I'm aware that there are several other threads about a similar problem, and though they have helped somewhat, I'm yet to find an answer to my specific question.

My video card died nearly two months ago and it ended up that it was Dell proprietary, so essentially I could only buy a replacement from Dell and it was obsolete. Luckily my local repairman had the same type of card and replaced our old one. When I got the computer back, however, it was unable to play any games.

Here is the display message I received when attempting to play the Sims 2:



I downloaded Driver Detective and it told me that this driver was out of date:



So I went to the NVIDIA site and attempted to download the GeForce FX 5 Series driver because I looked up the NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 and the information said that it was also known as the GeForce FX 5 Series. However, I got this message:



But now I've found a download on the Dell website that applies directly to the card that I have (NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200) but I've tried downloading it and it just sits there loading.



Here are the specs when I ran the dxdiag:





I'm at a loss. Any help would be much appreciated.

Wield

Are you running XP Service Pack 3?

Fairly certain I'm running Service Pack 3.

The GeForce FX5200 is a PCI video card? It is not proprietary from Dell

Two independent parties looked at the card and told us it was a proprietary.

A PCI GeForce FX5200 is NOT Proprietary. I have installed them in HP's, Dells and other brand computers. Where are you located in the World?

California--
Two different technicians that we went to told us it was proprietary; but the last ones we went to were the ones who replaced the card for us. We're thinking they screwed something up in the process. Would buying (if possible) a new card or even (wow!) an updated card, solve the problem?

Two things
1. When you run DirectX diagnostic, click the Save All Information button along the bottom of the System tab. This will allow you to create a .txt text file which saves all of the DirectX data into it so you can attach it to your next post (use the paper clip icon which appears above message area you write in when creating a post. If you don't see this icon you probably need first click Go Advanced button first which you'll find below the message area). The information in that DirectX diagnostic file should provide me exactly what i need to absolutely ID your device

2. The No DirectX compatible device found error message is just a side-effect that results because your computer is using the default generic video driver. You can ignore it. As soon as we find the right driver, it'll go away

And btw...
I agree with Tmagic. 99.999999999% chance that thing is NOT propietary

Alright... is this what you need?

Attached Files

DxDiag.txt (61.3 KB, 3 views)

Yes. That is what i needed.

And the plot thickens!!!!

most interesting so far. Now granted i skimmed through it quickly and have had limited to do much investigation on this first pass but here's some first impressions i have

1. Seems your computer is a Dell Dimension 4600 Desktop
   • After that it gets fuzzy as Dell Drivers and Downloads only lists models 4600 and a 4600c.
   • Yet DirectX diagnostics says you have a 4600i
   • And, in fact, i can find other valid references to Dell Dimension 4600i.
   • And Dell doesn;t seem to be consistent on searching for the models, getting info, etc.
   • Would you still have the inventory bill of sale??? Or you should be able to get your service tag from your computer and i can then look it up.
   • Is very important we are certain on the exact Dell computer model number.
2. Your NVIDIA card. Even more interesting!!
   • I don't believe the NVIDIA card in your computer came from Dell
   • I don't believe either of the NVIDIA drivers you find on Dell's website for your computer's model number are intended to work with the NVIDIA card you actually have in that computer
   • If Dell sells and NVIDIA card for there computer, you can be real certain you'll find the driver for the card on Dell's site. And i don't think it's there.
   • Could this card be the result of hose technicians you referred to earlier? Could they have used it to replace the other card from Dell?
   • Because, aside from all else, i think they gave you an NVIDIA card that was branded to be sold as an add-on to ASUS computers not DELL computers.
   • But sometimes it's only a matter of how it;s :"branded". It doesn't automatically mean the NVIDIA card intended to be resold by ASUS won't work in your Dell. But that's what remains now to be seen. When i next follouwp

Back with some more info....

You might want to look at this post in that we'll start with the same approach for your case.

If you look in your DxDiag report, to find its list of System Devices you'll notice that in your case these devices don't appear to have drivers listed
Just as described in my other post, i'd like try getting the drivers for the first three in the list then we'll move to your graphics card.

