7800GT Installation Problem

[Kwitko]

I just bought a 7800GT to replace my X800XT. I uninstalled the ATI drivers, rebooted, used Driver Cleaner Pro, rebooted with the 7800GT in. The POST screen comes up, but the Windows loading screen doesn't. I reboot into safe mode, and Windows hangs at mup.sys.

I thought perhaps the nVidia IDE driver was causing a problem so I rolled back to the stock Windows IDE driver.

Everything works fine when I drop my X800XT back in. I tried a clean install with an old HD I have lying around and Windows install hangs at "Windows is starting."

Something tells me the card isn't any good. Any suggestions?

Specs:
MSI K8N-Neo4 Platinum
A64 3000+ Venice Core
MSI 7800GT PCI-e
1GB Corsair XMS PC3200
Antec 500W PSU

[profdlp]

Do you have another computer you could try the new card in? In the long run, it might pay to nail down the status of the card before you go to any more extraordinary measures. :)

[Kwitko]

Unfortunately I don't have another PCI-e rig to try it in. I unplugged everything from my machine except for a HD and a few fans and still nothing. I tried a different PCI-e power connector with no luck either. I've ruled out the PSU as a potential problem.

I'm going to contact ZipZoomFly tomorrow to see if they'll do a cross-ship. An RMA is my only recourse at the moment.

Clearly it's your fault, prof.

[profdlp]

/me hangs head in shame... :-/

[Nosferatu]

I'm not sure if it's related, but I have had problems twice upgrading drivers and using Driver Cleaner Pro. I thought it might be because i'm using x64 and DC removes something x64 doesn't like. What happens for me when I use driver cleaner pro is that once I clean the old nvidia drivers (after removing them via Add/Remove) that windows xp x64 will show the loading screen, but will not show the login screen. However, I can hit Ctrl + Alt + Del and type in my password and I can hear the login sound. I'm also able to reboot into safe-mode by pressing F8. I spent forever last night trying to fix it, since even if I reinstalled the latest NVIDIA driver, I couldn't get the login screen to appear. I also tried uninstalling the videocard from Hardware Manager, but windows still wouldn't load a video driver properly when I wasn't in safe-mode. I finally fixed it by removing the NVIDIA driver through Add/Remove programs in safe-mode and rebooting when the installer told me to. I'm guessing that this corrected something in the registry, or restored some default setting or system file. Quite the pain in the ass, I will never use driver cleaner pro on x64 or with my 7800GT again, just to be on the safe side. It worked fine on Windows 2000 with my old 9800 Pro though.

I know you said you can't get into safe-mode, so my experience probably won't help. :(

[Kwitko]

Driver Cleaner Pro never gave me problems before. Still, this problem runs deeper than drivers, inasmuch as I can't even clean install. :(

[profdlp]

What happens if you bump your AGP Voltage a notch?

[Kwitko]

PCI-e voltage, you mean? Wouldn't really make a difference.

All roads lead to RMA. :(

Thanks for your assistance, peeps. I love you all, in a platonic, geek kinda way.

[Sledgehammer70]

I had a similiar problem, but only after I was running SLI on new drivers and pulled the 2nd card out to run a single card. I shut off SLI form windows, than I shut down the tower, I oulled the bottom card out and flipped my ASUS SLI chip for single card use. as I rebooted... nothing computer would just so a black screen!

Kwitko - this might be a stupid question! but does your MOBO have a seperate 4 pin power plug on it? if so.... here is the stupid question!... is it plugged in?

[Kwitko]

Kwitko - this might be a stupid question! but does your MOBO have a seperate 4 pin power plug on it? if so.... here is the stupid question!... is it plugged in?

It does. It is.

[TheSmJ]

Throw in an extra HDD and install a fresh copy of Windows to it. If the card works like it should with the fresh copy, then Driver Cleaner isn't getting everything.

[Kwitko]

Throw in an extra HDD and install a fresh copy of Windows to it. If the card works like it should with the fresh copy, then Driver Cleaner isn't getting everything.

I tried a clean install with an old HD I have lying around and Windows install hangs at "Windows is starting."

