GeForce FX 5200 drivers

[Mainframeguy]

I am really loosing the plot here - just kitting out my new ASUS A7V8X-X based system (has AMD XP3000, nvidia GeForce FX5200, 1GB ram, coolmaster fan fitted, decent 400W PSU) and it's been rather on the unstable side and Windoze/MS think it's a driver...

So I took the Nvidia link for driver update - downloaded - installed, now when I even just try to check driver version it gets "catastrophic error"! I can get screen shots if people need them - but basically it is not working at all, so far as I can see.

I'm new to nvidia and this is not working out too well so far - especially if that is where my system's instability lies. Any help/pointers much appreciated...

I am calling it a day for tonight though I think!

 

[Sazar]

i love catastrophic errors

nvidia has a driver tool that removes all traces of their drivers incl all registry entries...

use it... then try to reinstall the drivers that you received with your video card...

it should eliminate any conflicts you may have and hopefully will remove the catastrophic errors

 

[Mainframeguy]

wow - fast reply

unfortunately no matter how I search the nvidia site I cannot find that removal tool - off to google for it now...

 

[Sazar]

Re: wow - fast reply

Originally posted by MainframeGuy
unfortunately no matter how I search the nvidia site I cannot find that removal tool - off to google for it now...

it should be a part of the new forceware drivers...

when you dl the driver pack and unpack it... there should be a driver removal software tool...

its the same way with ati...

 

[Mainframeguy]

OMG this is freaky - now when I put the Nvidia CD in my drive and try to open it there are problems! It cannot even get to the readme!

I am going to try native explorer there now....

 

[Sazar]

thats very odd...

the general problems with the new FW drivers is with textures and colors and some games...

pretty much everyone who has a problem has reported the same things... its likely due to nvidia's first major turn with the shader replacement algorithms... and should be sorted out in future revisions...

on the other hand your problems may well be with a drive coz from the sounds of it you have issues that may not be related to your video card...

please list your setup of hdd's and atapi devices ie what and what on which ide channel... and also if you have problems reading other cd's in the same drive...


thanks...

 

[Mainframeguy]

HMMMmmm OK now bear with me because this is my new machine and I have gone barebones and been adding....

The ASUS and CD R/W were standard and have not given any problems - do not misunderstand. As soon as I went in with explorer the drive was completely navigable - it is the autorun that hits problems (I suspect because my drivers are shot.

Anyway, since you asked there is just one Maxtor 120GB drive and I have slaved onto the CD IDE a DVD R/W (just an OEM one that I got cheap). I have a seagate barracuda 80GB ready to take up the second drive slot, but did not want to complicate things adding that yet! (That job is the LAST one on my list).

Interestingly the MS dump analysis tried to suspect my memory - but their test found nothing on one pass (and I ran memtest86 to about four passes with no errors also).

Could there be a prob with the Nvidia memory? And how would I test it?

Thanks for taking an interest...

 

[Sazar]

Originally posted by MainframeGuy
HMMMmmm OK now bear with me because this is my new machine and I have gone barebones and been adding....

The ASUS and CD R/W were standard and have not given any problems - do not misunderstand. As soon as I went in with explorer the drive was completely navigable - it is the autorun that hits problems (I suspect because my drivers are shot.

Anyway, since you asked there is just one Maxtor 120GB drive and I have slaved onto the CD IDE a DVD R/W (just an OEM one that I got cheap). I have a seagate barracuda 80GB ready to take up the second drive slot, but did not want to complicate things adding that yet! (That job is the LAST one on my list).

Interestingly the MS dump analysis tried to suspect my memory - but their test found nothing on one pass (and I ran memtest86 to about four passes with no errors also).

Could there be a prob with the Nvidia memory? And how would I test it?

Thanks for taking an interest...

nvidia display drivers should not affect your cd though...thats what I am trying to get at...

if you use the latest 5x.xx drivers there is an uninstall feature.. dl it from teh web and run it...

after you have done that see if the problems still exist.. if not then you are fine... if it continues then its s omething else you have to worry about...

 

[Mainframeguy]

CD seems OK

OK, I do no think the video drivers were affecting my CD, I think the problem was specifically the nvidia CD trying to use the nvidia drivers which were (then) unstable...

At the risk of appearing really dumb I am attaching a screenshot of the drivers in place (from CD with board) and the drivers I downloaded. Now the problem comes if I try installing those drivers ontop of what I have - that's when things get catastrophic! So do I need to upgrade my drivers? And if I do then do I have to remove existing via ADD/REMOVE programs (there's an Nvidia entry there around 43MB)? I've seen a lot of posting on this exact subject in other forums - but I'm trying to stick with NTFS!

I feel I should mention a few other things - my keyboard is USB, but I have added a PS2 as well now so I can get into SETUP and, when I did I found I had to reset for an AGP card - which I have done. However my system remains unstable, and could that be the nvidia drivers? I am more suspicious in the USB area... so off to google for VIA drivers on my ASUS board now.

Thanks again. OOps forgot attachment - see post below!

