Video Card Hates Windows Drivers?

[kimbo.ati]

Right after a clean format it gets up to the part in the install using Windows Xp Professional where the screen should start to install the devices and set up the timezones but the screen never shows. Blank screen then after about 1minute my computer resets.

WHAT THE HELL

 

[DonNagual]

Need some more info.

Is this a new build? Did you have any problems before reformatting if this is not a new build? Any changes to your hardware?

 

[kimbo.ati]

My system Specs : Thermaltake Damier V5000c 5x 90mm case fans
Thermaltake purepower 420W psu
Amd Athlon xp 2800+
MSI-KT4V-L mainboard
1 gig (2x512mb) Generic DDR 400
Western digital 200gig HDD
PCI soundcard/10/100 network card
(Sapphire 9700 pro Ultimate edition) AGP 8x

this is my current setup my old setup exaclty the same accept with a nvidia 5200fx. the old setup worked perfectly but crap graphics so i got a second hand graphics card (as above). the system is not a new one but was new over 1 year ago. i only change my graphics card then formatted and i got this problem.

i overcame the issue with not being able to install winodws by installnig my old graphics card installing windows and then installing my Sapphire 9700 pro Ultimate edition graphics and it works. but whenever i install ATI drivers and reset my computer the screen screws up adn never loads just turns black and resets inself. to by pass this i presssed F8 on boot and then used the most recent settings that worked and im using it now.

 

[DonNagual]

Sounds to me like you don't have the 4 pin molex connector going from your PSU directly to the 9700pro.....

Do you?

 

[kimbo.ati]

It is one of those floppy drive plugs that fit into it not one of those larger ones. i got a CD-Rom,hard drive,90mm fan and my graphics card connected to the same lead off the power supply.

 

[DonNagual]

No, not that wire. It is a MUCH smaller cable, and the connector only has 4 pins.

 

[DonNagual]

It connects to the top right of the card. Look for the white box on the extreme top right of this pic.

 

[kimbo.ati]

Yeh thats plugged in but it uses the floppy power cable not the other one in your first post?

 

[DonNagual]

Yes, you are right (I actually edited my post above a few minutes ago).

So you DO have that plugged in? Damn.... Thought I had you fixed up for sure...

 

[DonNagual]

Well, it MAY still be a power supply issue. Thermaltakes are known to be a little on the shady side when it comes to making PSUs.

That's what it sounds like to me anyways. I doubt your 9700pro card is faulty, because you say it is working before you install the drivers. (Do you have another system you can test it on? A friend's for example?)

When you did the fresh install of windows, you were unable to install the ATI drivers right? If it was a fresh install, this means there were no old nvidia drivers on your system messing you up....

And your 5200 works no problems?

I can think of no other possibilities. See what some others say, but I'd say your PSU may be the cause.

 

[kimbo.ati]

ok sounds good, i will test my card asap on someone computer.
yes the 5200 worked perfectly i even sold it .

it has been a good psu for me but i dont know much about voltages etc how can i tell if it is running ok? stable voltages?

 

[kimbo.ati]

i forgot to mention it has a Artic cooler on it.

 

[Sharkfood]

I've performed too numerous to count fresh XP installs with 9700 and 9800 series cards and never encountered this issue.

Don is likely correct that it's a dodgey power supply or power feed from the cable.

The 9700/9800 series will autoconfigure for the Windows install as a standard VGA adapter and is fully compatible in this mode. After first boot into the desktop though, if you have SP2 installed, it will use Microsoft provided (read- very old and crappy) 9700/9800 Series drivers that still work perfectly, albeit very obsolete as far as games go.

 

[kimbo.ati]

Hmm i will try a different power cable comming from the psu and if no prevail i will try it on a diferent computer.

i dont really want to format cos i get that crap errors and stuff but is there anyway i can check if its working without formatting?