The Official ETW Hardware Problem Solving Thread

[jsberry]

First of all you barely have enough RAM to run it and - what kind of video card do you have?

Thanks Barkhorn. How do I find out my video card type?

[Barkhorn1x]

Thanks Barkhorn. How do I find out my video card type?

Run "Dxdaig" again.

This will get you to the DirectX screens. Hit the Save Information button on the bottom. This will save a notepad file of all of your info. Open this file - go to the third "block" of information, "Display Devices" - and copy over the first 11 lines to a reply. That will tell us what we are working with here.

RAM:
RAM is now dirt cheap*** and you should really max out what you can fit into your mother board. You will need to find out what type odf mobo you have and the type of RAM that it can accommodate. XP will make use of 3 Gigs and change so if your mobo can accommodate 4 Gigs then that is what you want to put in your box.

***I bought on newegg.com recently for $13.00 per Gig.

[jsberry]

Here's my Display info. Is this the problem, or the RAM? (if it matters, MTW1 crashes too). Thanks!


Display Devices
---------------
Card name: NVIDIA GeForce 6100 nForce 405
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip type: GeForce 6100 nForce 405
DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_03D1&SUBSYS_26021019&REV_A2
Display Memory: 256.0 MB
Current Mode: 1024 x 768 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor: Plug and Play Monitor
Monitor Max Res: 1600,1200
Driver Name: nv4_disp.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.9148 (English)
DDI Version: 9 (or higher)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 8/16/2006 03:35:00, 4496128 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
VDD: n/a
Mini VDD: nv4_mini.sys
Mini VDD Date: 8/16/2006 03:35:00, 3959712 bytes
Device Identifier: {D7B71E3E-4091-11CF-1550-080603C2CB35}
Vendor ID: 0x10DE
Device ID: 0x03D1
SubSys ID: 0x26021019
Revision ID: 0x00A2
Revision ID: 0x00A2
Video Accel:
Deinterlace Caps: {212DC724-3235-44A4-BD29-E1652BBCC71C}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
{212DC724-3235-44A4-BD29-E1652BBCC71C}: Format(In/Out)=(UYVY,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(UYVY,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
{212DC724-3235-44A4-BD29-E1652BBCC71C}: Format(In/Out)=(YV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(YV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
{212DC724-3235-44A4-BD29-E1652BBCC71C}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
Registry: OK
DDraw Status: Enabled
D3D Status: Enabled
AGP Status: Enabled
DDraw Test Result: Not run
D3D7 Test Result: Not run
D3D8 Test Result: Not run
D3D9 Test Result: Not run

[Barkhorn1x]

OK - I was afraid of this. You actually do not have a video card - you have an integrated graphics card that is part of the mobo.

Chip type: GeForce 6100 nForce 405
DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC

You are basically dead in the water here as that 256MB is not card memory - but actually the mobo stealing from your RAM. Im guessing you have a Dell or an HP - those b'st'rds are famous for providing a fairly decent CPU and then stiffing you on the RAM and GPU. Your rig is just not a gamers rig and you will not be able to play any games of recent vintage.

In order to play you need to:
- Buy a decent GPU and install it. Go to newegg.com and get at least a 512MB card
- When you install it you will have to go into your mobo BIOS and revise the display setting from Integrated to stand alone card (this should be easy)
- Buy as much RAM as your mobo can handle - it is cheap and it helps

Sorry for the bad news but that's the way it is.

[Subotan]

In order to play you need to:
- Buy a decent GPU and install it. Go to newegg.com and get at least a 512MB card

Ebuyer if you're British. By decent we mean later models from 2006-present day

- When you install it you will have to go into your mobo BIOS and revise the display setting from Integrated to stand alone card (this should be easy)

Do you know how to do this?

- Buy as much RAM as your mobo can handle - it is cheap and it helps

MOHR RAM

RAM solves most problems to do with crashes etc. If you've got XP, two gb will be fine, Vista, you'll need four gb.

[Barkhorn1x]

Do you know how to do this?

Should be a straightforward BIOS setting change. But I've never had on board graphics so I've never had to make these types of changes myself.

Which brings up a related piece of advice. Be sure to get the dimensions of the video card before you buy. Cards today are pretty large and your need to make sure it will fit in your case.

[Quillan]

Should be a straightforward BIOS setting change. But I've never had on board graphics so I've never had to make these types of changes myself.

Which brings up a related piece of advice. Be sure to get the dimensions of the video card before you buy. Cards today are pretty large and your need to make sure it will fit in your case.

Odd side note to this one, I just had to stick a video card in one of the computers here at work because the on-board IGP was going out. The BIOS for that particular system doesn't have an option to disable the built in video; instead it had a setting that defaulted to using the video card in the slot as priority over the IGP, so it was automatic.

The setting is usually found in the Integrated Peripherals section of the BIOS, though.