TECH Can't update video card

[reel]

So I have an nVidia 8800 GTX graphics card but for some reason i can't update the driver. It is currently using a nov-2007 driver, which is before i even got the computer. When i try to install the graphics driver it always gives me some error and uninstalls my current driver and i have to re-install the driver, which is the nov-2007 driver, by going through the device manager in windows. I tried to download an older driver than the current one but i get a similar problem.
The device manager only seems to update to the nov-2007 driver.

I'm running windows xp 64-bit
nvidia Geforce 8800 GTX
4 GB ram

Any ideas as to what's wrong? Thanks

 

[DAN513]

what error are you getting?

 

[reel]

It doesn't give me a specific error, but during the install screen it switches to this

That's the only error message I get. No other information is given

 

[Stilgar1973]

1. The drivers you need are here: http://www.nvidia.com/object/win7-winvista-64bit-266.58-whql-driver.html
I don't know why you are insisting on using insanely old drivers. I suppose I can think of a few reasons.... but the reality is that you always want to use the newest drivers you can find.

2. Before you install those new drivers you need to uninstall the old ones.
Here is Nvidia's answer to uninstalling old drivers:
http://www.nvidia.com/object/IO_13955.html

 

[reel]

I don't insist on using the old drivers, it's just that i can never update my driver. Every time i've tried, i always get the same problem. I uninstalled the old driver and i've been trying to install the newest one (The same one you linked me to), but i get the error screen above.

I didn't use your exact link, i used the one for Windows XP 64-bit

 

[Stilgar1973]

I don't insist on using the old drivers, it's just that i can never update my driver. Every time i've tried, i always get the same problem. I uninstalled the old driver and i've been trying to install the newest one (The same one you linked me to), but i get the error screen above.

I didn't use your exact link, i used the one for Windows XP 64-bit

My apologies. I had it in my head it you were using W7.

I have you covered.

Do the following and it should work.

1. Uninstall all Nvidia applications from the control panel. There may be as many as 3 or as few as one. uninstall them all with the actual graphics drivers being last.
2. Reboot into Safe Mode. Do this by tapping on the F8 key as you see the BIOS finish recognizing the hard drives. Continue tapping till you see the screen asking if you want to boot into safe mode.
3. Do a search in the Windows\Systems32 AND Windows\System32\Drivers directory for NV*.* and delete everything it returns.
~note: you are doing this from safe mode because Windows maybe holding onto some of these files during its normal uninstall process. Safe mode does not load 3rd party drivers, this frees up these files for you to delete.
4. Reboot into normal windows and install the recent drivers you downloaded.
~nother note: You are gonna reboot, Windows is going to recognize it has a device with no drivers and it is gonna do SOMETHING. It might simply say, 'this device has no drivers' and not do anything, it might ask you if you want to supply drivers or it might install whatever drivers it can find to install.
If it gives you the option to cancel the install you should. But if Windows decides it is gonna do what it is gonna do and doesn't give you a choice (and it very well might) don't freak out. Let it finish. Then go ahead and install your drivers. It will recognize your drivers are the correct ones and its drivers are old. DO NOT FREAK OUT.

If the above does not work then go to this link for farther reading:

http://www.tweakguides.com/NVFORCE_3.html

 

[Stilgar1973]

Update the thread if it doesn't work. I don't know what more help I can offer, but I will bang my head against the desk till I get a concussion or a clue.

 

[reel]

Update the thread if it doesn't work. I don't know what more help I can offer, but I will bang my head against the desk till I get a concussion or a clue.

haha, thanks for your dedication.
Before i start uninstalling things, i just want to check something real quick
Under the Add/ Remove programs
I have nVidia Drivers, and it gives me three options
1) Remove all NVIDIA drivers, including Display
2) Remove all NVIDIA drivers, except Display
3) Remove only the following
a. NVIDIA Display Driver
b. NVIDIA Ethernet Driver Components
c. NVIDIA IDE Driver
d. NVIDIA nFOrce PCI System Management Driver

Should I go with option 1?

 

[Stilgar1973]

haha, thanks for your dedication.
Before i start uninstalling things, i just want to check something real quick
Under the Add/ Remove programs
I have nVidia Drivers, and it gives me three options
1) Remove all NVIDIA drivers, including Display
2) Remove all NVIDIA drivers, except Display
3) Remove only the following
a. NVIDIA Display Driver
b. NVIDIA Ethernet Driver Components
c. NVIDIA IDE Driver
d. NVIDIA nFOrce PCI System Management Driver

Should I go with option 1?

Give me a couple of minutes to give you a proper step by step post again. I am looking up something on Nvidia's site. I don't want you doing anything you will regret....

