*

For systems with ATI video onboard, follow these instructions FIRST, to disable your graphics chip:

1. Make sure you have a free IRQ, Voodoo3 will take one...preferably 9, 10 or 11.

2. Set your display adapter to a Standard VGA type as 3dfx instructions say. They have directions there you can follow that will help you accomplish this. You can also uninstall your original ATI video drivers here, but it's not necessary, (at least others have not, and have had no problems).

3. Disable your onboard ATI following the directions on the top half of the page here: http://members.aol.com/don5408/videocard.html. (Print that page if necessary).

4. Do not restart if you do not have to. In other words, if given a choice to wait, wait until after the next step. Place the 3dfx cd in the cdrom drive, power off and unplug your system. Then, put the Voodoo card in a PCI slot ...

... it's a short slot above the ISA slots. You have 2 PCI slots. Use either one, and boot up.

5. Upon reboot, you should see 3dfx bios screen flash quickly by, followed by IBM splash screen. Then onto Windows you will boot if you have no hardware conflicts.

6. If you get to Windows, you will then be prompted to install the 3dfx drivers, do so and follow the rest of their directions.

 

If for some reason your system does not boot or hangs at Windows starting, power off. Then remove the Voodoo card and boot back up, pressing F8 when you see "Starting Windows 95...." or hold down the CTRL key for Windows 98. On the menu, choose Safe Mode. In Safe Mode, re-enable your ATI device in Device Manager, doing the opposite of the "disabling" instructions on the page referenced above. Then restart your computer. You will then end up back in Windows using your ATI onboard.

At that point, you will need to troubleshoot hardware conflicts with the Voodoo card. My suggestion to you, if you have a problem with conflicts and call 3dfx, do not tell them your ATI was onboard.. tell them it was a card you removed, because if they know it's on onboard, you will only be shipped back to IBM.. And, IBM is going to ship you to 3dfx.

*3DFX is no more.  For info and drivers, head over to The Voodoo Files

Return to Techie Joey R.'s Aptiva Help Pages
Thanks to Aptiva owner Teal Rizzo for the above information.