Odd monitor behavior since Windows 7 64-bit install.

[GARoss]

My PC is a dual boot Win7 64-bit & Ubuntu 10.04 LTS 64-bit. No graphic issues on Ubuntu side. I did a clean install of Windows 7 64-bit (upgrade from XP Home 32-bit), Intel Core2 2.40mhz & 4gb RAM. Motherboard is a Intel DG965RY bios v1755. The graphic card is nVidia 6800GT (256mb) & all drivers are updated. Monitor is 24" Dell & no other monitors on this PC.

From the first boot after install, the screen goes black when doing an update or working with multiple windows; only the windows are visible - everything else on the screen is blacked out. If I grab the window & reposition to another area of of the screen, graphics re-appear in areas where the window was moved over. If I do the entire screen, everything restores.

Is this normal behavior? How can I trouble shoot this?

 

[Night Hawk]

Welcome to the Seven Forums! GARoss

I often see the screen go entirely black for a matter of seconds when updating the Catalyst version on the 64bit 7 here. That's when the ATI driven card is seeing a fresh detection during the install process. To be seeing this continue however you may have only seen a partial incomplete installation or have gone with a "too new" update for the older series card you have there.

Too new means that model line is no longer seeing active support or you went with an update simply intended for the later model series resulting in unsuitable drivers. In either case you may want to look up an older version for the model you have and perform a fresh install of that once the present driver set and Desktop manager are uninstalled.

 

[Lemur]

In case it was made by another mfg (pny, msi), I would get the drivers from them. Did you check the refresh rate? What if you drop the monitor rez down?

 

[GARoss]

Thanks for the replies. There are 2 refresh rates; 59 & 60hz. And, MSI is the maker but does not support drivers for (NX6800GT-T2D256E) older cards.

I do, however, have the latest nVidia driver installed, v258.96. As this is a new Win7 install, I'm not sure what driver was originally installed; nVidia or MS generic. It hadn't occurred to me to go back a few versions which might be worth a try. Windows 7 hasn't been out a year yet so which one?

Also, I checked my monitor driver & it is MS generic. Apparently Dell, like MSI, doesn't support older models (Dell 2405FPW) for Win7 or Vista either. They do offer a new driver for the model that replaced mine for Win7.

I wonder if Dell's newer model driver would clash? It's for Win7 32 & 64bit. What could be so different not to work? And, I can try older nVidia video drivers, too. Also, maybe it's time for a newer card.

Where to start?

 

[Lemur]

MSI does have an experimental 64-bit driver for NX6800GT-T2D256E. You might get it to work with XP compatible mode. Otherwise, I don't think the video card is appropriate for win 7 64-bit.

 

[Night Hawk]

Forget trying to quote the results found at nvidia.com when looking the model up there! NVIDIA DRIVERS 258.96 WHQL

That lists 258.96 and released in July for the 64bit Vista/7. That also supports the newer lines apparently from the information there. As far as refresh rates Windows would typically use the 60htz not 59htz or higher at 75.

 

[TVeblen]

Don't sweat the 59Hz refresh rate.
http://www.sevenforums.com/graphic-cards/108557-59hz-instead-60hz.html
It's "normal"!

 

[GARoss]

MSI does have an experimental 64-bit driver for NX6800GT-T2D256E. You might get it to work with XP compatible mode. Otherwise, I don't think the video card is appropriate for win 7 64-bit.

I did try an older driver but it seems when I have several windows open things lock-up.

Windows has a scoring system to rate hardware performance. My PC does well, 5.5-5.9 out of a possible 7.9, until it gets to graphics. The score drops anywhere from 1 to 3.2 depending on the 3D settings. And the system self diagnostics had several warnings about having too many windows open.

My motherboard is an Intel DG965RY which features - from the manual...

Intel® G965 Express Chipset with Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator
X3000 (Intel® GMA X3000)
One PCI Express* x16 connector supporting PCI Express graphics
cards

Does this mean I can only replace the video card with a PCI Express x16?

 

[Lemur]

MSI does have an experimental 64-bit driver for NX6800GT-T2D256E. You might get it to work with XP compatible mode. Otherwise, I don't think the video card is appropriate for win 7 64-bit.

Does this mean I can only replace the video card with a PCI Express x16?

If you can't get the card to work with new drivers, old drivers, and compat mode, the you may have to bite the bullet and get a new card. Sorry.

