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Here's how I fixed my Random Screen Blackouts


Fido-X

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Proven to work on: 

Operating System: Windows 98 Second Edition 
RAM: 512 MB RAM 
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-7VAX
VIDEO ADAPTER: 64 MB NVIDIA GEFORCE 4 MX440 AGP 8X

The Fix works if: Your display works normal if you boot in Safe Mode (without any drivers) and when you boot into Windows normaly, the screen will start going black at random times and without any message. 

After restart many times you are unable to boot to windows desktop (the screen goes black) and if you get to desktop, you get a message that says something is wrong with your display settings and you get a lower resolution.

REQUIREMENTS (BEFORE YOU START DOWNLOAD TO HAVE IT READY ON Hard disk):

MSD - to find memory adresses

AIDA 32 - to find exactly which version of what you have (hardware and software)

Startup Cop - to block startup programs

Eusing Free Registry Cleaner - i'm using it for 2 years without a single registry problem

Video Driver - NVIDIA users with same adapter as mine should use v45.23

Nasty File Remover - to remove video driver remnants (if any)

HIMEMX.EXE - new and improved memory manager that handles memory better on new hardware

                     THE FIX 

NVIDIA USERS: Create a BATCH file (copy and paste text below, then go to Save as and write "RENVIDIA.BAT" Move the batch
file somewhere like C:\DOS\ OR C:\ for easier access). In CONFIG.SYS add SET PATH=C:\DOS if you will keep RENVIDIA.BAT there.

ALL OTHER VIDEO ADAPTER USERS: Find the paths and drivers of your troublemaking video adapter and then make a BATCH file 
that does the same as my RENVIDIA.BAT. Save the file and name it "RENVIDEO.BAT"

 

@ECHO OFF
ECHO.
ECHO THIS WILL RENAME NVIDIA DISPLAY DRIVERS!
ECHO.
ECHO USE ONLY IN EMERGENCY.
ECHO.
ECHO Press and hold CTRL+C to terminate . . .
ECHO.
ECHO Or
ECHO.
PAUSE
CD\
CD WINDOWS
CD SYSTEM
CD NVSYS
REN NVINST32.DLL NVINST32.BAD
CD..
REN NVARCH16.DLL NVARCH16.BAD
REN NVARCH32.DLL NVARCH32.BAD
REN NVCORE.VXD NVCOREVXD.BAD
REN NVDD32.DLL NVDD32.BAD
REN NVDISP.DRV NVDISP.BAD
REN NVIEW.DLL NWIEW.BAD
REN NVIEWIMG.DLL NVIEWIMG.BAD
REN NVINST32.DLL NVINST32.BAD
REN NVMCTRAY.DLL NVMCTRAY.BAD
REN NVMINI.VXD NVMINIVXD.BAD
REN NVMODE.DLL NVMODE.BAD 
REN NVOPENGL.DLL NVOPENGL.BAD
REN NVSHELL.DLL NVSHELL.BAD
REN NVSVC.EXE NVSVCEXE.BAD
REN NVWDDI.DLL NVWDDI.BAD
REN NWIZ.EXE NWIZEXE.BAD

The step above should enable you to boot to desktop (for those who's screen goes black before they can boot to
desktop and in case of any more trouble).

Enter the BIOS and DISABLE EVERYTHING that you don't USE (Parallel port, Network...) And set AGP to 4X

Download Startup Cop and DISABLE: As much as possible but don't disable hotfix and patch files.

Download "HIMEMX.EXE" and get rid of HIMEM.SYS (rename it).

In CONFIG.SYS USE EXACTLY (Copy and Paste) these:

 

SWITCHES=/F /E
DOS=HIGH, UMB
DEVICE=C:\DOS\HIMEMX.EXE /NUMHANDLES=128
LASTDRIVE=Z
BUFFERS=11,0
FILES=90
FCBS=1,0
STACKS=24,256
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\IFSHLP.SYS
DEVICE=C:\WINDOWS\SETVER.EXE

Other CONFIG.SYS Parameters are your choice.

In SYSTEM.INI SET these values, however DON'T COPY ANY VALUE THAT STARTS WITH "EMMExclude":

 

[386Enh]
MaxPhysPage=1FEFF
DualDisplay=ON
PerVMFiles=60
MinTimeSlice=40
minsps=16
ConservativeSwapfileUsage=1
PageBuffers=32
32BitDiskAccess=ON
DMABufferSize=64
ebios=*ebios
woafont=dosapp.fon
mouse=*vmouse, msmouse.vxd
device=*dynapage
device=*vcd
device=*vpd
device=*int13
display=*vdd,*vflatd
keyboard=*vkd
EMMExclude=A000-FFFF, C000-CFFF,C000-CFFF
EMMExclude=C000-CC00
EMMExclude=D800-DC00
EMMExclude=F000-FC00
original_EMMExclude=C000-CFFF
EMMExclude=03B0-03BB
EMMExclude=03C0-03DF
EMMExclude=0061-0061
EMMExclude=E400-E4FF
EMMExclude=E000-E00F
EMMExclude=0000-FFFF
EMMExclude=E800-E8FF
EMMExclude=01F0-01F7
EMMExclude=03F6-03F6
EMMExclude=0170-0177
EMMExclude=0376-0376
EMMExclude=E000-E00F
EMMExclude=0330-0331
EMMExclude=DD00-EFFF
original_VirtualHDirq=<nil>
VirtualHDirq=0
original_SystemROMBreakpoint=<nil>
SystemROMBreakpoint=0
device=convmem.vxd

[vcache]
MinFileCache=32768
MaxFilecache=131072
ChunkSize=2048

The "EMMExclude" rows are here ONLY to give you insight into how many memory adresses need to be excluded. You may have to
exclude more to achieve stability. 

