Hi. Normally i can solve these on my own, but i am completly stumped on this one.
(Just realized i may have posted this in the wrong forum, if i dont get a response soon, i will make a request to move it to the Windows XP forum)
Problem: When installing ATI Catalyst drivers, i get this error "Setup was unable to complete the installation. Try to setup your display adapter with a standard VGA driver before running setup".
Backround Story: I was running the "ATI CATALYST 5.3, 03/08/05" drivers just fine. Well, i decided to check their site for an upgrade as these drivers are a little old. I noticed that they have new drivers! Usually, i go by the old "If it isnt broke, dont fix it". But, it is always nice to have the latest drivers right? So, i download the latest ones (ATI CATALYST 5.8, 08/05/2005). They seems to be running fine. But in World of Warcraft, Counter Strike Source and a few other random games, it just randomly crashes back to desktop. The ATI Recovery window pops up complaining about my "AGP Aperature size" with some Memory allocation error. So, trying to fix the problem, i go though every option availiable in bios. 4mb, 8mb, 16mb, 32mb, 64mb, 128, and finially 256mb. Currently it is back on the default setting of 64mb. They all resulted in the same error. So, i do what ATI says to remove drivers. I download their Uninstall utility (AtiCimUn.exe). It removes everything and askes to reboot. I let it reboot. So far all is well. When windows comes back up, i am running in 640x480. That is already strange as XP usually wont go below 800x600 with no drivers installed. I try installing the old ones that i used to use. That is when the error happens. I try installing the latest ones. Same error. I try to remove the video card in Safe mode, VGA SAFE mode, and Normal. Well, that is the problem. There is no video card listed. In Device manager, there is no display adapter. When i goto Display properties, i an running a [Default Monitor] on "" (Nothing, zerolegnth string). I goto adapter settings, and see that it is using the VGA-SAFE driver. I cant change this. I do not have a backup video card to try at the moment. I MAY be able to find an old PCI card, but it will take some digging.
Here is what DXDIAG says my video card is:
Main Driver: VGA.DLL
Mini VDD: VGA.SYS
Note: The system is using the generic video driver. Please install video driver provided by the hardware manufacturer.
Current PC specs (in my member profile as well):
AMD64 3000+
1024MB 333mhz DDR HyperX
Sapphire Radeon 9600 XT 256mb 8x AGP
--OC to 600/700
(***Currently NOT overclocked***)
120 GB HD (7200rpm PATA)
80 GB HD (7200rpm SATA)
MSI K8T Neo2
SBLive 5.1 Plat
Here is a breakdown if what i have tried.
1. Reinstall drivers, 5.8
2. Reinstall drivers, 5.3
3. Reinstall drivers, 4.1
4. Install OMEGA Drivers, 2661
5. Remove Video card VIA Device Manager (Normal Mode)
6. Remove Video card VIA Device Manager (Safe Mode)
7. Remove Video card VIA Device Manager (VGA-SAVE mode)
8. Use System Restore to restore to the point "RIGHT BEFORE" removing the drivers (System restore failed)
9. Use System Restore to restore to the point "1 Day Before" removing the drivers (System restore failed)
10. Reset the BIOS PnP Configuration Data (should cause windows to reinstall everything, no luck here either).
Any Idea? Thanks!
EDITED TO REFLECT THIS UPDATE:
I installed an old PCI Diamon Multimedia Monster Fusion (3dFX Voodoo Banshee). This card installs fine. Windows finds the default 3Dfx drivers and installs them. Since this card is rather old, the Fan is hosed. The card overheats in a matter of minutes. I reinstall the 9600XT, and am back to the same problem. Still using the VGA SAVE drivers, and cant change it. I have NEVER had this type of problem updating drivers. I am about THIS close to formatting...
