What's wrong with my video card?

[Kccdx2]

In the past month, I replaced my only Epox 939 mobo with an asrock 939 (AGP & PCI-e compatible model) and my onld A64 3200+ with a X2 3800. After this, I wiped all my drivers clean and reinstalled them one by one. However, now the videocard has gone to the crapper. WoW is now completely unplayable <1fps, old old 98' games run at 20 fps...what's up? Did I forget something in the upgrade? Send help!

 

[mechBgon]

Did you reinstall the motherboard chipset drivers? If not, try that. Also get the dual-core AMD driver and optomization too.

http://www.amd.com/us-en/assets/content_type/utilities/amdcpusetup.exe (direct link to dual-core driver download)

http://www.amd.com/us-en/assets/content_type/utilities/Setup.exe (direct link to optomizer download)

and hit Asrock.com for the motherboard chipset drivers for your model.

 

[Kccdx2]

I reinstalled my mobo and display drivers in addition to the optomizer from AMD, (uLi driver, then Nvidia Forceware, then optomizer) and frame rates are still terrible...any other suggestions?

 

[KingofFah]

You switched chipsets and did or did not reinstall windows? I've had some odd things come up when switching from different chipsets. I've also had some odd things come up from BIOS settings, one very similar to yours where everything because slow (but it was clear in the video games due to the fps). Are you sure it is just the video card? Try running a system benchmarks and see if they are unbearably slow. Also, even when loading games, do they load in normal speed or do they take a lot longer?

 

[Kccdx2]

Loading does take a lot longer. CPU benchmarks are on par for a x2 3800 however, GPU ones (3dmark etc..) fluctuate.

I did not reinstall windows after the chipset change, had some important docs I never backed up. Do you think that's the best solution?

 

[Severian]

In my opinion, changing mainboards absolutely necessitates a fresh install of WinXP. I'm not saying you can't get away without doing it, but you'd be prone to problems like you're having right now.

Back up your files, format and re-install windows, then your chipset drivers and video drivers. I'll bet your problem goes away.

good luck

 

[Kccdx2]

Alright, sounds like that's the only logical course of action. Thanks for the advice!

What's the best way to backup Gigs and gigs of music?

 

[KingofFah]

I always use other hard drives (the worst thing that ever happened to me was I backed up to a hard drive and the circuit board blew on it -- had to order another HDD and take the logic board off; got my files back, though).

DVDs work well, since they are pretty cheap now.

 

[imported_nocturne]

Severian is right, you're going to have to reinstall windows. Take note that MS 'supposedly' counts a new mobo as a new computer, so if you activate windows there might be a problem (gives you 30-days in any case).

My favorite method of backup is extra HD's in my system. I have my 160gb drive partitioned into a 30gb system drive and a 130gb backup partition. Next to that, I have a 320gb for all my downloads, music, and recorded tv shows. That way, all I have to do is reinstall windows by formatting the 30gb system partition, and I keep the two backup drives. (I also have an old 30gb HD with my 'failsafe' XP installation, for troubleshooting and getting everything ready for another reformat if I can't boot up to the normal install)

 

[Navid]

Originally posted by: mechBgon
Also get the dual-core AMD driver and optomization too.

What are those for?