NationStates Jolt Archive

For some reason I feel obliged to share my life with you people, so here goes. A couple months ago I tried to update my display drivers, ever since none of my PC games work. I've tried to do it right three times now, to no effect. Short of sys restore or running out and paying someone, what can/should I do? Feel free to call me an idiot.:p

Remove all Windows Media Player updates. Remove all video CODECs. Download the newest non-beta driver for your video card. Uninstall your current displaydrivers & when rebooting, start Windows in Safe-Mode (hit F8 during start-up). Delete any & all leftovers from the various drivers & CODECs.

Reboot normally & install the new video driver you downloaded. Check if it works. Come back if it doesn't.

In my experience, there are three common causes for this type of problem.
1. Your video card is dying.
2. Windows Media Player has assasinated your OS.
3. You've unintentionally created conflicts with various video CODECs.

3. You've unintentionally created conflicts with various video CODECs.
Windows media still works, I can play videos and sounds, I just can't play any PC games. I can give you a screen shot of what happens when I try if you like.

Windows media still works, I can play videos and sounds, I just can't play any PC games. I can give you a screen shot of what happens when I try if you like.If I like? :p

Good idea though.

Similization's advice was pretty good. I went through hell reinstalling, uninstalling and rereinstalling display drivers after I moved last year. Now I am a display driver hater also.

Ok, I cut it down in PS so Imageshack wouldn't be an a**. Here's the link. http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/3056/scrnshot0ct.jpg I'd a opened a full screen program but then I wouldn't of been able to close it.

Ok, I cut it down in PS so Imageshack wouldn't be an a**. Here's the link. http://img258.imageshack.us/img258/3056/scrnshot0ct.jpg I'd a opened a full screen program but then I wouldn't of been able to close it.
Before you follow the advice in my first post, do the following:

1. Make sure AA is turned off, both in your card config & in your games. Reset your card to the default clock-speed. Reboot. Check if it works now.

2. Shut down your machine. Open your computer & unmount your card. Check nothing's obstructing the fan(s) & if needed, CAREFULLY vacuum your card & the PC guts. Mount the card again & check if it's working.

3. Monitor the temperature of the various parts in your machine. The glitch you're having is almost always caused by a severely overheating GPU, but can be caused by overheating in general. Gently touch the backside of your video card after ~5 mins up time. It'll be obvious if it's too hot.

4. Follow the advice in my first post.

If the card is overheating, it is very likely damaged beyond repair by now. It might not be, so if at all possible, check it in another PC - or prepare to spend a LOT of time figuring out if it's dead or something else is wrong.

Before you follow the advice in my first post, do the following:

1. Make sure AA is turned off, both in your card config & in your games. Reset your card to the default clock-speed. Reboot. Check if it works now.

2. Shut down your machine. Open your computer & unmount your card. Check nothing's obstructing the fan(s) & if needed, CAREFULLY vacuum your card & the PC guts. Mount the card again & check if it's working.

3. Monitor the temperature of the various parts in your machine. The glitch you're having is almost always caused by a severely overheating GPU, but can be caused by overheating in general. Gently touch the backside of your video card after ~5 mins up time. It'll be obvious if it's too hot.

4. Follow the advice in my first post.

If the card is overheating, it is very likely damaged beyond repair by now. It might not be, so if at all possible, check it in another PC - or prepare to spend a LOT of time figuring out if it's dead or something else is wrong.
Thanks, I'll try that. *goes off to*

Thanks, I'll try that. *goes off to*If you need help with this later, feel free to TG me.

You might also want to try Driver Cleaner (http://www.drivercleaner.net/professional.html). A tool which removes old display drivers from your system.

I had trouble with old drivers once and this one fixed it for me.

Looks like the Windows DirectX and OpenGL drivers have been corrupted which manifests itself when games run.

Looks like the Windows DirectX and OpenGL drivers have been corrupted which manifests itself when games run.
Um... in english how screwed am I? Because as far as I can tell if the other guy is right I am totally screwed, and this doesn't sound peachy either.

I'm just going to hug my Mac...

Um... in english how screwed am I? Because as far as I can tell if the other guy is right I am totally screwed, and this doesn't sound peachy either.

If your video drivers has a bad install, then that can be fixed and reinstalling DirectX sometimes fixes a few issues too. Both are linked to each other.

What video card do you have?

What video card do you have?
*looks at feet, mumbles* Nvidia Ge-force4 mx.

Um... in english how screwed am I? Because as far as I can tell if the other guy is right I am totally screwed, and this doesn't sound peachy either.Tough call. The DirectX and OpenGL drivers were the reason I mentioned WMP. It has a well known tendency to murder the drivers.

It may come down to re-installing WinXP, but removing all drivers from your system is normally enough to kill the problem - which is what my first post was all about.

*looks at feet, mumbles* Nvidia Ge-force4 mx.The good news is it's unlikely to be a heat issue then. Try the things in the first post I wrote & avoid WMP in the future.

*looks at feet, mumbles* Nvidia Ge-force4 mx.

Run dxdiag.exe from the command line. It's the DirectX diagnostic tool!

Here's a sample of what the result looks like

------------------
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 7/1/2006, 17:14:13
Machine name: SHINTARO
Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 1 (2600.xpsp1.020828-1920)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: System manufacturer
System Model: System name
BIOS: Phoenix - Award BIOS v6.00PG
Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 Processor 3200+, ~2.0GHz
Memory: 1022MB RAM
Page File: 251MB used, 2207MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DX Setup Parameters: None
DxDiag Version: 5.03.0001.0904 32bit Unicode

------------
DxDiag Notes
------------
DirectX Files Tab: No problems found.
Display Tab 1: No problems found.
Sound Tab 1: No problems found.
Sound Tab 2: No problems found.
Music Tab: No problems found.
Input Tab: No problems found.
Network Tab: No problems found.

--------------------
DirectX Debug Levels
--------------------
Direct3D: 0/4 (n/a)
DirectDraw: 0/4 (retail)
DirectInput: 0/5 (n/a)
DirectMusic: 0/5 (n/a)
DirectPlay: 0/9 (retail)
DirectSound: 0/5 (retail)
DirectShow: 0/6 (retail)

<more here but you know>

Diract X 3D 8 and 9 looked fucked up. What should have been the logo was a nonsensical pattern. Considering that 7 worked fine, something tells me this is my problem.

You aint ever had driver problems till you have had linux driver problems
Lol