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G400 DH Max doesn't start up - Uninstallable?

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  • G400 DH Max doesn't start up - Uninstallable?

    Hi guys!

    *oops.. this message became a bit longer than I thought... I am really sorry about that....hmmm... my system's details are at the end... hope u can help... thx...*

    I am the first time here at MURC and read a hell of a lot about the G400 max problems posted here - but somehow I don't get my system to work. I am German, so I hope you will get my drifts in the following:

    I got a g400dh max (AGP) delivered this morning and replaced my existing 2 graphic cards with it (ATI + Monster 3D, Voodoo2 12MB combination). I am still working on my system and I cannot find an answer to the problem - and this for 15 hours (the mug with cold coffee is still on the desk from this morning). The problem goes as follows:
    1. I made the hardware installation (so card into agp slot) and booted the system;
    2. Win98 loaded up and recognised new pci-card... (as always, although it is agp, but it seems to be normal).. Win asked for drivers. I loaded the drivers provided on the Matrox CD... window popped up saying that I need to reboot in order to install the rest of the stuff (PowerDesk etc. hasn't been installed yet!, only the basic drivers starting with G400... - I think 5 files or summin)
    3. In the re-booting process I get a short indication saying "DCC Monitor Not Detected"... Despite this the system seems to load other drivers as normal; yet, it locks up (so after having loaded 80% or so... just measured by the time taken.. don't know it, as win98 logo covers the screen).
    4. I start again in safe mode. The Device Manager tells me that the graphic card is properly installed - the monitor details are fine - no conflicts (which is not so surprising as it is in safe mode). But what is surprising is that I cannot adjust any monitor settings in the control panel as, according to Win98, no monitor has been installed!... hmmm...?
    5. I start the system in the "proper mode" and again, the beast just locks up.
    6. I re-boot in safe mode in order to uninstall the Matrox drivers (... u know, properly... so regedit and stuff... everything is wiped off the HD).
    7. I start system in normal mode again... and this brings us back to step 2. and Win asks me about the divers for my new graphics card... I haven't managed to break out of this circle yet.. and this for 15 hours...

    One way to come around this problem, I thought, is to *cancel* the re-installation process in step 2. ... (remember, no PowerDesk has been installed so far... just the basic drivers...)... When I cancel Windows' request, Windows says that there is a problem with the display settings and opens the control panel... Here, the display settings read "(Unknown Monitor) on Matrox Millennium G400 Dual Head Max - English"... (I am in England and it is an English card).
    I cannot change the monitor settings, as no monitor is displayed there... so, same thing as in safe mode... I haven't got the opportunity to change the monitor settings in PowerDesk, as it hasn't been installed yet... only the basic drivers, before the installation of PowerDesk becomes possible...
    However, when I check the device manager both, the matrox as well as my monitor is shown in there... no conflicts... everything seems fine..

    And this is what I have done thus far:
    - I downloaded the latest Matrox drivers (5.4 and 5.41)... no success... same problem.
    - I downloaded latest Matrox Bios 1.04 - but, this Bios update was already on the CD... so, no changes there...
    - I swaped my 17''monitor (Simens Nixdorf 1702) with an 15'' one (from Viglen)... same problem..
    - I physically removed all other devices (network card, soundcard etc.)... same problem
    - I checked whether there is a new bios update for the mainboard... but the update I downloaded 2 months ago is still the latest (same goes for the Ali chipset);
    - I made sure that the Matrox gets an IRQ which will be free in any case... so even if my SB Life! Value would be in its usual slot (it typically takes IRQ 9)... I predefined the setting on the M/B Bios to IRQ 11 for the PCI Slot1/AGP;
    - I tried out all combinations of "A.G.P. Aperture sizes".. starting from 4MB to 256MB... no changes..

    .... at the moment I am online in 16colour modus... screen in flickering like mad... I canceled windows request to install the basic drivers for my new PCI-graphic card... (so avoiding taking step 2. above.. leading to 3.).


