# DX9 Direct3D Failure, GeForce FX 5200



## macklonghorn (Nov 27, 2004)

(NOTE: This was originally written for Microsoft Support, before I found out that they no longer provide free online support... thanks, MS.)

I recently aquired a new computer system. Installation of Windows 2000 Professional and all drivers and software was a breeze, with no problems at all. The initial display adapter was an old ATI Radeon 7000, which worked properly. However, I needed a more powerful card for 3D modeling, and swapped out the Radeon for an ASUS V9520/TD (nVidia Geforce 5200 chipset). I properly uninstalled the Radeon drivers, restarted, installed the
Geforce drivers (from nVidia, as the ASUS drivers have some significant problems, in my experience), and again restarted. 
Everything appeared fine in the Geforce control panel. It listed the
bus as AGP 8x, with DirectX 9.0c installed. However, any Direct3D
application I ran either crashed or gave an error referring to
Direct3D failure.

I ran all the tests in the DirectX Diagnostic Tool, and all passed
except Direct3D, which gave an error for Direct3D 7, 8 and 9. The
dxdiag log is attached. I have the latest VIA Hyperion motherboard
drivers, and even tried uninstalling and reinstalling the motherboard
AGP drivers and graphics card drivers twice, the second time also
running an nVidia driver cleanup utility after uninstalling the
drivers. I have searched for solutions all over the internet; the
Microsoft Knowledge Base, web forums and groups, various tech sites,
all to no avail. My only thought is that I installed DirectX 9.0c
when the Radeon 7000 was installed, but I wouldn't think that would
cause such a problem... but if so, what can I do about it?

DxDiag.txt is attached.

-macklonghorn


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## elf (Jul 19, 2002)

Well try downloading DirectX 9.0c and reinstalling it, and see if it fixes it. Uninstalling directX can cause serious problems to your computer, as some video cards require it to function at all. That should be one of your last options.


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## macklonghorn (Nov 27, 2004)

Well, I had tried that once before, but just for redundancy I tried reinstalling DirectX again. No luck. I looked into "uninstalling" DirectX, and I think I could do it without causing damage, but, as you said, that is a last resort. Not to mention there is really nothing to say that 8.1 would be any better.

A few extra notes I believe I left out before: In DxDiag, AGP Texture Acceleration in listed as "Not Available" with the Enable button greyed out, however the GeForce control panel in Advanced Display Properties shows AGP 8x, and the AGP controller driver is installed properly.

Weird...


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## jdiakos (Nov 30, 2004)

I have the same problem with you! I run Win 98 SE. I tried everything. I install all the latest drives for VGA card and motherboard, but nothing happen. Tell me if you find something to solve this problem

System Spec
AMD Athlon XP 1600+
512 RAM
Chaintech NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 128 MB AGP


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## macklonghorn (Nov 27, 2004)

I'm not often one to "bump" a thread, but it is obvious to me that there are more people (certainly more than 2) that are having this same exact problem. Has anyone had any success with this issue?


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## jdiakos (Nov 30, 2004)

I returned the GeForce FX5200 to the store and i replace it with a Radeon. It works fine. i hope you find a solution to your problem


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## macklonghorn (Nov 27, 2004)

AH! I keep forgetting important pieces of info... but jdiakos' last post reminded me.

The card DID work, perfectly for that matter, in another machine. The main difference, besides general hardware configuration, was that it was only running at 4x, as that was the highest the motherboard supported. So I am sure that the video card is not defective or dead...

This will be the last post on this issue if no one speaks up...


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## Azza (Dec 3, 2004)

The geforce 5200 is not a true direct x 9 video card.
Best off spending a little bit more one a higher rated card.
Even a geforce 3 ti or geforce 4 card (not mx) will slip straight into Dx9

I had one of these for about a week and then threw it out. I now run a 5900


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## alottabeef4u (Dec 1, 2004)

When you change video cards, you should do a windows reinstall. Especially when switching from ATI to nVidia.

When you changed cards did you at LEAST use driver cleaner to uninstall the old one?
These might sound like a waste of time, but after you've seen as many computer problems as I have caused by my friends and customers who didnt take my advice, you would do it. It never hurts, and it prevents future driver problems.


