HELP: AGP S3 Savage4 32MB Video Adapter-

[Aguilabrava]

Hi guys, I need your help, please. I bought recently an AGP S3 Savage4 32MB RAM video adapter to upgrade my old video adapter that has only 4MB RAM. When I install the new adapter, the computer is unable to load Windows 98 SE in normal mode, it only loads Windows 98 SE in "safe mode", at a very low resolution. If I force the system to load Windows 98 SE in "normal mode" it freezes up and I have to shut it off. I purchased this adapter because I thought it was going to be a 1,2,3 job to replace it, but it's turned out to be a nightmare instead. Does anybody here know why this thing isn't working properly in my system?. When I put the old video adapter back in the PC, everything goes back to normal. Your help is greatly appreciated.
This is some information on my system:

Mainboard: A-Trend
Model: ATC-6130
Version: BIOS Ver.: 1.0 11 (After being recently upgraded, it was originally Ver.: 1.0 03)

System BIOS: Award
Version: 1.0 11 (It used to be 1.0 03 before recently upgrade)

Processor: Intel Pentium II @ 267MHz.
Model: P6L (Klamath) Pentium II 233-300 2.8V

Video Adapter: S3 Inc.
Model: S3 Inc. ViRGE GX2
Total Memory: 4MB (4MB Video)
Texture Memory: 4MB
Hardware Revision: 006
Video Driver: S3_3.drv Ver.: 4.10.01.2118

Operating System: Windows 98 Second Edition.
Total RAM Available on system: 384MB

Thank you very much,
Aguilabrava.

[HAL9000]

Try booting in safe mode and delete all video drivers in Device Manager. Reboot the machine. It should boot, then ask for the new drivers.

[glc]

What Hal says should work if you have already followed the correct procedure for installing a new video card and are still having problems, which is:

Before removing the old card, open display properties and go to Settings - then Advanced. Go to the Adapter tab and change it - show all devices, look under generic, and choose Standard VGA. Shut the machine down and swap cards. Restart and let Windows do its thing, then install the new driver following the readme on the driver CD. You will either do the same thing, but this time let it search the CD for the driver - or maybe use the Have Disk option - or you will insert the CD and let it autorun and install the driver. Bottom line - read the installation instructions BEFORE removing the old card, they do vary.

[Aguilabrava]

Dear Hal and GLC:

Thank you for your help, I tried what you suggested but it didn't work. I was able to succesfully install the new driver for the new video adapter when Windows 98 SE asked for it, but once I finished doing that, Windows 98 SE couldn't load in "normal mode", then I had to re-start the PC using "Windows 98 Safe Mode".
When I was in "safe mode", I decided to go to "Windows 98 Help", then I went to
"Troubleshooting", I ran a program called "Automatic Skip Driver" or "ASD", and I received the following error message:

**Windows encountered a fatal problem while calling a PnP BIOS function. The specific function that caused this problem is:
"Get Statically Allocated Resource Information"
The reference for this problem is:
0A 00 00 00 68 03 E8 00
You should contact your computer manufacturer to resolve this problem.**

I don't know much about all this technical stuff, but I thought that you guys might know the solution to my problem.
Again, I thank you very much for your help, and hope that you can help me with this hassle.
Best Regards,
Aguilabrava.

[glc]

Okay - a couple of things. That Savage is a 4X AGP card, but the LX chipset in that motherboard is only good for 1X. There may be some bios settings you have to tweak to keep that card from trying to do what the board won't let it do. Also, if you have a PCI card in the slot next to the AGP slot, move it because those 2 slots share IRQ, and high performance video cards do not share IRQ nicely at all.

The Savage was a very promising chipset, but S3 went out of the consumer graphics business shortly after that was released and the drivers never "matured". I have worked with a few of these cards - when they work right they are very impressive, but they are incredibly fussy. I would seriously consider returning the card - and get something that's well supported and will run well on a LX chipset board (and NOT 4X AGP) - such as maybe an older Nvidia TNT2-based card like a Diamond Viper V770 or one of the Voodoo 3's. I agree - that 4 meg Virge has to go - it's worthless for games.

[WJWheels]

I don't know if this is pertinent or not. I have the Diamond Stealth3 S540 Xtreme which is 32meg Savage4. I had no trouble installing it on a dual-boot win98/win2k system. However, instructions included show jumper settings to switch between AGP 2X or 4X only.... it seems AGP 1X is excluded. It's not as speedy a card as some of the nvidiots, but the graphics are knock-out crisp and clear.

[Tiretool]

Someone called me?

[WJWheels]

Haha.. I don't think they'd print what people call you Tool.. How's that new pc coming along? I hope you went with the Antec box.

[Tiretool]

I did decide to go with the Antec, but I haven't begun receiving the parts yet. I just noticed the latest Alienware P4 system utilizes that Antec case... looks like a real good quality case for the money.