    ... have you got any idea what is going on here.... it really drives me mad... it is already past midnight and the pc is here in 1000 pieces....

    here are the details of my system:
    - PC100 BXcel mainboard M726 Slot 1
    - Pentium II 400
    - 64 MB Edo Ram
    - HP RE-writer IDE 9100
    - Acer CD 40X IDE
    - ZIP 100 internal
    - 2 HDs
    - US Robotics Professional Message Modem (external)
    - I also use 2 USB devices (web-cam and scanner), but it doesn't make a difference whether I start with or without them...

    The IRQ settings are as follows:
    00 System Timer
    01 Standard 101/102-key or...
    02 Programmable interrupt controller
    03 Communications Port (com2
    04 " (com1)
    06 Standard floppy disk controller
    07 printer port (LPT1)
    08 System CMOS/real time clock
    09 IRQ Holder for PCI Steering
    11 Matrox Millennium G400 Dual HeadMax- English
    11 IRQ Holder for PCI Steering
    12 PS/2 Compatible Mouse Port
    13 Numeric data processor
    14 Ali M5229 PCI Bus Master IDE Controller
    14 Primary IDE controller (dual fifo)
    15 Ali M5229 PCI Bus Master IDE Controller
    15 Secondary IDE controller (dual fifo)


    finally... (oh... this stuff is getting longer than I expected.. sorry about that .. hmm...)... I normally have the SB Live! Value installed... now, I only physically removed it.. and wrote a "REM" in the autoexec.bat / confic.sys files... but, the SB would have been on ICQ 9 anyway (rather than on ICQ 11, as the Matrox is)...
    ... furthermore, I did not re-install Win98, as it doesn't seem that promissing regarding the answers given here....

    ------------------
    [GAS]Jack
    [GAS]Jack

  • #2
    Instead of installing the drivers as you have been, do not point to the drivers when the card is detected. Run it as a PCI card (like you are now), and run the Matrox setup program from that mode.

    This should install Powerdesk and the drivers at the same time, and let you get to the advanced monitor settings (hopefully), and change it there.
    Core2 Duo E7500 2.93, Asus P5Q Pro Turbo, 4gig 1066 DDR2, 1gig Asus ENGTS250, SB X-Fi Gamer ,WD Caviar Black 1tb, Plextor PX-880SA, Dual Samsung 2494s

    Comment


    • #3
      During the new hardware detected stuff you shouldn´t point the way to the cd drivers. If I´m not mistaken, the card instalation manual clearly states so. You should allow to install the generic windows pci vga adapter (or something like that windows call it) and after that, install the drivers from the cd setup.

      Use matrox uninstaller to remove the drivers and install them again folloing this procedure.

      You may also have old ati and 3dfx drivers lying around. Did you unistalled them or you just physically swaped cards and let windows do the rest?

      Ooops... taked to long and Kruzin said it first

      [This message has been edited by Nuno (edited 24 December 1999).]

      Comment


      • #4
        I had issues with an ATI Fury, followed by a G400.

        I was thinking there might be some lingering ATI drivers as well. If all else fails, or if using the setup works, but you begin getting lock-ups in games, you might want to do a search in your Windows directory on ATI*.* I never could get the ATI uninstall sequence to do a very good job, and I inevitably found myself removing the drivers manually.

        If you're comfortable with this, check your registry as well.

        Also, if you still can't get Windows to recognize your monitor, try reinstalling its inf.

        Remember, ATI holds you in complete contempt. Matrox, on the other hand, loves you and wants you to have the happiest of holidays.

        Good luck.

        Paul
        paulcs@flashcom.net

        Comment


        • #5
          Oh God! The uninstall sequence did nothing but remove the ATI controls from Display Properties. All the files installed and most of the registry settings remain. And the drivers that shipped with the board were practically a virus.

          After "uninstalling" the shipping drivers, I inadvertantly installed the update over them, rebooted, and my display came up almost entirely yellow and white. I messed with it a while, and then gave up. Format C:

          Yuck! And then the chronic lockups. In Control Panel. In Windows Explorer. In the installation wizard. IN NOTEPAD!! (How pathetic can you get.) The godawful "Netscape bug." The disappearing OpenGL and D3D tabs (along with all 3D functionality). I also thought it was odd that the ATI TV Wonder worked with just about every board out there except the ATI Fury.

