City of Heroes: Live Forum Archive

I require your aid.

Armsman

By Armsman,
Posted on: 2009-06-29 08:07 in ALL ACCESS Gameplay Technical Issues Bugs

 

Posted

Man up... and good luck. Sound like you'll need it

August 31, 2012. A Day that will Live in Infamy. Or Information. Possibly Influence. Well, Inf, anyway. Thank you, Paragon Studios, for what you did, and the enjoyment and camaraderie you brought.
This is houtex, aka Mike, signing off the forums. G'night all. - 10/26/2012
Well... perhaps I was premature about that whole 'signing off' thing... - 11-9-2012

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
Posting this from the PS3 in the living room. lol

After the troubleshooting listed above, it seems that the problem is the PCI-E slot.

Oh well......I tried what I knew. Thanks all for the help anyway.

Now before I attempt to undertake the dangerous task of attempting to convince the wife to make yet another computer related purchase, is is possible to get a bad PCI-E slot repaired, or should I just man up and ask if we can get a new motherboard?

[/ QUOTE ]

Go into the BIOS and check to see if there is a setting for the Default video or to enable/disable the PCI-E slot. It may even be that you need to Disable the onboard video in order for the PCI-E slot to function correctly. Yeah, it shouldn't be this way but I've seen some really oddball settings in BIOS's for various computers that made me wonder what the heck the manufacturer was thinking.

Also, it's possible that there may be a jumper on the motherboard to enable/disable the PCI-E slot or set the default video to use the PCI-E instead of onboard.

Just a thought.

If the game spit out 20 dollar bills people would complain that they weren't sequentially numbered. If they were sequentially numbered people would complain that they weren't random enough.

Black Pebble is my new hero.

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Posting this from the PS3 in the living room. lol

After the troubleshooting listed above, it seems that the problem is the PCI-E slot.

Oh well......I tried what I knew. Thanks all for the help anyway.

Now before I attempt to undertake the dangerous task of attempting to convince the wife to make yet another computer related purchase, is is possible to get a bad PCI-E slot repaired, or should I just man up and ask if we can get a new motherboard?

[/ QUOTE ]

Go into the BIOS and check to see if there is a setting for the Default video or to enable/disable the PCI-E slot. It may even be that you need to Disable the onboard video in order for the PCI-E slot to function correctly. Yeah, it shouldn't be this way but I've seen some really oddball settings in BIOS's for various computers that made me wonder what the heck the manufacturer was thinking.

Also, it's possible that there may be a jumper on the motherboard to enable/disable the PCI-E slot or set the default video to use the PCI-E instead of onboard.

Just a thought.

[/ QUOTE ]

This! also, could the bios of lost its date/settings ? makes me wonder with that one driver displaying a date that is 8 years old.

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Posted

That's not an 8 year old date. That's a corrupted driver installation. That's why they year lists as 0001.

If the game spit out 20 dollar bills people would complain that they weren't sequentially numbered. If they were sequentially numbered people would complain that they weren't random enough.

Black Pebble is my new hero.

 

Posted

oops yeah i missed that. thought it was 2001

Combat Kangaroos, Justice Server. First 50's
Jirra Roo Plant/Storm/Stone/Musculature Controller
Combat Kangaroo Rifle/Energy/Mace/Spiritual Blaster
Kung Fu Kangaroo Martial Arts/Reflexes/Body/Spiritual Scrapper
Tribal Arc Shield/Elec/Mu/Spiritual Tanker

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Posting this from the PS3 in the living room. lol

After the troubleshooting listed above, it seems that the problem is the PCI-E slot.

Oh well......I tried what I knew. Thanks all for the help anyway.

Now before I attempt to undertake the dangerous task of attempting to convince the wife to make yet another computer related purchase, is is possible to get a bad PCI-E slot repaired, or should I just man up and ask if we can get a new motherboard?

[/ QUOTE ]

Go into the BIOS and check to see if there is a setting for the Default video or to enable/disable the PCI-E slot. It may even be that you need to Disable the onboard video in order for the PCI-E slot to function correctly. Yeah, it shouldn't be this way but I've seen some really oddball settings in BIOS's for various computers that made me wonder what the heck the manufacturer was thinking.

Also, it's possible that there may be a jumper on the motherboard to enable/disable the PCI-E slot or set the default video to use the PCI-E instead of onboard.
Just thought.

[/ QUOTE ]
Someone else recommended that I try that, so I did. The option to enable/disable the PCI-E slot was there, so I gave it a go. No dice.
But true......it's quite possible that all this is stemming from a corrupt BIOS. I'll look for the jumper and see what that does for me.

