Video Memory Problem

[Dom MD]

I have a GeForce2 GTSII 64mb video card, and 3 days ago, i ran into a problem.... While the GeForce tab on the Display properties, the initial boot screen, and the troubleshooter all display 64mb available as video RAM, 3DMark tests and game-running tests say that i have little or no video RAM at all.
I initially thought it was a driver problem, so i made sure my drivers were up to date (directx 9.0, nvidia detonator driver 40.91), but no good.
Then i uninstalled the GeForce card, opened up my case, checked to make sure the connections were clean, the fan running, and no visible problems on the card itself. And then rebooted and installed the card and updated drivers again, but to no avail.
i asked a friend, who said it might be some conflicts with win2k, so i reinstalled windows 2000, but yet again, it was a no go...

So now, i'm pretty much stuck with nowhere to go.... Later this afternoon, my dad will help me switch video cards with another computer we have (the other computers run on Chinese win98, so i don't want to risk anything if i can't read any windows errors) to confirm if it is a video card problem..... my dad thinks the video RAM on the card is fried.

Right now, it seems the video card works enough so that i can see stuff on the moniter, but there's a definite color-difference from before.... (i.e. icons on desktop are blurred/fuzzy, the AIM icon is yellow instead of orange, etc.)... running 3DMark test reports that there are 0mb of total video memory. Half-Life refuses to run in OpenGL or Direct3D mode, and crashes after 10 minutes on software mode at 640x480. GTAIII won't even open, reporting that it requires over 12mb of video memory to run. all Directx Diagnostic tests run successfully, save one part of the Direct3D test. I have the resolution now set at 1280x1024/32-bit color (though i doubt that's the actual case)/85hertz at no problem, though windows has had to pull a blue screen of death on me and dump all the physical memory twice in the past 3 days....

so is it the video card? or windows? or something else? any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

[Dom MD]

here's a copy/paste of the startup list in case it's actually a windows-related problem. Thanks in advance!

StartupList report, 1/14/2003, 2:59:33 PM
StartupList version: 1.50
Started from : C:\StartupList.EXE
Detected: Windows 2000 SP3 (WinNT 5.00.2195)
Detected: Internet Explorer v5.00 SP3 (5.00.2920.0000)
* Using default options
==================================================

Running processes:

C:\WINNT\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINNT\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINNT\system32\services.exe
C:\WINNT\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINNT\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINNT\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Program Files\Apache2\bin\Apache.exe
C:\WINNT\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINNT\System32\nvsvc32.exe
C:\WINNT\system32\regsvc.exe
C:\WINNT\system32\MSTask.exe
C:\WINNT\System32\tcpsvcs.exe
C:\WINNT\system32\stisvc.exe
C:\WINNT\System32\WBEM\WinMgmt.exe
C:\WINNT\System32\MsPMSPSv.exe
C:\WINNT\system32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Apache2\bin\Apache.exe
C:\WINNT\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINNT\System32\devldr32.exe
C:\Program Files\Netscape\Communicator\Winamp\Winampa.exe
C:\Program Files\D-Tools\daemon.exe
C:\Program Files\E-Color\Registration\SonnReg.exe
C:\WINNT\System32\internat.exe
C:\Program Files\Apache2\bin\ApacheMonitor.exe
C:\WINNT\System32\taskmgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\StartupList.exe

--------------------------------------------------

Listing of startup folders:

Shell folders Common Startup:
[C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup]
Adobe Gamma Loader.exe.lnk = C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Calibration\Adobe Gamma Loader.exe
Monitor Apache Servers.lnk = C:\Program Files\Apache2\bin\ApacheMonitor.exe

--------------------------------------------------

Checking Windows NT UserInit:

[HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon]
UserInit = C:\WINNT\system32\userinit.exe,

--------------------------------------------------

Autorun entries from Registry:
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

UpdReg = C:\WINNT\Updreg.exe
Synchronization Manager = mobsync.exe /logon
WinampAgent = "C:\Program Files\Netscape\Communicator\Winamp\Winampa.exe"
NeroCheck = C:\WINNT\system32\NeroCheck.exe
DAEMON Tools-1033 = "C:\Program Files\D-Tools\daemon.exe" -lang 1033
BJCFD = C:\Program Files\BroadJump\Client Foundation\CFD.exe
LoadQM = loadqm.exe
NvCplDaemon = RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINNT\System32\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup
nwiz = nwiz.exe /install
E-Color Registration = C:\Program Files\E-Color\Registration\SonnReg.exe

