98 se Display problems

[Destinmatt]

I had to refomat my moms computer yesterday which went smoothly. I reinstalled windows 98 se and downloaded EVERY update possible. Everythings working fine except 2 things. One the display won't change sizes it just stays at the small 600*800 which is anoying compared to what Im used to. Also for some reason I only have the choices of colors between 2 and 16 colors. Before the reformat I think it had either 16 or 32 bit color. My second problem is that the computer is on or local network and online but for some reason there isn't an optoin that i can find for a network places folder, which is very anoying since alot of her files are sitting on my computer waiting to be transfered back over and we can't print with out her computer being on the network.

to the best of my knowledge these are her specs.
windows 98 se (fully updated)
Dell demension xps__
512 mb of ram
120 gb hd
nto sure about procesor I know it's a pentium 2-3 with around .8 ghz

Thanks for your help.

[mc2phat]

You need to install drivers for your video card, or onboard video, whichever the case may be. If you don't know which type video you have, open the case and look. Hopefully it's a video card and not onboard. Once you know what type card it is, you can google and download the current drivers. You will also want to download Direct X 9 from Microsoft. Install DX9, reboot, install video drivers.

Go to www.homenethelp.com to help you get her machine setup on the network again.

[tacoeater]

i see that while i was typing all this mc2phat was giving you some good instructions.
one thing you might need is software to unzip a driver file you download. winzip is free. search for it.


a simple guide for one type of network between two computers...
your other computer should already be set up and you can look at it's settings and tell what kind of network you need to set up...
read this first
http://www.onecomputerguy.com/networking/peer.htm

as for the video there are two kinds of video. one a card plugged into a slot on the motherboard and one is built into the motherboard. take the cover off the case and determine which one you have. if you have the card plugged into a slot then it is a bit easier to find the driver for it. that is your problem right now. turn off the computer and take the video card out. look at the main (biggest usually) chip on the card and jot down the numbers on the chip. then do a search with those numbers in google. type in something like this:
driver win98 xxxxxxx-xx those xxxes are the numbers on the card.
good luck.
maybee someone smarter than me will reply with some better suggestions in the morning.
alan

[Destinmatt]

i've tried the other drivers that are from the same company and none of them are either any better or are what I want but don't work right and the system forces me to change it. I've tried looking for updates but everything seems up to date.

The reason the network isn't comming up is that the file "msnp32.dll" is missing and synamic link library can't open. how do i fix this?
The files "vnetsup.vxd", "vredir.vxd", "dfe.vxd" are also missing.

[mc2phat]

There are drivers somewhere for the video card that will work. I promise. I don't really understand what you're saying here. Can you post the make/model of your video?

Have you loaded the drivers for your network card?

[GaryRouth]

Hi all

If the Dell has still has it's original hardware, and if you have disks for any software added since, and backups of any personal data, you can run the Recovery Disk set for that - all the necessary drivers are there on the disk. A full recovery often completely reformats & reinstalls. The nice thing about this is that it also restores the software bundled with the computer - and you don't have to chase around for the drivers. The bad thing is if you haven't any backups of your data.

If you have no Recovery disks:
Dell has a very good support site (one of the best). Somewhere on the computer's main case should be a sticker with it's exact model #. If you can find that, then go to Dell.com support pages and you'll find exact-match drivers for your model.

If you are having trouble figuring what is inside your computer, and want to try a program to help identify things, you might try BelArc Advisor: http://www.download.com/Belarc-Advis...ml?tag=lst-0-1

To clear up the errors with the missing files (those are Win98 Networking files), you can first try finding and installing drivers for your network card. If the errors continue, try going to Start/Settings/Control Panel/Add-Remove Software/Setup . . .and uncheck the Networking components to uninstall them. Then reboot, go to Add-Remove again, re-check the Networking components to reinstall them.

Basically, your trouble is that you haven't installed all the drivers you need to yet. After a reinstall, you usually need to install drivers for the motherboard components, video, audio, network, etc.

Best of luck, and remember to read the "Readme.txt" file if there's one for any of your driver downloads - that's usually the file with the detailed instructions on how to install the driver.
. . . Gary

[p.s. ...you'll have to go to Windows Update again for the Security Patches if you use the Recovery disk method ]

[glc]

Go to support.dell.com and put the system tag number in - you will be able to get to a download page with every driver you need as long as the hardware is all original.

The reason you are having the network issues is the network drivers are not installed correctly. When you install the network card, you MUST not skip any file that it looks for on the 98 CD. Open control panel, networks - and remove all components. Reboot and reinstall the network card drivers and all requested files from the 98 CD.

