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NT4 Driver Problem

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Dec 24, 2001
857
GB
Computer running Windows NT 4 SP5.

Users on this computer are able to do pretty much anything because its a 'process' PC which gets used over night and sometimes they need to install extra stuff etc. Anyway, only certain people know the logon for this, and one of them has somehow screwed up the graphics.

He set it too high and just applied without testing. Then he obviously couldn't see the screen. He called one of the on call IT people who told him to just button it, go into VGA mode and set the resolution back down. Anyway, he couldn't figure out how to do this so decided to leave it until the morning when IT would be in.

I went over and went into VGA mode and into display properties. The available resolutions were 640x480 or 800x600 with 16 colours. Straight away heres a problem because usually it has your adapter and lets you select the right resolution (usually 1024x768). Anyway, I just applied it at the lowest and booted into normal mode.

Then I decided to reinstall the drivers, but this had no effect...the graphics were still at a minimum.

Then I remembered I had a similar problem before where all I did was reapply the service pack to fix it. Tried this and it had no effect (can't go up to SP6a in case it effects any of the hardware\processes running etc...has done on other computers in the past).

The drivers I used were definately the right ones because I've used them on another computer of the same model, same OS and same SP and it was fine.

Next thing I tried was to put in a new graphics card in. Its a different make because I thought maybe the computer was having trouble reading ATI drivers (the first card is onboard and is ATI, this new one is PCI and Matrox).
Anyway, again I got the correct drivers which I know work, but again they had no effect.

Everytime after putting in new drivers, the display properties bring up a message saying something along the lines of Windows couldn't load your graphics card and has used a standard VGA driver instead. Then it prompts you to put the correct software in (brings up that window with all the choices of makes\models).

So...the problem seems to be that NT can no longer use new graphics drivers which are put in. All other hardware is fine e.g. sound, modem, NIC.
Has anyone come across a similar problem or got a fix?

Regards
 
How about loading SP6H first and then try the graphics card again and if this doesnt work , try replacing with a new card after having reloaded SP6H.
 
Can't put in a higher service pack than 5...it might screw something up. I've upgraded computers in the past thinking that SP6a will make them better, but in the end it just nacked them.

Regards
 
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