Video card problem

Yesterday while playing coh my screen froze during gameplay. I couldn't access ctrl+alt delete for windows task manager or the start menu. So I had to hold in the power button on my pc until it shut off. This happened before so i figured it was a driver for my vid card i needed to update. So i uninstalled the driver for my card and went to the nvidia site and downloaded the most recent driver for my card. Which is a gforce 8600 gt pci ex..well after i reinstalled the driver it worked fine. Well this time it doesn't work and i can't change the refresh rate rate for my monitor and the coh client wont load. The name of the monitor doesn't appear under the option where you change the monitor refresh rate. It just says default now..i need some help. Oh and i run windows xp pro x64

Anyone? I dunno what to do and ive reinstalled the most recent driver for my vid card a few times and it doesn't work. I got frustrated with it and reformatted and reinstalled windows and the new driver for the vid card...and nothing.

Have you tried looking in Common Solutions?

If and no luck, I suggest posting a CoH Helper report, for a better description of your computer.

Ok here is the infor from coh helper. Oh and i installed my old vid card and everything worked fine. But now im back on my new one again same issues. Reinstalled the current driver on nvidias website. I'm picking the right options it looks like this.
Product Type: GeForce
Product Series: GeForce 8 Series
Operating System: Windows XP 64-bit
Even tried the other one
Operating System: Windows Server 2003 x64. And yes i uninstall one before trying the other. I have the driver for the Windows XP 64-bit installed now it shows up under add/remove programs. Oh and i get little green dots all over the windows loading screen where the bar moves back and forth loading windows. And the letters on the screen have white lines through the. Still readable though

---System information gathered by CoH Helper version 0.1.1.8---

DxDiag gathered at September 8, 2009 12:24 (-07:00)
Operating System: Windows XP Professional x64 Edition (5.2, Build 3790) Service Pack 2 (3790.srv03_sp2_gdr.090319-1204)
System Manufacturer: EMACHINES
System Model: T6414
BIOS: Default System BIOS
Central Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 4200+ (2 CPUs), ~2.2GHz
Memory: 1534MB
.Net Memory Report: 1132MB out of 1534MB available
Page File: 3102MB (382MB currently in use)
C Drive: (ST3160021A) 133459MB out of 152617MB (87%) free
H Drive: (LITE-ON DVDRW SOHW-1633S) zero-size drive
Windows directory location: C:\WINDOWS
DirectX: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DirectX Diag version: 5.03.3790.3959 (64-bit version)

Display Notes: The system is using the generic video driver. Please install video driver provided by the hardware manufacturer. Direct3D functionality not available. You should verify that the driver is a final version from the hardware manufacturer.
Sound Notes: No problems found.
Input Notes: No problems found.

Monitor:
Monitor's Max Resolution: (blank)
Video Device Name:
Manufacturer / Chip: /
Video Memory: n/a
Driver Version: 5.02.3790.1830
Driver Date: 3/25/2005 5:00:00 AM
Driver Language: English

Sound Device Description: SB Live! 24-bit
Driver File: P1764.sys
Driver Version: 5.12.0001.0514
Driver Date: 6/15/2007 2:51:50 AM


WMI Information
Motherboard Manufacturer: MICRO-STAR
Motherboard Model: (empty)
Motherboard Product: MS-7184
Motherboard Version:
BIOS Manufacturer: Phoenix Technologies, LTD
BIOS Name: Default System BIOS
BIOS Version: UNKNOWN
BIOS Release: 20050819******.******+***

Registry Information for Current User
Resolution: 1024x768
3D Resolution: 1024x768 (Not using renderscale)
Full Screen: Yes
Maximized: No
Screen Position: 0, 0
Refresh Rate: 75Hz
Vertical Sync Enabled: Yes

Physics Quality: Medium
Maximum Particles: 50000
Max Particle Fill? 10.000
Physics Card Enabled: No

Anti-aliasing: None
Anisotropic Filtering: 4x
Texture LOD Bias: Smooth
Water Effects: High Quality
Bloom: 1.000 (turned on)
Depth of Field Enabled: Yes
Desaturation Effects (Sepia) Enabled: Yes
Shader Detail: Low (with world bumpmaps)

