dooley090698
asked on
Trying to install a GeForce 2 c/w 64M ram video card but having problems.
System specs:
Asus A7V MB with 768M RAM
AMD Duron 700 CPU
Win 98 SecEd
VooDoo3 2000 PCI VC
I downloaded and flashed the latest BIOS (1011) for the board.
Downloaded and installed latest drivers for the card and AGP slot
After installing the card the system hangs at the Windows start up screen even though Windows is running in the background (I can hear it ie the start up sound) and using memory recall and visualization can restart or shut down, even though I can't see the desk top.
I finally did get the card to work but received a "System low on memory" message and the display refresh rate was extremely slow (ie pop up windows didn't just appear but were slowly drawn on the screen).
The VooDoo runs just fine.
Any ideas as to what the problem might be??
Txs
Asus A7V MB with 768M RAM
AMD Duron 700 CPU
Win 98 SecEd
VooDoo3 2000 PCI VC
I downloaded and flashed the latest BIOS (1011) for the board.
Downloaded and installed latest drivers for the card and AGP slot
After installing the card the system hangs at the Windows start up screen even though Windows is running in the background (I can hear it ie the start up sound) and using memory recall and visualization can restart or shut down, even though I can't see the desk top.
I finally did get the card to work but received a "System low on memory" message and the display refresh rate was extremely slow (ie pop up windows didn't just appear but were slowly drawn on the screen).
The VooDoo runs just fine.
Any ideas as to what the problem might be??
Txs
ASKER
VooDoo card was removed an GeForce card installed.
Problems started so I reinstalled VooDoo to access web to search for updated drivers then would remove VooDoo and reinstall GeForce.
I set graphics to AGP in system BIOS (and the VooDoo would run in this mode anyway).
Problems started so I reinstalled VooDoo to access web to search for updated drivers then would remove VooDoo and reinstall GeForce.
I set graphics to AGP in system BIOS (and the VooDoo would run in this mode anyway).
Restart in Safe Mode. Delete all entries under video adapters in Device Manager. Restart with the GeForce installed. Install drivers.
In addition 768 MB RAM can be quite a lot for win98.
In the BIOS, I would make sure that your video aperature is 64 MB or more.
too much RAM Q253912 Large amounts of RAM
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q304/9/43.ASP
Q181966 System Configuration Utility Advanced Troubleshooting Settings
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q181/9/66.ASP
RTICLE-ID: Q142544
TITLE : Windows 95 Win.com Command-Line Switches
For additional information about file system troubleshooting settings, please see the following
article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
ARTICLE-ID: Q165503
TITLE : Description of the File System Troubleshooting Options
For additional information about troubleshooting memory issues, please see the following article
in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
ARTICLE-ID: Q134503
TITLE : Parity Error Messages May Indicate Bad Memory
For additional information about the Msdos.sys file, please see the following article in the
Microsoft Knowledge Base:
ARTICLE-ID: Q118579
TITLE : Contents of the Windows Msdos.sys File
NOTE: If you are running Windows Millennium Edition (Me), the following options are available on
the Advanced tab:
Enable Startup menu
Enable Deep Sleep
The registry key for the S3 Deepsleep control implementation is:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\
The flag is named DeepSleep.
"Deep Sleep" is defined as an S3 sleep state also known as Stand-by. For additional information
about sleep states, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge
Base:
Q197739 Description of the Different Advanced Power Management States
Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition
Microsoft Windows 98
Microsoft Windows 95
From: CrazyOne Date: 02/28/2001 12:39PM PST
If a computer that is running any of the versions of Windows listed above contains more than 512 megabytes
(for example, 768 megabytes) of physical memory (RAM) installed, you may experience one or more of the
following symptoms:
You may be unable to open an MS-DOS session (or command prompt) while Windows is running. Attempts to
do so may generate the following error message:
There is not enough memory available to run this program.
Quit one or more programs, and then try again.
The computer may stop responding (hang) while Windows is starting, or halt and display the following
error message:
Insufficient memory to initialize windows. Quit one or more memory-resident programs or remove unnecessary
utilities from your Config.sys and Autoexec.bat files, and restart your computer.
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q253/9/12.ASP?LN=EN-US&SD=gn&FR=0&qry=vcache&rnk=2&src=DHCS_MSPSS_gn_SRCH&SPR=W98
The Windows 32-bit protected-mode cache driver (Vcache) determines the maximum cache size based on the
amount of RAM that is present when Windows starts. Vcache then reserves enough memory addresses to permit
it to access a cache of the maximum size so that it can increase the cache to that size if needed. These
addresses are allocated in a range of virtual addresses from 0xC0000000 through 0xFFFFFFFF (3 to 4 gigabytes)
known as the system arena.
On computers with large amounts of RAM, the maximum cache size can be large enough that Vcache consumes
all of the addresses in the system arena, leaving no virtual memory addresses available for other functions
such as opening an MS-DOS prompt (creating a new virtual machine).
--------------------------
I hope this helps !
In the BIOS, I would make sure that your video aperature is 64 MB or more.
too much RAM Q253912 Large amounts of RAM
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q304/9/43.ASP
Q181966 System Configuration Utility Advanced Troubleshooting Settings
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q181/9/66.ASP
RTICLE-ID: Q142544
TITLE : Windows 95 Win.com Command-Line Switches
For additional information about file system troubleshooting settings, please see the following
article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
ARTICLE-ID: Q165503
TITLE : Description of the File System Troubleshooting Options
For additional information about troubleshooting memory issues, please see the following article
in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
ARTICLE-ID: Q134503
TITLE : Parity Error Messages May Indicate Bad Memory
For additional information about the Msdos.sys file, please see the following article in the
Microsoft Knowledge Base:
ARTICLE-ID: Q118579
TITLE : Contents of the Windows Msdos.sys File
NOTE: If you are running Windows Millennium Edition (Me), the following options are available on
the Advanced tab:
Enable Startup menu
Enable Deep Sleep
The registry key for the S3 Deepsleep control implementation is:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\
The flag is named DeepSleep.
