Problem with Radeon X1600 Pro AGP

[Key2006]

Hey there,

First post and i'm asking for help! seems reoccuring. =/

In any case!

I've just bought a X1600 Pro 512Mb AGP card, along side 1Gb Corsair Ram.
Installed the Ram, Works fine with my old GFX card (Randon 9600Pro 256Mb)

Then I installed the X1600Pro, it booted up fine in to windows - I went to Press Ctrl + Alt + Del to log in as per usual. But noticed my keyboard had came out, so I plugged it back in and had to restart the computer to get the keyboard operational again. This is where the problems start...
When the PC loaded up again as it gets to the Windows log-in screen, It just goes blank, as if to say the GFX card doesn't support the resolution it's set to.. Everything still works peachy, as I can still log in - just cant see a blasted thing.
The only way I can get on to Windows using the X1600 is via the "Enable VGA" option on the windows start-up screen. Even Safe mode decides it wants to restart itself.
If I put the 9600Pro in, it works fine again.
(Note i'm using Windows 200Pro =/)

Any ideas what the problem could be? I only wanna use my new card flabit!

Cheers in advance!

-Kearon

 

[Key2006]

Right ok, Odd one - My PC itself is picking up the GFX Card, but the catalyst control center isn't recognising that it's there.

 

[Vigilante]

Since both cards are ATI Radeons, there is very likely a whole mess of similar driver files. Hense I believe Windows is simply treating your new card as though it was the old one, or at least trying to use the same files perhaps.

In any case, this is very common. What you have to do is go in to Safe Mode (with old card), and uninstall ALL references to ATI software from add/remove programs in Control Panel.
Once everything is uninstalled, you can also run a program called "DriverCleaner" which removes traces of driver files for these video cards.

Lastly, you could go in Device Manager and, if it's still there, uninstall the old card from the list.

Once all this is done, you can turn it off and install the new card. Let windows load up and it will hopefully work and pull up the "found new hardware" wizard. But you want to cancel all that. And then install the CD that came with the card. Or the driver downloaded from ATI if you want the latest driver.

------------------

Also, it is a rather bad thing to have your keyboard unplugged and plugged in while the system is on. It is not meant to be hot swappable! And you're lucky it didn't burn out the PS/2 port. Always turn off before reconnecting PS/2. This also goes for some other older plugs like serial and parallel. USB and video are hot swappable plugs. And of course, always turn off when plugging in or out components on the inside of the case.

Good luck!

 

[Key2006]

Hey, I've just attempted to try what you said, My old cards back in, Running fine. But Safe Mode keeps resetting before it loads. =/

 

[Vigilante]

That's a very uncommon problem, but can happen, where Normal Mode works and Safe Mode doesn't. it's not supposed to work that way!

While in Normal Mode, you can try running the System File Checker. You'll need your XP CD with the correct Service pack on it. And then go to Start -> Run -> SFC /scannow
This will check your system files and make sure everything is replaced.

You can possibly attempt to do this same thing from Normal Mode. But you'll have to use Device Manager to change your video card from the real one, to just a generic MS driver. You can attempt to uninstall all the ATI stuff while the old card is still in.

If Safe Mode is restarting, it's probably throwing a BSOD.
Right-click My Computer -> Properties -> Advanced -> Startup and Recovery -> UNcheck automaticaly restart.
After doing that, try Safe Mode again and see if it throws a BSOD, if so, it won't restart, but will let you see the message.

Good luck!

 

[Key2006]

Woohoo! It worked, Thanks for the help bud! I've been trying to figure it out ever since I got home from work - In the time I was waiting for a responce to my post, I actually took my PC downstairs and my new Tower, and swapped everything over. Old tower had no fans in it =/
Now my new GFX card is up and running, I can finally play HL2:EO!

Thanks again =)

-Kearon

 

[Vigilante]

Excellent. Never stand in between a gamer and HL2, that's my experience!