[md19]

Hi all,

I have just built a new PC and I'm having an installation issue. Currently it works fine on standard VGA but when I install the drivers from CD it gets so far and loads to a blank screen and flashing dash (top left).

-I successfully installed it in safe mode but it froze on a later reboot and had to go to last known good. Since then it freezes on every reboot when installing the drivers.

-I've tried latest drivers from nvidia website but had the same problem.

-I've wondered if its a power issue. I have a Coolermaster iGreen 600w, 80% efficiency. I'm not sure whether the PSU has a high enough amperage to the card or not. Or simply not powerful enough?

PC Specs:
CPU: Intel Core 2 duo E7400 @ 2.8GHz
M/B: Biostar TP45 HP
RAM: 2x1GB Corsair DDR2
PSU: Coolermaster iGreen Power 600W
Graphics card: Nvidia GeForce 9800 GT 512MB
Monitor: Hanns G HW173A

Thanks.

 

[dai]

Re: 9800 GT can't install drivers

in the device manager uninstall the video card
reboot tapping f8 and choose vga mode
when windows finishes rebooting
disable a/virus
install your drivers
reboot the computer

 

[md19]

Re: 9800 GT can't install drivers

Thanks. I just tried what you said but it went to the flashing dash again part-way through installation.
Unfortunately I'm at the end of my knowledge with this :sigh:

 

[dai]

Re: 9800 GT can't install drivers

reseat the card

try the card in another computer

what does the bios list for your voltages and temps

check the h/d with the makers diagnostic utility

http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=287

 

[md19]

Re: 9800 GT can't install drivers

I don't think the cards seating is the problem. Is it likey that its the operating system?
Its gone to the flashing dash when
-I put a blank CD into the CD drive
-When I was downloading Roxio software (haven't been able to do hard drive diags because of these)
-Also just randomly while I was writing this reply it wasn't doing anything.

It seems that it just randomly loads to the flashing dash if some of the drivers are installed on the PC. I uninstalled the drivers in device manager and now its idling fine. No auto reboots.

Temps
CPU: 28C
SYS: 27C

Voltages
CPU: 1.280V
NB/SB: 1.088V
+12.0V: 11.880V
DDR2: 1.856V
FSB: 1.096V
+3.30V: 3.296V
+3.3VSB: 3.328V
VBAT: 3.440V

 

[Wrench97]

Re: 9800 GT can't install drivers

Did you install the motherboard chipset drivers first?

 

[md19]

Re: 9800 GT can't install drivers

Urrrm I installed lots of drivers from lots of CD's. So not 100% sure. But if I think about it I don't remember installing them no.

 

[Wrench97]

Re: 9800 GT can't install drivers

Install the drivers from the Biostar disk first then try installing the video driver.

 

[dai]

Re: 9800 GT can't install drivers

run the m/board cd
check out your psu with a multi meter it looks like it may drop even further when you are trying to load the drivers for the card

 

[md19]

I was right I hadn't installed the chipset drivers. So I just did that and had a go at installing the cards drivers from CD but went to the same problem again.

I'll have to wait till tuesday to use a multimeter at work. Haven't got one with me at the moment.

I just set my BIOS settings to default and then install it but still nothing.
Even if I try in safe mode it freezes on the windows loading screen and I have to go onto last known good to continue.

I also double checked I downloaded the correct drivers from Nvidia, I was.

Any more ideas?
I appreciate any help I receive.

 

[dai]

Re: 9800 GT can't install drivers

try another psu in it

 

[md19]

Re: 9800 GT can't install drivers

I haven't managed to try a new PSU to it, but i installed XP pro sp2 on an old 20GB PATA hard drive and then installed the drivers successfully. I then installed the same XP pro sp2 on my hard drive that i am using in my new build. I got the same dos screen with flashing dash. So I've narrowed it down to my hard drive.
I also successfully installed it on a computer at work, that was a SATA hard drive.

