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Windows Updates, DirectX, Shaky Display

By Cambria777 ·
I've suddenly got a shakey screen display. I'm running Win98 SE with a Pentium III, 500Hz, using I.E. 6, ZoneAlarm, & McAfee AntiVirus. I have no conflicts in my Device Manager. And yet, after I downloaded and installed a DirectX 9 update from the Windows Update site (which can't be uninstalled) about a month ago, my screen went wacky! The display shakes badkly most of the time, but sometimes is stable. I can switch between open windows and some are stable and some aren't, or they will be stable for awhile, then start shaking again.

Today I downloaded and resinstalled my video driver from Driverguide.com, but that didn't help. My display adapter is "ATI Rage 128 VR AGP (English)" and I have a 19" monitor (old style, not flat screen).

My computer has been perfectly fine for a long time. I never get hacked, never have virus attacks, always keep my Windows Updates up-to-date, etc. Now I can barely function because the screen is shaking so much. I can't tell if it's a software issue or a hardware one. Can anyone steer me in the right direction?

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

Kathy

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by TheChas In reply to Windows Updates, DirectX, ...

The W98 driver for the ATI Rage series only supports up to DirectX 8.1

I recommend that you drop back to DirectX 8.1 and IE 5.5. I have seen many system problems with both DirectX 9 and IE 6 when the video driver does not support DirectX 9.

Here is a link to a utility that removes DirectX:

http://www.voodoofiles.com/23603

Alternately, you could upgrade to a newer video card.

If you like ATI, get a Radeon 7000 series card for your video slot.

Chas

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by Cambria777 In reply to

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That was a great idea, but unfortunately it didn't work. I used that tool at Voodoofiles.com to uninstall DirectX, which was apparently successful because the diagnostic tool for DirectX (DxDiag) is no longer on my PC, -- but the display is still shaking badly. It appears that DirectX wasn't the cause of the problem. Would appreciate any other ideas you may have. Thanks!

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by sgt_shultz In reply to Windows Updates, DirectX, ...

well, i would have just turned *off* direct x support using dxdiag... but now it sounds like the monitor. can you take the monitor to another computer, see if the problem goes with it?

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by Cambria777 In reply to

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I had really hoped it was not the monitor, but it was. You were right. I tried everything, then borrowed a spare monitor and plugged it in, and the problem was gone. In the meantime, I had reinstalled Windows TWICE and it kept running into problems, including with the REGISTRY. It eventually fixed those problems, but it left me with having to reinstall virtually every major program, including my AntiVirus, all of Office 2000, all the Windows & I.E. updates, etc. This was such a simple problem to start with, but it turned into a nightmare. Couldn't connect to the web all day, but finally managed to get online again. Thanks for your help!

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by TheChas In reply to Windows Updates, DirectX, ...

Here is the link to DirectX 8.1

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=4846c8**-d45d-4122-8230-69f3e5ecdede&DisplayLang=en

Since the ATI driver requires DirectX, you should install the older version of DirectX before trying anything else.

Next, boot into safe mode.
(Press F8 as soon as the words starting Windows is displayed on the monitor.)

Does the display still shake?

For that matter, does the display shake while the BIOS and DOS boot screens are showing?

If the display shakes all the time, then Sgt Shultz is correct, and your monitor developed a problem coincident to installing DirectX 9.

If the display only shakes in normal Windows mode, you still have a system / driver problem.

Install DirectX 8.1 then reinstall the ATI driver.

Don't forget to install the driver for your monitor, or at least to verify that the correct monitor is detected and installed.

A common source of screen shake is a wrong refresh rate setting.

Still having problems?

Insert your W98 CD.
Close the program window that opens.
From the run box on the Start menu, run sfc

System File Checker looks for missing corrupt and changed Windows system files.

Usually, when you run SFC, you want to accept most newer version files sfc finds.

Some programs will install older versions of DLLs, these you should replace with the newer version.

I always replace corrupt and missing files.

Chas

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by TheChas In reply to

Didn't look far enough.

You want to install DirectX 8.1b.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=f70a3d7c-feac-4d9a-a803-278021061fec&DisplayLang=en

This is the last version of DirectX 8 that Microsoft produced.

Chas

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by Cambria777 In reply to

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Wish I could split the points and give you a major chunk, because you offered so many great ideas, and in fact, you had pointed out a major clue, -- that the screen shook even from the boot screens. (Am going to try accepting the answers from both of you and see if the points will split between the two of you.) But it turned out to be the monitor after all. I had already run the System File Checker through MS System Info and had accepted any file restores for missing or corrupted files. Should have told you that to begin with. Sorry about that. For awhile, I thought I had a temporary fix when I changed my display settings to a higher resolution and 32-bit colors, but after it got much more stable for awhile, it turned around and got so bad I couldn't function at all. So reinstalling Windows seemed like the next thing to try, but that ending up making things worse. I did rollback to DirectX 8.1b, but it didn't help. (That DirectX is AWFUL!) Anyway, thanks very much for all your help.

Kathy

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by 3xp3rt In reply to Windows Updates, DirectX, ...

Go to Display properties,and try to set up a lower screen refresh rate. (right click at desktop, from menu properties, settings, advanced, adapter or monitor and screen refresh rate).

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by Cambria777 In reply to

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I had already tried that earlier today, before I found your message, but it didn't help except temporarily. Turned out to be the monitor. It was 6-years old and just decided to go on the blink. Am online with a borrowed monitor until I can get a new one. Thanks for the suggestion, though. I was getting to the point of junking the whole setup and buying a new PC!

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by Cambria777 In reply to Windows Updates, DirectX, ...

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