Windows 7 Multiple boot problems in Vista and Windows 7

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freelancer91

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This post covers two major problems I have been having. I am currently running Windows 7 64 bit build 7057. However, some of my problems span back to when I was running Windows Vista Ultimate 64bit

1.
Configuration
Motherboard: Intel DX48BT2
Processor: Intel QX9770 Core 2 Extreme 3.2GHz
Memory: 8GB of OCZ DDR3 PC3-10666 1333MHz memory in 4 2GB modules
HDD: Samsung HD103UJ Spinpoint 1TB running at 7200 rpm
PSU: Powork Model 680 providing 680 Watts of Power
CD/DVD: HP DVD Writer 1140i
OS: Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit Build 7057
Graphics: ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2 with 2GB of GDDR5 VRAM

In April, my Visiontek ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2 graphics card started failing while playing Fallout 3 and Halo 2. I sent the card in and had to wait more than two months to get the card back. When I did, I installed the card and the drivers and restarted to activate the drivers. When I did it got to the "Starting Windows" screen and then both of the monitors went blank and the fan on the card when into max speed. I tried again and got the same results. I was running the latest drivers, but I tried downgrading the drivers. Still I had the same problem.

I tried reinstalling Windows 7 and adding the card again. Just like before, the card failed whenever I activated the drivers and rebooted. I tried downgrading to Windows Vista. Still, the problem persisted. I then tried downgrading the drivers to the version that I had when I had sent the card off in April (back when I was running Windows Vista). The problem still persisted. I switched to my substitute card (see problem 2) and upgraded to Windows 7. I then tried the ATI card one more time. Still no luck.

I have tried contacting Visiontek, the manufacturer of the card but they insist that the card had been tested before they shipped it back to me and that the problem must be my fault. Typical. I tried contacting ATI and they gave me a code to give Visiontek so that they would take the card back and replace it with a proper card. I have yet to receive a response. I have given up on Visiontek. They are the worst company I have ever had to deal with.....ever...

Is it possible that Visiontek is right and that the problem doesn't lie with the card but with something else?

Problem 2

Configuration: Identical to the one in problem one but with an Nvidia Geforce 6200SE Turbo Cache

NOTE: At this point I was running Windows Vista 64bit

While my ATI card was away, I had to dig out a much older card that I had in storage. I installed it and activated the drivers. However, when I got to the "Staring Windows" screen it hang there for what seemed like 10 minutes. When it finally did get to the login screen, it seemed to run fine. When Windows 7 RC Build 7057 came out, I upgraded hoping the fix the problem. However, the problem persisted. Today I tried going into my BIOS and tried disabling any unused devices (like Firewire) and other things. I also updated the BIOS. The problem is still there. Again, this problem only occurred after I installed the Nvidia card and activated the drivers. How can I fix this?

There was a time when my machine ran perfectly. But with the failing of the ATI card, a litany of troubles was unleashed on me. Any help given would be greatly appreciated.
 
was the new Nvidia card on a fresh install or onto a system that previously had the ATI card on it ??

I would personally create a new partition and setup a dual boot with maybe XP to compare issues and play around with drivers ?

I did have a problem a few years ago where I switched from an ATI card to an Nvidia and no matter what I did with driver cleaners the only way to make it work was by a fresh install of the OS , pos XP or Vista :confused:
 
The Nvidia card is by no means new. It was something I pulled out of storage in my basement. I originally got it out to see if the ATI card (the new one) was what was causing my system to crash on Fallout 3 and Halo 2. When I confirmed this, I sent off the ATI card and had to use the old Nvidia card. While the ATI card was away I upgraded to Windows 7. When the ATI card came back, I tried to install it. It didn't work. Eventually I went back to Vista and got the same results. Now I am back on Windows 7 with the Nvidia card.
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This is the Nvidia GeForce 6200SE that I have currently installed.
Here are the specs for the card

  • [FONT="Arial"]General Features:[/FONT]
  • [FONT="Arial"]Powered by NVIDIA GeForce 6200 with TurboCache (NV44SE)[/FONT]
  • [FONT="Arial"]64 MB on board memory[/FONT]
  • [FONT="Arial"]Supports 128 and 256 MB TurboCache configurations[/FONT]
  • [FONT="Arial"]PCI-Express x16 interface[/FONT]
  • [FONT="Arial"]Supports NVIDIA CineFX 3.0[/FONT]
  • [FONT="Arial"]NVIDIA PureVideo[/FONT]
  • [FONT="Arial"]Supports Microsoft DirectX 9.0c [/FONT]
  • [FONT="Arial"]DirectX Shader Model 3.0[/FONT]
  • [FONT="Arial"]400 MHz RAMDAC[/FONT]
  • [FONT="Arial"]NVIDIA Unified Driver Architecture (UDA)[/FONT]
    [FONT="Arial"]
    [/FONT]
  • [FONT="Arial"]Connectors:[/FONT]
  • [FONT="Arial"]S-video[/FONT]
  • [FONT="Arial"]TV-out[/FONT]
  • [FONT="Arial"]VGA (15-pin Dsub) connector[/FONT]
I will try to dig out an old copy of XP that I have and set aside a Gig or 2 for it. I'll let you know if it works.
 
gah! I installed XP Pro x64 on some unallocated space on my HDD. When I rebooted, I got a disk error. I reinserted the disk to delete the XP partition, when i was done, I restarted but now I get an "error loading Operating System" whenever I try to load Windows 7! I'll have to get my disk out again and hopefully fix this.....

EDIT: whoa! I just rebooted my desktop and got a pleasant surprise. I know that it's still technically in the setup phase, but it is in the part where it transfers files from my Vista setup and it is booting up much faster. Like, crazy fast. The way everyone says that Windows 7 should. I think what made the difference between this and every other problem is that when I was presented with a list of available partitions, I chose to delete the the 100MB "System Reserved" Partition. I think I did it on accident because I feared that if I deleted it, it would cause my computer to go fubar.

I wonder if this would also fix the problem of my computer crashing with the ATI card. I will try that next.

EDIT 2: Nope, the card still doesn't work. I swear to God, I will make those sons of bitches at Visiontek eat their own parents........

EDIT 3: Interesting. Its worth nothing that my computer is running much more quickly now. Before my processor loads hovered around 0-1% even when I was doing something that should have made it jump up, like unRARing something. I don't know what was on that system reserved partition, but it appears to have been my problem. As for Visiontek fixing my card, I get the feeling that after I called the attorney general and the BBB on them when my card was away for 2 months, they have blacklisted me.
 
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