Resinstalling a Graphics Driver

the_syco

Hi all,
Trying to install an nVidia graphics driver, but with no luck. After each time I install the driver, the Display Adapter in Device Manager comes up as "Standard VGA", instead of 7800GT.

I've tried uninstalling the driver using Add/Remove, then using "Driver Cleaner .Net" in Safe Mode, and when it goes back into Normal Mode, it says "VGA Standard", so I install the graphics driver (163.75_forceware_winxp64bit_english_whql.exe or 169.09_forceware_winxp_64bit_international_beta.exe) but when it goes back into Windows after a reboot, the Display Adapter in Device Manager still comes up as "Standard VGA", instead of 7800GT.

This, as you can tell, is starting to wreak my nut, so I thought to ask you guys and girls if anyone knows a solution, whilst I trudge through google, to either get rid of any trace of the 7800GT, to allow the driver to install, or to force the driver to install regardless.

PogMoThoin

Don't know whats goin wrong m8, i follow the same procedure, but only thing i do different is empty the recycle bin after runnin driver & cab cleaner, read it once in a guide & have done it ever since.

Sorry i can't really be of any help.

kaimera

Can you go to Dev Manager and try update the driver from there; pointing it to the folder the new drivers extracted to?

NullZer0

You need to extract the files from the ".exe" either by letting it run th extraction and then cancelling the install or by using winRAR.

Then you need to right click on My Computer ->Click Manage
Select device manager and find the display adaptor in the right pane.
There should be a "!" if the driver is not installed.

Right click and choose the appropriate option.

Then point to the folder that the files were extracted to (there should be a ".inf" file in this folder).

donaghs

Are you installing the software by running the setup.exe?
As an earlier poster said, try extracting all the files to a folder first.

Also, you can try installing the driver files this way:
If you right-click on empty space on your Desktop screen, then click Properties. Then go to the Settings tab, the Advanved button, then the Adapter tab and update the driver files. Browse to the folder location you extracted them.

NullZer0

Try using Universal Extractor to extract the exe.

http://legroom.net/software/uniextract

Should do the trick.

the_syco

PogMoThoin wrote: »

but only thing i do different is empty the recycle bin after runnin driver & cab cleaner, read it once in a guide & have done it ever since.

Tried that. Used "Driver Cleaner .Net". No joy.

kaimera wrote: »

Can you go to Dev Manager and try update the driver from there; pointing it to the folder the new drivers extracted to?

Oddly, I get the collowing when I try that:

An error occurred during the installation of the device

The Parameter is incorrect

Which, even though is bad, it's the only feedback I've gotten. Running the setup.exe goes through with no errors.

iRock wrote: »

You need to extract the files from the ".exe" either by letting it run th extraction and then cancelling the install or by using winRAR.

Then you need to right click on My Computer ->Click Manage
Select device manager and find the display adaptor in the right pane.
There should be a "!" if the driver is not installed.

Here's the annoying thing: I only get

And this is my problem. It thinks the Standard VGA driver is the correct driver, even after I "successfully" install the 7800GT drivers.

donaghs wrote: »

Also, you can try installing the driver files this way:
If you right-click on empty space on your Desktop screen, then click Properties. Then go to the Settings tab, the Advanved button, then the Adapter tab and update the driver files. Browse to the folder location you extracted them.

No joy, same as when I tried it kaimera's way. But another odd thing. It sees the Adapter with the correct memory (256MB), that it's nVidia, but still, not as a 7800GT


=-=

On a final not, I'm running the display at 1280*1024. If it was only running under a VGA driver, I should only have 800*600.

Have tried moving OEM00.inf and OEM01.inf from \windows\inf\ (to another location)but no joy. Going to see what happens when I move the machine.inf file to another location.

NullZer0

Right click the VGA adapter and point it to the driver. After installation two devices will display under display. Thats what happened on my PC.

Have you got the latest exe?