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Posted

This also may be something you want to contact HP about. It may be a known issue with that computer model or they may know what steps you need to take to get it resolved.

Also, they "generally" know their system quirks better than any of us "normal" computer tech people. Hopefully, you'll get one of the knowledgeable and helpful techs.

Yes, they exist in most companies, they are just really hard to get on the phone and hard to keep with a company.

If the game spit out 20 dollar bills people would complain that they weren't sequentially numbered. If they were sequentially numbered people would complain that they weren't random enough.

Black Pebble is my new hero.

 

Posted

Took the above steps....and still no go.

My father in law knows a guy who is skilled in this area, so I have him looking at my PC as of now. As I said earlier, if its the motherboard going bad, I have no problem getting a new one. The wife took it much better than II thought she would....lol

"You can only get a new motherboard if it is unable to be fixed."

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Posted

The verdict......

It seems that all of my video cards are dead. I gave the 9600 to the person looking at it......it would not work in my PC or his. He pops in another card in my PC and gets a good signal. So it's not the motherboard going bad. (I hope)

Looks like it's time to get a new card.

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Posted

[ QUOTE ]

It seems that all of my video cards are dead. I gave the 9600 to the person looking at it......it would not work in my PC or his. He pops in another card in my PC and gets a good signal. So it's not the motherboard going bad. (I hope)

Looks like it's time to get a new card.

[/ QUOTE ]

Be careful about this; if you've had several video cards go bad in short sequence connected to a particular system, the likelihood that there's something wrong with that system that is *causing* the cards to die is significant. Usually this would be the motherboard, the power supply, or heat. Upthread you said you replaced your power supply; that may have fixed the problem that was killing the cards.

Still, check carefully for bulging or oozing capacitors on the motherboard, and if you can see inside the grill with a flashlight, the power supply. Recheck all the power cable connections. Be aware of any unusual behavior, so you can hopefully catch problems before they get worse.

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Posted

Could it be something really easy like the digital/analog switch on the monitor? I have an HP flat panel display and if I hit the +/- button on the front of the display it will switch between displaying analog signal input and digital.

Perhaps the old card that worked sent an analog signal and the newer ones are digital only?

Maybe you bumped it accidentally after your last game session.

We don' need no stinkin' signatures!

 

Posted

Another question that I need to ask......could it be that my motherboard's chipset driver got corrupted somehow? How would I go about finding a new driver?

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Posted

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

It seems that all of my video cards are dead. I gave the 9600 to the person looking at it......it would not work in my PC or his. He pops in another card in my PC and gets a good signal. So it's not the motherboard going bad. (I hope)

Looks like it's time to get a new card.

[/ QUOTE ]

Be careful about this; if you've had several video cards go bad in short sequence connected to a particular system, the likelihood that there's something wrong with that system that is *causing* the cards to die is significant. Usually this would be the motherboard, the power supply, or heat. Upthread you said you replaced your power supply; that may have fixed the problem that was killing the cards.

Still, check carefully for bulging or oozing capacitors on the motherboard, and if you can see inside the grill with a flashlight, the power supply. Recheck all the power cable connections. Be aware of any unusual behavior, so you can hopefully catch problems before they get worse.

[/ QUOTE ]
I concur.

If you don't mind the chance of losing another video card, then go right ahead.

Or you could take it to a computer diagnostic shop and dispense with the guesswork.

.
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Posted

[ QUOTE ]
Could it be something really easy like the digital/analog switch on the monitor? I have an HP flat panel display and if I hit the +/- button on the front of the display it will switch between displaying analog signal input and digital.

Perhaps the old card that worked sent an analog signal and the newer ones are digital only?

Maybe you bumped it accidentally after your last game session.

[/ QUOTE ]

Skimming.. FTL.

.
.Driver Sweeper * CohHelper * HijackThis * TweakCoH * CPU-ID
* Defraggler * Program Security Scan * PC Performance Scan *

 

Posted

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Could it be something really easy like the digital/analog switch on the monitor? I have an HP flat panel display and if I hit the +/- button on the front of the display it will switch between displaying analog signal input and digital.

Perhaps the old card that worked sent an analog signal and the newer ones are digital only?

Maybe you bumped it accidentally after your last game session.

[/ QUOTE ]

Skimming.. FTL.

[/ QUOTE ]

Good point. Hope you solve it for him soon.

We don' need no stinkin' signatures!