 

[Stilgar1973]

What is your mobo?

What I think needs to be done:
You need to remove EVERYTHING nvidia related and reinstall.

What I am afraid is gonna happen:
You are going to remove your LAN drivers and be unable to hit the net after rebooting.

How to fix this: Be certain that you have everything you need BEFORE you remove EVERYTHING NVIDIA related.

Why is this important?
It is clear that when you uninstall your video drivers something is sitting behind and getting reinstalled upon the reboot. That thing - whatever it is - needs to be deleted.

I am going to change my recommendation just a bit.

1) when it asks if you want to remove choose 3A.
reboot into safe mode AND ONLY DELETE THE FOLLOWING FILE: nv4_disp.dll
You should be able to find it in Windows/System32 folder.

Reboot and install the new driver.

If this doesn't work.
You need to do some research on your mobo. Find out EXACTLY what version of nforce is on it.

The easiest way to find out what mobo you have is to use the pause/break key during the initial BIOS boot. You should see something there cluing you in on what it is. You might have to do some detective work via Google to nail it down. Don't sweat revision numbers.

Once you nail down the mobo go to the manufacturers website and downlaod the latest drivers for your specific mobo from there.

 

[Stilgar1973]

Note: deleteing nv4_disp.dll is a no risk thing. You should absolutely try that before worrying about what your mobo is. I jumped the gun just a tad by getting into that with the mobo.

The bottom line really, truly is this.
There is a very good chance that deleting nv4_disp.dll will work and be the end of it.
If it isn't then you do need to delete and reinstall all the nvidia drivers.
If you go to the mobo manufacturers website and download all the latest drivers for your board from there website then you are protected from accidently deleting your LAN drivers and being unable to get to the net to download whatever else you deleted.

If you can pin down what version of nforce you have on the mobo you can also update that, it won't hurt anything to update that.

 

[reel]

Note: deleteing nv4_disp.dll is a no risk thing. You should absolutely try that before worrying about what your mobo is. I jumped the gun just a tad by getting into that with the mobo.

The bottom line really, truly is this.
There is a very good chance that deleting nv4_disp.dll will work and be the end of it.
If it isn't then you do need to delete and reinstall all the nvidia drivers.
If you go to the mobo manufacturers website and download all the latest drivers for your board from there website then you are protected from accidently deleting your LAN drivers and being unable to get to the net to download whatever else you deleted.

If you can pin down what version of nforce you have on the mobo you can also update that, it won't hurt anything to update that.

well, i really appreciate your help, but i jumped the gun and i deleted everything, and yes i did lose my ethernet. And when i tried to install the driver like you said in your first post, i had the same error as before.

I wish i had waited to see your post but I had to be somewhere , so i went ahead and tried it.

What I ended up doing, but was really hoping i could avoid, was dropping my computer off at a friends house who has helped me fix a similar issue before. He said that there is probably some capability issue with my computer. So once i get my computer back with the internet and probably the graphics issue not resolved, i'll switch to windows 7.
Again, i really appreciate your help. I had a lot of compatibility issues with this computer before, maybe it's because it's 64 bit, may not, maybe just my incompetence.

I'm sorry we weren't able to solve this, but please don't beat your head too badly.

 

[Stilgar1973]

I think the issue is the nforce drivers hosing you up.

I need to be careful when I give people advice. I am used to being able to be like, 'Oh look I blew the LAN away. Shucks.' and turn on my laptop and log into the wireless and recover those drivers without breaking a sweat.
The days of, 'HOLY SHIT I BLEW AWAY THE LAN!' and realizing it is a Sunday, and no one is home, and I have to wait till Tuesday to download the drivers .... been there, done that. But it has been ages for me and sometimes I forget that the person on the other side of the monitor may in fact be in that scenario.

 

[reel]

I think the issue is the nforce drivers hosing you up.

I need to be careful when I give people advice. I am used to being able to be like, 'Oh look I blew the LAN away. Shucks.' and turn on my laptop and log into the wireless and recover those drivers without breaking a sweat.
The days of, 'HOLY SHIT I BLEW AWAY THE LAN!' and realizing it is a Sunday, and no one is home, and I have to wait till Tuesday to download the drivers .... been there, done that. But it has been ages for me and sometimes I forget that the person on the other side of the monitor may in fact be in that scenario.

i know what you mean. When i was in college i would be fearless to mess with my computer because there were so many people around me who could fix my problems. now i'm afraid to install updates in case anything goes wrong. I'm not terrible with computers, but if i lose the internet, i have no idea what to do. But at least you tried to help me, better than no response at all

Also, it's really difficult to help diagnose and fix a computer problem when you don't have the computer in front of you.