Win98SE:Multi Monitor-FreezeUp on "Setting" click

[TomCologne]

Video card/driver conflict?

My experience with the tek-tips Access forum tells me that chances for real help are so much better here than on most sites of the manufacturers who are selling the problems along with their products:

The main video card is a "Ati All in Wonder Rage128 Pro" (AGP, 64MB), secondary a generic CompUSA "SiS 300" (PCI, 32MB), primary monitor Flat Panel LCD, secondary CRT Compaq 171 FS.

The 2nd monitor is detected and displays the "To enable..."message, but just clicking the "Settings" tab on the "Display" control results in instant and complete freeze up= Reset button. All other tabs are ok.

After countless un-& reinstalls & restarts and >Swedish< Scandisks, moving the card to a different slot,etc... I've run out of ideas.

Since we're all in this together, I'd greatly appreciate your advice,

TomCologne

&quot;Make the appropriate changes&quot; (*MS Readme)

 

[Win98User]

It would appear to me to be an IRQ problem, ACPI can help resolve those issues. I would also suggest that as PCI 1 slot and AGP usually share the same IRQ, that you don't have the pci card in that slot (ideally keep it free).

1. Make a backup of your system.
2. Make sure that you have the drivers for the individual monitors installed - it helps.
2.1 go to settings, control panel, system, device manager, monitors.
2.2 click properties to update with the appropriate drivers - if you have it on a disk remember to select DIsplay the list...and select &quot;have disk&quot;, searching for the driver usually confuses matters.
3. The next thing I would suggest is enabling ACPI to install ACPI IRQ Steering(if not already done).
3.1 Check in the settings, control panel, system,system devices for any ACPI entries if there are none it needs installing.
3.1.1 You may have to enter the BIOS to enable ACPI as the first step - check your motherboard manual etc.
3.2 If you're lucky you will be able to install ACPI by settings, control panel, add new hardware - do the windows search - it should come up with a list of items to install, if it doesn't you are out of luck.

Let us know if it worked - I am only second guessing what you might not have tried, regards.

 

[TomCologne]

Thanks a lot for your response, I'll get back to you later, my wife just gave me the I'll be waiting in the car&quot; flag!

Later,

TomCologne

 

[TomCologne]

Here's the follow up:
-The BIOS settings & ACPI were ok.
-Reinstallation of Ati's Multimedia Center & Display drivers, PCI card removed.
-Then I placed that card into Slot1, SiS software already installed, but I still ended up pushing the Reset button.The monitor had been detected by the HardwareWiz, by the way. By that time I was ready to get my Cold Boot Hammer out of the garage.
To cut it short, at some point after switching the monitors I forgot to reconnect the secondary Compaq. I had just uninstalled the SiS software, removed the monitor & card from the Device tab and that worked. At the restart the wiz installed the generic adapter + monitor, then I upgraded the display driver by installing the compact option, had Windows tell me about connecting a monitor, driver from list...what was my problem?

As the unintentionally unplugged monitor and the installing from standard adapter ocurred in the same step, I can only guess what exactly caused the problem, but my gut feeling says monitor. And since Microsoft taught me sort of a Zen Holistic view, I shall remain enjoying the increased space without questioning any further.

Win98User, thanks again for your help, this hopefully made a little sense.

'til then,

TomCologne