--------------------------------------------------

Autorun entries from Registry:
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run Once

SpyBotSnD = C:\Program Files\Spybot\SpybotSD.exe

--------------------------------------------------

Autorun entries from Registry:
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Red Swoosh EDN Client = C:\Program Files\RSNet\RSEDNClient.exe
internat.exe = internat.exe

--------------------------------------------------

Enumerating Active Setup stub paths:
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components
(* = disabled by HKCU twin)

[>{26923b43-4d38-484f-9b9e-de460746276c}] *
StubPath = "C:\WINNT\System32\shmgrate.exe" OCInstallUserConfigIE

[>{881dd1c5-3dcf-431b-b061-f3f88e8be88a}] *
StubPath = "C:\WINNT\System32\shmgrate.exe" OCInstallUserConfigOE

[{44BBA840-CC51-11CF-AAFA-00AA00B6015C}] *
StubPath = "%ProgramFiles%\Outlook Express\setup50.exe" /APP:OE /CALLER:WINNT /user /install

[{6A5110B5-E14B-4268-A065-EF89FF33C325}] *
StubPath = regsvr32.exe /s /n /i:"S 2 true 3 true 4 true 5 true 6 true 7 true" initpki.dll

[{7790769C-0471-11d2-AF11-00C04FA35D02}] *
StubPath = "%ProgramFiles%\Outlook Express\setup50.exe" /APP:WAB /CALLER:WINNT /user /install

[{89820200-ECBD-11cf-8B85-00AA005B4340}] *
StubPath = regsvr32.exe /s /n /i:U shell32.dll

[{89820200-ECBD-11cf-8B85-00AA005B4383}] *
StubPath = %SystemRoot%\system32\ie4uinit.exe

[{9EF0045A-CDD9-438e-95E6-02B9AFEC8E11}] *
StubPath = %SystemRoot%\System32\updcrl.exe -e -u %SystemRoot%\System32\verisignpub1.crl

--------------------------------------------------

Enumerating ICQ Agent Autostart apps:
HKCU\Software\Mirabilis\ICQ\Agent\Apps

C:\Program Files\LingoCom\Lingoware.exe\

--------------------------------------------------

Load/Run keys from C:\WINNT\WIN.INI:

load=
run=

Load/Run keys from Registry:

HKLM\..\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon: load=
HKLM\..\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon: run=
HKLM\..\Windows\CurrentVersion\WinLogon: load=
HKLM\..\Windows\CurrentVersion\WinLogon: run=
HKCU\..\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon: load=
HKCU\..\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon: run=
HKCU\..\Windows\CurrentVersion\WinLogon: load=
HKCU\..\Windows\CurrentVersion\WinLogon: run=
HKCU\..\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows: load=
HKCU\..\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows: run=
HKLM\..\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows: load=
HKLM\..\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows: run=
HKLM\..\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows: AppInit_DLLs=

--------------------------------------------------

Shell & screensaver key from C:\WINNT\SYSTEM.INI:

*INI section not found*
*INI section not found*
*INI section not found*

Shell & screensaver key from Registry:

Shell=Explorer.exe
*Registry value not found*
*Registry value not found*

Policies Shell key:

HKCU\..\Policies: *Registry key not found*
HKLM\..\Policies: *Registry value not found*

--------------------------------------------------

Checking for EXPLORER.EXE instances:

C:\WINNT\Explorer.exe: PRESENT!