          Great DVD and a pretty good ICD, but it was the board that launched a thousand nervous breakdowns. At least for me, the DVD output was absolutely beautiful and it seemed to have no problems with demanding OpenGL games and benchmarking programs. It just couldn't handle the simplest Windows functions.

          And, I believe the uninstaller still doesn't work. How hard can this be?

          Bitter? Hell, yes! I could write a book ...



          Paul
          paulcs@flashcom.net

          Comment


          • #6
            For what it's worth, it sounds to me as if the somewhat disorganized way this advice has come to you can only be confusing the issue.

            It can't hurt to go at this in a step-by-step manner, making sure all basic procedures have been followed....[list=1][*]Uninstall the PD drivers using the uninstall utility.[*]Go into display properties and change your video card to "Standard PCI Display Adapter (VGA)" or "Standard Display Adapter (VGA)".[*]Reboot into Safe Mode.[*]Go into Device Manager and remove all instances of the ATI videocard and the Matrox video card-- in fact, remove all video cards but the VGA display adapter.[*]Reboot normally into Windows. Since Windows is expecting only a VGA card, and it has one, you should not get it asking for drivers or anything. You will be in 640X480 @ 16 colors, but hopefully not for long.[/list=a]From this configuration, you should be able to reliably troubleshoot the ATI removal process, and/or install PowerDesk. I wouldn't try to reinstall PD until I was sure I had trashed the ATI drivers, though, given what people have said.

            If there is any recognizeable ATI folder or data to be found in Windows Explorer, wouldn't an uninstaller such as CleanSweep be able to track the dependencies and registry entries to remove everything from that? Just a thought.

            ----------------------
            Holly

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            • #7
              Once you clean up the old stuff and get in VGA mode, be sure to install the PDesk drivers NOT from Windows Add New Hardware bu by simply running the driver's SETUP.EXE program from the driver CD (or from the folder where you unpacked the downloaded driver). Looks like you are still trying to install the driver through Windows, which is a big mistake!

              Comment


              • #8
                Thx a lot for your support.... I will try out all your tips this night....

                ... in fact, there were quite a few ATI files hanging around on my system (although I went through the ATI uninstall procedure) and I deleted those... I also hunted ATI stuff in the Registries and deleted those as well... still no success on the 'G400 front' though...

                ... but, I am going to re-install win98 and will start the installation process all over again as suggested by you....

                ... if the outcome is still the same, I will swap the mobos.... I got myself a new one from a local dealer who promissed me to gimme a full refund if I manage it to get my current mobo to work with the G400max...

                so... fingers crossed... and I'll keep u posted... (everthing should run by tomorrow evening in any case... well I hope so..)..

                have all a great Xmas and I'll cu l8er....

                Jack
                [GAS]Jack

                Comment


                • #9
                  Hi there!

                  ... ok.. I tried the G400max-installation 1000 times in all possible combinations.... I didn't get it to work...

                  then, i swaped the PC100 (M726) mobo with a Legend QDI BrillianX 1S/2000 motherboard... and.... ta-ta-ta-taaaAAAAAA.... (violines and trompets in the background)... it works!... I spoke to the Matrox Helpdesk about it and they suggested that the problem was the Ali chipset on my previous mobo.... the QDI has got an Intel chipset.... but, it seems to be speculation and I really don't know... what I do know, however, is that Jack is a very very happy man now....
                  .. I am going to install the SB Live! and the networkcard... and will try out some games... hope I won't experience any probs. there, but I don't think so.. touch wood...

                  Thx a lot for your help folks.... I really appreciated it!...

                  Keep cool!

                  Jack

                  ------------------
                  [GAS]Jack
                  [GAS]Jack

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Be sure to use the latest drivers and *not* the drivers on the CD. I believe you guys are up to Liveware 3.0.

                    Paul
                    paulcs@flashcom.net

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      hi Paulcs!

                      ... yep, I've got the 3.0-version... and everything, really everything, is running smoothly here... I hocked up two monitors; I've installed the SB Live! Value, the network card, web cam and scanner'n stuff... everything rocks....

                      ... thx for the tip anyway... (lucky that I had the latest version already on my HD.. who knows what would have happened.. these days u never know really...)

                      cheers,

                      Jack

                      ------------------
                      [GAS]Jack
                      [GAS]Jack

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