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Problems after installing Vesa LB Graphics Card!!!

B

barney

Experienced Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2009
Messages
202
Location
Tampa, FL
I have a 486 PC running dos. I initially had an ISA Graphics card and everything worked fine. I then removed the ISA card, installed a VLB graphics card and now everytime I boot my computer acts flakey. Sometimes the graphics are garbled. Sometimes it will boot completely but will all of a sudden lock up. Sometimes the screen will turn black and freeze. I am assuming that maybe the VLB card requires me to make some sort of jumper setting on the MB. Does anybody have any ideas what my problem might be? Thanks.

Barney
 
Does it mess up in DOS or Windows? Each video card needs a specific driver in Windows and will crash loading one for a different card.

The only jumpers for VLB cards would be the bus speed which are generally the same as the CPU BUS speed (25, 33, 40, 50 Mhz). Most VLB cards do not like 50Mhz without plenty of wait states if even then, 33 is the most common.

What CPU do you have? Which video card model?
 
Actually, it crashes before I even get a chance to start Win 3.11. It crashes in DOS mode. I did find the jumper settings for my particular motherboard and did find two jumpers that may need to be adjusted: Jumper 38 = 0WS or 1WS. Jumper 39 = <33MHZ or >33MHZ. Would these possible need adjusting?

Barney
 
Is this the same motherboard where you didn't get any Sound Blaster to work? If so, you might have overclocked bus. It would explain why Sound Blasters won't work and why the VLB card won't work.

Many VLB cards won't tolerate any overclocking. Make sure you use at most 8MHz ISA and at most 33MHz VLB. You might need to set VLB wait states to 1.

It is also possible that the VLB graphics card is simply broken.
 
NO, this is a different motherboard. I tried as you said and moved the jumper to 33mhz and WS = 1 but the computer would still crash. I think I am also leaning to a faulty card. Oh well, I put my ISA card back in.
 
Make real sure that the "VESA" portion of the slot on your mobo is in good material condition, nothing bent. Also ensure the card seats properly. Try using a different slot. Also, you will need to round up the driver for that video card. Question: What's your mobo, cpu and video card? I have a Gigabyte GA486VF which is running a Pentium at 100Mhz with 2 of 3 VESA slots occupied and no problems.
 
Yes, I checked and nothing is bent and card is seated in slot firmly. Also tried the other Vesa slots but no success. My motherboard is the "Opti895 Green PC" but I can't remember the video card model ( I am not near my computer right now). I do remember though that it has the ET4000/W32P chip. It is a very well made graphics card with the ability to jump it up from 1 to 2 MB. I did notice that it has three jumpers on the card. Two I believe are to set the IRQ and the other one I believe is to flash the bios. I did do a search on the card but could find absolutely no information on the internet.

The funny thing is that with the card installed, the computer boots fine sometimes but when I try to run a game, it crashes/freezes. Then, other times, the computer will not boot at all. I am certain that it is a jumper setting on the MB or the card that needs to be done.

Barney
 
Barney,

When you get back to where you are near your box, post the mobo and video card info. Also, I might have some suspicions about the power supply.
Is there anyone that's near you with a 486 that you could slap your VESA card in their machine?
 
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