Kevin's Watch

Can anyone help with this one? This stupid freakin' Digital Arts & Crafts Studio for my daughter just plugs into the USB port. You draw on the toy's screen with the toy's stylus, and it shows up on your monitor. And you can print it out. Painting, coloring in pre-loaded pictures, etc.

So when I pull up a drawing, it superimposes dozens of the picture, slightly on top/below each other. And when I have a blank screen to draw on, and put the stylus on the toy's drawing screen, it makes several of whatever I do, on top/below each other.

The guy at the helpdesk said it's a common problem for this toy, caused because my video driver is not updated/good enough. He talked me through the steps to update the driver, which is a VIA/S3G UniChrome Pro IGP. But the Update Wizard can't find a better match for my hardware than the software I currently have installed.

Um... Any ideas??? heh

who made your computer?

Uh... My ex-wife's ex-boyfriend.

oh, gee! it figgers! The model # and "chipset" are very important, do you know what they are?

try this after the link above: www.viaarena.com/default.aspx?PageID=2

Wayfriend and Syl are way better at this than me, heh.


oh wait! click here, it's safe and sponsored by VIA, it will scan automatically for the right one, you just have to let XP install it. Use it to just identify, they will charge you to actually find it and install it, but we can do that ourselves once we know the chipset and model.

The minimum requirements for that toy to work are:

windows vista/2000/xp
750mhz processor
256mb memory
64mb video ram
1024x768 video resolution

It's pretty basic except for the 64MB video RAM.
That's usually a separate card not just the "onboard" video that comes default with a computer.
The video card RAM isn't changable.
If you don't have a 64MB card then new drivers isn't going to help you.
I have a fairly new computer but I only have 32MB of video RAM so I couldn't use it either if I wanted.

Thanks guys. I'll look into these things again in the morning.

Can I tell if I have the 64MB video RAM?

Fist and Faith wrote:Thanks guys. I'll look into these things again in the morning.

Can I tell if I have the 64MB video RAM?

That should be simple.
There are a number of ways to check your vid card's memory. I leave a shortcut on my desktop to a system utility called "System Information" that is located in your basic programs directory in your start menu. SI has most everything you need to know about your computer but if you aren't sure where that is you can try right clicking in a clear space anywhere on your computer's desktop, in between icons. A small menu will pop up called "Display Properties". Click on the tab along the top that is labeled "Settings".
Then Click on the tab at the bottom that is labeled "Advanced" then click on the tab along the top that is labeled "Adapter".
Under "Adapter Information" you'll see the chip type, DAC type and then below that will be the Memory Size. If your computer isn't too old it will display anything from 16mb to 256mb.

Ah, excellent! Thanks, Tom!

And it looks like I qualify on that count:

Chip Type: VIA/S3G UniChrome Pro IGP
DAC Type: Internal
Memory Size: 64 MB
Adapter String: VIA/S3G UniChrome Pro IGP
Bios Information: 98.F0.00.40

But, still... How the heck can I get this driver updated??? OK, back to the links Esmer gave me...
I hate being so ignorant!!!

heh, thats why i always insist that I go to them or they come to me to solve these issues. The quickest and easiest way sometimes is with a magnifying glass or a dental mirror looking directly at the motherboard inside the pc. your only other easy option is going to be with the chipset id program, (seperate full page link to WinS3ID.EXE) provided by VIA, to scan and identify it exactly. I see you have several different choices with the general chipset #'s, and have to go further to get the exact one.

I've learned that my advice generally sucks, so I have none to give. But I do want to give Fist my sympathy. And, um, moral support...

Go Fist! We all stand behind you! (Though some of us may prefer to sit.)

Heh. Thanks MM. Things like "I see you have several different choices with the general chipset #'s" may as well be written in Chinese. (Well, maybe that's not a problem for you. *nyuk nyuk*) I sure didn't see that, and never heard of a chipset until I started this thread.


But thanks for hanging in there with me, Es! I hope to get to the bottom of this!!!

Well, while I haven't gotten this thing working yet, I have managed to lose all sound.

Fist and Faith wrote:Well, while I haven't gotten this thing working yet, I have managed to lose all sound.

.




Remember, if you reach the point where you have to pick up any type of manual or "help" resource...all hope is lost.


When I first checked that thing out for you i was on a forum where a few people said that they had problems but many more loved it.
You might just have a bad one.
Maybe exchange it at the store?

good grief!

Sorry, I've never had anything but trouble trying to update video drivers.

High Lord Tolkien wrote:Maybe exchange it at the store?

Actually, I did. But they didn't have any in stock, so they gave me store credit. And I went back a few days later and found one on the shelf. Maybe the same one? So unless Toys R Us repackaged it... No, they wouldn't.

get a new computer. problem solved.

Indeed. And when I gather some money... Heh.

Fist and Faith wrote:

High Lord Tolkien wrote:Maybe exchange it at the store?

Actually, I did. But they didn't have any in stock, so they gave me store credit. And I went back a few days later and found one on the shelf. Maybe the same one? So unless Toys R Us repackaged it... No, they wouldn't.

Umm........
I used to manage one of those stores.
They have a shrink wrap table in the back.
Anything in good shape that wasn't labels "broken" or "defective" and looks like it wasn't sat on gets shrink wrapped and put back out.
So.......I hope you didn't buy it again!

I thought you folks would want an update. I'm not asking for help, because it's obviously not an easy thing to help someone with these things without actually being there with the computer. And even then...

Anyway, I've given up. Still no sound. And I got another one of these things, so I know it's no longer just the same one repackaged. But the new one has a different problem, which I can't get past to even see it it has the same problem as the old one.

I tried this new copy on Christy's computer, but it wouldn't even attempt to install it, saying it doesn't have enough video memory. (Which might imply mine does.)

I'll try this new copy at my ex's house, where my daughter actually lives. I wanted it here so she'd have another activity here, but I'll survive if it's at her house, as long as it works. If it doesn't, I give up for good, and will take it back for store credit.

Stay tuned, faithful Watchers!!!