Half-screen problem

Okay, two things:
First, my video card was NOT updated when this computer was bought. I went to the Intel site and updated the 82845G to the newest version at this link:
http://downloadfinder.intel.com/scripts-df/filter_results.asp?strOSs=45&strTypes=DRV%2CARC&ProductID=865&OSFullName=Windows*+XP+Home+Edition&submit=Go%21
Second, I don't know who made my Motherboard. It wasn't listed in the Dxdiag info either. How do I find that out?

There are two ways.

1. Look at the outside of the machine. If it's a Dell, HP or other, then tell what model number it is. Next stop? dell.com or hp.com or compaq.com

2. Open up the PC and scour the board for Asus, Viatek, Apetek, Asus, Gibyte and other names and markings. This does no good if it's some HP/Dell/otherbigname.

You can try AIDA32, but I have too much luck with the visual methods.

Best of luck,

Bob

Okay, I checked on the side of the computer, and all it has is the Intel Pentium 4 sticker, the Windows XP sticker, and a PCV-RS310 sticker, denoting the Sony VAIO model. I tried AIDA32, and it couldn't find the motherboard. Here's an excerpt of the report:

Motherboard Name: Unknown
Motherboard Chipset: Intel Brookdale-G i845G
System Memory: 247 MB (PC2100 DDR SDRAM)
BIOS Type: Award Modular (05/14/03)
Communication Port: Communications Port (COM1)
Communication Port: ECP Printer Port (LPT1)

Also, it says that the motherboard ID is this, in case it helps you:
Motherboard ID 05/14/2003-I845G/ICH4-KIRIN-V

So, I'm thinking, maybe I should install the latest version of the i845 chipset, but I don't want to unless it's necessary. Is it? And can you determine the motherboard from this report?

This is one of the issues that surround Sony. They don't support people loading any OS that didn't come with the machine. They CUSTOMIZE the machine so the only supplier of the driver will be SONY.

The exit? -> Install a video card.

The driver?
http://ciscdb.sel.sony.com/perl/swu-download.pl?template=EN&upd_id=900&os_id=7&mdl=PCVRS310
"6/23/2003 IN-B34850801EG.EXE Video

The original (shipped) Intel

So basically, I don't want the updated video card and I should revert to the original one? That will solve my problem if I download the driver you told me about? Will making it an older version (6.13.01.3485) instead of the updated version (6.14.10.3865) cause any problems? Should I just get the driver you gave a link to?

Also, I'm using the OS the computer came with. It came with Windows XP Home Edition, and that's what I'm using, although I am using SP1. Does SP1 make it count as a different OS, and so I had this problem?

But until you install "their" driver, we won't know.

Bob

I will not know if this will solve the issue. Sony is rather annoying in this respect. If you change anything from stock, even DirectX to the latest, they may walk out on you.

You don't have many options here. So install the maker's driver, retest and if it fails, ask Sony for a refund to go get another machine. Or get another video card and use that.

Bob

Ok. I'll try the driver link you gave me (that is the maker's driver, right?), but I don't want to screw anything up, as getting a new video card or hoping they refund may not be an option for me.

If I set a System Restore, install the driver from the link you gave me, will I be able to revert back to the previous driver? Will System Restore cover that? Or maybe use Driver Rollback? If it causes a problem, is it reversible?

First of all, the computer came with DirectX 9.0b, and I updated it to 9.0c. Second of all, why would putting the driver back to the original version work if it didn't work with that version before? When this computer was bought, it had the half-screen problem. The updated driver didn't cause the problem.

You seem to be looking for some ironclad guarantee or such.

I'll wait to see what happens when you install Sony's driver. Until then, I will not reply to save forum bandwith.

Bob

No, what I'm saying is that it doesn't make sense that using the older driver version would make it work, if it wasn't working with that version before.

Now, I would install the driver, but I can't. I'm not the direct owner of this, and the owner says, I can't install the driver until I get a reason from you why using the driver might make it work, otherwise, the owner's afraid it might screw something up.

So all I'm asking before I install this is that you:
1) Tell me whether the driver is reversible if it causes problems, and
2) Tell me why using this older version MIGHT make it work.

If I have those answers and if it's reversible, I'll try downloading the driver, but until then, sorry, I'm not allowed to.

I suggest you find Sony and ask them to repair their driver. It's a failing of Sony support and you will learn this one first hand.

Sony doesn't update the drivers. If some game fails, then you may not meeting the game requirement. You'll want a 3D card.

Here's why Sony is your driver supplier. Intel didn't make the video design. They have some "reference drivers" which can help some, but not all.

Bob

I tried installing the driver you told me about, and it still doesn't work, so I'm calling Sony tech support.