NullZer0

Try using drivermax and use the option to import the drivers:
http://www.innovative-sol.com/drivermax/

azezil

Have you tried a different driver...

Capt'n Midnight

have you tried removing the "standard" vga driver , sometimes it seems more like a "specific" driver since it don't like being replaced

take a system restore snapshot to be on the safe side

the_syco

Right. This is pissing me right off, so I did a search for any file begining with NV in the Windows directory, deleted them, backed up My Documents, in case it turns out to be a bad idea, and I have to reinstall the OS...

...and now I'm going to restart.

the_syco

the_syco wrote: »

Right. This is pissing me right off, so I did a search for any file begining with NV in the Windows directory, deleted them, backed up My Documents, in case it turns out to be a bad idea, and I have to reinstall the OS...

...and now I'm going to restart.

OK... that didn't do anything.

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

have you tried removing the "standard" vga driver , sometimes it seems more like a "specific" driver since it don't like being replaced

take a system restore snapshot to be on the safe side

F**k the restore snapshot, how can I get rid of the "standard" vga driver? Trust me: I've tried everything I know, including deleting a few of the OEM inf files in \windows\inf\ but with no joy.

=-=

/me renames the Display.inf in \windows\inf\ to see what happens when I uninstall the driver...

the_syco

Right-o, after I renamed the Display.inf in \windows\inf\ uninstalled the Standard VGA Graphics Adapter, and rebooted, I got this:


It's something, at least. Updating it, and pointing it at the 7800GT drivers is still failing, and so is running the actual setup.exe of the graphics driver, but meh: at least now it sees that there's a f**king problem with it.

When I tried to update it with the 7800GT (with the Found New Hardware wizard), it popped into here:


The driver install stil fails, though.

Saw this:

It means nothing, except it now sees nothing there, as opposed to seeing something, but nt letting me do sh|t with it.

Capt'n Midnight

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VGASAVE

VGASAVE is enabled by default and should not be disabled. If you disable it and reboot, there is a strong chance the system may not boot, since during boot-time it is used as a fail-safe.

VGASAVE consists of two files, VGA.DLL and VGA.SYS.

http://www.subwolf.org/v2/articles.php?article=1 - looks like you need chipset drivers too

However, if you end up with the "VGASave" service loaded for a video device, I think it's highly likely that you just need drivers for the motherboard itself.

Alternate Solution

Lets say you DO have your motherboard drivers installed properly, but it refuses to do anything other than run with vgasave enabled. A thread on winoscentral.com has some good advice - bash F8 when booting, and select "Enable VGA Mode". That should boot you up with a standard VGA adapter.

- page also has video driver links

the_syco

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

ttp://www.subwolf.org/v2/articles.php?article=1 - looks like you need chipset drivers too - page also has video driver links

Well, actually, I think it needed the mobo drivers, but they were on epox.com which will download for oo, 5%, then time out And the site doesn't allow resume downloads, so meh

=-=

In the end, I said f**k it, and did a Repair install (F8, press R), and when it finished, got into Windows, deleted \windows\inf\display.inf (ah, sure, why not), installed the 7800GT drivers... and it works.

Thank f**k, says I. For some odd reason, Firefox can't browse the net anymore, but IE6 does. Meh I'll probably just reinstall FF later.

As for now, now I unwrap CoD4, and install it *\o/*

the_syco

Back again. Knocked the DVI cable out of place, and pop, the screen wouldn't work. So I reinstalled the graphics driver 169.09

Bad Idea. Same crap as post #14 F**k reinstalling Windows I say, I'll try a new approach.

So I uninstalled the driver from within Windows, went into Safe Mode, ran Driver Cleaner .Net and deleted any NV*.* files in \WINDOWS\Prefetch\ and then installed 169.21 (in Safe Mode), and it said "you must restart your computer for ... to take effect". Cool beans, says I, and I restart the computer. And it worked.

=-=

This is for my benefit as for others. This will happen again, no doubt, and this page will save my ass:cool::D

Next time, I'm buying an ATI.