Reposting this since it's got so far down the list now! System recently became increasingly unstable (kids running loads of stuff, net downloads, silly games etc, plus runniung broadband on PCI card, Connexant access runner)more and more freezes. Various people suggested reinstalling Win 98, which I did, but mistakenly used upgrade disc instead of proper one. After that we had only 16 colours and couldn't get broadband to connect, so reformatted disc, reinstalled again, but still same problems. Then got onto net using old56k modem, downloaded Nvidia drivers for the TNT 2 model 64Riva card, reinstalled drivers for Connexant from CD. Still neither will work. When I try to get out of the 16 colour thing it says I must restart, but when it comes back on the screen just goes black after the Win logo appears, just when the hourglass should appear. When you restart then (no other possibility) it offers safe mode/normal etc, and then says there's a problem with the display. As for the broadband connnection, it just says "line down", despite going through all of it with helpful ISP, having BT check line, and switching all the splitters. At wits end, specially with the 16 colour display which makes everything look terrible. Should add that we have CTX PR705F monitor, with drivers dowwnloaded from manufacturer's site. Any suggestions?

Hi This system was installed and worked with all the hardware there. I would suggest double check all drivers for all the hardware. Have you the correct motherboard chip drivers. I am sure someone more familiar with AMDs than I am, can pinpoint your problem. I don't know if amd /Nvidia combo require different drivers.

It seems a bit strange that it won't work after a reinstall. Did you make sure it completely reformatted properly? For your graphics, check in the display options to see if it actually says "nVidia TNT 2 model 64 Riva" or something similar. If not, then it won't go out of 16 colours at 640x400 and will call it a "Generic Video Adapter" or something similar. Also, go into the device manager and check to see if there are any devices with a yellow explanation mark. Things like you modem will probably have "Communication Device" and your graphics as a "Video/Graphics Adapter". If they're not there, then Windows hasn't detected them or they are installed properly and can be found in the device manager under their proper name.

Thanks for these replies. The video adapter certainly comes up a Nvidia TNT Riva2 etc, but when booting up there is a message saying there is a problem with the video adapter, maybe it's not right for hardware, even though it used to work fine. There is a yellow "!" against Internet Connection sharing, and I don't know what to do, or even what that is. The 56k modem is working fine, or i wouldn't be here. Motherboard drivers are a complete mystery, but almost everyhing else works fine, so i'm fairly wary of messing with stuff at such a deep level. And i couldn't find drivers as such on the net with any ease, although I looked at the First International Computer Inc site, whose motherboard (is that the same as a mainboard?) it is. It's quite old, about 6 years. Any other thoughts, especially about the fact that if you restart it gets only to where the hourglass replaces the Win logo, then stops, and when you press Control/alt/Del once (not twice), or the main power switch, it then restarts but gets into offering safe mode, as "windows failed to load properly".

If Windows isn't reporting problem with the devices apart from "Internet Connection Sharing" which is irrelevant to your problem, you can just delete it as it has no use. I'd try physically removing the ADSL modem and try booting up after that. It could be damaged or just causing IRQ conflicts.

Interesting you should say that...I thought of it, but was poohpoohed and made to feel foolish by my wife & teenage son (who hasn't managed to fix it either). Maybe now I'll give it a whirl! Any ideas about the 16 colour problem?

About the only thing to cure 16 colours is to use correct drivers. I know you’re having problems where it won't restart after installing the drivers. Try searching the net for older drivers versions and don't get any that are "nVidia Detonator packs". This solved a problem I had with this card model where it displayed it as 16MB instead of 32MB under Windows 2000/XP.