Driver issue with new EVGA Video card

[Ryushikaze]

So, yesterday, I picked up a brand new, in box EVGA GTX 460 overclocked driver. It slotted in fine, system booted up normally, but I only have a limited selection of resolution options, none of them widescreen, and when I try and install the drivers, either by CD, Windows update, or from program at the EVGA site, it doesn't install properly.

I'm planning on running a driver wipe and trying to reinstall the entire thing fresh, but in case that does not work, what are your suggestions before I contact EVGA about RMAing?

[Executor32]

What version of Windows are you running?

[Oskuro]

Woah, for a moment there I thought he was referring to EGA/VGA graphics.

[Ryushikaze]

Whups, how I'd I forget to mention that? Windows 7 Ultimate, 64 bit edition.
Other salient details 2.8 Ghz i7 processor, 6GB RAM, I've got over 100GB of free space on my OS HDD, so I'm not hurting for space or anything.
PSU is 850W, etc. etc.

[Starglider]

What motherboard are you using? What was your previous graphics card, or were you using integrated graphics?

[Executor32]

Try installing the newest NVIDIA drivers for your card, the ones from CDs and card manufacturer websites are almost always out-of-date. They are beta drivers, but I'm using them myself with my GTX 275, also of EVGA make, with no issues.

[Ryushikaze]

Motherboard is an ASUS, I don't recall the exact model, but it's an i7, DDR3 compatible board.
My last Graphics card was a BFG GEforce 8800GT overlock.

Executor, I tried the latest stable release, I hadn't thought to use the Beta. I'll try these out when I get home.

[starslayer]

The limited number of resolution options comes from the fact that the system thinks no video driver is installed. Presumably, you already had other video drivers installed for your previous card. Did you uninstall the drivers you already had on there before trying to install your new drivers? If you didn't, that's almost certainly the problem. Do a complete driver wipe/reinstall like you said you would and you should be good to go.

[Stark]

Check your power lines are plugged in properly; if the card can't start properly the drivers won't apply.

[Ryushikaze]

I got the new drivers installed, thanks everyone.

A new problem seems to have arisen, though, since I seem to only have 4GB of Ram available instead of the 6GB (3 of 2) I have installed, meaning either Win 7 has either stopped counting my 3rd stick, or one of them has died.

Joy.

[Stark]

Slam DEL to get into BIOS on boot to ensure it shows up in hardware.

[Ryushikaze]

Yeah, BIOS lists 4088MB of Ram, and the DRAM timing control lists my middle stick as "1N-048-48"

Looks like it's dead. Well, looks like it's off to newegg for some replacement RAM.

[Mr Bean]

Yeah, BIOS lists 4088MB of Ram, and the DRAM timing control lists my middle stick as "1N-048-48"

Looks like it's dead. Well, looks like it's off to newegg for some replacement RAM.

Wait a tick my friend. Swap the stick to a different slot first before running off to newegg. Make sure it's the stick and not the slot.

[Ryushikaze]

Yeah, I'm going to make sure it's good and properly dead before plopping down the extra cash.

Though just in case I do have to run and get new RAM, how risky is using mismatched RAM on the level of the same type and speed but with different latency?

For example, I have this in currently http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6820227365

would replacing the dead one (if it is dead) with http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6820227482 (or the single version) cause undue problems for me?

[Stark]

The board will automatically run best supported settings. It's not 2002 anymore. . Boot with each stick singly to see what's up.

With these problems I'd trawl the settings and possible firmware updates to make sure the board isn't the problem.

[Ryushikaze]

I didn't figure it would be catastrophic, just wondering if it might have interesting side effects while running games.

In any case, it would seem that none of them are dead, and none of the slots are either. Testing the singly revealed they all still worked. I guess one of the sticks just came loose or something similar.

I'll make sure the board's firmware's up to date as well.