Sanok Posted December 28, 2004 Share Posted December 28, 2004 Before I got busy with Christmas, I previously posted: I just bought a new computer and installed AK and BB. Everything works fine, but an unusual problem has happened. If I minimize either game, then maximize it to play again, I get a black screen in any game, QB or scenario. I must use CTR ALT DEL to end the game. When I click on the desktop icon to start either game again, it's fine. The games only get the black screen if I minimize, then maximize. An additional problem has arisen since my original post. CMBO won't install. I click the install icon, but nothing happens. Several people responded, asking me questions. Here are the specs of my computer, an eMachines T2862: Microsoft® Windows® XP Home Edition Intel® Celeron® D 330 Processor Operates at 2.66 GHz 256KB L2 cache & 533 MHz FSB Intel 845GV Chipset 7.25"w x 14.125"h x 16"d 60 GB HDD AOL 3 month membership included, click here for details 8-in-1 Digital Media Manager (USB 2.0, Secure Digital (SD), Smart Media, Compact Flash, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, Micro Drive, Multimedia Card) 256 MB DDR (PC 2700) Expandable to 2 GB 56K* ITU v.92 ready Fax/Modem Intel PRO 10/100 Mbps built-in Ethernet 48x Max. CD-RW/DVD Combo Drive Standard Multimedia Keyboard, 2-Button Wheel Mouse, Amplified Stereo Speakers 5 USB 2.0 ports (1 in Media Manager; 4 in back), 1 Serial, 1 Parallel, 2 PS/2, Audio-In & Out AC '97 Audio Intel® Extreme Graphics 3D 64MB Shared Memory Thanks for the help. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schrullenhaft Posted December 28, 2004 Share Posted December 28, 2004 I haven't checked out the Intel 845G lately with CM. I'd suggest updating the video drivers, the latest is version 14.9 (the version number for this one may be 6.10.14.9.0.3943, but I'm not sure). PC manufacturers often put older drivers on their computers since the 'image' may have been made awhile ago or they're considered "more stable". I'm guessing that your current driver just has a minor problem and hopefully the driver I linked to above may rectify the problem. I would also suggest closing down anything that is running in the background, including anti-virus utilities, etc. (at least to just experiment to find the potential culprit). I can't think of a setting off-hand within the Intel video driver that would affect the redraw of CM. Do you know what version of DirectX you have installed ? You can find out by going to Start Menu > Run > type in dxdiag. This should launch the DirectX Diagnostic which should list the version of DirectX on the bottom of the first tab. You may want to download and install the latest version if you're not running it ( 9.0c - this is the 34Mb download). If this doesn't work then a previous driver may be what is needed. However quite a bit of experimentation may be required here since I don't know which driver would be best, but we would at least want to know what you're currently running first. It may also be a good idea to run the 'uninstall' on the video driver from the Add/Remove Programs control panel before installing the new one. This should hopefully get rid of any potential problems that may get left behind by just installing over the current driver. [ December 28, 2004, 09:26 AM: Message edited by: Schrullenhaft ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanok Posted December 28, 2004 Author Share Posted December 28, 2004 I have DirectX 9.0b. The drivers are ialmrnt5.dll 6.14.0010.3722 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanok Posted December 28, 2004 Author Share Posted December 28, 2004 I just installed DirectX 9.0c and the problem still exists. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanok Posted December 28, 2004 Author Share Posted December 28, 2004 I just installed the new driver you recommended and the problem still exists. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schrullenhaft Posted December 29, 2004 Share Posted December 29, 2004 Did you 'uninstall' the previous driver before installing the latest driver ? If you haven't, then I'd suggest doing that (and rebooting before installing the driver). This should hopefully clear out any registry settings or other files that could somehow affect things. Did DirectX 9.0c install without problem ? You seemed to have mentioned that it wouldn't install properly before. I may have to test this out myself, though it may take me awhile to reconfigure an 845 system. One other difference is that the system I have will be running an older Celeron at 400MHz. This may be a critical difference and could prevent me from reproducing the same problem. What color depth are you running at on the desktop ? You may want to change it to something else (16-bit if you're running 32-bit or vice-versa). How different is your desktop resolution from the one that you're running CM at ? Would it be possible to make them the same (by deleting the CM prefs file) and see if the problem continues ? