UGH!- Nividia graphics/Vista-need help

[dexter72209]

If any of you are more tech savy than myself I'm up(begging actually) for suggestions, here is what is happening and why I have almost pulled out what little hair I have left 😀 . First off here are my system specs:

Intel q6600 Core 2 Quad
8GB G Skill Pi Black DDR2 800 RAM (PC 6400 )
Asus P5N-D Motherboard
700W Rocketfish PSU
Nvidia 9800 GTX+ 1GB Factory OC
1TB ST31000340AS Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 HDD
Windows Vista Home Premium 64 bit OS SP1

Here is what has been going on, the P5N-D mobo is new to this machine, so I install it Monday afternoon, (flash the newest BIOS,move the jumpers on the mobo and clear the CMOS), format the hard drive and take off, Windows installs no problem, reboot, I install the drivers for my motherboard/chipset, reboot, no problems. Next I move on to the GPU drivers since windows is only recognizing it as an 8MB generic VGA adapter at this point, as soon as I go to reboot after the GPU drivers install the system slows down and I either get just a black screen after the Windows bar scrolls af few times or sometimes I even make it to the Welcome screen before it locks up and eventually BSOD's with a Windows error, but it is recognizing the GPU at this point b/c the resolution is much higher b/c instead of giant fonts, everything is back to like it was before this madness. I can then boot from my CD, restore Windows to before I installed the driver for the GPU and it boots and everything is back to resolutions like my grandfather would like so he could see. Here is a list of things I have done and already tried so I dont waste anyones time:

1. I have tried using some older nVidia drivers after scrubbing the new one off.

2. I ran a Windows mem test with no errors.

3. I put Artic Silver on the CPU before installing my Freezer Pro 7

4. Tried using Windows repair from the CD and it tells me some nonsense about a camera etc.. being installed on the system?? (There is none)

5. Popped the card in my old set up to make sure it didnt flake out.

6. Checked my BIOS settings over and over

 

[pat mcgroin]

I would suggest looking into the power supply and see if it is able to work with the card. It is the amperage that makes more of a difference with the card than the wattage.
I am running the 8800gtx and the power reqs. should be similar

http://nvidia.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/nvidia.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=2003&p_created=1166607492&p_sid=dfMthm_i&p_accessibility=0&p_redirect=&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9MTUsMTUmcF9wcm9kcz0yJnBfY2F0cz01OCZwX3B2PT

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/nvidia-geforce-9800gtx-review,1800-12.html

Also You didnt mention the brand of the card. Though it shouldnt matter, maybe the manufacture has specific drivers for that card.

One last thing would be to try to underclock the card slightly and see if that helps in any way.

I hope this is in some way helpful.

 

[dexter72209]

The card is a BFG Tech btw, and yes the PSU has enough amps on the 12V rail for the card, I was running it on my old mobo with the same PSU for the last year or so with the same RAM etc..., thanks for the underclock suggestion, I havent tried that yet.

 

[leon2006]

The power supply you are using is not one of those recommended. Consider getting a better brand such as Antec , Corsair..etc.

Below is the path for the review of the supply you have.

http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/556/10


Here's a good reference for power review/evaluation:

http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Review_Cat&recatnum=13

 

[Mousemonkey]

Best answer selected by mousemonkey.

 

[Mousemonkey]

This topic has been closed by Mousemonkey