Dell 466/ME and S3 Driver Display Problems
Article ID: 107731
Article Last Modified on 11/1/2006
APPLIES TO
- Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server 3.1
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation 3.1
- Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server 3.1
This article was previously published under Q107731
SYMPTOMS
The Dell 466/ME is equipped with the S3 graphics chip set. If you are using
Phoenix 80486 ROM BIOS Plus version 1.00A08 and an S3 driver independent of
resolution or refresh rate, you may experience a partial or total black
screen at WinLogon.
CAUSE
This problem is caused by the BIOS version. Later versions do not exhibit
the problem.
RESOLUTION
To avoid this problem, obtain a new BIOS or video adapter or use the
Standard VGA driver. If you are able to log in, resizing and moving windows
repaints the screen and may provide an adequate display for performing
system setting changes. If Windows NT is installed on a FAT file system,
another possible workaround is to boot into MS-DOS and delete
%SYSTEMROOT%\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\S3.SYS so that your system defaults to VGA.
The product included here is manufactured by Dell Computer Corporation, a
vendor independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise,
regarding this product's performance or reliability.
Additional query words: prodnt
Keywords: kbhardware KB107731