Raiders of the Lost Card

[maverick77_uk]

Hi all,

Bit of a theoretical question here. Not a problem any more, I'm just curious. I've built a few computers in my time, know the latest a greatest bits, but this has got me stumped.

I've got an ancient SIS PCI 1MB 2D card, that I used for a while on a work system - was fine for e-mail and the like. However, every time I shut down or re-started the computer, Windows would loose the driver, and it would have to be re-installed - the "found new hardware" message would come up EVERY time, and request the driver disk, which I'd give it, and it'd be fine again, until I restarted. This was the case in a number of different computers and different versions of Windows (98 and XP) with this one card.

I was wondering why this was? No other card has ever done this, and I didn't think the card itself keeps any info stored when you switch off. The comp recognised it all OK every time - it just seemed to "forget" it was the same card that was in it the last time it was on! But as I said, its definately the card at fault coz the same comps and windows worked A-OK with every other graphics card used.

Any ideas what was happening here? The card itself now sits in a retro-DOS comp I built for old games so as no graphics card drivers are required, all works great!

Cheers all!

 

[Blue]

Ya that's very strange I could not even begin to guess Y it did that LOL. I would normaly think that Windows was dumping the drivers for some reason but as you say it worked the same in many diff. scenarios. doesn't sound like the video card itself either if it worked just fine after installing the drivers.

Perhaps it was possessed? instead of giving it a video driver you should have phoned a priest LOL.

 

[Lorand]

But what happens if you hit Cancel to that installation? If the screen is ok and only Windows reports new hardware, then a solution could be disabling plug and play in the system's BIOS.

 

[Blue]

But what happens if you hit Cancel to that installation? If the screen is ok and only Windows reports new hardware, then a solution could be disabling plug and play in the system's BIOS.

Nice! Agreed ;-).. LOL

 

[maverick77_uk]

Hi,

Nope, that didn't use to work - upon starting the comp, the screen had gone back to low-res, 16 colours. Cancel allowed you into windows, and in device manager, the oh-so-famous exclaimation mark stated a problem with the device. Therefore, as if the drivers had never been previously installed.

Whats strange is Windows usually keeps a database of all devices, so even if you switch to a different vid card, then later replace the old one, it should instantly recognise the old one and stick the old drivers back - not in this case!

Before you suggest it was a faulty driver - tried several - the generic windows one (as it was such an old card, both win98 and XP had a driver for it natively) in addition to different downloaded ones - all the same prob!

Its as if windows completely forgets the card and its like you were installing the card for the first time, EACH time! But as said, DEFINATELY the card due to the multiple system and OS try-out!

Nice try guys, but not the answer! Does the card hold any info? Could a BIOS chip in the card be damaged so it re-introduces itself to windows each time??

 

[Blue]

And your positive it was not possessed? LOL

You know this is driving me crazy eh.

 

[Praetor]

I've got an ancient SIS PCI 1MB 2D card, that I used for a while on a work system - was fine for e-mail and the like. However, every time I shut down or re-started the computer, Windows would loose the driver, and it would have to be re-installed - the "found new hardware" message would come up EVERY time, and request the driver disk, which I'd give it, and it'd be fine again, until I restarted. This was the case in a number of different computers and different versions of Windows (98 and XP) with this one card.

Mobo?

 

[maverick77_uk]

Mobo - nope.

Tried it on several different systems - different everything, including Mobos - nice try again!

DEFINATELY caused by the graphics card - but how????

 

[Blue]

Is there a prize to be won if someone figures it out? LOL, J/K

 

[Lorand]

Maybe that video card is recognized differently by the BIOS and the OS. At boot BIOS finds it and writes the data in ESCD. When the OS boots it finds the new hardware, installs the drivers for it and modifies the ESCD entry for it. Thus at the next boot BIOS finds a hardware that's different from that's in the ESCD, so remakes that entry. So the OS will find a hardware change at boot.

Is there a prize to be won if someone figures it out? LOL, J/K

The prize could be that faulty card...