"Deep Sleep" is defined as an S3 sleep state also known as Stand-by. For additional information
about sleep states, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge
Base:
Q197739 Description of the Different Advanced Power Management States
Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition
Microsoft Windows 98
Microsoft Windows 95
From: CrazyOne Date: 02/28/2001 12:39PM PST
If a computer that is running any of the versions of Windows listed above contains more than 512 megabytes
(for example, 768 megabytes) of physical memory (RAM) installed, you may experience one or more of the
following symptoms:
You may be unable to open an MS-DOS session (or command prompt) while Windows is running. Attempts to
do so may generate the following error message:
There is not enough memory available to run this program.
Quit one or more programs, and then try again.
The computer may stop responding (hang) while Windows is starting, or halt and display the following
error message:
Insufficient memory to initialize windows. Quit one or more memory-resident programs or remove unnecessary
utilities from your Config.sys and Autoexec.bat files, and restart your computer.
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q253/9/12.ASP?LN=EN-US&SD=gn&FR=0&qry=vcache&rnk=2&src=DHCS_MSPSS_gn_SRCH&SPR=W98
The Windows 32-bit protected-mode cache driver (Vcache) determines the maximum cache size based on the
amount of RAM that is present when Windows starts. Vcache then reserves enough memory addresses to permit
it to access a cache of the maximum size so that it can increase the cache to that size if needed. These
addresses are allocated in a range of virtual addresses from 0xC0000000 through 0xFFFFFFFF (3 to 4 gigabytes)
known as the system arena.
On computers with large amounts of RAM, the maximum cache size can be large enough that Vcache consumes
all of the addresses in the system arena, leaving no virtual memory addresses available for other functions
such as opening an MS-DOS prompt (creating a new virtual machine).
--------------------------
I hope this helps !
SysExpert is correct...large amounts of RAM deplete system resources...thus not enough to install the new graphics card...the fix:
VCache settings are in system.ini
Click Start, select RUN, type msconfig, enter
This will bring up the system configuration editor.
Edit the system.ini...thusly:
Find the entry
[VCACHE]
Edit to read
[VCACHE]
MaxFileCache=40960
Save and exit the system configuration editor, and will limit VCache to 40MB
This is the highest setting tested by microsoft. Once edited, perform the installation of the new card. T
VCache settings are in system.ini
Click Start, select RUN, type msconfig, enter
This will bring up the system configuration editor.
Edit the system.ini...thusly:
Find the entry
[VCACHE]
Edit to read
[VCACHE]
MaxFileCache=40960
Save and exit the system configuration editor, and will limit VCache to 40MB
This is the highest setting tested by microsoft. Once edited, perform the installation of the new card. T
ASKER
I tried setting the memory to 512 using wincfg program but then I only see 512M memory. Is the other 256M still available?
This is getting damn complicated!!!!!!
Of topic but general enough ..
I'm not averse to upgrading to Windows XP. Would that be the easiest solution?
This is getting damn complicated!!!!!!
Of topic but general enough ..
I'm not averse to upgrading to Windows XP. Would that be the easiest solution?
Have you tried starting in Safe Mode and deleting all the adapters? If the system worked properly with the 768MB of ram and the VooDoo card, it is most likely not the problem.
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ASKER
K thanks for all the help.. gonna try tonight and see what happens.
tmj883 - did what u suggested and yep-- see all of my memory now..txs!!
Still wondering though if Windows XP wouldn;t be the easiest solution (if it's a viable solution )..:to all this memory addressing hoopla...
Txs again
tmj883 - did what u suggested and yep-- see all of my memory now..txs!!
Still wondering though if Windows XP wouldn;t be the easiest solution (if it's a viable solution )..:to all this memory addressing hoopla...
Txs again
Win98 does not use more than 256 MB for the OS, but will allow other programs to access the full 768 MB.
Win2k/XP are NT based an do have better memory management.
If you want to try XP, why don't you install it on a separate partition, and use the boot menu to have a dual boot system.
If you do not have a separate partition available think about using Partition magic ( powerquest.com ) or similar to create one ( if you have spare space ).
Also - always do a full backup before making any major changes like these.
I hope this helps !
Win2k/XP are NT based an do have better memory management.
If you want to try XP, why don't you install it on a separate partition, and use the boot menu to have a dual boot system.
If you do not have a separate partition available think about using Partition magic ( powerquest.com ) or similar to create one ( if you have spare space ).
Also - always do a full backup before making any major changes like these.
I hope this helps !
ASKER
SysExpert gave a very informative article...txs!
However,the problem did seem to lie in the fact that I needed to set the VCache as since I did that,the card dropped in and away I went (after purginf the registry of all 3dfx references too).
However,tmj883 gave me the info I needed.
All really helpfull and informative ans's.
Thanks for all the help!
However,the problem did seem to lie in the fact that I needed to set the VCache as since I did that,the card dropped in and away I went (after purginf the registry of all 3dfx references too).
However,tmj883 gave me the info I needed.
All really helpfull and informative ans's.
Thanks for all the help!
In BIOS setup, do you have AGP as the first video slot to be initialized?