PC Pals Forum
Technical Help & Discussion => Self Building, Upgrading & General Hardware Help => Topic started by: carnaging on August 30, 2003, 16:18
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??? ok, i used to play games on my p.c, but, i had to re-install windows, so i did, but when i go to install a game, it just doesn't load, im not 100% sure what video card and stuff i have, can anyone help ? :-\ :-[ :brick: :'(
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Can you tell us which windows OS you reinstalled and a couple of the games that it wont now install ?
Did you reinstall windows after a format or just over the top of the original ?
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i installed it over the orignal one, no format, im running windows xp, it will install games, just won't load them up after install, so i can't play, i have tried plenty of games : midnight club II, GTA : vc, warcraft III, carmageddon TDR 2000, codename: outbreak.... i ahve tried nearly all my games, and none of them work ???
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When you try and run them after installing does it just not attempt to load or does it start to load and give an error message ?
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yeah, it usually starts to load, but theres is like no picture, jus sound and a blank screen, or sometimes it runs really slow, or just cuts off for no reason. i'm not very good with hardware side of p.cs, im more web-design me, so sorry if i'm not being much help.
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Not sure if it will be relevant, but can you tell us the reason for the windows re-install?
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Hi carnaging :welcome:
Just a guess at this stage, but I think this may be a DirectX problem.
If you click Start, choose Run and type DXDIAG followed by clicking OK, the DirectX dignostics program will start.
On the Display tab, you'll find a Test Direct3D button. Click this and follow the instructions.
Let us know how you get on :)
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if it's XP get SP1
if it's 2k get SP4
I had 2k without the SP packs once and no games ran, neither did kazaa or winamp ;D
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right, ok, first the reason for the windows re-install was i kept on getting an error mesage sayin key window files have been deleted, please reinstall, so i did, so thats the re-install covered, i tried the direct x thingy, and everything seems to be in order, i ran all the tests. right ok, only one choice left at the moment, get SP1, is that service pack ? ???
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yep ;)
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:)cool, cool, i'll do that now then.
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if it's XP get SP1
if it's 2k get SP4
I had 2k without the SP packs once and no games ran, neither did kazaa or winamp ;D
carnaging sounds happy then I hope this works - but what does it all mean ? :-[ I'm interested thats all :D
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When windows 2000 (2K) came out it had a lot of bits missing the same as XP did so instead of having lots of individual updates to fix the faults they brought out SERVICE PACKS,the 2K one is SP4 and XP has SP1 and Office XP has SP2.
The problem is that even with the sevice packs they still seem to find lots more updates for XP so no doubt they will be bringing another SP 1A out soon ,I think I heard it was being made a few weeks back :doggie:
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ooohhh I've never had any service packs - wonder if it would help my games run quicker?
Or is that just memory even tho I have 70% free SimCity4 still has a heart attack once I get a good amount of things on it. :-\
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I dont think they did any for ME Michelle,theyre mainly security issues so was surprised that Robo said it affected the games but anythings possible with Uncle Bills Microcrapware I suppose ::)
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lol
ahhh okay then sandra, thanks for that anyway - now I know :)
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One of the updates on the windows update site may make your game a wee bit faster ;D If your on a 56k beware anything to do with modems on the site as it reduced my connection from 38 to 33k :'(
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???..ok, i tried the service pack, but it hasn't made any difference, anyone got any other ideas ? :-\ :chicken:
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I'm afraid that we are stumped at the moment Carnaging. :'( But we haven't forgotten your problem and if we can come up with any ideas we will let you know.
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:-\oh, okay, my freind sujjested a format....do you thnk that would help ???? thanks anyway people! ;)
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Have you tried updating your graphics card drivers in case your re-installation of Windows changed them?
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erm sort of, but the problem :-[is im not 100% sure what driver i need, i am really usless at this sort of stuff!! :-[
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Do you know if you have a grahics card or is it onboard Daz ?
If you know which board or card you are using we should be able to tell you which drivers you need :)
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right, all i know is that it's a Nvidea graphics card, i'm not too sure off anything further than that, is there any way i can find out what graphics card i have? it is the original one that came with my computer, i'll eventually buy a new one.
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If you go to Device Manager it should tell you in there which card it is hopefully Daz.
Right click on My Computer,select Properties then Device Manager and it should be under Display Adaptors :doggie:
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Another way is to right click an empty area of your desktop, select Properties, then click the Settings tab. Under 'Display' it should say which gphx card you are using.
The drivers are easy to find and install, once you know what your gphx card is. :)
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ok, i have device manager open, but thewre is a lot of different catogories, theres:
computer,
disk drives,
DVD/CD rom drives,
Floppy disk controllers,
Floppy disk drives,
IDE ATA/ATA PI controllers, ???
keyboards,
mice and other pointing devices,
modems,
ports (com & LPT),
processors,
SCSI and RAID controllers,
Sound, video and game controllers,
system devices,
universal serial bus controllers.
which one do i select ? :-\
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i did what simon said, and it says under display : (default monitor) on
??? :-\ ???
