Author Topic: Gotta Park My Ride :( (Read 345 times)

K-KEN · « **on:** April 17, 2000, 05:41:00 PM »

Due to a video issue, I am closing my AH account. I can't figure out the problem, and it effects AH and AW3. Prolly simple, but the drivers and such are killing me.
Also, since I am unemployed, since DEC 1998, the $$ will be an issue soon. That really isn't my problem. I have no way to post the views I have, but if someone wants to see them, mail me at kken@cutthroats.com . I can send you .gifs.
I'll be back, if I can get the video fixed. I will miss ewe all!

K-KEN

http://www.cutthroats.com/

Pyro · « **Reply #1 on:** April 17, 2000, 06:40:00 PM »

K-Ken, I'm sorry that I haven't been able to be of more help to you. I can only suspect that it is a hardware problem at this point. I hope you keep up with the H2H feature until things get better.

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Doug "Pyro" Balmos
HiTech Creations

Perfect plans, aren't.

K-KEN · « **Reply #2 on:** April 17, 2000, 07:48:00 PM »

Thanks PYRO. What was your opinion of the .gifs I sent to you? I wish it was a simple fix, but it seems to elude me! I have squad mates here, and I need to be supportive! I'll keep trying,
Salute for a great sim!

K-KEN

http://www.cutthroats.com/

Kieren · « **Reply #3 on:** April 17, 2000, 08:45:00 PM »

Sorry to hear it K-Ken. Hopefully things will work out in the end.

bloom25 · « **Reply #4 on:** April 17, 2000, 09:48:00 PM »

K-Ken, I went searching for your previous posts. Looks like you have an ATI card similar to my old one. You might try a different driver version for your ATI card, .2550 is terrible for AH, and any DX 6.1 or 7 game at that. I had the least trouble with .2474 if you can still find it. Also, you may be able to disable your onboard video card in the bios. If you can, you will be able to get rid of the card (turn it off). My guess is driver incompatibility problems between your two cards with each other or with DX. ATI's newer drivers ARE TERRIBLE to put it mildly on any version with support for DX7. Try to find the newest version you can for DX 6.1 and use it. Be sure to completely remove the old driver and when asked whether you want to keep the newer files when installing an older driver version, say NO. Saying yes in this case is likely to create MORE problems.

I hate to see someone have to leave because we can't figure out what's going on. (BTW: What model of Compaq do you have? Maybe, just maybe, we can figure this out.

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bloom25
THUNDERBIRDS

Badger · « **Reply #5 on:** April 18, 2000, 07:34:00 AM »

K-KEN....

I don't know you and haven't been following your dilema, but maybe I can help. I have a few older graphics cards that you are welcome to for the cost of a beer if we ever meet at an AH CON.

I have an Intel 740 based (AGP) Real Starfighter Card as well as 2 Diamond Monster (PCI Bus) 3DFX (linked in SLI mode) cards. Both can run D3D and DirectX 7a.

Let me know if this is of any help.

Regards,
Badger

Saintaw · « **Reply #6 on:** April 18, 2000, 08:05:00 AM »

K-Ken ,
I just sent U an Email, but what Badger offers you here looks like a Good deal ! (Another good point for this community !) ... just make sure that you have No DVD decoder running while you are running AH...

Saw

Wanker · « **Reply #7 on:** April 18, 2000, 08:19:00 AM »

K-Ken,

I would also be willing to donate my Diamond Monster 3D II cards in SLI mode to you.

Would hate to see you leave over a video problem. Most likely, if you have a built-in video card on yer motherboard, that can be disabled either via a jumper on the motherboard, or through the computer's BIOS.

Don't give up the ship yet, bro. We can help you.

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"Turning Knight & Bishop sheep into lamb chops since 1999"

[This message has been edited by banana (edited 04-18-2000).]

bloom25 · « **Reply #8 on:** April 18, 2000, 03:08:00 PM »

K-Ken, I did some research on your problem. First of all, check out this site: http://members.tripod.com/~ROJADEF/myrig.htm
This is another person's experiences with a Compaq Presario of the same type as yours. Notice he disabled his original sound and video cards somehow. (Bios would be my guess.) I'm not familar with Monster II add on (SLI?) cards, can they run by themselves? If so, they will be far faster than that ATI card could ever be.

Also, here is compaq's driver list for your model. Try using their sound and video drivers. Here it is:
http://web14.compaq.com/falco/sp_list2.asp

(You will need to navigate around a little to get to the download part. It defaults to some printer driver page.)

Please don't give up yet, we can fix it.

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bloom25
THUNDERBIRDS

[This message has been edited by bloom25 (edited 04-18-2000).]