[Destinmatt]

I pulled out the video card and wrote everything down that was on it. I assumed since it had nvidia all over it that the nvidia driver was the right one. After installing it and restarting the system crashed and can't be brought up in anything but safe mode. I've tried changing the drivers from there but makes no diff. should i just re wipe the drive and start from scratch yet again?

[glc]

1. Are you using the Win98 CD that came with the Dell?

2. Do you have the Dell "Resource CD"? This will have all the drivers you need for the original configuration.

3. Are there any components in the computer that have been replaced or added, and if so, what, and do you have driver disks for them? (Like maybe the network card?)

4. Post the service tag number and I'll look it up and advise you further.

[Destinmatt]

I'm using the windows cd and resource cd that came with it. A hard drive has been replaced where we just simply transfered over the data professionally, and the network card has been added which we have the cd for. The service tag is jx7x00b

the writing on the video card is as follows in not particular order

VGA card 180-p0020:-01-E
E-g012_01_1496(B)
Nvidia international
2001.11
3892A993

[Destinmatt]

I missed a few Rev. A02
Ds/n Cn-01E200-44571-1b1-031d

also not that I wrote that all down fast and any 1 could be a 1 or an I.

[Karthik1019]

I actually had this exact same problem with a Dell Inspiron 3500 I was fixing up this morning. Do exactly what glc was saying. Go to support.dell.com and click on the downloads link. Then enter either the service tag number or just select your model using the model selector. Scroll down to the bottom of the page. The last thing, or close to last thing, should be video drivers. Just follow the links from there and download and install the display driver. All your audio drivers and dell support/software stuff can also be reinstalled or upgraded from here as well. It's a good idea to mark the page in your favorites. I was also running Win98 btw if that matters. I did not have the Win98 cd which did cause a few problems, some of the files the drivers need might be in C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM or C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32. But don't count on it. All the drivers seem to work fine even though I skipped a few files, but I couldn't use a WinXP network startup disk to connect it to my home network. It is getting internet service through my Linksys router and a 10/100 PCI card.

[glc]

Wow - theres 10 different Nvidia based cards that were used in that Dimension XPS T. Do you happen to have your original packing list or invoice?

3dfx/STB 16MB TNT
FGL Graphics 16MB TNT
nVidia 32MB GeForce2 GTS
nVidia 64MB DDR GeForce 256 AGP+
nVidia 64MB GeForce2 GTS
nVidia GeForce 256 AGP
nVidia GeForce 256 AGP Plus
nVidia TNT2-M64
Quandrant Viper V770D
STB TNT nVidia 16MB PCI Video Card

Generic Nvidia drivers can be gotten from their site, but only for the GeForce and TNT2 cards (the Viper is a TNT2) and the original Riva 128/128ZX - I believe the original TNT needs a different driver. I suppose they would be worth a try.

[Destinmatt]

I installed the rivia 128 a few days ago and it screwed it up and I had to reinstall but it was for the better. Anyway I'll have her look for the info tomorrow after work.

[glc]

Yeah, installing the Riva driver will screw it up because none of those cards are Rivas.

[Karthik1019]

If the 2001.11 means that the videocard was first marketed in 11/2001, I guess you can assume it isn't a TNT2 because we have this old XPS T500 that we bought in '99 or '00 and it has a TNT2 in it. But then again, my logic could be totally flawed. My guess is that the TNT's came out before the TNT2 so those can be ruled out. But I don't know about the viper. I'm sure there's more info on the nVidia website which will prove all of what I said wrong. When did you buy the computer by the way? The answer to that could prove me wrong as well.

[glc]

Not necessarily - the Viper is the original TNT2, and the V770 is the Ultra version. The TNT2-M64 was released after the GeForces were out as a budget card and is not as strong as the original, I believe it's 64 bit where the original was 128 bit. You can't really go by the date, they were making both Geforces and M64's in 2001. I think it would be safe trying the generic Nvidia drivers for the GeForce/TNT2.

This may be drastic, but there's one way to nail it down - stick it in a XP box and see what it comes up as. It should ID and have a builtin driver of some sort.

[Destinmatt]

It was bought in June of 2000. Are there a few drivers I can just nock out of the running or can you give me a short list of drivers that will probably give me the 16-32 bit graphics and let me make the screen bigger the 640*480.

[Destinmatt]

I decided to just go ahead and try the tnt2 drivers and it worked perfectly. Thanks for all your help and suggestions.

[glc]

I was suggesting the generic Nvidia drivers, not the Dell drivers. One set of drivers works with all GF and TNT2 cards.

www.nvidia.com