C:\Explorer.exe: not present
C:\WINNT\Explorer\Explorer.exe: not present
C:\WINNT\System\Explorer.exe: not present
C:\WINNT\System32\Explorer.exe: not present
C:\WINNT\Command\Explorer.exe: not present

--------------------------------------------------

Checking for superhidden extensions:

.lnk: HIDDEN! (arrow overlay: yes)
.pif: HIDDEN! (arrow overlay: yes)
.exe: not hidden
.com: not hidden
.bat: not hidden
.hta: not hidden
.scr: not hidden
.shs: HIDDEN!
.shb: HIDDEN!
.vbs: not hidden
.vbe: not hidden
.wsh: not hidden
.scf: HIDDEN! (arrow overlay: NO!)
.url: HIDDEN! (arrow overlay: yes)
.js: not hidden
.jse: not hidden

--------------------------------------------------

Enumerating Browser Helper Objects:

(no name) - C:\PROGRA~1\ANONYM~1\ANONYM~1.DLL - {2F2FBF0D-254F-11D5-B1E5-0050DAD7AF62}

--------------------------------------------------

Enumerating Download Program Files:

[{02BF25D5-8C17-4B23-BC80-D3488ABDDC6B}]
CODEBASE = http://www.apple.com/qtactivex/qtplugin.cab

[sys Class]
InProcServer32 = C:\WINNT\Downloaded Program Files\PCPitStop.dll
CODEBASE = http://www.pcpitstop.com/pcpitstop/PCPitStop.CAB

[Shockwave ActiveX Control]
InProcServer32 = C:\WINNT\system32\Macromed\Director\SwDir.dll
CODEBASE = http://download.macromedia.com/pub/s...irector/sw.cab

[Cult3D ActiveX Player]
InProcServer32 = C:\WINNT\Downloaded Program Files\IECult.DLL
CODEBASE = http://www.cult3d.com/download/cult.cab

[{41F17733-B041-4099-A042-B518BB6A408C}]
CODEBASE = http://a1540.g.akamai.net/7/1540/52/...eInstaller.exe

[InstallShield International Setup Player]
InProcServer32 = c:\winnt\DOWNLO~1\isetup.dll
CODEBASE = http://www.installengine.com/engine/isetup.cab

[Update Class]
InProcServer32 = C:\WINNT\System32\iuctl.dll
CODEBASE = http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.co...635.3142013889

[CV3 Class]
InProcServer32 = C:\WINNT\System32\wuv3is.dll
CODEBASE = http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/R...n/actsetup.cab

[Shockwave Flash Object]
InProcServer32 = C:\WINNT\System32\macromed\flash\Flash.ocx
CODEBASE = http://download.macromedia.com/pub/s...sh/swflash.cab

--------------------------------------------------
End of report, 8,564 bytes
Report generated in 0.050 seconds

Command line options:
/verbose - to add additional info on each section
/complete - to include empty sections and unsuspicious data
/force9x - to include Win9x-only startups even if running on WinNT
/forcent - to include WinNT-only startups even if running on Win9x
/forceall - to include all Win9x and WinNT startups, regardless of platform
/history - to list version history only

[Dom MD]

what's also interesting is the error i get when i try to play a tab on PowerTab, as you can see here:
http://dom-md.no-ip.org:88/memerror.jpg

is that error talking about my onboard DDR RAM or the video RAM??..... i only have AIM, Wordpad, and IE open with PowerTab. I have 512 megs of DDR RAM.

thanks!

[Murf]

That particular error is talking about your system memory.

Do you have another monitor available to make sure it's not the monitor itself. Generally the BIOS finds the Vid Ram and reports what is actually on the card. It could be the monitor. What settings and refresh rate are you using?

[Dom MD]

Originally posted by Dom MD
I have the resolution now set at 1280x1024/32-bit color (though i doubt that's the actual case)/85hertz at no problem, though windows has had to pull a blue screen of death on me and dump all the physical memory twice in the past 3 days....

hmm, that's interesting, i never thought it could be a monitor problem..... i'll go check that out in a few minutes.... could a monitor problem be responsible for even crashing Half-Life randomly? i had a not-that-frequent annoying problem where occasionally, Half-Life would randomly just close in the middle.

but let's not get off subject. that'll be my follow-up question after i figure out what's the problem at the moment. based on the resolution/frequency, what can you say?

thanks.

