Video card problems? Read this first.

I recently posted a while back an issue I was having getting my Geforce FX series card to work with my system. The guys here at techspot went round and round with me offering useful advice and really helped alot. However, it turns out the problem was much, much simpler than anyone originally thought. Hopefully this will save all of you some time and headaches.

Before you chalk up your problem to a memory conflict, bad ram, bad card, hot card, mobo issue, system failure....anything.... before you tech a problem like that, you need to download and try older series drivers for your card.

I repeat, the newest nVidia drivers ARE PROBABLY THE CULPRIT!!!

I found a site, www.guru3d.com that has all the copies of nVidia Forceware and Detonator drivers. For the FX series of GeForce cards, they recommend not using any Forceware drivers higher than version 66.93. That's what I downloaded and installed, and my card has been running beautifully. I've had excellent benchmarks for its capabilities, great graphics and performance, and zero conflicts or crashes with my system.

They also have a stickied thread in their forums that tells you each line of nVidia cards and the recommended versions of the drivers that are known to work well with them. So a word to the wise, before you trash your card or put it up on eBay, look up the known series of drivers and try them out, if none of those versions of the drivers work (there's several, try them all) then you can go forward with the teching.

Good luck!!!

ps. Thanks to Howard_Hopkins for all the great ideas. You were an invaluable resource in getting this issue resolved.

Do you mean this one?

s.aint7 said:

I repeat, the newest nVidia drivers ARE PROBABLY THE CULPRIT!!!

Click to expand...

ForceWare Or Detonator Series?

Well this topic is discussed regularly on this forum and this STICKY should help you get the best drivers for your video card and save you time instead of writing a new thread and waiting for answers. First off nVIDIA drivers have changed ever since the new 50.XX driver series came out now they are called the ForceWare series (Recommended for FX and 6800 cards). The old 40.XX and lower drivers are called the Detonator Series (Recommended for GeForce 4 and lower GeForce series cards).
But If You Play A New Game (Example:"Battlefield Vietnam or Doom3") you should always try out the new drivers for the best performance and quality even if you own a GeForce 2. Since nVIDIA fixes bugs and optimzes performance for the games in their new drivers. But if you play old games stick with older drivers since they were optimzed by nVIDIA back then. Detonator drivers can be good for your video card BUT!! they also may not include new features that are in the NEW forceware drivers such as (Example: new forceware drivers can let you use profiles for your games to adjust AA and AF automatically and a new modern menu... etc.. while old detonator drivers don't have these new features.) You'll have to choose if you want these features or not. Ether the New ForceWare or old Detonator Series can be downloaded @ The Guru3d nVIDIA drivers section by clicking "Here" or The new ForceWare "WHQL" certified ones from nVIDIA by clicking "Here"

Most Of The Chosen Drivers By Guru3d Members For Each GeForce Series Are Found Below:

GeForce 6 Series: 71.84, 67.03, 66.93, 66.81, 66.31, 66.00, 65.73, 62.20, 61.77, 61.76, 61.71, 61.34.
GeForce FX Series: 66.93, 66.00, 61.77, 61.71, 61.34, 61.12, 61.11, 60.72, 56.72, 56.64, 53.03.
GeForce 4 Ti Series: 56,72, 53.03, 44.67, 45.23, 44.03, 43.51, 43.45, 41.09, 40.72, 30.82.
GeForce 3 Series: 56.72, 44.03, 43.51, 43.45, 40.72, 30.82.
TNT2 & GeForce 2 & 4MX Series: 56.72, 45.32, 45.23, 43.51, 43.45, 30.82, 22.50.
I agree! The newest gave my 6800 trouble playing simple mpg or wmv. I went back to 71.84...