Topic: I realize this isn't a tech-support forum or anything, but i was wondering...

[theRomulan]

Just today I've been having a video card problem, and rather than spend all day looking around for an appropriate place to field my question, I'll ask for help here.

So anyway, lately i haven't been able to run any games in OpenGL mode, etc., and that pretty much prevents me from playing my beloved SFC2, as well as a number of other games.  

What happens?  Well, I can run other applications just fine.  I can watch videos.  I can play with the monitor, I can run smaller games or applications like my ZSNES, etc. blah blah blah.

However, as soon as I try to run something in OpenGL, like Half Life for instance (just to make this easier to understand), the monitor becomes fuzzy.  I don't actually get into the game itself, I just get a fuzzy monitor, then the screen goes black, and my system crashes.  With SFC2, I see the intro video, I skip it or watch it, but as soon as the game itself starts to load up, I get just a black screen and, once again, system just stops responding.

I've already tried uninstalling the card and reinstalling it, plus reinstalling the latest drivers, blah blah blah. I had the problem before installing the latest drivers, so I highly doubt it's that. Hopefully this isn't a hardware problem, because if it is, I guess I'll have to go search for the stuff I need to use my warrantee.    Anyway, if anyone can understand what I'm talking about or suggesting, and can provide some insight, it would be most helpful.  This is all when using a GeForce4 Ti 4200.  My system itself, while not getting into specifics about it, is on the upper end.  I've never had a problem running any games or applications smoothly before, so this kind of baffles me.  Any help would be appreciated.  Thanks.    

[Dash Jones]

I'm not the greatest on tech...so take it with a grain of salt.

Several questions.

#1 - Did you have any other card in the computer system before you had the GeForce?  If so...one thing to look into is...your machine might have reverted back to using it (if it's an integrated card or other card this is not going to be pretty).  Since you probably wouldn't have the drivers running for them...the machine is going to revert back to generic basic visual drivers.  This means you probably will not have the means to run any 3d...and definately no OpenGL.  What you have to do, is reorient the machine to use your card (GeForce) instead of the default card...probably much the way it was done when you first installed the card. (This might be a Bios thing in otherwords as well as an OS thing).

#2 - Did you recently upgrade your system to XP.  XP has drivers...but some versions of XP (maybe all) possess drivers which DO NOT run openGL.  MS has something against OpenGL and desire for companies to use Direct3d instead.  Make sure that you are not d/l'ing the drivers from MS, but directly from Nvidia for your card.

#3 - It sounds in any case (which I guess would be obvious), from your statements about it and OpenGL, that the machine is not running OpenGL.  This could be a case of the machine, much like #1, running on the generic fallback video drivers that it runs on when the MS OS first installs.  Make sure that the machine is running on the Nvidia drivers and not the generic drivers.

#4 - Make sure the card has not become unseated, especially if it's an AGP.

It's hard to state your direct problem with the information you've given...but those are some ideas of what might be affecting it.

[Vysander]

well it looks like he tried all of that... mostly with upgrading to newest drivers (double check to make sure you got the right drivers for it, not just the most up to date)

what version of Direct X are you running?  That could be causing a bit of interference.. try running HL in software mode and just make sure it runs, then try direct 3d, then Open GL.  Figure out exactly where it fails, if it's OpenGL at fault or Direct X.

If it ends up being the direct X, repair the installation or install newest version (9)

[David Ferrell]

Clarification:

SFC runs under Direct X not OpenGL.

Before running SFC, make sure your desktop is set for 16bit color.

Thanks,

Dave  

[Dash Jones]

Quote:
Clarification:

SFC runs under Direct X not OpenGL.

Before running SFC, make sure your desktop is set for 16bit color.

Thanks,

Dave  

 

My bad.

[theRomulan]

Just today I've been having a video card problem, and rather than spend all day looking around for an appropriate place to field my question, I'll ask for help here.

So anyway, lately i haven't been able to run any games in OpenGL mode, etc., and that pretty much prevents me from playing my beloved SFC2, as well as a number of other games.  

What happens?  Well, I can run other applications just fine.  I can watch videos.  I can play with the monitor, I can run smaller games or applications like my ZSNES, etc. blah blah blah.

However, as soon as I try to run something in OpenGL, like Half Life for instance (just to make this easier to understand), the monitor becomes fuzzy.  I don't actually get into the game itself, I just get a fuzzy monitor, then the screen goes black, and my system crashes.  With SFC2, I see the intro video, I skip it or watch it, but as soon as the game itself starts to load up, I get just a black screen and, once again, system just stops responding.

I've already tried uninstalling the card and reinstalling it, plus reinstalling the latest drivers, blah blah blah. I had the problem before installing the latest drivers, so I highly doubt it's that. Hopefully this isn't a hardware problem, because if it is, I guess I'll have to go search for the stuff I need to use my warrantee.    Anyway, if anyone can understand what I'm talking about or suggesting, and can provide some insight, it would be most helpful.  This is all when using a GeForce4 Ti 4200.  My system itself, while not getting into specifics about it, is on the upper end.  I've never had a problem running any games or applications smoothly before, so this kind of baffles me.  Any help would be appreciated.  Thanks.    

[Dash Jones]

I'm not the greatest on tech...so take it with a grain of salt.

Several questions.

#1 - Did you have any other card in the computer system before you had the GeForce?  If so...one thing to look into is...your machine might have reverted back to using it (if it's an integrated card or other card this is not going to be pretty).  Since you probably wouldn't have the drivers running for them...the machine is going to revert back to generic basic visual drivers.  This means you probably will not have the means to run any 3d...and definately no OpenGL.  What you have to do, is reorient the machine to use your card (GeForce) instead of the default card...probably much the way it was done when you first installed the card. (This might be a Bios thing in otherwords as well as an OS thing).

#2 - Did you recently upgrade your system to XP.  XP has drivers...but some versions of XP (maybe all) possess drivers which DO NOT run openGL.  MS has something against OpenGL and desire for companies to use Direct3d instead.  Make sure that you are not d/l'ing the drivers from MS, but directly from Nvidia for your card.

#3 - It sounds in any case (which I guess would be obvious), from your statements about it and OpenGL, that the machine is not running OpenGL.  This could be a case of the machine, much like #1, running on the generic fallback video drivers that it runs on when the MS OS first installs.  Make sure that the machine is running on the Nvidia drivers and not the generic drivers.

#4 - Make sure the card has not become unseated, especially if it's an AGP.

It's hard to state your direct problem with the information you've given...but those are some ideas of what might be affecting it.

[Vysander]

well it looks like he tried all of that... mostly with upgrading to newest drivers (double check to make sure you got the right drivers for it, not just the most up to date)

what version of Direct X are you running?  That could be causing a bit of interference.. try running HL in software mode and just make sure it runs, then try direct 3d, then Open GL.  Figure out exactly where it fails, if it's OpenGL at fault or Direct X.

If it ends up being the direct X, repair the installation or install newest version (9)

[David Ferrell]

Clarification:

SFC runs under Direct X not OpenGL.

Before running SFC, make sure your desktop is set for 16bit color.

Thanks,

Dave  

[Dash Jones]

Quote:
Clarification:

SFC runs under Direct X not OpenGL.

Before running SFC, make sure your desktop is set for 16bit color.

Thanks,

Dave  

 

My bad.