by my motherboard....that's WAY BEFORE windows have even started to load!!!
Even before the MB shows the info about the CPU, and checks the RAM..
AND I've used a little program called : Driver Cleaner Pro v1.2 (build 27), between changing of the cards...

FAA

[JC316]

Hmm, very strange indeed. My mobo dosen't recognize any video card when it starts up. Still, better to be sure that all of the driver traces are gone from the registry. It's easy to check and might give some positive results.

[whoomer]

As I said in my original post:

1. When I first got the card, it worked just fine...the MB ID:ed it, and all.
I used 'Driver Cleaner Pro, to remove 'every trace' of the OLD videocard, before I changed cards...and windows 'found' it, installed drivers...worked just fine...

2. After I've replaced the PSU (to more powerful one), and changed the RAM in my system, it did'nt work... The MB does NOT ID the videocard...windows don't find it (but still it does, sortof ??), and th drivers don't recognize it?!?!?!

VERY annoying..

[trog100]

your ati drivers are not properly installed.. bin there done that million a times.. remove em and keep trying it will work on the end it always does..

there is an ati driver remover have u tried that..

trog

[whoomer]

Have'nt tried a specific ATIdriver remover.....

But as I (still) see things, it just 'can not' be a 'simple' driver prob...
But then again...I could be (as so many times before), wrong...

Edit : The program I've used to remove the drivers is as stated above. Don't know if it's a very good program or npt, but that's the on I've used..
And I've even used the option to remove files from 'driver.cab' (maybe that's it??), used that feature for BOTH cards.

[JC316]

The reason I think it's the drivers is because mine was doing the same thing when I upgraded to the Omega 6.1 drivers. The card would sorta work, but it wouldn't be recognized by windows. After a fresh install and retesting everything in SmartGart it worked. Try testing all of the settings in the smart gart tab. It might just fix it.

[whoomer]

ok... will (praying.. )

Let you know...

Edit :

OK.. Now the problem is (partly) solved..
How hard it was for me to believe, it WAS a 'simple' driver problem..

I found out, sortof by chance , what I've forgrgotten to do..
It was kindof a simple matter of removing the card from the Device Manager...After I've cleaned orut the system, using the aforementioned 'Driver Cleaner Pro' (and my system STILL refused to ID the card...except as 'unknown deviceä)..
I opened the Device Manger, pretty pissed att thing, really..
Then it struck me that the card WAS there, and that Win DID find it....so I deleted the 2 cards found...restarted the comp...
And behold!! Windows DID find new harware...but it could'nt install any drivers for it...
So I just strted the Latest driver-pack....
Restarted...and guess what...the f***ng thing actually WORKED!!! Weeee..

BUT my MB still refuses to ID the card (before the p.o.s.t.), but then again..as long as it wors in Win, who cares..

Thanks for proving me wrong, guys..

Regards
FAA

P.S. Case closed...for now, anyways.. D.S.

[whoomer]

BUMP!!

Sry...just could'nt resist. :P

[trog100]

let me have a guess about that boot up splash screen woomer... it isnt a card id.. its a special makers id.. like saphire blah blah blah.. or whoevers name was on the thing in the first place.. it has nothing to do with the machine not recogizing the card.. it was a driver mod by the makers to advertize their wares and nothing whatsover to do with anyhting else..

are u happy with that suggestion.. ????

trog

[JC316]

Glad you got it sorted out. I am a long time Nvidia user, so when I got ATI I found out how complicated the drivers were to install. The main issues with ATI are the drivers. I reccomend the omega drivers.

[whoomer]

Hmm, the thing about the 'SplashScreen' sounds like it could be just right...because the card does work... Thank You 4 the info Trog100...

Ehh..ok, JC3126.
Where do I get them (I will look on this site and tha ATI-site...)...
Thanx for the tips.

Btw, is it NOT possible to turn of FSAA with the card (drivers)??
Because the lowest setting I've found is x2...(checked the 'controled by application' , though...).

A quick google and I found the 'omega Homepage'...
I wil take a look at them...once again, thanx for the tips...

[jaystein]

Try the catalyst uninstaller, then use registry mechanic to scan and fix your registry.
Delete the ATI folder in C: then reboot and try again.

[JC316]

You can get the omega drivers from omegadrivers.net. They are MUCH better than the ATI drivers.