1. Download all files mentioned above, put them on a CD-DVD or USB 

2. Create RENVIDIA.BAT (if you can't boot to desktop, restart and hold CTRL. A menu should show up. 
choose "COMMAND PROMPT ONLY", go to EDIT and MAKE RENVIDIA.BAT)

3. Run RENVIDIA.BAT

4. Search and erase all files with extension *.BAD

5. Boot into Desktop  so you can bring files that you downloaded to the Hard disk (since you didn't boot into SAFE MODE, 
you have access to CD-DVD drive and USB)

6. Install and prepare/set up the files

7. Uninstall and Remove remnants of existing Video adapter driver 

8. Go to Device Manager and DISABLE Advanced Power Management Support             

9. Go to C:\WINDOWS\SYSBCKUP\ and remove ALL Rb00X.CAB files and then clean the registry with Eusing Free Registry Cleaner

10. Tweak CONFIG.SYS and SYSTEM.INI

11. Run MSD from PURE DOS (Press and hold CTRL and Choose COMMAND PROMPT ONLY and WRITE DOWN MEMORY ADRES RANGES TO EXCLUDE)

12. Install video adapter driver 

13. Run MSD again and this time add Video adapter memory ranges for excluding

14. Tweak SYSTEM.INI (under [386Enh] Exclude memory with EMMExclude=XXXX-XXXX) 

Keep RENVIDIA.BAT in path on hard drive so you can use it if need be. 

This is a complex problem so the fix is also complex. The cause of blackouts was attempts to write on top of used memory.

Any tampering with used memory would make a blackout and corrupt the video driver. 

I'm using these settings for 70 day's without a single blackout. I consider this complex video adapter issue FIXED.

Keep Windows 9X alive.

 
  

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I don't think multiple EMMExclude statements are valid. If they are, then EMMExclude=0000-FFFF makes all the others superfluous.

Himem/Himemx aren't needed at all.
Stacks should probably be 0,0
Many other settings are highly questionable.

 

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8 hours ago, jumper said:

I don't think multiple EMMExclude statements are valid. If they are, then EMMExclude=0000-FFFF makes all the others superfluous.

Himem/Himemx aren't needed at all.
Stacks should probably be 0,0
Many other settings are highly questionable.

 

"I don't think multiple EMMExclude statements are valid." - What? Did you ever have Windows 98 SE?
Why should i disable all memory when i need to target only used adress ranges? And it's A000-FFFF, not 0000-FFFF.


"Himem/Himemx aren't needed at all." - Really? If that is so, then go to C:\WINDOWS and rename 
"HIMEM.SYS" to anything else and make sure that no other MEMORY MANAGER is specified in CONFIG.SYS. If it is put ; in front of it and save CONFIG.SYS. Restart PC then come back here and tell us how far did you boot and what messages were on the screen? 


"Stacks should probably be 0,0" - The Default DOS value is 9.256 therefore anyone who didn't 
specify STACKS= in CONFIG.SYS is using 9,256. 


"Many other settings are highly questionable." - And proven to have fixed the random screen 
blackouts while at the same time provide great performance and system stability for 71 days 
in a row. 

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Why not just...get a different GPU?

Does the problem exists in Windows ME?

Can you try a different Motherboard with your GPU?

Did you try Xeno's Vcache patch?

Did you try removing NWIZ? You can do that by going to the MS-DOS Prompt within Windows, going to the System directory, and typing NWIZ.EXE /UNINSTALL Ask yes on the prompt, and reboot. This will remove ALL NWIZ bloatware, and KEEP only the display driver, it's a neat trick.

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On 2/15/2017 at 3:01 PM, MrMateczko said:

Why not just...get a different GPU?

Does the problem exists in Windows ME?

Can you try a different Motherboard with your GPU?

Did you try Xeno's Vcache patch?

Did you try removing NWIZ? You can do that by going to the MS-DOS Prompt within Windows, going to the System directory, and typing NWIZ.EXE /UNINSTALL Ask yes on the prompt, and reboot. This will remove ALL NWIZ bloatware, and KEEP only the display driver, it's a neat trick.

I don't have another (working) video adapter. I put away 2 pentium 4 motherboards and 3 video adapters because of leaky bulged capacitors.

I was so excited when Windows Millenium was about to come out on the market. After i installed it i was disapointed and after about 6 months of frustration i formated the disk and installed Windows 98 SE along with patches, hotfixes... and i didn't install windows millenium ever again. So i don't have windows millenium setup CD anymore.

I didn't remove NWIZ. You can also disable it in MSCONFIG/STARTUP.

What's Xeno's vcache patch? What does it do? All these years i tweaked vcache myself.

Thank's for suggestions.

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Xeno's Vcache patch fixes all Vcache problems, completely eliminating the purpose of editing vcache in system.ini. With this patch, I can run 3DMark2001 SE and older NVIDIA video drivers (like 45.23) with 1GB of RAM, which I couldn't do without it. So that's why I'm mentioning it. IT might not do anything with 512MB of RAM, but it's worth a shot. Before you apply it, do remove any vcache settings in system.ini beforehand.

WinME is bad, but just try to see if the problem appears, WinME is quite different in some regards to 98SE, while based on the same kernel. It might react to your GPU in a different way.

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