[AnnMarie]

Hi Dom MD - I had a look at your startups but I can see nothing there that might cause your problem. Murf will look after you

[Dom MD]

heh, thanks.
something interesting: we switched video cards with another computer. My GeForce2 GTSII card showed up fine on the other computer, and 64megs all detected, and everything ran fine. However, the GeForce2 MMX 64meg card on my computer hit the same problems that my GTS card encountered: 3dMark detected 0 total video memory (http://dom-md.no-ip.org:88/memerror2.jpg)

it was the same exact scenario with the GTS card, with running games (unable to), PowerTab error, color shift, etc.

so now we know it's not the video card, since both cards work fine on the other computer....

so could it really be the monitor?? my dad has doubts about that, since the monitor itself doesn't have memory.....

thanks for continuing to look into it.

[Dom MD]

*sigh*
we've pretty much given up.... and this is rare, my dad never really gives up.

uninstall Directx completely, and cards and drivers, then install them again didn't work
updating monitor drivers didn't work......

could it be something about corrupted files? or is it hardware-related?

this is frustrating.... i think i've supplied every little bit of info there is.... d:/

[Dom MD]

k, final update before bedtime:

after further testing and driver reinstallations and yada yada, we realized it could be the motherboard. we noticed on 3dMark that the amount of RAM it detected conflicted with the actual specs. I have 2 sticks of 256mb DDR RAM, on slot 1 and 2 on the mobo..... however, as you can tell from the following screenshots, not only is only one stick detected, but only 3 total slots are detected on the KG7 (instead of 4), yet it detects 512mb of total RAM.....
http://dom-md.no-ip.org:88/3dmark1.jpg
http://dom-md.no-ip.org:88/3dmark2.jpg

my dad and I have narrowed it down to three possibilities: the mobo is screwed (Abit KG7-RAID), the mobo drivers are corrupted (i doubt it now since i re-installed and updated drivers), or win2k is screwy and reporting wrong information (which i also doubt, since i re-installed win2k, etc.)

100% sure conclusions:
-it's not the video card (it works fine on the other comp)
-it's not the RAM (each stick can run independently, aka i restarted w/ only 256mb of RAM and switched afterwards)
-it's not Directx (made sure drivers were current, then uninstalled Directx and installed Directx 8.1, which i knew worked before)
-it's not nVidia detonator drivers (40.72 nor 41.09 worked)
-it's not 3dMark's fault (trusted benchmarking program, and with the games' results and powertab results that support it)
-it's not any weird BIOS settings (double-checked with manual, used optimized defaults, and ran through again)

semi-sure conclusions:
-it's not win2k (re-installed today to no avail)
-it's not the motherboard drivers (re-installed all drivers, then updated them from aBit)
-it's not a virus (scanned HD, and startup clean, according to annmarie [thanks!])


those were my conclusions after today..... damn today was long.... d:(
tomorrow, i plan on formatting my C: and installing win2k again.... although i really wish it will work (just as i wished it was a video card problem after i realized it could be something worse), i doubt reinstalling win2k or upgrading to winxp will solve anything....
is there a way to check if it's the mobo?

hopefully i'll have some suggestions by tomorrow! thanks for reading through all this crap today!

[Dom MD]

so no go? anyone? d:(

[Murf]

Don't run out and buy another motherboard YET.

Hum,

Maybe a BIOS setting causing it.

Interesting reading
HERE:

Also found this: Here:

We need to research before you give up. I'm not familiar with that board. Going to bed myself, but will do some research tomorrow. Hopefully someone witht that same board comes along.

[Dom MD]

uh oh...... i flashed my BIOS like in the first link you gave me, and now the display has weird flashy thingies all around (aka the display is fuxored, from bootup to shutdown)..... d:/

then 2nd link has nothing to do with it, since i have a KG7 board.

and you hafta remember, the subject of this thread is outdated now. it's not a video memory problem anymore, it's a video memory AND RAM problem (which leads me to think it's a mobo problem, since the BIOS seemed to be ok, at least before i flashed it, haha....)

thanks Murf. i appreciate all the help.

[Dom MD]

i am getting a new KG7-RAID. my computer is ****ed until i get the motherboard.

[Dom MD]

yeah, i cleared the CMOS, but the display is still really weird, with vertical flashing lines and garbled letters and such. d:/
yay for learning the hard way. heh

[Murf]

I'm at work but,

When you flashed did you save the old BIOS? Because you can revert back???