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DOS Video Driver


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#1
911pchelp

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My son is trying to install WIN 2000 on his Compacq laptop - the3 driver us: ATI RAGE LT PRO - AGP 2x

does anyone know what website to download from?

he downloaded a WIN version, but that didnt help ... when he boots to DOS, pre-Win 2000 install (so he doesn't have any windows installed), the screen is bunched in the top half (? or top third) of the monitor. He can decipher the error msg (only the top halves of the letters show - basically it says there is something wrong with the VGA driver). He thinks the driver he has is corrupted - but still runs somewhat. Is that reasonable? Or does it mean there are some BIOS settings wrong.

I'm not sure but is the driver on the boot disk (a 3 /2)?
ds it before winows runs
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#2
shard92

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Has he tried booting from the windows 2000 cd? That would be my suggestion. Technically he shouldn't need any driver until he gets to something more than just text..... even then he should be able to get to windows with a generic vga driver... It'll look like crap till you get the actual driver but you should at least be able to get to the desktop.... unless it is something so old that it's just not compatible or something so new that it isn't... you did say it's a rage pro so that should be fine..... you might want to try going to the bios and setting it to defaults to make sure it's not something there though....
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#3
k9dog

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You got me a bit confused here! Are you having problems booting the windows 2000 CD? (or the floppies that you can make if CD can't boot).

How far do you get in the installation process?

Well if it is a harddisk problem (problem with booting after copying files to harddisk) you can probably get it from www.hp.com (you will need to make a HD controller driver disk (should either have come the machine or not be required .. Windows knows this controller is my guess, so it should not be a problem).

If it is a graphics driver problem. You should be able to get quite far without anything. Only requires standard SVGA that all computers (gfx.cards) have... After installation you might need to press F8 to start up in VGA and install driver manually... Those drivers you should be able to get from www.ati.com (Under Drivers&Software -> Windows 2000 Drivers and Software -> RAGE .. well rest is kinda straight forward)

I think the Compaq configuratiion is badly supported in DOS .. I can't explain the error you get but I think the problem with the top half could be more due to the workings of the notebook than an actual error (provided it is readable).

Graphics drivers are normally installed after you get the Windows up and running in some standard driver scenario (unlike harddisk controller issues) ... I have seen situations where you need to use F8 but in most cases you wont need it - but it might be the way .. otherwise try to see if you can start in safe mode after the reboot that follows the country settings and copy process (again the F8 is pressed during boot).
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#4
frontsidelockslide

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i am having the same problem. Every one has told me similar things as the other guys, but this is NOT the case. See, the video card has a BIOS just like the system BIOS. Proly what happened is that you got the wrng drivers and after install, they corrupted the video Bios. The video Bios runs between the initiall turn on and before th eOS, this is the part where you are having problems, (because so am I ) I have the EXACT same problem on the EXACT same display card. The thing is I have searched everywhere (thats how I got here) to find dos based adapters for this card so I can run them after I boot into Dos. BUT I CANT .

You (and I) need Dos based drivers to run to flash the old video bios (if Possible, which I dont know if it is)

Can anyone help instead of just speculate ???? (sorry but this is frustrating when everyone tells you the same thing you KNOW is wrong ) :whistling: :blink: :help: :) :rofl:

TO THE REST READING THIS :
The Bios (system bios) loads fine, if you hit f12 the bios loads and uses the whole screen, but between system bios and OS load, the screen is garbled where the display is crunched in half the screen and the lines overlap each other.

Since he was in the middle of install, (I assume) there is no OS anymore, he needs video drivers inb DOS to rattify this, HELP HELP HELP
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#5
shard92

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i am having the same problem. Every one has told me similar things as the other guys, but this is NOT the case. See, the video card has a BIOS just like the system BIOS. Proly what happened is that you got the wrng drivers and after install, they corrupted the video Bios. The video Bios runs between the initiall turn on and before th eOS, this is the part where you are having problems, (because so am I ) I have the EXACT same problem on the EXACT same display card. The thing is I have searched everywhere (thats how I got here) to find dos based adapters for this card so I can run them after I boot into Dos. BUT I CANT .

You (and I) need Dos based drivers to run to flash the old video bios (if Possible, which I dont know if it is)

Can anyone help instead of just speculate ???? (sorry but this is frustrating when everyone tells you the same thing you KNOW is wrong ) :whistling: :blink: :help: :) :rofl:

TO THE REST READING THIS :
The Bios (system bios) loads fine, if you hit f12 the bios loads and uses the whole screen, but between system bios and OS load, the screen is garbled where the display is crunched in half the screen and the lines overlap each other.

Since he was in the middle of install, (I assume) there is no OS anymore, he needs video drivers inb DOS to rattify this, HELP HELP HELP


again I've never seen a video driver to get txt in dos. maybe your card is bad or it isn't very compatible with the monitor you are using. I've been working with computers since the late 80's and have never had to load dos drivers for text. I've also never seen a driver mess up the bios of a card either... since you know what the problem is though maybe you should try ati's website and see if they can help you./
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#6
acklan

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I have to agree. In DOS mode you will only have EGA\CGA\VGA mode to choose from. Exceplt for specialized application video cards do not have DOS based drivers written for them.
If you are running Windows 2000 your are at a command line not DOS. NT does not have DOS as an under lying system. That was only in 3.x, 9x, and ME based systems.
NT, W2k, W2003. and XP do not utilize DOS at all.
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#7
frontsidelockslide

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Ok, I see ... well, the problem remains. When I try to install new OS, I cant do anything cause the VGA adapter failed to initialize or something .... dont know what to do .

Whatever it is, Running Windows installer doesn't seem to fix it

Sorry about the mixup earlier ...
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#8
acklan

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Could you please post the Make (OK it 's a Compaq), model, processor, amount of RAM, the BIOS version (found in the BIOS), Windows version & service pack and build (if available).
ave you going to the Compaq site to see if there is a more current BIOS update that may address this issue?
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#9
SRX660

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I think this is the correct driver for the compaq system.

http://members.drive...?driverid=54931

This driver was used in a Compaq Presario 1675 notebook with the ATI rage Pro 2X AGP.

http://home.comcast....5_Notebook.html

I hope this helps.

SRX660
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#10
row1234

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I have come to this forum because of the same problem 911pchelp had, my text on my black screen is cut in half and I am unable to read it, my bios has 1 long and to short beeps. I have no os and I am trying to install win 98se. I can get into the bios which I can read perfectly and reset it.
Is this a driver problem, bios problem or has the video adapter on the mother board failed.
Is there anyhing I can do to fix the computer driver wise.
would i be possible to down load a driver and install it with no os and not being able to read the screen.
I have a compaq presario 1690 laptop.
Any help would be appreciated
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