3D Blaster Common Questions and Answers ======================================= This file contains a list of some common problems faced and the solutions to those problems. Please read the sections below if you encounter a problem. If your problem is not described below, you can call our Technical Support at (405) 742-6622. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Problem: Quicktime Movie Player crashes at times. Cause: The Quicktime Movie Player detects hardware every time it is started from Windows to use the maximum capabilities of the hardware. This is recorded in the QTW.INI file in the Windows directory. Unfortunately, at this time the detection process is not detecting the 3D Blaster hardware, thus giving rise to the problems. Solution: 1) Edit the QTW.INI file. 2) In the Video section (add one if it does not exist) add the following line: [Video] optimize=driver 3) Save the QTW.INI file. This forces Quicktime to use the installed Windows display driver and thus use the 3D Blaster drivers. However, if Quicktime crashes in this manner (without the above line added), especially in 1024x768, the only way to resolve this is to switch resolutions (down to 640x480 or 800x600), start the Quicktime Movie Player and change back to 1024x768. Note: Viewing the Quicktime readme file (uses readme.exe which comes with Quick Time) WILL cause this to happen every time even with the modified INI file. To recover, use the method described in the paragraph above. This problem is not strictly related to the 3D Blaster and does happen with many other video cards --------------------------------------------------------------------- Problem: When rebooting your machine after installing the 3D Blaster software, the DOS error, "Invalid System Disk" or "Non System Disk" is displayed. Cause: The system is trying to boot from the floppy disk in drive A:, which is not a system bootable disk. Solution: Eject the disk in drive A: and press --------------------------------------------------------------------- Problem: Windows 95 does not recognize the 3D Blaster. Running "SETUP.EXE" executes "CMPATCH.EXE", and after rebooting, Device Manager still does not have 3D Blaster under the list of recognized display drivers. Cause: Installing Windows 95 with the 3D Blaster in the system causes Windows 95 to add 3D Blaster to its list of recognized hardware. Since 3D Blaster is "recognized", Windows does not ask for the drivers disk when rebooting after running CMPATCH.EXE Solution: In Windows 95, follow the procedure listed below: * Select "START", "SETTINGS", then "CONTROL PANEL" * Open the "SYSTEM" icon from the "CONTROL PANEL" window. * Select the "Device Manager" tab in the "SYSTEM PROPERTIES" window. * Click on the plus sign next to the "UNKNOWN" device. (represented by a question mark icon.) * Double click on the "Creative Labs 3D Blaster" icon. * Select the "DRIVER" tab. * Press the "CHANGE DRIVER" button. * Press the "HAVE DISK" button. * Select the drive that the 3D Blaster Windows 95 drivers are located on. (Typicaly "A:") * Press "OK" * Run "READHELP.EXE" from the 3D Blaster Windows 95 drivers disk. * Follow the listed procedures to disable your previous display drivers and configure the 3D Blaster display drivers. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Problem: When running in a Windows GUI environment the display is normal. When using DOS based programs from within a Windows environment the display is not stable (can not view the image). Cause: The Pass-Through cable may have come loose. Solution: Check to ensure that the Pass-Through cable is firmly connected to the video card and the VGA input connector on the 3D Blaster. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Problem: READHELP.EXE starts with the description of how to disable existing display drivers. Cause: READHELP.EXE is intended for use with the 3D Blaster installation procedure. Solution: For the full 3D Blaster help file, open README95.HLP --------------------------------------------------------------------- Problem: Win95 hangs after installing the Win95 Display Drivers. Cause: The hardware device is not initialized properly by Win95. This may happen to some motherboards. Solution: 1) Boot up Win95 in Safe Mode by pressing F8 when system boots. 2) Insert the Win95 installation disk for 3D Blaster. 3) Open the Control Panel and double-click "Add/Remove Programs" icon. 4) Follow the instructions to complete installation of 3D Blaster. 5) Reboots the system after installation. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Problem: Win95 does not auto-detect the 3D Blaster card. Cause: The ISA Plug and Play devices have not been installed during Win95 installation. To check this, double-click onto the "System" icon in the Control Panel. Under the Device Manager, click onto the plus sign next to "System devices". Check if there are entries for ISA Plug and Play devices. Solution: 1) Boot up Win95. 2) Open the Control Panel and double-click "Add New Hardware" icon. 3) When asked to select type of hardware, select "System devices". 4) Select the appropriate ISA Plug and Play device. 5) Reboot the system after installation. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Problem: The display seems to be flickering when using the Win95 3D Blaster display driver. Cause: The default refresh rate for the display device is set to 60Hz. The refresh rate must be set to higher value to avoid flickering. Solution: 1) Boot up Win95. 2) Right click on the desktop and choose the "Properties" option from the popup manual. 3) Choose the "Monitor" property page. 4) From the "Refresh Rate" drop list, select the desired refresh rate. 5) Click on the "Apply" button and the refresh rate will change to the new value. 6) Click on the "Yes" button if you want to use the new refresh rate, otherwise the refresh rate will switch back to the previous value after 8 seconds. Note: The selected refresh rate must be within the range of vertical scan frequency that the monitor can support, otherwise the monitor will loose its sychronization with the 3D Blaster card's output. If this happens, you may hit ENTER to switch back to the previous refresh rate. --------------------------------------------------------------------- ========== End of CQA.TXT ==========