monitor setting probs after clean install

Well I did it again. Tried to learn something while saving a couple bucks, and its blown up in my face, as usual.

To start at the beginning, I was having crash and freeze probs with my OS and decided it would be a good time to do two birds at once by upgrading from my 4.3 G h/d at the same time that I started with a clean OS. Ordered a 40 G Western Digital, downloaded the install info and only then learned about the 33 G limit with old bios. WD supplies two workarounds tho, so I went ahead hoping one would work.

I had no need of two h/d's, so to clean the old drive before removal I used the WD app to reformat it to FAT 16. When the new drive wasn't recognised by bios and the workarounds had no effect, I was left wondering if I had screwed up or if the drive was doa. So off to the local tech shop I go, a new shop to me as my old trusty shop was out of business. The techies have no more luck than I do but at least the drive isn't doa. What to do next? Techies will replace the mobo, out the door, for $250. Award bios will cost $69 (!!), since reduced to $39 but still too much IMO. Decided to put the old drive back and do the clean install, then search the internet for a better bios deal.

After installing the os and fighting the modem for two days, I'm left with display problems. I had two color choices: 2 color or 16 color. Period. And for screen resolution, I have no choice but the default 480 by 640 (or whatever), since the "lever" won't move.

This is win 98se, VIA chipsets, don't know the mobo. I've had clean installs before without any of this trouble. Anyone out there that can set me straight? Thanks in advance. Hope I haven't put you'all to sleep.

 

Did you load the drivers for your video card? While you're at it, load any other drivers you may need.

Eric

 

This pc was purchased used with what looks like vid card drivers on a floppy, which I tried to install once without success. Will try again tonight. Thanks.

 

If it's a VIA chipset motherboard, you need the VIA "Hyperion" chipset drivers. Grab that here: http://www.viaarena.com/?PageID=2

After those are in, Make sure your monitor is recognized correctly by Windows, and install your video card driver, DirectX, and all the other goodies you have.

 

Must be missing something here. The vid driver is in zip form. Unzipping sends it to a temp folder. Winzip says it opened 13 files, but there are only three in the folder, a -cfg, -cat and -inf. Notepad opens the inf, but as this is a clean install there are no programs associated with the other two. What program opens these two? What is the next step?

 

right click the inf file and select install

 

Edit. I posted wrong info, and deleted it. Nevermind me!!

 

Hi GLS

Was sure that would do the trick, but no such luck. Right clicked, saw the install option and clicked it, but nothing. Am i supposed to boot or something?

 

Choosing to install on an inf doesn't associate the driver to your device.

There are two possible solutions here.

1. Run the Add New Hardware Wizard and try to install your device.
2. Install your card by updating or reinstalling the driver in Device Manager, then point thw wizard to where you unzipped the inf and the files that came with it.

 

I decided to end the aggravation by throwing money at it. Bought a new vid card with drivers on a cd. Whalah!

Downloaded and installed directx, which I believe helped tremendously(why isn't it part of the win98 distro?)