How to remove ATI Drivers from boot? (via Linux or slaved)

[lassenpc]

Old Dell 4600 XP with:
"DELL 0N1708 9000 PRO TV TUNER VIDEO CARD, N1708 102A0260411 0N1708"

Card went south; put new Nvidia AGP card in; won't go pass BIOS. Tried PCI Nvidia, no joy; so tried AGP and then PCI ATI Cards, still will not boot / goes to black screen after the BIOS Splash screen; we can get to the Options menu, and try Safe Mode, but then goes to blank screen as well for all options under SM.

Reviewed the limited options in BIOS, tried switching AGP/AUTO, and video memory amount.

Put in Linux Live, reviewed Boot Log, only about 6 drivers towards the beginning are making it, the rest fail to load.

So question is, how can I identify / figure out exactly which piece of archaic software / driver is doing this (ok, I know it's ATI, just don't know which driver), and how do I complete a 'manual uninstall' of it's software from a live CD or slaved drive?

Thanks in advance with your time/thoughts.

 

[14049752]

You could basically just move the files that start with ati in the system32/drivers folder. Move them, don't delete them.

It seems kind of odd to me that the system wouldn't start up because of video drivers, though. VGA mode and Safe mode should address that kind of thing. Unless you saw the thing boot before pulling the ATI card, I'd be looking elsewhere.

 

[meanderer]

since 140 mentioned it, did you try a windows live cd? or even switch out a clean drive and reinstall windows see if you can go further?

 

[ZenTree]

Does it have on board graphics and if so does that work?

I'd be thinking the issue lies elsewhere if all the graphics cards are playing up and also in safe mode etc. I second the above PE suggestion. Let us know how you get on

 

[lassenpc]

You could basically just move the files that start with ati in the system32/drivers folder. Move them, don't delete them.

It seems kind of odd to me that the system wouldn't start up because of video drivers, though. VGA mode and Safe mode should address that kind of thing. Unless you saw the thing boot before pulling the ATI card, I'd be looking elsewhere.

Was booting to BIOS screen with old ATI card, then afterwards screen full of ((((((((((((((((( afterwards; when going into BIOS Setup, most of it was not displaying correctly, lots of &&&&&&&&&&&& everywhere; that portion was corrected with replacement video card. Will try moving the ATI files from system32/drivers

since 140 mentioned it, did you try a windows live cd? or even switch out a clean drive and reinstall windows see if you can go further?

Did not try Win Live CD; will also try that as well, along with clean install of separate drive

Does it have on board graphics and if so does that work?

I'd be thinking the issue lies elsewhere if all the graphics cards are playing up and also in safe mode etc. I second the above PE suggestion. Let us know how you get on

Board does not have integrated graphics; you might be right, I may have gotten too focused / tunnel vision on ATI drivers; could be something just interfering with all graphics instead.

While onsite pulled out RAM (had 2 x 256 cards), tested PSU, cleared CMOS, d/c all peripherals with no change (with the original card); machine is in shop now, think I'll also try new RAM as well, on top of the other suggestions. Thanks guys, will let you know how it goes.

 

[lassenpc]

Solved - blown chip on mobo

Took a closer look at board this AM, saw this:

It's black (versus brown) and partially pealed up from the mobo

 

[meanderer]

that clearly explains why no video cards work. congrats.

when you used linux live, did you boot into GUI?

 

[lassenpc]

that clearly explains why no video cards work. congrats.

when you used linux live, did you boot into GUI?

Yes, it did boot into GUI with Linux live. Well crap... maybe that burnt chip had nothing to do with video? Or... Linux is able to run without that piece of the hardware running? Maybe it is specific for X type of Windows video driver to work? (would explain why it was working w/ Linux and in BIOS).

Client did already buy a new machine, but PC is still in shop, going to go back and tinker with it some more, will go ahead and try a Win Live and a clean install on test drive and see what happens... just curious at this point.