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanok Posted December 29, 2004 Author Share Posted December 29, 2004 Originally posted by Schrullenhaft: Did you 'uninstall' the previous driver before installing the latest driver ? If you haven't, then I'd suggest doing that (and rebooting before installing the driver). This should hopefully clear out any registry settings or other files that could somehow affect things. Did DirectX 9.0c install without problem ? You seemed to have mentioned that it wouldn't install properly before. I may have to test this out myself, though it may take me awhile to reconfigure an 845 system. One other difference is that the system I have will be running an older Celeron at 400MHz. This may be a critical difference and could prevent me from reproducing the same problem. What color depth are you running at on the desktop ? You may want to change it to something else (16-bit if you're running 32-bit or vice-versa). How different is your desktop resolution from the one that you're running CM at ? Would it be possible to make them the same (by deleting the CM prefs file) and see if the problem continues ? I didn't uninstall the old driver first. Won't that give me a blank screen without a driver? DirectX 9.0c installed without any problems. I'm running True Color 1024x768. Something that happened on this new computer that didn't happen on my old, was when I installed the games, I was given the choice of five different 800x600 screen resolutions. There was something that said 'with 100Mhz.' There were four different numbers I could choose. Does that make a difference? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanok Posted December 29, 2004 Author Share Posted December 29, 2004 I've been running CM on 800x600 resolution and the computer at 1024x768. I just changed the computer to 800x600 and the problem has been resolved. Why would that make a difference? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schrullenhaft Posted December 29, 2004 Share Posted December 29, 2004 I'm not sure why you were offered only one 800x600 resolution on your old computer. What's happening is that CM, through DirectX, is finding out what resolutions and corresponding vertical refresh rates the video drivers support. You'll typically be offered all of the refresh rates between 60Hz and whatever maximum the video driver supports. This problem is most likely due to the video driver, where changing resolutions and/or refresh rates (when you Alt-Tab between CM and the desktop) results in the 3D screen data not updating/refreshing. I've seen this issue mentiond with many manufacturers video drivers and people changing resolutions while watching a DVD. I assume that you would prefer to run your desktop at 1024x768 or so rather than the 800x600 you're running CM at. First find out what vertical refresh rate you're running your desktop at (Control Panel > Display control panel > Settings tab > Advanced button > Monitor tab) and decide what resolution you're comfortable with on your desktop. Next delete your CM Prefs file and the next time you run CM you'll be offered the resolution selection process again. You should be offered your current desktop resolution as your first choice, though at a different refresh rate. The next thing you'll want to pay attention to during the resolution selection process is to try to match the vertical refresh rate of your desktop (possibly 70-85Hz) in the resolution that you select for CM. So if you're running 1024x768 @ 75Hz for your desktop, you'll want to select that for CM too. Having the resolution and/or vertical refresh rate match as closely as possible between CM and your desktop should hopefully control the Alt-Tab blanking problem. [ December 28, 2004, 08:31 PM: Message edited by: Schrullenhaft ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwolf Posted December 29, 2004 Share Posted December 29, 2004 Sanok, uninstalling the driver leaves you with a slow generic driver with no 3D support, but enough of a screen to install the new driver. This is important to do as newer drivers sometimes come with less or differently named components. No wiping out the components of the old driver will often make it loads parts of the old driver. Schrullenhaft, one example of when no 3D resolution for the same resolution as the desktop is offered is when there is not enough video memory. For example, on my old notebook, the ATI (who else ) card can do 1024x768 in 2D but in 3D it can only do 800x600. Then CM nevers asks for the 1024x768 resolution. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanok Posted December 29, 2004 Author Share Posted December 29, 2004 Thank you very much for the help. Since running both the computer and CM at the same resolution resolved the problem, I'll be running both at 800x600. I would prefer to have the computer at 1024x768, but having CM at that resolution is too small for my less-than 20:20 eyes to see well. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JP Jones Posted December 29, 2004 Share Posted December 29, 2004 in a blank part of desktop right click and go to properties and there is a way to make all the icons and stuff larger. try that in combination with a higher resolution and the net effect is the icons stay the same size. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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