CRT Emu Drivers: No Video After the Installation

[P.H.U.]

Running Windows XP 64-bit on a clean install. Installed CRT Emu drivers by the *.exe file. The only other things I have installed are .NET 2, 3.5, & 4. No other updates applied. After booting back into Windows, just before the desktop appears, the video drops out. I can hear the desktop loading, but that's it. I am connecting to an LCD via DVI (to do the rest of the configuration). I adjusted the BIOS settings to enumerate from AUTO and PEG, made no difference. There is onboard video, but I didn't install any of those drivers. I don't think I am able to disable the onboard video. It is a Dell machine. I am thinking the next step may be to downgrade the BIOS to see if it helps.

Any ideas?

[haynor666]

Maybe your PC already switched to 640x480@60i. It would be comfortably to have LCD with interlaced resolutions support. Those with HDMI port have mostly such option.

[P.H.U.]

I can plug it into the cab to see if that is the case. The resolution I was at during the install was 1600x1200. Dunno why it would default to 640x480i from that resolution. Also, all the other screens after the BIOS screens load just fine (XP boot screen, desktop splash).

Few other things:
Card is HD4350
Pulled the VGA header pins off (it's a low profile card).

[Jonny G]

Your graphics are dropping out just before the desktop appears as this is when the CRT Emudrivers are loaded and the output becomes set to 15khz.

Depending on what ATI card you're using you need to refer to the following guides to properly set up CRT Emudrivers.

HD 4xxx
http://geedorah.com/eiusdemmodi/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=1016#p1016

HD 5xxx
http://geedorah.com/eiusdemmodi/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=1052#p1052

[Calamity]

@Jonny G, those guides are for W7 only.

@P.H.U., please try to figure out if you have no video, or just video is out of sync. Anything outside Windows (boot screens, windows logo) doesn't matter here, because those screens are shown through all outputs of the card. I mean once inside Windows. If you have no video, it's because it's going through the other output (if any). On the other hand, if video is out of sync, it means it's outputting 15 kHz already. Hint, if it's out of sync, any proper monitor should show a warning on its OSD.

[P.H.U.]

@Jonny G, those guides are for W7 only.

@P.H.U., please try to figure out if you have no video, or just video is out of sync. Anything outside Windows (boot screens, windows logo) doesn't matter here, because those screens are shown through all outputs of the card. I mean once inside Windows. If you have no video, it's because it's going through the other output (if any). On the other hand, if video is out of sync, it means it's outputting 15 kHz already. Hint, if it's out of sync, any proper monitor should show a warning on its OSD.

Seems I have no video. I can see the XP boot logo split when hooked to the CRT because I am connected via J-PAC. So I am getting 31khz there. Once it gets to the desktop, poof. No video. I disconnected the VGA header pin. So the only possible outputs are DVI and HDMI. I am using a simple NLited install of XP 64-bit. The only changes I made to the ISO were to slipstream SP2, load the SATA drivers, and removed some of those annoying XP nag bubbles. That shouldn't affect functionality this much. I know the card should work since it is an ASUS HD4350 and I read a post somewhere where you stated you have the same one. I am in a bit of a pickle here because I bought 4 of these cards off the same eBay auction. If the issue is card related, well, I am screwed out of 4 cards. I'll experiment and see if it is system related. Even then, I am screwed because now I have to replace a system. Here are the steps i'll take:

• Revert BIOS, test
• Replace card, test
• Place card in another PC, test
• Redo XP-64-bit NLite image, test
• Grit my teeth and go with Win7, test

I'll keep you posted.

[buttersoft]

...now I have to replace a system.

Could you install Win7 instead?

[P.H.U.]

...now I have to replace a system.

Could you install Win7 instead?

Yeap, that is a last resort out of the test scenarios I listed above. But if I still have the problem, the system is getting replaced. I paid $20 for it off an eBay auction (Core 2 Duo-based) so I am not losing much in the worst case scenario.

[Calamity]

I disconnected the VGA header pin.

Could you please explain this? It's the only bit I don't understand and you have mentioned it twice.

[P.H.U.]

I disconnected the VGA header pin.

Could you please explain this? It's the only bit I don't understand and you have mentioned it twice.

I am probably semantic'ing you to death. Here is a photo of the ribbon disconnected from the VGA header.

[P.H.U.]

@Jonny G, those guides are for W7 only.

@P.H.U., please try to figure out if you have no video, or just video is out of sync. Anything outside Windows (boot screens, windows logo) doesn't matter here, because those screens are shown through all outputs of the card. I mean once inside Windows. If you have no video, it's because it's going through the other output (if any). On the other hand, if video is out of sync, it means it's outputting 15 kHz already. Hint, if it's out of sync, any proper monitor should show a warning on its OSD.

