New computer gone wrong

[Avidgamer]

My dad just built me a new computer, and already it's not working. Everytime I try and run a game, the computer has a fatal exception, and I have to re-start. Sometimes after I've restarted, or left the computer off, it works and the games run perfectly. I've gone into DXDiag and found that this problem has something to do with Direct3D (I tried testing it and I got the exceptions). My computer is a Pentium III 800mhz with 256 MB of SD RAM, a GIGABYTE motherboard and a minute 4 Gig hard drive (i intend to upgrade later...). The graphics card is a Palitdaytona Geforce II MX. Please help! Wolfenstein, Soldier of Fourtune II and Supercar Street Challenge are coming out soon and I REALLY want to play 'em.

[dead_eye]

What OS do you run? I think the best fix would be to reinstall windows or buy windows xp or 2k and do a clean install with that. However if you do not want to do this, check for hardware conflicts and update your sound card and video card drivers. Also, install the latest service packs for windows and latest version of Internet explorer. I can't tell you how to do this until you tell me what programs are running and the version of windows that you're using though.

[Avidgamer]

I have Windows 98. I have the lattest Internet Explorer and I have the lattest Netscape. I think the problem may be with my Direct X. Seeing as Direct 3D isn't working and that's a Direct X thing. On the box of the card, it says 'optimised drivers for Direct X 7 and OpenGL'. If these are the drivers installed, and I have Direct X 8, could that be the problem? Also, I have Norton Anti-virus 2000 and the latest System Works.

[glc]

Leave the antivirus on but get rid of Systemworks. The stuff that it runs in the background causes more problems than it claims to prevent or fix.

[mike breck]

Try reinstalling DX8. Just run reinstall it over the top of the existing files.
See if that works.
If it doesn't work then try a complete uninstall and reinstall of the Geoforce drivers and reinstall DX8 again.

http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.p...threadid=18832

BTW following on from what glc said, the only things you should have running while playing a single-player game is Explorer and Systray.

http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.p...threadid=19818

[Avidgamer]

I tried re-installing the geforce drivers. Well, the good news is the Fatal Exceptions have gone. The bad news is that now, absolutely nothing will work. Not even Word for christ's sake! Should I try re-installing the entire card or should I try installing the reference drivers?

[mike breck]

I'm not clear about what you have done so far.
Did you completely uninstall the old drivers first?
Did you reinstall DX8 after reinstalling the Geoforce drivers?
Are you using the drivers that came with the card?
If so, download the latest NVidia reference drivers and try them

TNT/GeForce Reference Windows 9x/ME-driver, version 22.50

http://www.reactorcritical.com/download.shtml

[Avidgamer]

I did exactly what the readme file said for installing the drivers. But I'll try the Nvidia Reference drivers. I'll just completely re-install the card and DirectX 8