Standard VGA driver works but not manufacturers (nvidia)

[zer0ink]

My problem taken from another forum.

*Specs: 2.8 pen D, MSI 975X Platinum V2 motherboard, MSI , MSI GeForce 210 Graphics Card , 3 GB RAM

My problem: Standard VGA driver works great with Vista or Win 7 installed. As soon as I install Nvidia driver all i get is a black screen with the back light lit on the monitor. Zero windows screen.

Things i've swopped out with same results: Video cards, OS's, drive on CD with downloaded driver from Nvidia's site.

I know cross fire cant be done without ATI cards but a single nvidia card should work fine with it's manufacturer driver right?

But is only works with the Win 7 Standard VGA driver.

Two things i have yet to try. Plugging in two monitors booting with the nvidia driver & trying a ATI card.

Is it possible it's a hardware issue with the motherboard?

Thanks for any help you provide.
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* My specs

Intel Pentium D 820 @ 2.8Ghz

MSI 975X Platinum V2 motherboard (MSI MS-7246) (chipset i975X)

MSI NVidia 210 512Mb (using standard VGA Graphics adapter driver) (open CL not installed?)

Physical Memory 3072 Mb DDR2 Dual channel

2x Hard Disk WDC 40 GB Sata but not setup in Raid

1x dvd writer & 1x cd burner

Windows 7 Ultimate Professional 32bit

Bios Phoenix V7.7 date 10-08-2007

Direct X 10

UPdate: Tried dual monitors only one comes on and when proper driver used only one back light comes on

* What PSU? What are amps for +12V rail(s)?

* There are bugs in the latest Nvidia driver 196.21 indeed MSI Afterburner no longer works with it and some people in Win 7 reporting black screens. Check
* I was wrong about PSU

heres a pic of the psu specs

img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/zer0ink/CapturePSU dot png
* Tried the driver link from GXXX and still have the same result.

This video card and driver CD worked fine in my other computer.

Either the MOBO or the PSU

Please let me know what any of you think now that I have posted the right PSU

Only other thing I can think of is buy a Crossfire ready ATI card and try that.

* Try older drivers from the archive at nvidia.com, _195.62_whql.html
* I'm ruling out driver.

Ruling out video card

driver and card works in other computer

It's the MOBO or drivers to MOBO or bios configuring or needs ATI card.

Any suggestions?

[circuitmonkey]

are you able to boot into safe mode, if so give this tool a try:
http://www.guru3d.com/category/driversweeper/

I've had problems previously chopping and changing driver versions.
I now use this tool every time I update relevant system drivers

[zer0ink]

thanks cir monk

When i get home i will

i think not that the issue is driver based

thinking Hardware:MOBO or Software:Bios setting

[Pob255]

For windows 7 I seem to remember you don't want to install the nvidia drivers separately, but instead it will do it via windows update, which will find the correct drivers and install them off the internet.
However, before that you probably do want to boot into safemode and clean any driver crud with driversweeper first.

[scaryjim]

Sounds like a potential conflict between a PCIe 1.0 mobo and PCIe 2.0 card to me - I know some nvidia 9800 cards had problems in PCIe 1.0 boards and I wouldn't be surprised if this was a similar issue. I'm pretty sure someone else on Hexus had a similar problem recently but with an ATI PCIe 2 card in an older mobo...

MSI have BIOS updates up to version 7.9 (2008-03-11), but none of them mention PCIe... hmm. You could try the BIOS update anyway, I suppose...

If the card works without the driver but not with the driver then the driver must play some part in the problem. If it was a genuine mobo or BIOS problem the card just wouldn't work full stop. That would suggest that the nvidia driver enables some behaviour that isn't available with the VGA driver - Aero perhaps? *shrug* odd one, I hope you get it sorted.

[zer0ink]

Thanks POB ..tried that and it says i am using the best possible driver available or it'll say it cant find one.

Scareyjim..Ahhh now that sounds valid...MOBO is 2005 i think Anybody know what the PCI-e slot is? 1.0 or 2.0?

Video card is : Interface: PCI-E 2.0 x16

[circuitmonkey]

from msi website:
"Two PCI Express x16 slot. (supports PCI Express Bus specification v1.0a compliant)
- Supports into 2 x8 slot.
- Supports ATI® Crossfire™ technology."

[Pob255]

Download GPUZ
http://www.techpowerup.com/downloads...-Z_v0.3.8.html
That's a very handy utility that will give you information on you're graphics card (includeing what drivers you are currently running)

[zer0ink]

OK a 2.0 PCI-e in a v1.0a compliant MOBO

think this is the problem?

[scaryjim]

I don't know, tbh. The standard is *meant* to be backwardly compatible in both directions, so this shouldn't be an issue. However, as this article from softpedia says:

On the other side on the fence, many of Nvidia's GeForce 8800 GT-based graphics cards that come with PCI-Express 2.0 support, could not correctly work on Intel 925 chipset-based systems, although they should have been backwards compatible.

Now, that was 2 years ago, with GeForce 8 series cards and Intel's 925 chipset, so you'd hope any backward compatibility issues would've been solved by now, wouldn't you...

My only other thought is that it might be a compatibility problem with the latest NVidia graphics drivers and Vista / Windows 7's default drivers for the Intel 975X chipset - might be worth seeing if Intel / MSI have vendor specific drivers for your chipset that you can install first...

[Pob255]

That should of all been fixed now, it's to do with the fact that we didn't actually go from pci-e 1 to pci-e 2, there was actually pci-e 1.0a and pci-e 1.1 as well.
The motherboard BIOS's had look up tables they'd quiz the card on what type it was, the earily 8800GT only had 2.0 in it's BIOS and as 2.0 was unknown to the motherboard BIOS it would refuse to recognise the card.
It could be fixed by flashing the bios of the card or the motherboard.

All pci-e 2.0 (Ati as well as nvidia) cards since then also have a pci-e 1.1 entry in their BIOS to make sure this doesn't happen.


This sounds like a messed up driver install, it needs to be fully scrubbed out and then reinstalled.

Follow these steps, (for windows 7)
Uninstall any nvidia drivers.
Reboot into safe mode.
Run driver sweeper to clean out any crud.
reboot and log on as normal
It'll come up with new hard ware detected and ask to install it, Tell it to get stuffed!
Check with GPUZ to see what drivers it's currently using, should be the default vga drivers.
manually run windows update, it should find the card and the correct drivers for you.
final reboot
and it should be working

[zer0ink]

thanks..i'll try that drive sweeper tonight

Under device manager -> video adaptor it does say Nvidia 210 (just saying) just before i uninstall from safe mode

[shaithis]

If the monitor is connected via DVI, try VGA instead. Have seen a few people have DVI issues with 210 and W7......normally with dual screens but worth a shot if it's easy for you to try.

[zer0ink]

Problem Solved!

I bought an ATI Radeon HD 4650 (with cross fire X technology). The Win7 had a newer version of the driver than the CD that came with it. Installing it to resolved was so fast I didnt know what to do with the fight I had left in me

Many thanks to all of you that posted to try and help me.

You are what I want to be.

Peace be with you.