Video Card help

[Hinrichisgod]

Okay so I got my new ATI 9600 Pro. I put it in and boot my computer. I install the driver files on the cd that was given to me and after it was finished installing, it prompted to shut down.

I shut down and when I restart it, nothing is displayed on the monitor...Does anybody know what could possibly be happening? The activity light on my PC acts like it is frozen and the monitor light turns orange, not the usual green when it is on and working right

But here is what I've figured out:

It will begin to run normal if I

1) Take out the ATI 9600 Pro
2) Put the old VC back in
3) put the monitor cord into the card after it has booted
4) shut down
5) Put in the ATI
6) start it up
7) Plug the monitor in

After this process, it starts up again fine. WTF can be wrong?

I ran Driver Clean 2.7 to see if I could delete the old driver files...but wasn't exactly sure what I did, lol.

I hope I haven't screwed myself over :confused:

[Cricket]

Post the complete system specs of your system. Is it a home built or store bought name brand computer?

How old is the monitor?

Why are you plugging the monitor cord into the video card after the computer has booted up? You could damage something doing that.

:) Cricket

[Hinrichisgod]

Microsoft Windows XP home edition
Version 2002
Service Pack 1

AMD Athlon 1 ghz
512 MB
80 GB HDD
ATI 9600 Pro
Compaq 7550 monitor

I got the mobo and processor given to me as well as the Compaq 7000Z series case. But I put in the periphials and 80 GB hard drive and gave it 512 mb of ram. I dont think the monitor is over 2 years old....

thanks, I hope you know whats wrong! lol

[Cricket]

Could be the new video card draws too much power from the motherboard so your system just can't boot up.

What brand and wattage is the power supply?

:) Cricket

[Hinrichisgod]

I'm pretty sure its a 350 watt - but the thing is, after I do the thing where I switch the old video card in, take that out, and then put in the new one, it will boot up, lol. So I have no idea what I need to do....Could there be something in my BIOS that I have to do or reset or something???

[Cricket]

Try clearing the CMOS by either using the CLEAR CMOS jumper or remove the motherboard battery for a few minutes. Be sure to unplug the power cord from the wall outlet first.

:) Cricket

[Hinrichisgod]

lol ur gonna have to tell me what CMOS is first cuz i'm absolutely clueless and I don't have a clue how to clear it either. And is the mother board battery the big watch battery lol? And by unplugging it I wont lose any information like my OS or anything will I?

[Cricket]

Okay, the CMOS is the little memory chip on the motherboard that the BIOS is stored in. It keeps a record of all the components in your computer and when you boot your system up, the BIOS takes inventory to see if the components attached are the right ones (among doing a few other things).

To clear the CMOS, it's best to look in your motherboard manual for specific instructions. But if you don't have that available, you can unplug the computer from the wall power outlet, open up the case and carefully remove the round watch battery from the holder for about 5 minutes. Replace the battery, plug the power cord back into the wall outlet and then power up your system.

Let us know what happens.

:) Cricket

[Hinrichisgod]

alright thanks man...I hope I don't crash this thing....TIME TO PUT ON THE ESD Bracelet!!!!

[Hinrichisgod]

dang no such luck...it checked the MB and then it sort of froze where the monitor light turned orange instead of green....so I put the old card in, started it up. It started like it should, so I shut it down and put in the ATI and it started up fine. I just can't get it to restart with the ATI in without switching the cards out everytime and everything. Do you think I could have maybe deleted files somewhere down the way that could be making this happen?

[JAYMAN]

I had that exact same problem with my Radeon 9600xt! It was a compatibility issue witht the MOBO and the Video card! I have a friend who could not get his ATI Radeon 9200se (powercolor) to work in his Asus A7A266 MOBO... every other car we tried worked though!. And we know the ATI card works as it is in another PC

[Hinrichisgod]

haha are you serious?! So I'm basically screwed?? lol What did you do?

[WalterK]

I assume you didn't remove the drivers for the old card before putting in the new one. What make and brand is the first card? Are there any programs associated with using it?

[JAYMAN]

I would not be surprised if it nis a compatibility issue. Especially when you say the old card works fine! Try the ATI card in another machine and see if it works alright there?

[Hinrichisgod]

The Old card is a nvidia 32mb TNT2 or something like that...I deleted all the display drivers and then installed the new ones for my ATI 9600 Pro. And it is still doing it...I don't know what to do next! lol I need some help bad.

[Hinrichisgod]

It is really weird....like I shutdown, put in the old card, start it up. shut it down. Put in the new card and then it starts up fine.

[JAYMAN]

I luckily know my suplier quite well and explained the situation... he gladly took the card back! I think you may be screwed as I spent soooo much time trying to figure out the issue before the conclusion was unnanimous! I'd try to take the card back

The Nvidia card I find to be far superior anyways!

[Hinrichisgod]

What card are you using now?

[JAYMAN]

See my sig! It's a great card though!

[Hinrichisgod]

dang so theres nothing that I can do to fix this?

[JAYMAN]

I couldn't find anything... If you do.. Let me know!

[Hinrichisgod]

damn that really sucks.

[Hinrichisgod]

lol like I can't even restart my computer without having to do the switching cards thing....: (

[JAYMAN]

have you tried removing all the drivers and just starting the computer like that (let the os auto detect and run with no drivers?)

[Hinrichisgod]

so like uninstall all the drivers on my card and then boot up with the ATI in?

[Hinrichisgod]

Okay I contacted the place I ordered my 9600 Pro from, Yogi Computers, and they told me that in order for the Radeon 9600 Pro/XT/NP regardless of the manufacturer, you have to enable fastwrites or lower the hardware acceleration slider. Does anyone know how to enable fastwrites?