changing/updating drivers

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Robert Griendling - 30 Dec 2004 05:19 GMT

Since I didn't get any response to my earlier post about 32-bit display
problem (12/29), let me ask another question. I downloaded the driver for
my monitor on the chance that my driver has been corrupted. But now I can't
figure the directions for reinstalling it. I get as far as a message that
tells me the driver I have is the latest. I don't doubt that but I want to
reinstall it. How do I do that?

Bob

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Jeff Richards - 30 Dec 2004 08:22 GMT

Procedures for installing drivers are often specific to the device, so the
best source for directions is the manufacturer's www site. However, you
could try booting to safe mode and removing all video adapter drivers, then
re-booting and directing Windows to the proper driver when it tries to
re-install.

Signature

Jeff Richards
MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)

> Since I didn't get any response to my earlier post about 32-bit display
> problem (12/29), let me ask another question. I downloaded the driver for
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> Bob

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Robert Griendling - 31 Dec 2004 19:30 GMT

One, I'm not sure which video adapters are for the Dell monitor I have. In
between the time of the first message in this thread and the posting of the
"Can't run 32-bit mode" message I posted much earlier, I downloaded the
driver for the Dell monitor I have a reloaded it. I thought it had fixed
the problem but as soon as I turned off the computer (but not the monitor)
and then tried to turn it back on the next morning, I had the same problem
of Windows getting stuck and the computer turning itself off. I then
re-booted, went into safe mode and removed some old printer devices from the
win.ini file and tried high color (16-bit). But that again gave me the
Windows is re-starting message on a black screen where it froze for 10-15
minutes.

I re-set and automatically was but in safe mode. I applied the basic
16-color mode and was asked to re-start.

During the restart -- in fact at the very beginning of it -- I got a new
message -- "Sync out of range" for a second or two. The it loaded but in
the basic 16-color mode that is really unacceptable.

My "Can't run 32-bit mode" message of about a week ago, gives prior history.

Any suggestions or thoughts as to what's gone wrong?

Bob Griendling

> Procedures for installing drivers are often specific to the device, so the
> best source for directions is the manufacturer's www site. However, you
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> >
> > Bob

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Jeff Richards - 31 Dec 2004 23:48 GMT

Are you talking about your video adapter or your monitor? You identify the
monitor by the label on the front. The manufacturers www site should have
instructions for installing the driver. Generally, installing the wrong
monitor driver, or defaulting to the Windows generic monitor driver, does
not create display problems, but you may get access to additional features
if the correct one is installed. The sync out of range message could be due
to using the wrong monitor driver, as available sync rates are one of the
bits of information that the monitor driver provides.

If you are talking about your video adapter driver then that's a whole new
ballgame. You need to download and install the correct adapter driver for
your make and model of video adapter card. You will find that from looking
at the card, from the detailed specifications of the machine as detailed at
the manufacturer's www site, from the information supplied when you
purchased the machine, or by looking at the card. If you have upgraded the
adapter card since yo bought the machine, the correct drivers will have been
supplied with the replacement card.

Signature

Jeff Richards
MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)

> One, I'm not sure which video adapters are for the Dell monitor I have.
> In
[quoted text clipped - 44 lines]
>> >
>> > Bob

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Robert Griendling - 02 Jan 2005 20:14 GMT

Well, I don't know. I downloaded a driver for the monitor from Dell and
re-installed that, but it hasn't helped. I could try re-installing the
video adapter. I only got the out of sync message once, sometime after I
re-installed the video card.

I'll try to find out what video adapter card I have and reinstall it. Could
that be causing my video problems? In other words, could the card driver
have become corrupted? Or is my problem an indication that the video
adapter card has gone bad? Or is it a monitor problem?

Basically, I can run 16-bit 256 colors but get some weird colors
occasionally, but I can't run 32-bit color at all. The machine crashes if I
try.

Bob

> Are you talking about your video adapter or your monitor? You identify the
> monitor by the label on the front. The manufacturers www site should have
[quoted text clipped - 61 lines]
> >> >
> >> > Bob

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Jeff Richards - 02 Jan 2005 21:55 GMT

It is very unlikely that an incorrect monitor driver will crash the machine.
It is much more likely that the video adapter driver is corrupted or is the
wrong one.

Signature

Jeff Richards
MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)

> Well, I don't know. I downloaded a driver for the monitor from Dell and
> re-installed that, but it hasn't helped. I could try re-installing the
[quoted text clipped - 99 lines]
>> >> >
>> >> > Bob

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Robert Griendling - 09 Jan 2005 21:44 GMT

OK> But I can't find out what video adapter card I have. I thought it
would be pretty easy, but under my computer, there is nothing that says
"video adapter car>' Not under Display Adapters (though there is a ATU Rage
Pro AGP 2x - is that it?). Not under Sound, Video and game controllers. Not
under Monitors where it only has the Dell 780, my monitor. I can't find
anything in my documentation

Is a video controller the same as an adapter card?

If I must take the lid off, how do I identify the video adapter card?

Bob

> It is very unlikely that an incorrect monitor driver will crash the machine.
> It is much more likely that the video adapter driver is corrupted or is the
[quoted text clipped - 102 lines]
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Bob

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Jeff Richards - 10 Jan 2005 01:36 GMT

You won't find the information in Device Manager, as this only tells you
what drivers are installed, not what the hardware is. The best procedure is
to remove the lid and look for the card - it's the one the monitor cable
plugs into. If it's on the motherboard then you will find it listed under
the motherboard specifications. If it's a standard model (such as DELL or
Gateway) then the specifications for that model will include the video card
details. If you've upgraded it with an add-in card then you'll need to get
the documentation that came with the upgrade. The full description is
usually displayed on-screen at startup just before the BIOS information
screen appears.

Signature

Jeff Richards
MS MVP (Windows - Shell/User)

> OK> But I can't find out what video adapter card I have. I thought it
> would be pretty easy, but under my computer, there is nothing that says
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
>
> If I must take the lid off, how do I identify the video adapter card?

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