[TheSmJ]

oops.

[Kwitko]

My RMA has been approved and I'll be mailing the card back tomorrow. Thanks for everyone's help.

[Kwitko]

Okay, I'm putting a big WTF up. I just got an email from ZipZoomFly saying that the card tested fine. I'm wondering if my PSU is the culprit. This is really pissing me off.

[GrayFox]

Have you updated your bios ?.

[sfleuriet]

Check the AGP voltage like prof suggested ;D Just messing with ya prof... :p

That is odd - I would definitely not know what to do at this point where you're at.

[profdlp]

Check the AGP voltage like prof suggested ;D Just messing with ya prof... :p
...
:rolleyes:

Well, he could try to bump the PCI-e voltage...

I wish I had an answer for you, man. :(

[sfleuriet]

:rolleyes:
:rolleyes:

[Kwitko]

Have you updated your bios ?.

No. :grumble: I just did it, but I'll have to wait for the card to come back before I can rule that out as an issue.

Prof, I raised the AGP voltage but all my PC did was ask me if I was getting advice from crackpot Ohioans. :wtf:

[ryko]

so is zzf going to send you back the same card? you should find out exact specs of the system they tested it on and the methods used. what do they consider "tested fine?"

in the meantime have you searched for mup.sys fixes? you can try them if/when you get the card back.

i just googled it and there seems to be a variety of reasons for the hangup on mup.sys.

some people fixed it by removing everything from their usb ports and using a regular ps2 keyboard and mouse.

others fixed things by copying a known good mup.sys file on another computer and putting it on the system that is hanging.

there are only about 23,000 entries to look through!

http://www.google.com/search?q=mup.sys&start=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official

[Kwitko]

I sent an email back to ZZF asking about the methods and hardware they used to test the card. We'll see what their reply is. Updated my BIOS just a little while ago. System seems peppier all of a sudden. Who knows?

Yeah, I saw those entries on mup.sys. I'm going to systematically run through everything to try and knock out any culprits.

[TheLostSwede]

Kwitko,

What monitor do you use and what type of connector? DVI or VGA?
If you use DVI, try with VGA instead. I have had the same issue numerous times with basically all PCI-E cards i have had so far and the DVI out have always been the one to blame on the monitor or the card. At one stage i had the post screen showing, but not windows as you have and when i switched to the other, it was the other way around :/
All of a sudden, it just worked again.

[TheQuestion]

Hi there. I'm new here because I am having this EXACT same problem. I did a search through google and it brought me to this thread.

I got the 7800gt card and nForce4 mb from Zipzoomfly as well, and my windows install is also hanging at "windows is starting".

Since I didn't see a solved response to this thread I wondered if the solution was ever found? This is driving me crazy.

Any help would be appreciated.

-TQ

[TheQuestion]

Actually, I was able to figure it out myself - surprisingly with some help from Microsoft (who would have guessed they'd be useful!?)

By looking at this article here:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=217073

I disabled both serial ports, unplugged the printer and tried again. Setup seems to be going through without a problem at this point. Thank god!!

[Nosferatu]

I haven't had this problem with my EVGA 7800GT and XP Pro. x64, however I do have the serial ports disabled as well as all other ports/features I don't use. I do that whenever I'm setting up a new system, so maybe I avoided a problem without even realizing it?

[Kwitko]

Well, after a lot of fighting with ZZF, they finally refunded my money. I bought an eVGA from Newegg. Just installed it without any problems. I think ZZF was full of sheet. The card was bad. Funny thing was they miraculously :rolleyes: found a defect in the card once I decided I didn't want it anymore.

So all is good now. Gonna run some 3DMark tests to see how this thing does versus my X800XL.

[profdlp]

Way to stick to your guns, Bonecrusher. :thumbsup:

[tmh88]

thats good to hear. I hate recieving dead products. On this pc, I actually got an amd 64 3200+ that had pins broken off. I was so pissed off when it came, so I called them and they acused me of breaking the pins of. I threatened to press charges if they didnt refund my money.....well not really but that would have been cool, they sent me a new one quickly.