DX/driver not working

Pilot_51 · 09-03-2006, 05:47 PM

I have a 256MB Nvidia GeForce FX5700LE video card and the latest DX version, and I had the latest video driver (91.47) until recently when I tried fixing this problem.
UT2004 would start, but it was in a window (I had it set for fullscreen) and that window had nothing in it, it was just a frame that I could see my desktop through.
Early on when I tried fixing this problem (yesterday actually, once I noticed it was more than just a problem with a game or needing a simple reboot) I did a system restore to a couple weeks back when I was sure everything was working good, but that didn't fix my problem, although it did fix a problem with my keyboard not working about 10 minutes before doing the restore.
After uninstalling with the Nvidia uninstallers and then using Driver Cleaner 3, then rebooting, doing Driver Cleaner again and reinstalling an earlier driver (84.21), and rebooting again, the dxdiag tests worked. So with my confidence up, I tried playing a game (FS2004), which had the same problem as before and wouldn't start (splash screen shows and it loads some stuff, then the program ends before the window can come up), then I went to dxdiag to test again and it gave errors.

Dxdiag test results:
DDraw Test Result: Failure at step 9 (Creating primary surface): HRESULT = 0x887600e1 (error code)
D3D7 Test Result: Failure at step 37 (SetCooperativeLevel to Fullscreen): HRESULT = 0x88760245 (error code)
D3D8 Test Result: Failure at step 8 (Creating 3D Device): HRESULT = 0x88760868 (error code)
D3D9 Test Result: Failure at step 8 (Creating 3D Device): HRESULT = 0x88760868 (error code)

Any help would be great.

Pilot_51 · 09-04-2006, 12:18 PM

Looks like I figured it out. It seems my video card was overheating, I found out the fan on it failed, which I sorta expected from a $125 card of this type 3 years ago. I shut down my PC (which happens about once every power outage, in otherwords very rarely) to take a closer look at the card, and decided to get rid of the thermal compound that it originally had and replace it with Arctic Silver 5, as well as applying some to the memory which didn't have any compound. When I started back up, all tests were successful and games run fine, and a day later everything still runs good.

**Cellus** · 09-04-2006, 12:22 PM

Glad to see you were able to solve the problem on your own. Good call on the fan - fans are the most common culprit when it comes to overheating video cards.

Pilot_51 · 12-08-2006, 01:36 AM

The Arctic Silver 5 seemed to work for awhile, but I'm guessing that's because of the long time I had it powered down, giving everything time to cool down. I've been having the errors again, although it seems to be not as bad as before.
I'm still not convinced it's only the fan, it works fine most of the time, and never fails while DX is in use. It seems to happen when DX stops being used, as soon as the first time or as late as countless times. It could be something to do with the way that DX stops being used, because I noticed this happened after a game crashed to desktop. I've looked into the error and found that other people have the same problem where it works fine and then stops working beyond the first use, but I haven't found any solution.
Replacing the video card isn't an option, I first want a new motherboard with PCI-E and upgrade my card then, but I can't even do that until I get a job so I could afford it (which won't happen until maybe mid-next year), and I'm not about to go back to my old 64MB MX420.

09-03-2006, 05:47 PM	#1 (permalink)
Pilot_51 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Michigan Posts: 47 OS: Windows XP Home SP2	DX/driver not working I have a 256MB Nvidia GeForce FX5700LE video card and the latest DX version, and I had the latest video driver (91.47) until recently when I tried fixing this problem. UT2004 would start, but it was in a window (I had it set for fullscreen) and that window had nothing in it, it was just a frame that I could see my desktop through. Early on when I tried fixing this problem (yesterday actually, once I noticed it was more than just a problem with a game or needing a simple reboot) I did a system restore to a couple weeks back when I was sure everything was working good, but that didn't fix my problem, although it did fix a problem with my keyboard not working about 10 minutes before doing the restore. After uninstalling with the Nvidia uninstallers and then using Driver Cleaner 3, then rebooting, doing Driver Cleaner again and reinstalling an earlier driver (84.21), and rebooting again, the dxdiag tests worked. So with my confidence up, I tried playing a game (FS2004), which had the same problem as before and wouldn't start (splash screen shows and it loads some stuff, then the program ends before the window can come up), then I went to dxdiag to test again and it gave errors. Dxdiag test results: DDraw Test Result: Failure at step 9 (Creating primary surface): HRESULT = 0x887600e1 (error code) D3D7 Test Result: Failure at step 37 (SetCooperativeLevel to Fullscreen): HRESULT = 0x88760245 (error code) D3D8 Test Result: Failure at step 8 (Creating 3D Device): HRESULT = 0x88760868 (error code) D3D9 Test Result: Failure at step 8 (Creating 3D Device): HRESULT = 0x88760868 (error code) Any help would be great. Last edited by Pilot_51; 09-03-2006 at 05:52 PM. Reason: Added a little more detail

09-04-2006, 12:22 PM	#3 (permalink)
Cellus Moderator Networking Team Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Canada Posts: 2,664 OS: Windows Vista Business SP1, Windows XP Professional SP3 My System	Glad to see you were able to solve the problem on your own. Good call on the fan - fans are the most common culprit when it comes to overheating video cards. __________________ TSF Networking Team Virus/Trojan/Spyware Removal Help Donate!

09-04-2006, 12:18 PM	#2 (permalink)
Pilot_51 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Michigan Posts: 47 OS: Windows XP Home SP2	Looks like I figured it out. It seems my video card was overheating, I found out the fan on it failed, which I sorta expected from a $125 card of this type 3 years ago. I shut down my PC (which happens about once every power outage, in otherwords very rarely) to take a closer look at the card, and decided to get rid of the thermal compound that it originally had and replace it with Arctic Silver 5, as well as applying some to the memory which didn't have any compound. When I started back up, all tests were successful and games run fine, and a day later everything still runs good.

12-08-2006, 01:36 AM	#4 (permalink)
Pilot_51 Registered User Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Michigan Posts: 47 OS: Windows XP Home SP2	The Arctic Silver 5 seemed to work for awhile, but I'm guessing that's because of the long time I had it powered down, giving everything time to cool down. I've been having the errors again, although it seems to be not as bad as before. I'm still not convinced it's only the fan, it works fine most of the time, and never fails while DX is in use. It seems to happen when DX stops being used, as soon as the first time or as late as countless times. It could be something to do with the way that DX stops being used, because I noticed this happened after a game crashed to desktop. I've looked into the error and found that other people have the same problem where it works fine and then stops working beyond the first use, but I haven't found any solution. Replacing the video card isn't an option, I first want a new motherboard with PCI-E and upgrade my card then, but I can't even do that until I get a job so I could afford it (which won't happen until maybe mid-next year), and I'm not about to go back to my old 64MB MX420.