Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

General discussion

Windows 2000 Server & Radeon 9100

Feb 26, 2004 9:56AM PST

Here are my system specs:
Win2k Server (updated)
Athlon 2500 (Barton), 1.8 GHz
Asus A7v333 MoBo
1 GB DDR 2700
2 80 GB Western Digital drives (mirrored)
Radeon 9100 (Sapphire Atlantis 9100) 4x AGP

Really been happy with the performance until a few days ago. "Startopia" crashed the video driver a couple times, and now when I reboot my resolution defaults back to 256 color and 640x480, but ATI 3D settings are retained. I've uninstalled everything ATI and even downloaded and installed the latest Catalyst driver ...same behavior. Any ideas?

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
Re:Windows 2000 Server & Radeon 9100
Feb 26, 2004 8:19PM PST

What's missing in your post in the POWER SUPPLY RATING. http://www.tomshardware.com/howto/20040122/ may see us fit something much larger and I can't tell if that is your issue or a software/driver issue. People often think that "it worked before" is a sign the power supply is proper. Think again. The electrolytic capacitors age and in months to a year, the power supply is some 20 or more percent less capable in many areas.

Unless you've fitted a monster supply, this can dog such a machine.

As to software and drivers, you get to boot Windows 2000 to SAFE MODE, remove all the video drivers, reboot and install just the VGA 256 color one and then update the motherboard drivers and top it off with the drivers from ATI that you know worked.

Best of luck,

Bob

- Collapse -
Re:Re:Windows 2000 Server & Radeon 9100
Feb 27, 2004 10:45AM PST

And people think computer techs has all the answers and trouble free systems Happy

You're right I did forget some things. But the power supply is a 350 and passes testing. I haven't experienced any symptoms that would make me think I'm under powered. I've built systems before where the cust. wants so many goodies that the ps can't handle the hw and the additional cooling. Actually I put in this ps after reading about problems between Asus boards, DDR, and cheap power supplies.

Anyway, I'm embarassed to say that I totally didn't think about Safe Mode. Let me get right on that.

Thanks a lot.

- Collapse -
An observation about MIRRORED DRIVES.
Feb 26, 2004 8:25PM PST

It's been over 10 years now and in all that time, I've yet to find a mirrored drive to "save the day." The more common issues of a delete key issue, virus, or theft seem to thwart any reason why a mirror ever got a chance to save anyone I know. (Hint, "anyone I know.")

I have seen simpler setups where a "second copy" system has helped many times.

Sometimes the mirror is a socio-political-PHD issue and the discussion just gets the people too riled up to look at it again.

Best of luck,

Bob

- Collapse -
Re:An observation about MIRRORED DRIVES.
Feb 27, 2004 10:34AM PST

Thanks for the observation Bob.

Actually the RAID saved me recently. One of my drives turned out to be a lemon right from the factory. Once I figured out which one was in trouble, I pulled it and moved the remaining one over to the IDE channel and continued running until I got the replacement drive and rebuilt the RAID. I have billing information and project files on this machine. I'm proud to say I use a RAID because I need to use one Happy not because it sounds cool.
Wow Geek Chic. Happy