Graphics related difficulty

[llewitha]

Can anyone help me with this problem?

I have recently installed an A-Bit ST6 Motherboard which I obtained second hand.

Everything seemed fine until I asked my system to do a little 3D work, now I am not talking about anything major here just a windows screen saver.

Anyway after about 2 or 3 seconds my display locks up. The screen saver freezes and I have to switch off to reboot.

The card is only a Maxi Gamer Cougar its not an up to date card that may be too advanced for the board.

I put my old motherboard and cpu (petium II 300 mhz soyo board) back in last night to test the card and everything works fine.

I am Running windows 98 on the A-Bit board with a Pentium III 667 and 256 sdram. Over the years I have added a few bits e.g. sound card, second hard drive, cd writer.

Could the problem be power related? Does the A-Bit board require a more powerful psu than the old PII BOARD. My psu is 200W but it is 5 years old now. Do psu's degenerate over time and so actually produce less power.

Any help would be much appreciated

Thanks

llewitha

 

[muckshifter]

... just a windows screen saver.

I've seen "a windows screen saver" bring down an entire corporate network.

I personally don't think your 200watt PSU will be up-to-it, you really should invest in a 350/450.

There should be nothing wrong with your Cougar but lack of 'juice' … to be on the safe side download the latest drivers (RIVA TNT2 M64) from nVidia.

 

[llewitha]

Thanks for your advice.

I have the most up to date drivers for the card (as far as I know) downloaded from the Guillemot site.

I will invest in a new psu and I will let you know how I get on.

Thanks again

llewitha

 

[muckshifter]

Try the drivers from nVidia ... it won't hurt but will be cheaper, though a new PSU wouldn't hurt either.

Oh, I live "just up the road" from you ... Cardiff.

 

[llewitha]

Good day to you Mr shifter or may I call you muck.

Anyway I tried the drivers from the nvidia site and sad to say I had great difficulty getting up and running so I've gone back to my previous position using the latest drivers from the Guillemot site (Guillemot being the manufactuer of the card but then I'm sure you know that).

By the week end I hope to have tried a new psu to see if that helps. I'll let you know how I get on

BTW I live in Swansea but I work in Neath, even nearer to you!!

Thanks
Llewitha

 

[llewitha]

Sadly the news is not good. I have managed to acquire a much improved psu a Q-TEC 550W dual fan. I have installed it only to find no improvement at all.

In control panel – display – screen saver tab – even if I preview a screen saver my system locks up after about 8 or 9 seconds.

As a reminder I am using an A-Bit ST6 motherboard with a Maxi gamer cougar graphics card.

The card works on my older soyo PII board. Is the card perhaps incompatible with the A-Bit board as the card is quite old (1999) and has a non flashable bios. Or is there a problem with my mobo or is it simply an incorrect setting in the mobo bios.

I really am struggling now.

Help!