"Trent©" wrote:

Does it show ANY card in Device Manager? If it does, disable (check)
it and reboot. See if it'll then give you the option to install
another.

Tried that. It only accepts Generic VGA as a card. Otherwise it shows
nothing.

Yer pretty computer savy...so I'd guess you tried safe mode, too.
Sometimes not much can be done in safe mode.

Safe mode does nothing extra, outside of not making my sound vanish. My
sound driver magically disappears upon booting in normal mode.

Same thing here. See if anything is in DM. If so, try disabling it.

Tried, but on reboot all it does is PnP the old, wrong stuff back.

Try to find out what drivers its usin'...if they're not generic...and
rename them...with a _ at the end. Maybe you can trick it!! lol

It seems to be using the generic driver. When I disable it, I get no picture
after boot. Then I drop into safe mode on reboot.

Search for drivers for the Realtek chip. I haven't tried to install
any on a 98 system...but I would think it'd be difficult to find
working Gigabit drivers for 98.

The Ethernet runs! with a DOS driver, no less! The Realtek sound works on
the Realtek driver, but only until I reboot...

Weird!

Tell me about it. I don't even understand the mechanics of why it does what
it does.

Yeah...but this is a pretty high-tech board. I really think you'd get
the optimum performance out of it with a different OS.

That might be true, but I have a lot of old software that I can't really
afford to lose. My previous experiences with XP weren't very heartening in
that department, and I understand W2k is even worse.

You could always set it up to dual boot.

Yeah, I'm considering a W2000/Linux dual system.

XP...pre-sp2...isn't bad. But I still find w2k more reliable and
responsive.

Really? Microsoft says otherwise, themselves. But they are the ones pushing
it, of course. Any particular W2k version I should be considering?

Just simply SP4. XP has a lot more fluff than w2k...and is geared
more toward the average consumer. W2k has less fluff...but can close
out services easier when you get in a jam, etc.

XP won't really run well (LOTS of bugs!) unless you install sp2. Then
you get a NEW set of bugs! Welcome to the world of Microsoft.

From the pan into the fire, I believe that's called.


I run sp1 on my machines...but I install and promote sp2 for my
clients...'cause I need the business!! lol

People tend to break everything anyway, so even if you gave them something
rock-solid you'd still have plenty to do.


The SYSTEM is Windows 98! lol

Yes, I know, I know. I want to twist its arm until stuff starts working.
That is my usual tactic.

Just for grins...try loading some w2k drivers. Chances are they won't
install...buy ya never know about computers!

I tried that just now. It's tricky, becaue they are 'signed', whatever is
meant by that, for 2000, but after install they give exactly the same
problem. Was worth a try, though. I wonder what would have happened if they
tried functioning.



This might not be a bad time to give them a call.

Did that 3 weeks ago. They haven't touched my questions yet. The support
monitoring site tells me my question has been given top priority, since it
has had to wait for more than 48 hours. Go figure.

This might be the time to quit being polite. lol

Call again...get a NAME...make him/her the contact person...call every
day.

Tricky. I'm in the Netherlands, all we have here is an importer that is no
help at all, and their global help center is in Taiwan of all places. Too
much hassle, too expensive...


On the video card...shot in the dark, but...

Get a cheap PCI card and install it. At least it'll get you away from
that generic VGA. Then maybe the good one might install.

I know...sounds dumb! lol

I'll give it a go.


I think I'm kinda burned out. There's not really much more I can do
for ya. Yer kinda on yer own...as you know. I'll be glad to help
with any more specific questions you might have. But yer simply gonna
hafta try things trial-n-error.

Well, I'm on the end of my tether also. I really appreciate your help, but I
guess I'll have to start getting used to a new OS.

Good luck. Let us know how things work out.

Sure.