The one other issue (as i noted above) is this business of dell model 4600 vs. 4600c vs. 4600i. (I keep seeing it reported as 4600i. Yet if i go to Dell support and enter model information it only provides a choice between 4600 and 4600c)

When you went to the Dell site
=> did you allow them to scan your computer?
=> Could you give me the link to the driver download web page they took you to?
=> Do you know / see the model number on your computer? A

At the Dell site, I went to Drivers & Downloads, where I selected my type and model, etc. (Desktop, Dimension, 4600), from there, the Video tab, (at the bottom) Nvidia- Driver: Applies to: 128 MB DDR Nvidia GeForce FX 5200... but the driver didn't work.

In short, I haven't had anybody but NVIDIA scan my computer. NVIDIA sent me to http://www.asus.com/

And, how do I go about finding the model number?

Dell Drivers: http://www.techspot.com/vb/topic100658.html

nVidia Video Card Drivers


Both from my Drivers thread: http://www.techspot.com/vb/topic117607.html

Still doesn't help...

You need to physically remove the PCI Video card
Then Start up with onboard Video only
The remove all Video drivers installed (in Add\Remove programs)
Then go to Device Manager (Start->Run-> Devmgmt.msc) and remove all Video devices
Then run the Dell autodetect driver update (in thread above)
Once the onboard drivers are fully installed
Shutdown and fit the PCI Video card
Start Windows back up
Then run the Autodetect nVidia drivers (link above)
And that's it

!!!Note to WieldTheKey and others!!

Here's an update to thread: WieldTheKey has a very atypical case here. To the understand why this is so atypical look at my post here

We have at least two issues to address

1. User has a Dell Dimension 4600??model-not-certain??
   1. On various parts of Dell's site, Dell reference 3 models: 4600 vs. 4600c and 4600i
   2. When we run dxdiag, we can see it indicates Dell Dimension 4600i
   3. Yet going to Dell download site and manually enter model info, Dell doesn't offer a choice for 4600i! It only allows you to select 4600 and 4600c!
   4. That's odd and unusual for Dell to not at least have model numbers choices / results correct
2. I have looked at the graphics card the DirectX report found inside the Dell. This only makes it both more interesting and more confusing.
   1. Per prior post I found it was definitely an NVIDIA card. HOWEVER, the device identifcation firmware on that card
      => Indicates NVIDIA (now that's good)
      => Indicates the graphics card is for ASUS computers (at best confusing if not a problem)
   2. I think my conclusion is corroborated when WieldTheKey let NVIDIA scan their computer and it directed WieldTheKey to ASUS
      Quote:

      In short, I haven't had anybody but NVIDIA scan my computer. NVIDIA sent me to http://www.asus.com/

So my suggested plan of action given all this:

1. Follow steps to assure we have the right Dell model established
2. Download Dell drivers (for the Dell model we establish) that fix the 3 or 4 other devices with driver problems first. We don't attempt the graphics card till first seeing the others are working with their drivers.
3. We can then unravel/solve the graphics card problem/solution

So, WieldTheKey could you next:
=> go back to the start of the Dell driver support site
=> They offer 3 choices: enter your model #, enter your service tag #, or allow them to scan for your service tag#
=> Allow them to scan for your service tag
=> Then report back the service tag (is something like 6 alphanumerics) and also please provide the driver download page they give you along with your service tag

Dell was not able to scan for the tag for some reason, but I looked on the side panel of the computer and found that my service tag is 5QNK941.

Dell did not send me directly to a driver site; but they did give me this, which is where I was last time.

So you already tried the Dell FX5200 driver listed there?

Yes, and it told me afterward that the driver was not compatible with my hardware... or something to that effect.

That's consistent with what i'd expect after looking at the both the Dell driver and the hardware card.

Who ever it was that replaced the Dell card sold you a sound card "branded" for ASUS computers (meaning ASUS sells it with its line of computers.) It's possible it uses the same as the Dell driver and only needs a "tweak" to work with the card. Or is also possible the ASUS driver will work just fine in the Dell. But before that point, i want to try and fix other drivers first.

The Dell Audio driver should work with your sound card. Please download and try to install it. If you then do another DirectX report and look under System Devices verify it now lists driver files under
Name: SoundMAX Integrated Digital Audio
Device ID: PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_24D5&SUBSYS_01741028&REV_02\3&172E68DD&0&FD


I still need look at the other two drivers before tackling the graphics card.