How to Check the Video Driver (200435)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Terminal Server Edition
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 3.51
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.51
  • Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition 4.0
  • Microsoft BackOffice Small Business Server 4.0
  • Microsoft BackOffice Small Business Server 4.0a
This article was previously published under Q200435
For a Microsoft Windows XP version of this article, see 314854.
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SUMMARY

If you are having problems loading the video driver on your computer, you may have a program that has replaced some files. Symptoms of this problem include:
  • The system continues to default to VGA mode or only boots in VGA mode from the boot menu.
  • Your video driver is not loading properly.

MORE INFORMATION

To verify exactly which video drivers that your Windows operating system is expecting to load:
  1. Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).
  2. Go to the following location in the registry:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\hardware\DeviceMap\Video

  3. The Device\Video0 value points to a registry key that has the location of the video driver that Windows is configured to load.

    For example the value may be:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\<videodriver>\Device0

  4. Go to the following location in the registry:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\<video driver>\Device0

    To see what the value setting, double-click on the value InstalledDisplayDrivers. This is the driver that was loaded.
If it is set to another registry location, a third-party driver may be being loaded when Windows starts.

For example if PcAnywhere is installed, Device0 does not have the name of a file, but instead displays another registry location that gives the video driver name.

For example:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\AW_HOST\Video0.

Verify the following:
  1. Verify that the file or files in step 4 is present in the WinNT\System32 folder. This file has a .DLL extension.
  2. Verify that the file or files are also present in the \WinNT\System32\Drivers folder. This file will have the .SYS extension.
If the links and values are not correct, or if the files pointed to are not present, then resolve the problem so the system starts properly.

If the links and values are correct, and the files are present, then there may be a video driver conflict. Verify that you have the latest drivers for the video card.

Below is an example of what these registry settings would be like when using an S3 video card:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\hardware\DeviceMap\Video

The value Device\Video0 = \REGISTRY\Machine\System\ControlSet001\Services\s3\Device0

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\s3\Device0

The value InstalledDisplayDrivers = s3 vga

REFERENCES

For additional information about dealing with Video Issues, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

162577 STOP: C0000143 MISSING DISPLAY_DRIVER.DLL

154754 STB PowerGraph Video VLB Display Adapter Not Detected

155681 Troubleshooting Display Problems in Windows NT 4.0

174567 AGP Video Support for Windows NT 3.51 and 4.0

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:6/24/2004
Keywords:kbdisplay kbHardware kbinfo KB200435
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