 

[GARoss]

MSI does have an experimental 64-bit driver for NX6800GT-T2D256E. You might get it to work with XP compatible mode. Otherwise, I don't think the video card is appropriate for win 7 64-bit.

Does this mean I can only replace the video card with a PCI Express x16?

If you can't get the card to work with new drivers, old drivers, and compat mode, the you may have to bite the bullet and get a new card. Sorry.

Thanks. I guess I've accepted that fact but I want to be sure I get the right type of card. So, can I use any PCI-E card? I guess I'm not getting if there's an important difference between PCI Express, PCI Express x16 & PCI Express 2. The motherboard only states PCI Express x16. And, I'm assuming a card faster than 256mbs which is what the 6800GT is.
Thanks

 

[Lemur]

At least 512MB, which is memory, not speed. Don't know what your budget is.

 

[Solarstarshines]

if you're looking for a new card ovr 256 mb im sure nvida has a few with in price range that will get you to where you need to be

you have the 9400gt 9600gt and if you want to go bigget badder gtx models or gts would be more your alley more power and less of a wallet grabber any of those cards will do all pci express x16

 

[Solarstarshines]

At least 512MB, which is memory, not speed. Don't know what your budget is.

pretty much the price range says it all but keep in mind upgrading is contageous upgrading the card will eventually get you to update you're rig too

Good luck and happy card hunting

 

[GARoss]

At least 512MB, which is memory, not speed. Don't know what your budget is.

$100 or less.

 

[Lemur]

VisionTek 900181 Radeon HD 2600PRO 512MB 128-bit GDDR2 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card

$115

 

[GARoss]

Per suggestions, I purchased & installed a new graphics card (Gigabyte HD 5670). This solved the issue - no more jitters or hesitation with my 3D graphics!

 

[Solarstarshines]

@GAross im glad you've solved the issue and a very nice card at that i might add i actually had a hd5670 as my first card on my new system but opted to turn it in and get a hd 5770

Im sure you will be glad with the performance and speed you can also oc it with the ati overdrive but be carefull when tuning the card im sure you can get max performance and set the fan to about 70% assure you optimal performance and not to much noise as well cause in gaming etc proper cooling and fan control will keep you alive and well

Anyways enjoy you're new toy

 

[GARoss]

@GAross im glad you've solved the issue and a very nice card at that i might add i actually had a hd5670 as my first card on my new system but opted to turn it in and get a hd 5770

Im sure you will be glad with the performance and speed you can also oc it with the ati overdrive but be carefull when tuning the card im sure you can get max performance and set the fan to about 70% assure you optimal performance and not to much noise as well cause in gaming etc proper cooling and fan control will keep you alive and well

Anyways enjoy you're new toy

More great advice! And, better than the advice I received from Microsoft support recently. Their advice was that a new card wouldn't help, that the issue was my software having issues (& being pre-Vista) with Win 7 64bit. New software was their advice or possibly re-installing with Win 7 32bit. Well, I wouldn't have upped to Win 7 for 32bit.

I loaded many of the 3D files that were causing issues to test the new card. Nothing locked up; no hesitation whatsoever. Before I couldn't run these with a small preview screen. Now, full screen HD (1920x1080) with several other windows open - it's flawless. This would of jammed the old card; locking the screen up for several minutes until it caught up. While it may not be state of the art for 3D gaming, it fills my needs & that's all I was asking it to do.

The future is 64bit; even if it takes a while for everything to catch up. Years ago I wanted to upgrade to Vista 64bit but with so many complaints, I waited. I didn't want to step backwards by re-installing Win 32bit.

Thanks. You guys are the best!

 

[Solarstarshines]

no problem and that card will get you by most new titles direct x 11 compatible

 

[Night Hawk]

While the trend for the 64bit OS is expected I wouldn't knock the 32bit 7 too fast! That's proved itself to be superior to any past version and was found to be far more backward compatible then Vista was from the start.

While new build was down here for a bit I ran a temp install of the 32bit on an old single core job seeing a 128mb AGP 4x card and onboard sound all XP drivers note. Everything worked drivers included on the fast 7 install there! No Vista drivers available for a system that old but the 32bit 7 ran it all just the same!

The move into the new card was the obvious need you had there and proved to be the working solution. Glad to hear you having great results!