Seems I have no video. I can see the XP boot logo split when hooked to the CRT because I am connected via J-PAC. So I am getting 31khz there. Once it gets to the desktop, poof. No video. I disconnected the VGA header pin. So the only possible outputs are DVI and HDMI. I am using a simple NLited install of XP 64-bit. The only changes I made to the ISO were to slipstream SP2, load the SATA drivers, and removed some of those annoying XP nag bubbles. That shouldn't affect functionality this much. I know the card should work since it is an ASUS HD4350 and I read a post somewhere where you stated you have the same one. I am in a bit of a pickle here because I bought 4 of these cards off the same eBay auction. If the issue is card related, well, I am screwed out of 4 cards. I'll experiment and see if it is system related. Even then, I am screwed because now I have to replace a system. Here are the steps i'll take:

• Revert BIOS, test
• Replace card, test
• Place card in another PC, test
• Redo XP-64-bit NLite image, test
• Grit my teeth and go with Win7, test

I'll keep you posted.

Turns out it was the card. Popped in another one, booted into Windows with fingers crossed, and it went right into the desktop. I am lucky I have 3 extra ones. Might be tearing my hair out if I didn't. Unlucky in that the first of the 4 that I tried to use had this issue.

I'll try the problem child card in another machine. Possible in Win7. But I sure would like to hear Calamity expand on his opinion stated here:  http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,149844.msg1565159.html#msg1565159

[Calamity]

I disconnected the VGA header pin.

Could you please explain this? It's the only bit I don't understand and you have mentioned it twice.

I am probably semantic'ing you to death. Here is a photo of the ribbon disconnected from the VGA header.

May I ask why exactly you are doing this?

[P.H.U.]

Lack of case real estate. It is a SSF Dell PC. The CPU fan mount bangs into the graphics card's heat sink. The heat sink fins on the card are longer towards the back and shorter towards the front. To get the card in the case, I have to flip the heat sink to clear the CPU fan mount. Now the longer end comes into contact with the VGA connection. It needs to be unseated just so I can refasten the heat sink and can fit the card in the case. I think you mentioned you have the same card, but here is a pic of what I am talking about.

Eventually, it will have to come out since it is a low profile case. I have low profile brackets coming in the mail.

[krick]

Just a tip (unrelated to the issues you're having)...

If you're going to use XP x64 edition, you should use nlite to slipstream in 5eraph's Windows XP x64 post-SP2 Update Pack and related packs.

[P.H.U.]

Just a tip (unrelated to the issues you're having)...

If you're going to use XP x64 edition, you should use nlite to slipstream in 5eraph's Windows XP x64 post-SP2 Update Pack and related packs.

Thanks for that. Been looking for all the updates in one place and in the right order. NLite doesn't order them for you. Speeds up things tremendously to install via USB. I have 5 cabs to get through, so this is going to be a long process.

[Calamity]

Lack of case real estate.

Ok I figured you had a reason, but it's the first time I see anyone doing this. I bet the card is not aware of this and still tries to output video through the VGA. Even if it works with one of the cards, I definitely wouldn't do that.

[krick]

The CPU fan mount bangs into the graphics card's heat sink. The heat sink fins on the card are longer towards the back and shorter towards the front. To get the card in the case, I have to flip the heat sink to clear the CPU fan mount. Now the longer end comes into contact with the VGA connection. It needs to be unseated just so I can refasten the heat sink and can fit the card in the case.

If you have a Dremel (or know someone that will let you borrow one) you could easily grind away the heatsink where it comes into contact with the VGA connector.  Conversely, you might be able to put the heatsink in the normal position and use the Dremel to cut off some of the heatsink where it bumps into the CPU fan mount.

Obviously, remove the heatsink and to this work far away from your computer and clean it thoroughly for metal shavings/dust before re-installing it on the card.

[P.H.U.]

I have another card in another machine with a thinner profile heat sink. I'll use that for this case. Very strange though that if it is trying to send the video to VGA rather than through DVI, that it is doing it after the CRT Emu drivers are installed.

I always thought that the signal would come off the lower (closest to the mainboard) output. Anyways, solve that problem when I get there with another cab/PC.

[Calamity]

I have another card in another machine with a thinner profile heat sink. I'll use that for this case. Very strange though that if it is trying to send the video to VGA rather than through DVI, that it is doing it after the CRT Emu drivers are installed.

I always thought that the signal would come off the lower (closest to the mainboard) output. Anyways, solve that problem when I get there with another cab/PC.

One cheap theory: before installing CRT Emudriver, you're just using the default VGA driver in XP. Once installed, the ATI driver starts its normal monitor detection routines. Unplugging the ribbon cable makes the card belive there's something plugged in for some reason.

The moral is: don't try weird stuff until you have everything up and running.