So I'm not sure if its a dud or if I can do anything about it?

This is the hard drive: Seagate 160GB Hard Drive SATAII 7200rpm 2MB Cache - OEM

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/131271

 

[dai]

Re: 9800 GT can't install drivers

run the seagate seatools diagnostic utility on the hard drive

 

[md19]

Re: 9800 GT can't install drivers

Ok I haven't. Ran the diag tool for my hard drive. But me and my boss have spent all day trying to fix the issue but to no avail.
I'll just list what we tried as accurately as I can remember:

-Ghosted my hard drive onto another SATA hard drive and tried to install the drivers on that to see if it was the actual hard drive causing the problem, but it froze on reboot and had to go to last known good.
-Changed the SATA settings in the BIOS to configure my hard drive as AHCI. Which after a reboot it reverted back to IDE.
-Re-installed chipset drivers and changed BIOS to AHCI again. This time it stayed and listed my hard drive as SATA in Device manager not IDE.I installed the graphics card drivers successfully. I restarted it again myself because It had frozen on reboot before (even after installing the drivers fine) low and behold froze. This time we realised that it was freezing on Windows splash screen if there was a disk in the DVD drive. Removed it re-booted and it was fine everything worked.
-I installed the updates from Windows Update and froze on reboot again this time we unplugged the DVD drive (SATA) completely and it started fine.
-We tried rebooting with an IDE DVD drive instead but still froze if there was a disk in it or not.
-We also tried XP pro with all correct drivers and BIOS setup but got the flashing dash again.

So with my knowledge of troubleshooting could an IDE hard drive solve the problem? I'd prefer SATA because its quicker though.
Or maybe a problem with RAM? Its Corsair so I didn't get a no name manufacturer.
Sorry its a long post. Just thought more info may help you guys to help me.

Cheers.

 

[dai]

Re: 9800 GT can't install drivers

check the voltage range of the ram the m/b may default to low and you may need to lift it
i run corsair xms ram at 2.1v

 

[md19]

Re: 9800 GT can't install drivers

I just checked in the BIOS. It says DDR2 is running at 1.856 V . Is that low? and should I bump it up to 2.1 V?

Also the latencies in the BIOS are 5-5-5-15. But Product description says 5-5-5-18. Could that cause instabilities?
I have to admit I'm a dunce when it comes to RAM and voltages. So bit out of my depth here, I'll have to have a read up on it all.

Thanks.

 

[Wrench97]

Re: 9800 GT can't install drivers

Yes bump them up to 2.1v leave the latencies stand for now.

 

[md19]

Ok, I upped the RAM voltage to 2.112 V and it hasn't made any difference. Still freezes on reboot and flashing dash screen appears during installation of Nvidia drivers.

Ok, it passed all the memory test and seatools tests fine. I also downloaded the latest chipset drivers for my m/b.
I found a new driver version on Nvidia.com so downloaded that and installed it. It went to the flashing dash screen as before but right at the beginning of installation this time. Also when i restarted my PC it didn't freeze it said that the Nvidia drivers had been installed but I went into the Nvidia folder and had to install performance drivers and PhysX myself.
Its all fine in device manager as well says my display adapter is NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GT, as it should.

This brings me to the fact I can't install the control panel because it "cant find the driver required".
This makes me think only some of the drivers were installed.

Just tried installing SP3 and froze on restart. I could only go into safe mode and had to remove SP3 and the Nvidia drivers before it would restart successfully.

Was too late to put this all in one post. Sorry.

 

[Wrench97]

Re: 9800 GT can't install drivers

If you can return the Biostar motherboard I would and swap it for a Asus or Gigabye P45 board it should not this difficult to set up.

 

[md19]

Re: 9800 GT can't install drivers

Yeah, in the end I decided to take your advice. Got a Gigabyte board and everything works perfectly fine, so far.

All drivers and hardware is installed no problems.

Thanks guys for your help. It's much appreciated.