Diamond Viper Video Card Not Supported

• Microsoft Windows NT operating system version 3.1

SYMPTOMS

If you are using a VESA 800x600 video driver with the Diamond Viper video card, there may be some unusual behavior with the mouse, the keyboard and Program Manager. You may be unable to select items with the mouse, the keyboard may be disabled outside of the Main group, and you may not be able to move groups.

CAUSE

The Diamond Viper video card is not on the Hardware Compatibility List for Windows NT version 3.1. The Windows NT 3.1 generic drivers for VGA 640x480 and VESA 800x600 are not expected to work correctly with this video card.

RESOLUTION

A Diamond Viper PCI driver for Windows NT can be obtained from the Gateway 2000 BBS at (605) 232-2224. This driver is contained in a self-extracting file named VPWN32.EXE (Video Library section). Note that this driver is currently in beta test and unsupported by Gateway.

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 3.1. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

NOTE: In Windows NT version 3.5, Viper cards using a 1.x or 2.x BIOS revision do not work, and these cards cannot be upgraded. There are four different physical revisions of the Viper. One uses a series 1.x BIOS, two use a series 2.x BIOS, and one uses a series 3.x BIOS. If you look in the HCL you will note that it states that the Viper must have a BIOS version 3.09, Rev. for "proper performance." Translated, this means if you have anything other than a Rev. E board, this will not work. And if you have a Rev. E board, you need BIOS 3.09.

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