 

Posted

Well, the final verdict is this: My motherboard is unable to detect that a video card is in the PCI-E slot. Then again, we already know that from above posts.....lol

I don't want to have to resort to sub-par onboard graphics, so I'm stuck on either getting a new motherboard or just going all the way and getting a new computer.

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Posted

[ QUOTE ]
Well, the final verdict is this: My motherboard is unable to detect that a video card is in the PCI-E slot. Then again, we already know that from above posts.....lol

I don't want to have to resort to sub-par onboard graphics, so I'm stuck on either getting a new motherboard or just going all the way and getting a new computer.

[/ QUOTE ]

Psst - the Motherboard IS the computer. It's the min bus through with ALL peripherals run; and hold the main CPU tht controls the entire system.

 

Posted

New motherboard it is then.

EDIT: Okay, last question for now, I promise to stop after this......lol

Could anyone recommend a motherboard for me to purchase that is compatible with my listed above processor? (Wife only allowing purchase of new motherboard only........ )

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Posted

Ok, first off, is this your pc?
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/prodi...=en&lang=en

Second... did it come with the Vista that you've been running or did you use a retail upgrade for Vista?

If you said yes to the first one, and yes to "it came with this Vista"... I think you are stuck with getting a replacement from HP... because the key that came with that computer for your Windows Vista is going to ONLY work on an HP motherboard. Microsoft won't allow you to put another motherboard from anyone else in that machine and have *that* Vista, or a Vista installed with that key, run.

You might ask why, so I'll tell ya: HP, Dell, etc, get the operating system we pay $200 for at the store, $120 for as an OEM, for about $30 per for the OEM VLKs. (Change the $s for your flavor of Windows accordingly.) With that kind of discount, and the wording of the license, them VLKs only work with the make of motherboard in question. In this case, HP. Microsoft knows this key is for an HP only, and therefore you won't get online validation to work, and phoning them will get you the answer above.

Now, ready for some more bad news? Well, guess what?

http://h20141.www2.hp.com/hpparts/search...h_Multi_Product

If you try to find the mobo using that, you'll find that HP doesn't offer it any more. I'm guessing they ran out. You'll have to talk to HP to find out if there's another one they offer, or if you're outta luck. If the latter, dude, I don't know, but I'm guessing a copy of Vista and possibly a new case to stick all this in might be in order to get back on the road of 'running'.

Now, I'm not saying it's not *possible* to put a new, different mobo in there... I'm saying that Vista won't like it, and Microsoft won't let you make it right. As far as my experiences with this go anyway. I've never been successful, anyway.

But then again, I don't cheat. I used to write software so I get the concept, and pay my way like a good little consumer.

August 31, 2012. A Day that will Live in Infamy. Or Information. Possibly Influence. Well, Inf, anyway. Thank you, Paragon Studios, for what you did, and the enjoyment and camaraderie you brought.
This is houtex, aka Mike, signing off the forums. G'night all. - 10/26/2012
Well... perhaps I was premature about that whole 'signing off' thing... - 11-9-2012

 

Posted

Well luckily I haven't bought the new motherboard yet......glad to have read your post.

Yes, that is my PC, and yes, it came with Vista.

Now if I read your post right......only an HP motherboard will work? Does it have to be the same model, or will any HP motherboard do?

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Posted

No, what he means is that changing the motherboard with a different, yet still compatible model will cause Vista to mistakenly believe that you are running your licensed version on a different machine (which technically you are).

My suggestion would be to first contact customer support and see about transfering the key, although as houtex has noted, I have never heard of anything like this working out well for any Vista users.

The second step you could take, assuming step one craps out, is to get another copy of Vista, which is not an inexpensive purchase I'm afraid.

Then and only then could you succesfuly put in another motherboard (and no, it doesn't have to be an HP board, it just needs to be a MicroATX, socket AM2 board)

 

Posted

Exactly, although I'm not certain the key is locked to a specific series of HP models, or if any HP branded motherboard will do.

I have my suspicions that the OEM VLK would work with any HP computer... but I have no way to verify that. I suspect for sure you're looking, at the very least, to find another a1700n chassis and rob stuff from that maybe.

August 31, 2012. A Day that will Live in Infamy. Or Information. Possibly Influence. Well, Inf, anyway. Thank you, Paragon Studios, for what you did, and the enjoyment and camaraderie you brought.
This is houtex, aka Mike, signing off the forums. G'night all. - 10/26/2012
Well... perhaps I was premature about that whole 'signing off' thing... - 11-9-2012

 

Posted

Ugh.

Well thanks for the help anyway.......if I'm gonna spend any more money, it might as well be in a brand new machine.....we were planning on getting one in August or September anyway.

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