DXDiag "Problem getting extra display info" / Direct3D Acceleration problem.

[Holobalobalo]

Alright, so my base problem is that no program that uses DirectX works at all, they don't even start. My computer also seems not to be recognizing my graphics card. This started when a game I installed ("Men of War") decided to install DirectX 9 over my DirectX 10 without asking me, but I'm not sure whether that's a coincidence or not.

Symptoms:

~When I run DXDiag, I am immediately shown an error message reading "Error: Problem getting extra display info"

~In DXDiag, the "Display" tab pretty much has no information in it. Everything is blank or n/a except for "Current Display Info", which reads "1280 x 1024 (32bit) (1Hz)". Also in the Display tab, Direct3D Acceleration reads "Not Available" while DirectDraw and AGP Texture Acceleration remain "Enabled".

~In Device Manager there are two icons under "Display Adapters", both of which have a yellow exclamation mark next to them and claim not to be working. They are both called "NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GX2", which is the graphics card I'm using.

~No online DirectX installs work, though I've used offline installers with no success.


What I've tried:

Pretty much everything I can think of short of buying new hardware/software and reformatting.

~Tried searching the problem online. Very few people have fixed it and posted how, and all those who did have done it differently.

~DirectX installers/uninstallers.

~Clean graphics card driver installs of both old and new drivers.

~Clean boot with non-Microsoft programs disabled.

~Many more that I can't think of off the top of my head.


What I'm planning to do next:

I suspect that the problem is either a corrupted DirectX, in which case I'll be buying Windows 7 and reformatting/upgrading to that, or a broken graphics card, in which case I'll be buying a new card. Problem is my budget only allows for one of those two purchases so if I choose incorrectly I'll have a non-functional computer for maybe another half a year.

I've asked all over the place at stores, at support lines, etc. and right now half the people I talk to think it's a software problem and half think it's a hardware problem, so I have no idea at all which it is. I'm hoping you fine people at this support forum can help me to decide which path to take here, or in best case scenario tell me I'm completely wrong and there's some less expensive way to deal with this.

[Kurtiskain]

If the OS boots with no graphical corruption then the card is fine.

Do you mind me asking...Which OS are you actually using?

DirectX is not 'overwritten' by old installs. Infact, the game requires DX9 libraries, so the game will not function without them.

Are you still able to open the nVidia control panel and disable the SLi on that card? I read a forum post with the HD 4870 X2 that was caused by the drivers not responding to the card due to is already being linked.

I imagine what you meant by a clean install was to boot in safe mode, remove the drivers, reboot into normal mode, shutdown, boot again and install?

[Holobalobalo]

My OS is Windows Vista Home Edition 32Bit.

There are no visible graphical errors that I've noticed (there used to be the occasional pink/black lines but that was a long time ago and only happened when I was playing older games.)

I can't access the NVIDIA Control Panel. When I try to open it I get the error:

"NVIDIA Display settings are not available. You are currently not using a display attached to a NVIDIA GPU."


I tried two 'clean install' methods for installing new drivers. I tried...

1: Uninstalling the drivers, restarting in safe mode, using "Driver Sweeper" to clean out any remnants of the old driver, restarting again, installing the new drivers then restarting again.

2: The option for a clean install that comes in the NVIDIA drivers' new install wizards.

[Kurtiskain]

In that case it seems to be a driver issue with your card.

About a month ago, I tried to update my ATi drivers for my HD 4870 card, which resulted in a BSOD, and then being unable to boot into windows at all as the card would no longer be detected, just simply as a sting of numbers and letters (Win 7 32-bit)

Is it possible to install the driver manually?
Follow this guide to try: http://www.ehow.com/how_5963429_force-drivers-vista.html
Also, by selecting properties on either of the cards in device manager, under the driver tab, does it specify who the faulty driver is made by?

[Holobalobalo]

Yes, under Properties it says "Manufacturer: NVIDIA"



Also, I just noticed that under the Properties of each of the two graphics devices, their Locations are different.

~In the first device's properties it reads "Location: PCI Slot 1 (PCI bus 5, device 0, function 0)

~The second device reads "Location: PCI Slot 3 (PCI bus 6, device 0, function 0)

I don't know what this means or if it makes a difference, but I didn't notice it until now.

Going to try running through that manual install you sent now, will update this status once it's done.


EDIT: Nope I can't get the manual install to work. When I try to install the standard driver the screen blinks black once then after a few seconds I get the error...


"Windows encountered a problem installing the driver software for your device

Windows found driver software for your device but encountered an error while attempting to install it

Standard VGA Graphics Adapter

This device cannot start. (Code 10)"

Although when I restart the computer after uninstalling the drivers the computer seems to automatically install some kind of built in driver. I had to let it do this because if I restart in safe mode or try that manual install method before restarting there's no driver in the Device Manager list at all, so I can't update drivers for it.

RE-EDIT: Wait, I think I may have made a mistake. Let me try that again.

RE-RE-EDIT: Alright I got the "Standard VGA Graphics Adapter" to install properly by failing to update it once, deleting the remaining 9800 GX2 device and then updating it again, but upon restart the computer automatically attempts to install a second, non-functioning device, then upon a second restart neither driver is functional.

Right now I have two devices, one called "NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GX2" and the other called "Standard VGA Graphics Adapter" and both have errors. Instead of just the Direct3D not available now, DirectDraw and AGP Texture Acceleration are not available either, but I don't get the "Problem getting extra display info" error when I run DXDiag.

[Kurtiskain]

Ok that's not good.

Can you use system restore to go back to the day you installed the game?

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/using-windows-vista-system-restore/

This should restore the drivers and restore the way Windows detects your card.

If this does not work, you may have to perform a repair install of your operating system.

[Holobalobalo]

Nah, if I could I would have done it a long time ago. For some reason whenever I created a restore point it would disappear when I restarted the computer.

Also I have no idea where my Vista disc is, it's pretty much long gone. I'm probably going to have to reformat and upgrade to Windows 7 (ridiculously expensive) but I was going to end up doing that eventually anyway.

You've pretty much answered my question already about whether I should go for the new graphics card of the new OS and actually done more than that, so thanks for your help with this. I'll try to format then install Windows 7 and if that doesn't do it than maybe I'll continue this thread.

[Kurtiskain]

If you don't want to fork out for Windows 7 just yet (Though I highly reccommend it over vista) then check with your local computer store if they would be willing to sell or rent you an original disk for vista. Of course without a key, as you will have the key on your case somewhere.

You are very welcome and I am sorry it did not work out thus far.