Driver issue-GeF3 Ti200 + d850emv2

[fltsimbird]

Hello Flt Simmers

SUBJECT: DRIVER COMPATIBILITY, but first, the specs:

Intel D850EMV2 mobo
512mb PC800 Rambus/Samsung non-ecc mem
1.8 gig Northwood CPU
Leadtek GeForce3 Ti200- 128mb mem
CLEAN Windows 98SE
Sys Commander so always have CLEAN cpy of Win98SE
350 watt Enermax PS
Dual IBM Deskstar’s/80 conductor ribbon cables
------------------------------------------

I’ve read enough post here and elsewhere to know that a graphics driver can make all the difference in the world so I present the following for your examination.... Here’s the deal. Clean Win98 install. Then Intel CHIPSET SOFTWARE INSTALL UTILITY, then APPLICATION ACCELLERATOR, as Intel says to do. Then “other” drivers, with DirectX 8.1 last. We did all that. Using drivers off the Leadtek CD packed with the Ti200 card, everything behaves fine. BTW, this is version 4.13.01.2183
So far, I’ve read of four ways (all of them CORRECT, of course) to update the graphics driver. Tried all of them. With partitioning software (Sys Commander), it’s easy to start over from scratch. Anyway, no matter what driver UPGRADE I try, nor the procedure followed, this machine will no longer CLEANLY exit to a DOS prompt, which is my preferred way to exit Windows (bottom radio button in the exit screen). The machine hangs, and there is no DOS prompt (c:\Windows).
Have tried “40.72_win9x_WHQL.exe” driver from nVidia (which produces version 4.13.01.4072)
and latest Leadtek driver package, “w9x_gf3_20913”, and this produces ver. 4.13.01.3100. Started from scratch before trying each of these, NOT ONE ON TOP OF THE OTHER, or one after the other, I mean.

So here’s my question. Are there any Flt Simmers, with Intel/Leadtek setup similar to mine, having good luck running Flt Sim with the driver which shipped on their Leaktek CD? One gentleman emailed saying he’s seen complaints about nVidia’s 40.72 driver (most recent WHQL), that I should just not worry about it, that even though it is WHQL certified, it does nothing constructive for Flt Sim. The Leadtek booklet with this card says to “go to Leadtek website to download BIOS upgrade and flash utility”. Isn’t that a joke?? There is no BIOS update for any GeF3 card; only “some” of the GeF 4 models. I suspect this problem is BIOS related cuz after running either of the two above noted driver updates, the BIOS numbers are all screwed up, so my wild guess is, the driver update files don’t get along with the existing BIOS code, cuz the CD BIOS and CD driver co-exist quite well. Harmony all ‘round this way.

Any comments? I’m all ears. Thanks very much in advance.

E.H.

[Captain_Slarty]

I think you are saying that the 21.83 drivers dont cause the hang at dos prompt problem ??.. is that correct ??

If so, its probably the way you are uninstalling the drivers.

Here's how to do it 'properly' ;-)

uninstall the driver using add and remove programs, then, run detonator destroyer from www.guru3d.com, then, install the 'new' one.

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System - >
3gig Intel + .. Size DOES matter

[fltsimbird]

Hello Capt Slarty-

Clarification-- No Sir, there are no drivers to dispose of. Previous drivers are not at issue here. On the backup drive, I keep clean copy of Win98SE. This backup contains the Intel Chipset Software Istall Utility, Application Accellerator, Norton 2002, and Acrobat Reader. And that is it. This CLEAN COPY has never had ANY GRAPHICS DRIVER installed to it, so when I copy this over to become the startup partition, it’s as if I had just reinstalled Windows all over again. I’m looking at pukey 640 x 480 resolution, with 256 colors. This way, the major issue of PREVIOUS GRAPHICS DRIVERS is moot. There are none, just like when you reinstall Windows, going thru the whole procedure, you have NO GRAHICS DRIVER other than what Windows loads from the Win98 system CD.

That is why this is puzzling, cuz PREVIOUS CONFLICTS with any other graphics driver is totally eliminated. Nevertheless, any update driver I try wrecks the system. Just the drivers off the Leadtek CD work smoothly. The whole computer behaves very nicely this way.
Thanks......

E H

[Captain_Slarty]

Hi Sir,

ok, please explain how you are copying the existing 98 install to the drive for the tests - ie - how are you copying the 'clean' install of 98se to the usable drive.



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System - >
3gig Intel + .. Size DOES matter

[fltsimbird]

Hi Capt

Partition jostling is done with System Commander. It’s the DOS equivalent to PARTITION MAGIC. I like it much better, but won't waste space here comapring the two, as that is not the issue. It copies the entire partition, not just certain files; everything. It’s as if you had just spent hours reinstalling Windows, chipset stuff, application accellerator, all the other stuff. It gives you the opportunity to start all over from scratch, but in just 5 minutes, rather than couple hours it would take otherwise.

BTW, the green and yellow light emitting diodes are lit on the Leadtek card, but not the red one. I don’t think the card is defective. If that were the case, it would’t work well with the Leadtek-supplied drivers. It seems it just doesn’t like never drivers, so I just wanted to know if other Simmers have decent luck running FS2k2 with Leadtek standard drivers on the Ti200 cards. If so, I can just run with things are they are and not worry about driver upgrades. That’s it in a nutshell. There is so much hype about upgrading drivers, one feels this urge to update drivers, regardless of whether they may really need upgrading. In this case, it seems upgrading is the wrong thing to do.

Thank you E H

[Captain_Slarty]

Hi Sir,

ok, I have never been a fan of partition utilities.. or indeed Norton utilities.

Firstly, I would try uninstalling norton COMPLETELY... it has caused more trouble than Saddam.... then try the whole shooting match again.. I cannot see that a simple driver change is causing a non event in the close to dos prompt dept. therefore, I humbly suggest its some other app causing the issue, or, your mobo bios.. apart from that.. it dont sound like a gpu driver issue.

as for copying a backup of windows98... here's another way guaranteed to work and is free................

You can always copy a complete windows install from within windows itself.. - boot to the clean install drive, then do the following...

open a command box, and type the following herky method lol

xcopy32 C:/*.* D:/*.* /h/e/r/c/k/y

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System - >
3gig Intel + .. Size DOES matter

[Captain_Slarty]

to add to the above..

I would try it without the partition manager AND norton installed as either could be cuasing the problems.



http://homepage.ntlworld.com/captainslarty/Images/coolskul.gif

System - >
3gig Intel + .. Size DOES matter