CM doesn't load, computer locks up

[Kingfish]

Help!

I've just installed a Nvidia TNT2 card, and now CM doesn't boot up. Worse, it locks up my computer. I click on the CM icon, the CD starts up, and then nothing. No keyboard, mouse functions. Clt-Alt-Delete kicks me out entirely, and starts the reboot sequence. My system specs are:

P2-233, 160 megs Ram, Win 95, Nvidia TNT2

Thank you for your help

[Schrullenhaft]

Is your TNT2 an AGP or PCI card ? What motherboard do you have (you may want to be specific on the brand and model) ? What version of DirectX do you have installed ? What driver version do you have loaded up ? Have you deleted the CM Prefs file and reselected the resolution ? What was your previous video card and did you uninstall the drivers or just install the new ones over them ?

[Kingfish]

*AGP card

*Astoria mobo(thats all I know)

*Don't know what version of DirectX. Where can I find out?

*same as #3

*yes, and have gone as far as deleted and reinstalled the game. The resolution as far as I know is still the same as before (800 x 600)

*Previous card was a Voodoo 2. I only installed the new driver. I did not remove the old drivers.

Thanks for your help

[Schrullenhaft]

Do you have a 'branded' computer (i.e. - Gateway, etc.) ? The 'Astoria' is one name for the Intel AL440LX motherboard. Here's a website with issues and updates for the motherboard: Intel AL440LX

However, if you have a 'branded' motherboard, then you may want to update the BIOS from that manufacturer (you'll need to know the model number/name of your computer).

The LX-based motherboards have a hard time with video cards that have more than 16Mb of RAM like your TNT2 does. The LX-based boards were the first ones to offer an AGP slot and hence they are not 'AGP 2.0 Compliant'. You may be unable to use this video card on an AGP slot with your current motherboard. While it may work fine in 2D mode, as soon as you hit 3D modes the amount of electrical current required by the video card goes up and your motherboard may be unable to provide it (ending up with a lockup).

Updating the BIOS, installing any applicable Intel chipset driver software and uninstalling your previous Voodoo 2 drivers may help in getting your new video card to work, but it's possible that your motherboard will be incapable of working with a 32Mb video card.

You can find your version of DirectX by going to Start Menu > Run > type in C:\PROGRAM FILES\DIRECTX\SETUP\DXDIAG. This should launch the DirectX Diagnostic (if your version is new enough). On the first tab, near the bottom is the version number. If no file is found when you attempt to launch the 'dxdiag' then you'll need to browse around the directory to see what is there (like 'setup', 'dxinfo' or other programs for earlier versions of DirectX). Since you were able to launch CM I'd guess that you have at least DirectX 6.1 (which may have been installed with another game you have on your system).

You may need to check out Start Menu > Settings > Conrol Panel > Add/Remove Programs control panel > and check through this list for any Voodoo/3dfx uninstallation listings. If there is nothing here then check your Programs Start Menu listing for any Voodoo or 3dfx related groups for a possible uninstaller. You'll want to do this before reinstalling the NVidia driver.

You can get the latest 'official' driver directly from NVidia (though it may not exactly help with your current problem - the driver download is in the left hand column of the webpage): Detonator XP v. 21.83 for Windows 9x/ME