 

[Mainframeguy]

attachment

driver/BIOS/downloaded file

 

[Arniestan1]

There are 2 xp3000 fsb333 & fsb400. What one do you have? If it's the later your board doesn't support that fsb, until you flash upgrade BIOS to support it. Another issue, your RAM. Make sure you have pc3200 so everthing is compatible. Oh the fun! After this is resolved go through your BIOS and check to see all is setup correctly. BTW if you have the fsb333 xp3000 pc2700 is fine and you don't have to flash the board.

 

[Arniestan1]

I rarely use the cd that comes with the video card for drivers. I like the 52.16 forceware from nvidia and save them to the desktop. I goto add/remove and remove display driver, then during reboot go in safemode and install them.

 

[Mainframeguy]

FSB333

didn't actually know there was a 400 around, anyways

BTW if you have the fsb333 xp3000 pc2700 is fine and you don't have to flash the board

confused me... pc2700, errr my AGP card is a GeForce FX 5200 is that the same thing? Sorry if I am being slow on the uptake, but this is a new area for me.

Also I know my mobo and card can handle AGP 8 - do I need to set that anywhere or will it be in place already?

 

[Arniestan1]

Sorry I wasn't clear. RAM chip pc2700.

 

[Arniestan1]

In BIOS select optimized settings. This might change the boot order. Make sure first boot is cdrom. Reinstall your OS with formatting. Soon as you get to windows put the system disc that came with your board and install the via 4in1 drivers. Then install nvidia card drivers.

 

[Mainframeguy]

Probably good advice...

I am just going to try one thing first.... wishing to avoid the reformat I am suspicious of my USB 1 DSL modem and am going to move on to my new [EDIT] router which will go through the NIC.... if that fails I will be totally suspicious of the VIA and nvidia and be doing just as you said...

[EDIT] But I just tried that and it says my NIC is unplugged! I have a feeling I am headed for reformat *sigh*

Thank You

 

[Bronx Bomber]

just OC the card. i got my 5200 Ultra up to 250core/473memory. and it can probably go a little higher.

 

[Mainframeguy]

eh oh!

this is really I mean really

You know I mentioned a NIC - well I thought my ASUS board was the non-LAn variation ... eh oh - no - I just tried a NIC in my PCI with onboard networking!

OK OK stop laughing now....



Unfortunately systen appears to have remained unstable (unpredictably so!) since then... so that was not it... latest suspect is USB drivers in my book - or maybe (long shot) going to remove and resert GeFroce 5200 fx card in its AGP slot.... Anyone else ever found that? Esp. anyone runnign AMD? (Because they do warm things up in there and we all know that can cause things to "creep" and with clock speends these days that can be crucial (no pun intended!)

OK - I embarassed myself - g2g now

 

[Mainframeguy]

thread closure....

OK OK OK

I have to post here first (this is a thread mop-up, so appologies to any mods who read this more than once, at least I warned ya up-front!)

I wish, oh how I wish, I were a better listener! Many told me to try taking sides off and pointing fans - having got (I thought!) a decent well-appointed barebones off E-bay (99.9% satisfaction) I did not take that seriously.

Now I know better....

After... many many restarts,
STOP errors (1003 events, almost always),
Driver updates, trials, tribulations (I am sure you know),
XP complete re-install (traumatic!)
second (or was it fourth!) reinstall to get a clear one?
Ventures into recovery mode (for missing windize DLL!)
experimentation with Knoppix Linux to eliminate hardware failure,
Burnt out DVD R/W from failed firmware burn with system (ouch!)
.....

anyway - after all that and all it cost me in lost earnings while I was not developing/maintaining the ancient software upon which I labour (see user name)... Guess what I found out...??

My DDR RAM, whilst completely within spec., appears unable to tolerate case temps (as measured by ASUS/MBM) much beyond the 42/43oC mark before instability results. missed this initially because I was more or less completely focussed on the processor heatwise (this is well protected and has not given problems).

It took me a while to test - apart from frantic driver bashing I need to allow time to learn something is stable. Once side was off and floor fan blowing in (reducing temps about ten degs all around) then system suddenly had no more bad memory reads!

Thaink about it - drivers are "driving" all the time - if memory fails they will report it about nine times out of ten (I know from bitter experience!). And of course in this case when you run memtest, or any other tester of memory your system is not driven hard enough to raise the temp to fail memory! I should write to the memory testers to suggest they drive processore up to 95% while testing and use a little graphics on top.... then they would have failed MY memory!

So there you have it

I will be contacting my barebones supplier on Monday - if he odes not ship fans he looses goodwill/future order/a possible 0.1% off his Ebay rating!).

I hope this is of some help to anyone who had the misfortune to follow my threads of woes - and I thank you all for your support through what has been tricksome times!

PS - currently testing with floor fan blowing into closed case - as kinda "road test" for adding fans, it is looking good, but borderline - anyone thinks this test valid? Will fans be better, or worse than floor fan blowing into vent slot?

PPS - It's not all bad news, despite loosing DVD R/W I have installed router (WHY or WHY did I not get one sooner?) and gone wi-fi (oh yeah, that was why!)

Laterz - thanks again guys - threads to mop now...