Windows not recognizing Video Card

[Mookieduck1974]

I've tried with 2 mid-range cards, first with an 8500GT and now a X1650 pro.


Windows apparently cannot recognize the card....(I hear windows booting in the background, but get stuck with the "HP" blue loading screen.

Machine is an HPa6110n....added 1 gig Ram, but works fine with our without.

Yes, I have a 600w power supply.  Installed it and it works fine on "out of the box" system.

Yes, I've set BIOS to PCI-E x16 as primary video driver....PnP enabled (dont know if I should need to/ought to update BIOS)

Yes, I've disabled the on-board POS GeForce6150SE display adapter, and deleted all drivers.

Went through both phone support at ATI and NVIDIA, to no avail. 

Running Vista *glare* and that seems to be the problem.

I do have an older monitor (3 years and change), not a flat-screen.....I prefer the old radiation king...but that may? be an issue?

Cannot download drivers before (physically installing) vid card on mobo.....tried with CD and downloading drivers off website.  ("Cannot recognize harware")

You help me solve this problem, you get a big happy cookie.....I'm out of options.

Any help wold be much appreciated!

[Computer Hope Admin]

It looks as if you've tried many of the suggestions I'd make. If it's getting stuck at the "HP" loading screen, It's an issue with the system and not Windows. First, are you sure it's a 600W Power supply (is this something you added), I show it comes with a 350W, which may be inadequate for your video cards and would require an upgrade.

If you do have a new power supply in the computer try resetting CMOS to the default values, disable the on board video in CMOS and then add the card and see if that helps.

If not a BIOS update may be your next best bet. However, after visiting the below link I didn't see any BIOS updates publicly available. May have to contact HP to see if any are available at this time.

http://welcome.hp.com/country/us/en/support.html

[patio]

You may want to also use a can of compressed air to blow out that PCI-E slot and also clean the contacts of the vid cards with QTips and rubbing alcohol...

[Mookieduck1974]

Thanks for your suggestions.

I've tried setting the default video to PCI-E x 16 (which is the only available spot for a video card.)  Yes, I replaced the power supply from the existing 250-w, and the manufacturer recommends a 300-w min power supply, so good to go there.  I cant find any thing in the BIOS that might be causing a conflict though other than the aforementioned primary video display.

(and I did clean the PCI-E slot, even though it is a new machine.)

[patio]

Is PCI-E 8X an available choice ? ?
If so give it a try.

[Jek Hawkins]

hm, the admins have pretty much hit all the ideas I have. These are unlikely, but worth a try...

turn the power supply off-pull out the motherboard backup battery-put it back in, start compy (you might have already done this to reset the CMOS, I don't know)

check for the video card power requirements, I know that sometimes for processors wattage isn't the only thing that has a minimum.

have you tried Microsoft tech support? you mentioned Vista, and I myself am having severe Vista problems on an HP computer.

are all of your OTHER drivers updated completely/Vista updated completely? I had problems with my hardware before complete driver updates (MoBo included, especially MoBo, or even a BIOS reflash necessary)

also, try HP tech support, since you've contacted ATi and NVIDIA and it seems to be a problem outside of Windows, HP might help...

[Mookieduck1974]

Thanks Jek....I gave the ATI guy my specs on my new power supply, he said that should be adequate.

Tried HP...they dont want to help because it's an add-on card, so they refused to provide outside help.  (Last HP I will EVER buy.)

Tried MS....they wanted like 50 bucks to help me....*click*

As a previous poster added, there do not appear to be any available (more recent) updates for my BIOS, I checked on my own as well, and came to the same conclusion. 

I guess it is possible that there may not be enough wattage on the 12v rail of my new power supply....but that seems unlikely as ATI said it should work, although there were no specs on the box for what was required.  First thing I did was to make sure the fan was runnning, which it was, for whatever that is worth.  I returned said card, and will keep looking for more possible solutions.  Just hate running WoW at 20-20 FPS or worse with my horrid 6150 integrated card.

Good suggestion on resetting CMOS, I'll give that a whirl with a borrowed card.  Thanks

[Jek Hawkins]

WOOHOO! WoW! PM me, what server are you on?

On another note, if HP refuses to help, if you have your own copy of an OS and you don't have anything valuable to lose, might as well wipe and start over. Power Word: REINSTALL!

Of course, that's only if you're OK with starting over...

 

Wait, speaking of OS! What Vista are you running?! If you are running Vista Ultimate x64, maybe the drivers and stuff for x64 aren't compatible! Is THAT a possibility?

[Mookieduck1974]

Lol, Jek....running 32-bit Vista...but like I said, and per previous posters, Vista may not be the problem..I hear windows booting, just cant see it.

All my toons are on Cenarion Circle....Agnost (70 mage) is my main.

Edit:  I didnt get a re-install disk with my CPU  :-(

[GX1_Man]

If you are the original owner and have the model and serial number HP will send you an O/S disk for a reasonable charge. What brand of 600W PSU is this?

[Mookieduck1974]

It's a cooler master