Can't change desktop resolution nor install drivers!

[Scania]

Hi all,

I'm having a bit of grief with my PC, it recently crashed playing Battlefield 2, the screen went blank with the game clearly (by the sound) still running.

I rebooted and found that my PC now wanted re-activating! - now done.

But, after re-installing windows, my desktop is locked it appears @ 640x480.

If I select a different resolution, the computer asks if I wish to keep the new setting then merely reverts back to 640x480!

I am beginning to wonder if my 8800GTS 320MB is at fault here?

It shows up in device manager, so it obviously is running some kind of driver or other!

Just out of curiosity, I have tried Combat Flight Simulator 2 which is set to my monitors default 1280x1024 and it works fine at the resolution it should be running at (1280x1024) so why can't I change my desktop?

Edit: as CFS2 ran ok, I've tried Call of Duty World @ War & Battlefield 2 (both running @ 1280x1024) and they both work fine! yet I still can't change my desktop resolution nor install new Nvidia drivers.

Any ideas appreciated!

Abit IP35 Pro
4GB DDR2 6400
e2180 @stock (usually runs @ 3.0ghz but have removed the overclock due to this problem)
Point of View 8800GTS 320MB.

 

[Shikyo]

The part where your pc crashes and then it asks you to activate does not compute in my little brain.. As in, what hell has to do windows activation with any kind of driver/graphic/hardware issues?

Did you format when re-installing? I’m not quite sure and correct me if I’m wrong on this, but is there any chance if you re-installed without formatting, that dodgy files on the previous windows installation may still be there?
As for the mysterious crash, checked your card’s temperatures? Maybe the fan is failing? Such strange crashes I had on my old pc, where the PSU was getting really old and weak. Can’t come up with anything else lol, hope it helps in some way!

 

[magicroundabout]

you know thats typical of Nvidia graphics. Always trouble.

Glad i'm ATI

and yes this is made tongue in cheek

 

[Shikyo]

lol

 

[Scania]

Fresh re-install after a full (i.e. not quick) re-format so that rules out that one I suppose.

I sorted the re-activation by simply phoning microsoft although I don't know why it suddenly wanted re-activation.

I'm typing this on a very small corner of my screen!

 

[Rroff]

Make sure you run windows update and update fully to SP2, then try reinstalling nvidia drivers.

 

[Scania]

Make sure you run windows update and update fully to SP2, then try reinstalling nvidia drivers.

Sp2 is included on my version of XP.

Automatic update has found approx 50 updates(!) and , yes, you guessed it, the problem persists.

 

[thegoonden]

Sounds like your registry got mashed.
Windows, as far as I am aware, refuses to cache the registry in RAM (which only makes the following more likely, rather than being it's cause, a cached registry could still fall foul of this), so when BF craps itself and you reboot, you do so at the EXACT time windows is writing to the registry leaving a big damaged area in it. Result: windows can't read it's activation key+lots of managled NVidia settings.
I had a simillar thing just this week, caused by installing new official NV drivers over the top of XtremeG ones. A quick reboot in safe mode and a once over with driver cleaner, then back to normal mode and install drivers, should have you sorted in no time.

You may also want to run a few windows diagnostics, especially those for the registry. I don't know what's good and what's not these days......although if you can still get it, MS's own regclean is actually very good for windows related stuff, as being from MS, it understands the nature of that company's horrid bugware better than most.

At least the NV gives you an awful display, not the traditional ATI portrait of a black cat in a coal cellar at midnight.

 

[thegoonden]

Whoops, should've read the lot, a fresh install is doing this then.

Could be a motherboard driver you are missing (this is unlikely if some games are still running), OR just a duff NV driver install for whatever reason, so the safemode>DriverCleaner option still stands.

 

[Scania]

If at first you don't suceed, **** it & re-format & re-install!

Thus far, the problems gone away.......

Cheers for the suggestions guys, nothing worked, if only I had an idea as to what caused the issue in the first place!