graphic card purge?

is there any way to "purge" a graphic card?
I have an ati 1600, and every time I install the ati drivers the windows dont boot up, but go black after the boot screen.


the pc starts up normaly with ati disabled in the control pannel...

I'm afraid it might be some hardware error, but I'd like to go through all the options before running to the service.


tnx.


P.S. I've tried different drivers, different os's and still nothing.

 

You could try and re-install the graphics card bios.

Did the card ever work? If so when/why might it have stopped working? For example did you:
-Install new software
-Physically move the case (dislodging the card)
-Experience a flood
-Something else?

 

Boot Windows in 'safe mode' by clicking F8 after the boot screen. This will allow you to uninstall the old drivers completely.

Go to ATI.com website and get their latest driver. alternatively you could download and install the omega drivers.
www.omegadrivers.net

 

yes, it used to work for a 1+ year...
the problem kinda sneak in...
first, the windows wouldnt start.... but would have to turn it off... let it boot(and fail), and then restart it...

also, there was a period, when windows would boot (could hear it starting), but the screen would be black... (also restarting did the trick)...

after that... all things came to a hault.

recent actions:
hardware upgrades:
-added 2 gb of ram
-installed new HDD

the card "worked" fine with both of them...


because of the symptoms, I've formated the disk,
reinstalled windows (both sp2 and sp3),... flashed the bios and tried different drivers (omega and official)


how do I reinstall the graphic bios...?

 

You mean flashing the video bios. That's tricky because usually laptop bioses are not available.

Do you still have your warranty because if you do the best solution would be to get it fixed by HP.

Could you test with an external screen?

Also check that the cooling system of the graphics card is not obstructed by dust.

 

If you don't have any problem when you use your laptops without any drives then your problem is drivers related.

If you have the same problems either you installed the drivers or not then your problems are comming from something else

 

you can get the lattest driver for your X1600 from HP (2007) here
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareIndex.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodNameId=1839212&prodTypeId=321957&prodSeriesId=1839153&swLang=8&taskId=135&swEnvOID=1093

 

it was, but I cleaned it a while back...
took the graphic card out, and put it back in but didnt help...

the thing is... I'm using the same drivers I have been using for over a year....
and this time it doesnt work. Tried reinstalling windows.... but it doesnt do the trick.

I've tried using different ram, and putting in my replacement HDD...
didnt help either.


I've narrowed it down to... graphic card or mbo error...

but I dont know how to explain the thing working without the drivers...
I guess directx causes trouble on some level (tried installing the latest, but didnt help either )



as for HP... I dont have a warranty... and they dont actually have an office here, but authorized services... which are expensive as hell.

 

did you apply a new thermal compoud after cleaning the heat sink.

Windows will use generic drivers if you don't install those proided by HP or ATi.

I don't think that your problem is related to directX.

If they screen goes black only when you're using ATI or HP or Omega drivers then both your mobo and graphics card are not at fault. Your problem should be software related.

There is a posibility that you've installed a software or a driver that interferes with the graphics drivers.

My advice is to start over again by formatting your harddrive and installing a new copy of Windows XP. Whether it's an SP2 or SP3 version shouldn't matter.

After installing windows install the graphics drivers only and test your laptop. If happy install the other drivers one by one and test after installing each driver. Do the same when you install your software.

Just in case try to test your laptop with an external screen before you formate it to confirm that the fault is not comming from a lose wire, or a faulty inverter.

 

I did not apply a new compound... could something really be bad come out of it?!

I'll try a clean format (again), but the thing is, I have to install chipset and sata support before any other drivers... and the thing is.... I've been doing this in the past on the same config, and the drivers and everything always work, but now with no significant hardware changes

 

possibly yes, possibly no

Sorry to insiste again, but you should test your laptop on an external screen and see if you have the same problem.