God-Tier Sevenforums fellas, I needs help

[Hugo Stiglitz]

Hate to have this be my first post here, but I was directed here by several people and told that if I could get help anywhere, it would be here! So here goes...

Ok, so I'm a cable installer, and I got this computer for free from a customer a few months ago, it's an Acer Aspire M5100 desktop. Motherboard is an Acer F690GVM.

Acer Support: Invalid URL

It's hardly used, she almost never turned it on, and I'm going to use it as just an internet/photoshop/media machine in my office. It originally had Vista on it, so I wiped the HD and put Windows 7 on it.

I installed a GeForce GT610 GPU with a Thermaltake 430W PSU, and 4GB of RAM. Windows 7 installed just fine, but I have 2 problems at the moment I can't figure out.

The video card gives a Code 43 (Windows has stopped this device because it reported problems). I've installed the Windows 7 drivers for it, and it won't work. The device manager sees the video card, but no correct resolutions are available, and it's not working properly.

The other problem is ethernet, I can't figure out, either. I have the most recent Windows 7 drivers for it installed, too, but I can't get internet on the computer. Windows is telling me that it does not have a valid IP configuration. In the device manager, the network adapter is listed as "The device is working properly".

In my Googlings, many people have installed Windows 7 on this machine with little to no issues, and these seem to be the only 2 major ones I have right now. I can get into the BIOS and fiddle with a few things, but I have little experience beyond simple things like changing boot order and what not.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[theog]

1) Replace the video card.

2) Use the your Internet Providers install CD to get on line.

 

[Hugo Stiglitz]

Would it be possible to please get a bit more detail on #1? Do I have a bad video card out of the box?

And #2, we don't have an "install CD" with our ISP.

 

[Solarstarshines]

step one

If your video card is bad and you have onboard graphics take the card out

step two you don't need your ISP install cd if you already have a hardline internet set up with modem and router just plug a eithernet cable from the router to the pc you will have access

now after all is well if you get it going the video card is very weak anyway and you could probably find something $ 50 bucks that would be alot better

 

[Hugo Stiglitz]

The on-board graphics of that mobo aren't supported by Windows 7, but I removed the card anyway, I'm going to exchange it for something different and try that.

I've tried 2 different cables from 2 different ports on the router into the ethernet port, and still no valid IP configuration.

 

[Solarstarshines]

you went in the bios before correct did you check the lan support

also if you already have a connection already formed it might be a bad eithernet port on the card in the pc that isn't allowing the process might not even be the video card

you got a picture and all if im correct with the card i wondering if you remove the eithernet adapter and try a wireless usb and see what happens it might not be valid because the part is no good or damaged

 

[Pauly]

Just wondering why the lady gave it away in the first place, was it working when it had vista on it ?

 

[Hugo Stiglitz]

Yes, it was working. She only got rid of it because she got a laptop, and no longer wanted the desktop. I tried it before I took it home.

 

[Hugo Stiglitz]

Well here's something interesting, I removed the GPU and returned it, and exchanged it for the same model (1GB instead of 2GB), a PNY instead of the EVGA, and the computer immediately recognized the PNY card and installed the drivers for it, (which did not happen with the EVGA card)but upon restart, I still have the same Code 34 error. What gives?

I should add, I am plugged into the new video card over VGA. I get picture plugged into the new card. If I plug into the on-board VGA, I get no video. The new card is functioning, just not properly, and I am totally stumped by this.

 

[Pauly]

Its normal for the onboard video to go off when you install dedicated card, generally its one or the other, have you checked bios settings? normally you can tell bios which gfx output you would prefer to use and the system will go to that one first rather than checking multiple outputs and auto selecting although im not familiar with your bios

 

[Hugo Stiglitz]

I'm re-installing Windows again, I think I've reached the limit of what I can do from inside the current install of the OS.

 

[Hugo Stiglitz]

Still nothing on either front. Re-installed Windows, and I still get the Code 34 error on the graphics card, and no internet.

I do not understand this one bit.

 

[gregrocker]

Was it connecting at the lady's house? Try an ethernet cable plugged into modem. Win7 should have that driver in the installer or DriverStore. Make sure you followed the steps for handling drivers in Win7 given in Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7.

If not you'll need to find the correct driver for your network device, on the maker's Support Downloads webpage or by tracing it if necessary using Hardware Identification.

Once you get online Win7 will deliver a driver for your display card that it wants.

 

[Hugo Stiglitz]

My modem/router are one unit. And yes, it was connecting via ethernet previously at the customer's house.

 

[King Arthur]

Is your router DHCP-enabled and handing out IPs automatically to computers on your LAN? And is Windows picking that DHCP info up and automatically configuring IP and other such settings appropriately? Or are you manually setting up the networking settings for each computer?

Sounds to me like Windows sees and can use your NIC, it just doesn't have a clue what your network settings are OR the info Windows does have is incorrect.

 

[gregrocker]

Tech support for your gateway is included in your monthly DSL bill so I'd have them figure out why it won't connect. This is all automated in Win7 but if settings have been jimmied on the gateway then even a fully automated OS might not be able to connect.

90% of users are online after install if plugged in by wire. The other 9.99% only need to provide the driver.

 

[Hugo Stiglitz]

Is your router DHCP-enabled and handing out IPs automatically to computers on your LAN? And is Windows picking that DHCP info up and automatically configuring IP and other such settings appropriately? Or are you manually setting up the networking settings for each computer?

Sounds to me like Windows sees and can use your NIC, it just doesn't have a clue what your network settings are OR the info Windows does have is incorrect.

Everything is set to detect automatically, I am not manually configuring any of the DHCP settings or any others.

Any other necessary bits of information that we might need here?