Graphics driver update caused loss of icons

Joram · Joined: Jun 24, 2003 Posts: 263 Location: Mesa, AZ

So I decided to update the graphics card on my gf's computer. Simple enough, right?

I went to the ATI website (the card is a PowerColor Radeon 9600 Pro AGP) and downloaded the latest driver. Installed. Upon reboot, just about all the desktop icons vanished. The words are there, but no icon. Also, the 'minimize, maximize, close' icons in the upper right corner of all windows...the 'close' button is gone. It still closes if you click in the empty space, but it's missing all the same.

I've tried installing earlier versions all with the same effect. I installed from the original cd and got the same result. The only way the icons and everything show up is to strip away every bit of the ATI nuggets and not have any driver at all.

Does anybody have a clue what's going on?? All I can think of to do next is to strip it all off again and see what the Windows Update Page wants to install. In my past experience, it never had the latest driver so I tend to not go there. But I'm at a complete loss what to do now...

Please HELP!

Joram · Joined: Jun 24, 2003 Posts: 263 Location: Mesa, AZ

So I scrubbed it out again and installed from the cd that came with the card. Then I went into the system hardware manager and updated the driver. It decided to install a driver that is older than what it originally had before all of this, but its working.

I might try to update it later, but for now I think I'll leave it as it is...

I'm still curious as to why it happened though. If anyone has an idea, please let me know.