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## macklonghorn (Nov 27, 2004)

As I mentioned in the original post, I did run Driver Cleaner, however only on the second install of nVidia drivers. Either way, remnants of the ATI drivers should be gone. I really can't bother with reinstalling Windows right now... this is a production machine, and taking it down to reinstall the OS and all the software would simply take too long. If it continues to bother me, maybe I will, sometime, but if at all possible I would like to continue with the same install of Windows.


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## alottabeef4u (Dec 1, 2004)

macklonghorn said:


> As I mentioned in the original post, I did run Driver Cleaner, however only on the second install of nVidia drivers. Either way, remnants of the ATI drivers should be gone. I really can't bother with reinstalling Windows right now... this is a production machine, and taking it down to reinstall the OS and all the software would simply take too long. If it continues to bother me, maybe I will, sometime, but if at all possible I would like to continue with the same install of Windows.


Sorry I didn't notice that you'd used driver cleaner. I'm so used to it NOT having been done that I don't even bother looking for it in the post before asking.

True, the drivers will be gone, but wondows system files will still use information based on the responses from catalyst and other ATI info, which is why switching between ATI and nVidia causes a lot more problems than upgrading to the same brand. This information will cause a multitude more problems than unremoved drivers would, and often cause problems that seem to have no relation at all to your video card.

A clean install is not at all necessary, just a core reset by using the cd to restore original settings(not repair either). You may have to reinstall updated drivers but programs and saved files will be fine. The whole process might take 45mins.


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## macklonghorn (Nov 27, 2004)

No problem on the driver cleaner deal. As for your suggestion of a core reset I have to admit I don't know what you mean. Of course I could reinstall Windows without formatting and losing data, but I would lose the registry, which makes any application that depends on data in it fail. Plus, I couldn't backup the registry, reinstall Windows, and restore it as that is probably the source of the problem if what you are saying about leftover ATI stuff is true. Where else could the problem reside besides the registry if all catalyst files are gone?

So, are you saying there is a way to restore Windows to some default state where my problem would be fixed but the registry would stay intact? I don't mean to sound arrogant, I'm just confused.


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## Fr4665 (Nov 18, 2004)

try this unplug the fx 5200 plug the old one in uninstall all the old drivers of the ATI and the 5200 and just use the standard ones with windows, then plug the 5200 in start it up, change it to no agp speed,boot and install all the 5200 drivers and software, now restart and shutdown, then set the agp speed to 4x and increase it slowly after you tested it once its runing install directx 9c and see what it does. if it still doesnt run try not to increase the agp speed and just let it sit at 0 and install directx 9c

i duno if it will do anything but thatd be my aproache


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## macklonghorn (Nov 27, 2004)

A few problems with that... I have already uninstalled Catalyst drivers, and DirectX 9.0c is already installed.


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## Fr4665 (Nov 18, 2004)

you got any old vid cards like a geforce 2 you could just plug in and remove all the stuff ? thad help. btw just try to overinstall 9.0c that might help and also dont install 9.0c before you actually installed the vid card and its running good. id just take the risk of uninstalling 9.0c and install it once the vid card is running properly


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## macklonghorn (Nov 27, 2004)

So, today, I went through the entire process as again. I tried rolling back to previous Detonator drivers, as well as ASUS' versions, nothing. Then I tried starting from scratch, as far as video is concerned, by uninstalling Detonator, restarting into safe mode and using Driver Cleaner, restarting and uninstalling VIA Hyperion drivers, restarting into safe mode again and using DirectX Happy Uninstaller to remove DirectX (works great), restarting and installing Detonator, restarting and installing Hyperion, and once more restarting and installing DirectX (all newest versions). Nothing. I have even tried changing bus speed to 4x, changing aperture sizes...

I'm grasping at straws here... could the AGP voltage have something to do with it? I don't see how, but maybe somebody knows more.