K-KEN · « **Reply #9 on:** April 18, 2000, 03:58:00 PM »

First of all, I want to thank all of you for your replies and generous offers. Brings a tear to my eye!
Bloom, hehehe, I looked at the guys description of *our* machine, and have to laugh. I have a new, in the box soundblaster that I made 1 attempt at installing, and am too green to be sure what I did wrong, but all my sound went away. I had disabled it in Device manager, and then tried to post to the Compaq message boards, but my posts never showed up.

I didn't cuss, or bad mouth anyone either. It is a monitored forum. There are messages on it now, saying the same thing. Sad.

If I were to guess, and it's only a guess, my Monster 3DIIvoodo2 PCI card is wounded. But using the DIAGX direct x thingy, it says they both are fine. (btw it isn't a stand alone) Something that I found, this new monitor turned purple like the old one, I almost cried! $400.00 .... but the stubby cable from the monster to the main monitor port was loose. I haven't tried to see if the old monitor is still good. Mainly cause I can't take this one back ....now.

Otherwise, Best Buy woulda got this one in a shot!
Compaq did send me the CD containing all of the Softpaqs, as they call them....cause a couple were broken. That was a freebee.

The only thing I haven't done to this point, is remove the card, and reboot it without the Monster, clean the Monster drivers out, and look at the card, for a hot spot-or something. Then reinstall it, and try that!
That is a last resort. Then I'll go to best Buy and see if I can get a test unit!

Since the Rage Pro is proprietary, that is MB time....then I am finished. I am not that saavy in these things. I'll return, but can't say when. Maybe by the weekend I can rip this thing apart and check the card, anyway. That doesn't take long at all!
Thanks again all....very kind from all of you! Salute!

K-KEN

http://www.cutthroats.com/

bloom25 · « **Reply #10 on:** April 18, 2000, 04:31:00 PM »

I wonder about this: Try completely removing all drivers for you video cards. (Control Panel>Add remove software>look for ATI drivers & then Diamond's drivers. Then switch you display to Standard VGA after the reboot. You will they have to reboot again. Now - reinstall your drivers, compaq's for the ATI card first. Then diamond's. Next, you might want to try to do the same thing for the sound chip.

(BTW: Here's how to switch to standard vga, right click desktop, pick properties, settings tab, advanced button, adapter tab, change button. You then need to have it show you a list of all hardware, go to microsoft and pick standard vga. apply it, ignore the warning. It will install drivers and then make you reboot. You can then cleanly (for the most part) re-install your drivers.)

Next thing, run a thorough scan disk from windows. It will check not only for file errors, but will scan the disk surface for bad sectors etc. (It does take a while though.)

Truthfully your best option would be to disable your onboard video (sound too for best performance) and buy a newer video card. Someone above volunteered an Intel i740 based card, I used to use one with AH and it worked very well. (Far and away superior to the ATI Rage PRO for this game.) With a 266PII back in beta I was getting around 30 fps continually at 800 x 600, 24 bit color. (Can't do 32, but 24 has the same # of colors believe it or not. Only difference is the number of bytes used to represent the colors, 4 vs 3. I think the 4th byte can be used for cool things like transparancy, lighting, etc when in 32 bit.)

Honestly, when you go to buy a new computer in the future, don't buy another Compaq. (If they are still in business then.

) They use too much proprietary hardware that causes all kinds of upgrade/compatibility nightmares. Build your own computer, or have someone else build it for you. You will save money and time in the long-run.

Hope to see you back in the air ASAP!

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bloom25
THUNDERBIRDS

K-KEN · « **Reply #11 on:** April 18, 2000, 09:44:00 PM »

http://www.twistedtunes.com/songplayer/playsong.asp?songnum=160&speed=288
Gotta love this....makes me laugh, a lot!

Enjoy, cause it's all I have right now.
Good ideas again bloom. Looks like an option to me!

K-KEN

http://www.cutthroats.com/

K-KEN · « **Reply #12 on:** April 19, 2000, 04:07:00 PM »

OK, Well I took the Monster card out today. I *smelled* the 2 plug-ins for the small cable, and one had a burnt smell. Kinda faint, but definately a plastic kinda smell.
Upon Visual inspection, nothing jumped out, until I inspected the back side of the plug.
There are 5 *staple* like things....almost what we called in the car biz, as fusable links. One was bent back, and away from the pin ~~where it was obviously connected! It might be a fuse....because it was certainly bent away, and~~ not connected. So...I think the problem is solved. (but I still need to consider the cause....) (I shoulda done this first....)
Thanks to all of you again for the ideas, and I will be checkin' 6's ASAP! hehehe

K-KEN