Any sort of generic video card driver?

Ueneth Echil · 06-28-2008, 04:37 PM

My sister is quite a distance away, so I can't look at the computer myself, but this seems to be the situation.

The computer was accidently bumped into (power button was hit), and when they turned it back on the icons were larger, and pictures were grainy. As far as I can tell it sounds like the video drivers went bye-bye, or something along the lines to cause the computer to revert back to a lower color depth and resolution. Although, they said their background picture was gone, I think they said it was replaced by just a blue background. Their using Windows 2000 I think, or XP.

So I have them look at the Device Managar, and there's no "Display Adapters" or anything that she thought would be similar. Under Display in "dxdiag", under name it says VGA and under chip type it says N/A.

From what she described too on the back of the computer and through the side window, it's an external graphics card. It's probably from around 2002-2003 or earlier, since that's when the computer was put together by our dad. No one knows what the graphics card was, and they don't have any drivers CD.

So, I was wondering if theres anyway to find out what the graphics card is or some sort of generic video driver.

EDIT: Or is it a hardware problem? It seems like the video card isn't being detected at all.

**wrench97** · 06-28-2008, 04:55 PM

You really need to find out what O/S their using, the the brand and model of the PC
I think since they are getting a signal to the monitor the card is being detected,
Have them right click on My Computer select properties click on the hardware tab, click on devices are there any yellow ?s.

Ueneth Echil · 06-28-2008, 05:09 PM

I'll check on that stuff.

As for brand/make, it's custom made.

**wrench97** · 06-28-2008, 05:19 PM

Just a thought, did they move the PC and maybe hook the monitor cable up to an onboard port instead of the video card?

06-28-2008, 04:37 PM	#1 (permalink)
Ueneth Echil Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 2 OS: XP SP(Most recent)	Any sort of generic video card driver? My sister is quite a distance away, so I can't look at the computer myself, but this seems to be the situation. The computer was accidently bumped into (power button was hit), and when they turned it back on the icons were larger, and pictures were grainy. As far as I can tell it sounds like the video drivers went bye-bye, or something along the lines to cause the computer to revert back to a lower color depth and resolution. Although, they said their background picture was gone, I think they said it was replaced by just a blue background. Their using Windows 2000 I think, or XP. So I have them look at the Device Managar, and there's no "Display Adapters" or anything that she thought would be similar. Under Display in "dxdiag", under name it says VGA and under chip type it says N/A. From what she described too on the back of the computer and through the side window, it's an external graphics card. It's probably from around 2002-2003 or earlier, since that's when the computer was put together by our dad. No one knows what the graphics card was, and they don't have any drivers CD. So, I was wondering if theres anyway to find out what the graphics card is or some sort of generic video driver. EDIT: Or is it a hardware problem? It seems like the video card isn't being detected at all. Last edited by Ueneth Echil; 06-28-2008 at 04:40 PM.

06-28-2008, 04:55 PM	#2 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,868 OS: Win7	Re: Any sort of generic video card driver? You really need to find out what O/S their using, the the brand and model of the PC I think since they are getting a signal to the monitor the card is being detected, Have them right click on My Computer select properties click on the hardware tab, click on devices are there any yellow ?s.

06-28-2008, 05:09 PM	#3 (permalink)
Ueneth Echil Registered User Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 2 OS: XP SP(Most recent)	Re: Any sort of generic video card driver? I'll check on that stuff. As for brand/make, it's custom made.

06-28-2008, 05:19 PM	#4 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,868 OS: Win7	Re: Any sort of generic video card driver? Just a thought, did they move the PC and maybe hook the monitor cable up to an onboard port instead of the video card?