BTW, thanks to everyone that has tried to help me here. :smile: What a pain in the butt this has been, and I feel no closer to the answer than when I started. :upset:


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## alottabeef4u (Dec 1, 2004)

A core reset is basically returning windows to its initial settings.
The registry will only be reset for windows components and hardware components. software settings outside of windows will remain untouched.
When you insert youre cd at startup and are asked what to do, just click install windows. Some updating of windows files might need to be done, and any windows tweaks will need to be reapplied, but if you dont want to take the time for a full format, this is almost as usefull(unless its a virus oriented problem).
I can't guarantee this will solve your problem, but its a good thing to try if you have a spare hour to get your system back to its present state(hopefully minus your current problem).

Also windows does not only use the registry to store system information. It also uses logs and configuration files that tend to get jumbled after a period of installing/uninstalling software and hardware. I slip streamed my tweaked settings and sp1 into my xp install cd because I do full format every 3 month. Music and other documents that I reinstall I put on cd, anything else gets wiped.
After having your computer in perfect running condition, I would recommend doing this in case of future difficulties.

I cant think of anything else you could try short of a full format, because this sounds like a windows issue, and windows issues are often way too hard to pinpoint without a specific error message, but let us know if you fix the problem.
Good luck.


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## archonwarp88 (Dec 6, 2004)

I have this same problem. I have the GeForce FX 5200 and it has caused IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL errors and other display driver erros for almost a month now. This card was update from a Geforce4 MX Integrated GPU that came with my computer (a compaq). Therefore, my errors are most likely not a result of video card types. Also, I have performed every action listed on this forum and more. Suffice to say, none were of any assistance. I have managed to uninstall DirectX 9.0c and the errors still occur. My new problem is that even after uninstalling dx9c, and restoring my dx8.1, and then after relizing the errors were still there, I tried reinstalling dx9c. Now, the dxdiag won't accoknowledge the installation. 

Previously, my comp was experiencing the exact same errors but because of something different. My GeForce FX 5200 and my on-board video card were both enabled at the same time. I disabled the onboard and then discovered dx9c was availible. The transition from one cause of the error to this newer cause was so seemless that I didn't even realize until recently. 

In my opinion, I think the whole problem occurs because DirectX 9.0c and the nVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 are "not meant/able to work together." Then again, I'm only a teenager and not a tech support guy, soooo.... :sigh:






EDIT: The only thing as far as I can tell that is different my my errors is that in dxdiag, Direct3D 7, 8 and 9 all pass the test, but none of the games i have for those Direct3D levels work. In other words, dxdiag tests say they work but they don't.

Also, only certain games crash my comp completely with a blue screen of death and the Stop 0xA error, while others crash with their own error meassages. The newer games tend to catch the errors and crash to the desktop before the whole system fails while older ones tend to just crash.


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## alottabeef4u (Dec 1, 2004)

IRQ_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL is a driver error.
Include the full error details with this.


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## macklonghorn (Nov 27, 2004)

Well, I have basically given up. I installed XP to dual boot with 2000, and the problem is not evident in XP, so I can run my 3D applications there. Still don't know what went wrong in 2000, but this will do.

Thanks to everyone for all the help, and maybe this thread will help someone else in the future.

Take care...


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## KyroXxX (Jan 11, 2005)

I am running almost the same system as you are.
Geforce Fx 5200 and the asus a7v880 mobo.

I had the same problems with direct3d not working, but when I flashed and updated to a newer version of the bios it works.. except that my FSB is automatically detected as 100MHz.. I have a Athlon XP 2400+ (2,0Ghz) with a FSB standard of 133. However when I manually change the FSB in bios to 133 the same problem with Direct3d occurs(All tests fail. Watching movies taking 100% CPU in fullscreen, and being unable to play Direct3D games). Really weird problem indeed, but when I tried the overclocking option of 30% boost in the bios the FSB now went up to 130Mhz and it works fine. Still 3Mhz short, but hell of a lot better than the 0,5GHz loss I had before. Still can't figure out why the Direct3D mysteriously stops working when I run my FSB(as it should be) at 133Mhz.

Please tell me how it goes and any ideas of why I can't run my FSB at 133MHz are welcome.


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## MD_Willington (Jan 11, 2005)

Same issue here, but with another board...

http://p199.ezboard.com/fk7s5amotherboardforumfrm5.showMessage?topicID=1749.topic

MD


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