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It should have Display Adaptor listed after Disk Drives and befor CD-Rom Daz.
Run an Add New Hardware Scan and see if it picks it up Daz :doggie:
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it has found "VIA bus master IDE drivers" but it's asking for the disk to install it, but i don't know what disk it is, i have tried them all
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Try the XP cd Daz as it should have them on there.
It will try to auto run when you insert it so just exit it when the box opens up and then click ok on the add hardware bit :doggie:
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ok, i have just tried it with the XP disk, but after searching, it says : "the hardware could not be installed becouse the wizard cannot find the necesorery hardware" ??? by the way thanks for all this help! ;)
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Thats ok Daz we wont give up yet.
I assume that its a via chiset if its looking for drivers for it so download and install the latest VIA 4 in 1 drivers from here and install them :
http://www.viaarena.com/?PageID=300
You want this one Daz :
VIA Hyperion 4in1 v4.49, released 20 August 2003
VIA Download choices HTTP Download
FTP Download
The Driver VIAHyperion4in1v4.49.zip
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ok thanks, im downloading now, i'll let ya know how it gets on :D
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Fingers crossed that should sort it hopefully.
After you install and reboot look in Device Manager again and see if it has put Display Adaptor in the list :doggie:
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ok, there is still no display adapter in the list,the games install, but they run incredibely slow, like really, really slow, not playable at all :( what should i do next?
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Are you ok going inside your pc Daz?
The easiest way is going to be to remove the graphics card,restart pc without it in then shut it down again after a few minutes.
Replace the card and see if it detects it when rebooting again.
If you cant do that try the Add new hardware scan again and see if you get the same or another message :doggie:
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i have allready tried the add hardware, just got the same, something some where said something about a graphics accelerator ? anyway looks like i'll have to remove my video card and do what you said, as much as i don't want to. :( :aarrgh:
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I think that we may have found it Daz without needing to take the card out possibly :)
SYMPTOMS
After you install Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1), IDE ATA-133 (Ultra DMA Mode 6) devices on motherboards that use VIA Technologies chipsets are not enabled. This occurs although Windows XP SP1 supports Ultra DMA Mode 6.
CAUSE
When you install Windows XP SP1, devices on your computer are not reinstalled in the process. The Ultra DMA Mode 6 devices were not supported before you installed Windows XP SP1.
Try this :
To resolve this issue, update the driver for the IDE controllers in Device Manager. To do this, follow these steps:
Right-click My Computer, and then click Properties.
Click the Hardware tab, and then click Device Manager.
Expand IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers.
Double-click Primary IDE channel, and then click the Driver tab.
Click Update Driver.
Click Install the software automatically, and then follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.
The full article is here :
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;327805 (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;327805)
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Can anyone explain why incorrect IDE drivers would cause XP not to detect the display adaptor or are we loking at two seperate problems here ???
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ok, i'll try that now, i don't know where i would be with out you sandra! :D ;)
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I found this article as well but I hope that this isnt your problem Daz as it looks like Uncle Bill needs money for this fix :o
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;813861 (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;813861)
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Just a thought, Sandra, but isn't this the same problem Reanne had a couple of weeks ago? I thought in the end the Add Hardware Wizard sorted it, although I know Daz has already tried that. :-\
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i did what the first one said, all looked promising! but it never worked, it just says "the wizard could not find a better match for your hardware than the software you currentely have installed" :'(
I have to go offline now, i'll be back on shortly.
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The problem is Simon that its installed a standard monitor and adaptor somehow but not correctly as its not showing as being identified in the Device Manager,or as having a fault.
Whether this is due to the IDE driver problem I honestly havent a clue but its beginning to look like a bad re installation of XP,unless it requires the "Fix" that I mentioned in my last post.
I must admit to getting to point where I cant think of what to suggest next as I am unsure whether we have two problems,(or even more),or if one is causing the other.
If it hasnt identified the display adaptor,card or monitor correctly I cant see how its giving anything other than a low screen resolution or more than 16 colours so the display would be terrible to look at but Daz hasnt mentioned that at all ???
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no sandra, the display is fine, i think what i might have to do is to just take my p.c into a shop an just ask them to sort it out, becouse it is really doing my head in! :brick:
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Just wondering - is it an AGP graphics card? If so then you need to have that driver in before the card can be detected correctly (its in the hardware display, under system devices and called Via...CPU to AGP controller).
If you then go to the start menu, choose RUN and enter WINMSD. If you could copy the system summary then it would give a few clues. Also looking at COMPONENTS->DISPLAY should give a few more bits of info.
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hi, i dont kno if u guys r still lookin at these but i have almost exactly the same problem as he dus/did, iv got Windows XP pro, Geforce 4 MX440 graphics card, iv tried everything!!! please help, i have like £2000+ worth of games that cant run! this happend after a re-install of XP for the same reasons as the other guy.
:'(
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Hi Gav, welcome aboard.
Have you tried the previous suggestions in this thread ?
Does it show the display adaptor in device manager ?
Maybe Daz will call back and let us know what fixed his soon, assuming he has got it sorted out ???