Arcade VGA is causing me to loose my hair

[Boz]

Andy, anyone, I've attempted, in vain to use the forum software at mameworld, but after several tries at logging in with an account and creating a new one, I'm at my wits end. I don't have the energy to get into how much I can't stand their forums.

I finally replaced the chassis in my monitor which conveniently / coincidentally gave way while having a hell of a time getting the AVGA drivers installed. Now, with the monitor up and running I've been giving the AVGA another shot.

In your instructions (which I have read line for line this time) you say that for Windows XP bluescreens, you must boot into safe mode and install the drivers that way. However, none of the DOS boot screens are displayed when I boot with the AVGA/Billabs combo, so, I have to guess, with pretty accurate timing when to hit F8 and exactly what key combinations are required to get into safe mode.

However, even in safe mode, the machine still bluescreens. I can only guess that's what it's doing because the minute it happens, the screen goes black and I can't access it over the network.

This is the SECOND vanilla installation of XP I have tried. The difference between this installation and the last (when my Billabs went south) is that I configured it to mostly hide Windows. This time I left it alone. Both installation have been fully up to date and service packed. Mobo is only 2-3 years old (MSI 845PE Max)

So here's the flow of things:
o  must have AVGA installed in system to install drivers
o  with AVGA installed system bluescreens
o  boot into safemode to install drivers, but can't see the screens to get to safemode
o  should I get *into* safemode, computer still bluescreens
o  completely unable to install drivers for AVGA in XP

* In2ishun is thinking this is an AVGA hardware problem

This is killin' me here. I REALLY want to be able to use this card for obvious reasons. I've put so many hours of thought and hours of work into my cabinet that to use something else would be a bit sacreligious. It'd be like building a Lamborghini from the ground up only to send it to Macco to be painted.

I need help here and I'll do anything to have this work right.

I may (against every thread of common sense I have) try to install the AVGA in my main workstation and see if I can get the thing up and running that way.

AAAAAAAUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Boz]

Ok... I have something new to help me loose my hair. The mother-F%$@#$%@$ old motherboard I had intended on using for my cabinet.

From what I can tell, it was the motherboard in that old system that was causing me so much headache. This is the last nail in the coffin for that system. Runs windows just fine, but don't try to actually *do anything* inside of it.

So... Here's where I got stopped and I'm thinkin' this is probably going to be a rather easy fix from those who know.

Using my primary workstation, I installed the drivers just fine in safe mode, rebooted and checked the device manager to be sure. However, I'm unable to change the display mode from 640 x 480 x 4bpp to anything. In Device Manager both the AVGA and the Radeon Secondary show up, but the AVGA has the exclamation icon on it. Is this a common thing to be worked around? What am I doing wrong.

EDIT: Oh... I tried disabling the Radeon Secondary and "enabling" the AVGA and there was no display at all. Had to change it back just to get windows. The quickres utility from Ultimarc didn't show *any* resolutions in the pop-up. Only "Display properties".

[Kevin Mullins]

Seems like I've heard alot about having to disable and or uninstall ALL other video drivers otherwise there will be conflicts.

I've never messed with an ArcadeVGA myslef, but this seems to be a fairly common issue.

Andy is very helpful if you just write him at Ultimarc if you still think it's an AVGA harware problem. (or he may find your post and help out) andy@ultimarc.com

[wildfire123]

you have to uninstall your other graphic card, to be able to use avga. once you install the avga then install the secondary driver for it. Reboot. Somehow for my issue, I get blue and black screen. Everything works but I got no green or red.

[Boz]

you have to uninstall your other graphic card, to be able to use avga. once you install the avga then install the secondary driver for it. Reboot. Somehow for my issue, I get blue and black screen. Everything works but I got no green or red.

Don't hijack my thread. Start your own.

[SirPeale]

you have to uninstall your other graphic card, to be able to use avga. once you install the avga then install the secondary driver for it. Reboot. Somehow for my issue, I get blue and black screen. Everything works but I got no green or red.

Don't hijack my thread. Start your own.

Who's hijacking your thread?  He's offering advice.

[Lutus]

you have to uninstall your other graphic card, to be able to use avga. once you install the avga then install the secondary driver for it. Reboot. Somehow for my issue, I get blue and black screen. Everything works but I got no green or red.

Don't hijack my thread. Start your own.

You sound as grumpy as your avatar looks!   

[Boz]

Who's hijacking your thread?  He's offering advice.

* In2ishun sighs.....

[Luckydevil]

Whenever I install a new AVGA on a cab, I format the HD and do a fresh install of Windows while the computer is connected to a pc monitor. That way there are no drivers that I have to worry about and it gets rid of a lot of crap that is not needed.

Then I connect it to the arcade monitor and run the AVGA software. Works perfect everytime.

There is an order to the way you have to install the AVGA software and drivers also. Be sure to check out the readme file before you start installing stuff.

[AndyWarne]

I am sure I can fix this problem very easily via email. The first step is to find out why there are no boot screens, because all boot screens should be displayed perfectly.
It would be a step-by-step fault-finding process, which I can help with by email. I will also need to know the version of the card.
andy@ultimarc.com