Driver Issues

[Roadkill]

I'm trying to install a Matrox G400 Dual Head video card. This is a Hewlett Packard OEM card. I've tried two diferent drivers from Matrox, and one from H.P.

After I load the drivers, I go to Control Panel > Display > Settings, make my selections, and hit Apply. At this point, with the H.P. driver I got a BSOD, and with both Matrox drivers I get the error message:

"The display control panel is unable to change the display settings. The graphics driver returned an unexpected error."

I'm at a loss as to what is going on and what to do next.

Win 2000 Pro on a Tyan Tiger 133.

Any ideas?

[moflsh03]

Have you tried the matrox driver package 2kxp_593_009.exe?
For dual head capabilitywith 2K, you may also need eDualHead (edh1_11.exe) ...that is, of course if you can get the card to work.

[Roadkill]

2kpx_593_009.exe was the first one I tried, then tried 2kxp_592_006.exe. The H.P. driver I tried was kdf636en.exe.

[moflsh03]

Sorry to hear that. I have one and I love it ...best 2D card I have ever used and best dually too. Mine is not an OEM card though ...matrox proper. I had a stack of nvidia cards pulled from gateways that gave me the same problem. Never could get any of the drivers to work. They are taking up space somewhere in a landfill now.

Might be a wild goose chase, but maybe try and installing edh1_11.exe first. ??

[Roadkill]

Looked all over the Matrox site, couldn't find edh1_11.exe. Got a link?

[PresterJohn]

the g400 requires a very specifc set of steps to install under w2k. this is because of the way win2k implemented multi-monitor support (which was corrected w/XP). this is especially true if you want to set up multi-display in non-spanned mode (or what others might call independent extended desktop).

firstly, you should use the matrox driver. the current version 5.93 from matrox works fine. i have the same card (HP oem card) running in many of my w2k systems. i've never bothered with the hp driver...it isn't necesary.

the steps to install the card are:

1) if you've already installed any matrox frivers, remove them using add/remove via control panel. removal is essential to getting the install to work.

2) download the matrox driver and run the exe to unpack them to a temporary folder

3) install the card, windows will detect the new hardware & ask for drivers, manually point it to the temp folder and it will copy some files to the winnt folder.

4) reboot the machine...it should load the matrox driver. check the device manager and make sure the display adapter has no unrecognized devices.

5) only after verifying #4, goto the temp folder and run Setup.exe immediately afterwards. DO NOT adjust your display settings...leave them at the windows default.

6) you will be prompted to reboot afterwards...do so. then goto the display properties, and click on the Advanced button. you will see a nunch of matrox tabs which will then allow you to customize the display.

7) as part of the install, the software loads the PowerDesk software. i don't bother using it and deselect it from the startup registry folder.

---
these steps are only necessary if you are using the card with NT or w2k. xp installs the g400/450 seamlessly.

[Roadkill]

Strange, Just cannot get this card to work in 2Kpro. I was trying to set this up for my son, so he can do his CAD-CAM work. Since you said the card works in XP, he took the machine home and loaded XP Home and the card worked fine.

So I used your instructions on my 2K Pro machine down in the basement, and it set right up! Makes no sense to me. At least he is set to go, and I also now have dual monitor on a machine. Cool!

Thanks for the instructions Prester!

[moflsh03]

I am using my g400 in a multi-boot system that includes win2K3se. I only had to install the latest Matrox win2k drivers to get it working and it works perfectly. No jumping through hoops to get it installed.

[Carl D]

i had all 3 working dual head in 2k sp4 with no problems. when they all installed i just checked the box "dual monitor support" and that worked. i also was using a 17" monitor and a 15" one. i used 5.25 drivers i think

yeah all 3 i got from prestor(he definately knows alot about em)... and roadie now has two and moflash has one...

the cards seriously hated my ABIt KV7's. the "lost" tyan mpx i had ran with one and so did the one asus a7v133, along with other odds and ends crunchers.

glad you figured out the issue roadie. i almost had a heart attack looking at the title of the thread.