Creative Riva TNT probs?

[Skybase]

I've got the Creative Labs Graphics Blaster NVidia Riva TNT 16MB AGP video card in my FIC VA-503+ motherboard (via chipset) and am having problems. I've tried upgrading both bios and drivers for the card, and motherboard, but. . .for example, in the directX setup of Rogue Squadron, and Simcity 3000, in the display part, it doesn't allow testing of Hardware acceleration, and only shows est. 5 MB of memory on the card. Also, when I choose my primary Video, doesn't show the RIVA at all. .doesn't show anything, then when I try to run it, says "can't initialize HAL" . .I know this video card works, cuz before I reinstalled windows 98, it worked fine with the game. ..i'm back to how everything was before the reinstall, but the hardware acceleration doesn't seem to work. .any suggestions?

[Sterling]

You may want to reinstall the drivers for the Video card. 1st go to your control panel and select the and/remove programs icon. Select (if present)the reference to the video card. With it highlighted, click on the lower right the "add/remove". Again in control panel double click on the "display" icon, select the "settings" tab, once on the settings page go to the lower right and click on "advanced".Click on the "adapter"
tab, click on "change". What you are going to do is set-up your system so that it is at a standard VGA mode that will be 640x480 and is the plain vanilla driver for windows. To do this after you clicked on "change", The update device driver wizard will appear. Click "next", the next page will give you 2 options for windows to do. Select the 2nd item "Display a list for drivers in a specific loc...". On the next page that comes up you'll probably see the video card highlighted in a box. Ignore this and select the "SHOW ALL HARDWARE" then you will see a listing of various drivers and makes. In the left column go up and select the "Standard display types" and in the right col. select the "Standard Display Adapter VGA" now click "Next" on the lower right. Follow the rest of the prompts. You WIll get a notice that the driver you had selected does not correspond with the the card. Follow thru do not cancel.You will be asked to restart the system. Restart, Once the system reboots, carry out the installation of the
Video cards drivers as outlined by the manufacturer. NO WARRANTIES ARE EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED AND YOU DO THIS AT YOUR OWN RISK! I don't mean to scare but offering assistance via the net is not the same as being there to see things out. The TNT cards do not like installation if there are old drivers around.
This is the most appropriate means to offer the cleanest install without doing a full O/S install. Be sure to check all the basics 1st. Make sure your motherboard is NOT rev.1.0 You want newer release of the board also be sure that the Gart driver for the AGP has been correctly installed and is the most current. There have been problems with the VIA chipset
and the use of the AGP. Good luck

[This message has been edited by Sterling (edited 02-19-99).]