World Texture Level: Very High
Character Texture Level: Very High
World Detail Level (Vis_Scale): 1.000
Entity Detail Level: 1.000
Shadows Enabled: Yes
Gamma Correction: 0.961
Geometry Buffers (VBOs) Enabled: Yes
Suppression of Extra Player FX Enabled: No
Suppression of FX When Camera Close Enabled: No
Close Suppression Range: 3.000
Show Advertisements: Yes

Audio Mode: Performance
3D Audio: No
FX Sound Volume: 0.262
Music Sound Volume: 0.262

Show Advanced Graphics Options: Yes
Overall Graphics Quality: 0.600
Reverse Mouse Buttons: No
Save Login Username: Yes
Transfer Rate: Unknown bytes/second
Current Game Version: 19.20090716.3T
Installation Directory: C:\Program Files (x86)\City of Heroes

Mod files in the Data directory
No modifications found

It looks like you have a serious problem with your video card – at least your system doesn't acknowledge that you have one.

It might be a solvable problem, but could be that your card has died on you.
You can try pulling your card out, and reinsert it. And make sure that the card is properly inserted, as well as power core to the card.

When you boot the computer up, does the fan on the video card start spinning or any other signs on life?

So is it safe to say there is something wrong with the video card? It seems like it's just some driver problem..i dunno. I just tried the previous driver before this one and it doesn't work. I'm about to give up on this and buy a new video card because i've been working on this for 3 days now..and im tired of messing with it. Any input here? The card runs fine no unusual noises or anything. Still when i right click the desktop..click properties,settings tab,advanced,then monitor. It just says default monitor i think i remember it saying plug and play monitor when it use to work. And right under where it says screen refresh rate..the only option is use hardware default setting..and that's it nothing else to choose from. Blehh

If your old card is working as expected, combined with this from your log:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fatal_Mind Monitor: Monitor's Max Resolution: (blank) Video Device Name: Manufacturer / Chip: / Video Memory: n/a

Well, then my interpretation is your card is dead.

Yea...guess i'll start looking for a new one. I'll just have to play on my crappy one until then. Anyone have a suggestion/link for a good vid card around $60-$80 dollars? I'm looking on newegg.com for a new one. That nvidia 8600gt was about 120.00 when i bought it. Of course that was a year and a half ago. But i don't really wanna spend that much again right now. Just want something that will play coh very well with max settings mostly.

In that price range, i would suggest a Radeon HD 4670. If you can push it to $100 then the Radeon HD 4850 512 MB would be a nice option.

I know Radeon cards are not the prefered card for CoX, but for the price range you listed, those were the picks from one of the most respected hardware review sites on their "Best Graphics Cards for the Money August '09" and I have a link for you if you wish to read the entire article.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/...card,2387.html

Cool im not sure whether to choose from http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814125244 or this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814133269

Just want coh to run well

...of those two, the Radeon is the far better card.

If you want to stick with nVidia, and I wouldn't blame you, in your price range I would suggest taking a look at either http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130485 or http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814121320

The first one being the better of most previously mentioned cards with exception of the 4670 which it would still edge out, but not by much, and still within your price range after rebate. I do love Newegg!

Since it is nvidia you won't have to deal with all the tweaking and option adjustments to get CoX to run smooth and beautiful.

Thank you for all your help everyone. I decided to go with one of the cards F_M_J suggested http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814121320

Cheap and seemed like a good deal for the performance/price ratio for what I need. Thanks

I had a similar issue last week. My screen froze, then would only boot up with colorful static. I narrowed it down to the Videocard or MoBo bus but didn't have a spare of either to swap out. I ended up getting a GeForce 9500 GT 1GB to replace the GeForce 8500 I had.

Well just got the vid card today..pretty happy with it. But man it's a big card. My case had just enough room to fit it in there. Of course it's an emachine so it's a small case. I just keep upgrading it and fixing things as stuff happens. Upgraded cpu to an athlon 64 x2 4200+ 2 gigs of ram and now this new vid card. Next im sure it will be the psu or mobo cause there both about 4 yrs old now. Just tryin to save money. Of course coh is all i really play. But i did buy prototype and can play it on med settings very well.

Glad to hear it worked out, keep on truckin'!

My advice was always accurate and valid to the best of my knowledge. Most people are far more sensitive than I and require a more gentle approach than what I am used to giving. I am attempting to address that and am now killing them with kindness.

If you would prefer the old F_M_J that can be arranged. :x *giggle*