Having trouble with GMA500 Display Driver

[Mortimer]

I needed to get the Fit-PC2 running Windows XP Pro SP3 running with a VGA monitor. So we purchased one of the USB-VGA adapters recommended on the Fit-PC.co.uk website.

I wasn't able to get it to work first time, so I uninstalled the VGA adapter software and drivers, in order to start again.

At this point the machine device manager starting showing a yellow alert triangle for the video driver for the GMA500 chipset. "Windows cannot load the device driver for this hardware. The device driver may be corrupted or missing.... (Code 39)".

I have tried loading the drivers from the supplied CD-ROM, the Fit-PC website and from Intels own downloads section. None of these have fixed to problem.

Are there any hidden 'gotchas' I should be aware of to get the GMA500 drivers loading again?

[Mortimer]

I dug one of our other Fit-PCs off the shelf and tried the USB adapter with that, and it works, so quite how I managed to bork the Intel drivers on the first machine I don't know.

Anyway, it seems to be working, but one thing I haven't fathomed out yet is how to get the Fit-PC to start cleanly with only the USB adapter connected, i.e. the HDMI/DVI connection unused. I tried it once and the USB connected screen drops down to 640x480 in about 16 colours, or something like that. I recall that this has been addressed here somewhere, I just need to find it!

Having got the USB thing to work, I am a little unsure about the 3D capabilities. I may end up trying to get a hold of an HDMI to VGA adapter to try instead. I am thinking of an HDFury1, anyone had any experience of these things?

[Ryelands]

I recall that this has been addressed here somewhere . . .

Try: http://www.fit-pc2.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=601

[Mortimer]

Just to let you all know I have got an HDFury1 from HDFury2.co.uk for about £70. It worked faultlessly with the FitPC2, and didn't need the additional USB power lead to make it work, as it obtained enough power to operate from the HDMI supply.

It has a definite advantage over the USB-VGA adapter in that it requires no setting up, and works without drivers, which means of course that access to the BIOS is still possible. I imagine that it would also be better for people using operating systems that might have patchy support for devices like the USB adapter.

At £70 it may not be as cheap as the USB adapter. You can save a little by not having the optional PSU and USB power lead, but probably not enough to worry about. The performance is however far superior, and will also support 3D graphics, which we found the USB adapter didn't (at least not properly.

[yogev_ezra]

If you purchase HDFury Gamer in bulk (25 units or more), it will cost you around 45£. So just find enough friends and make a bulk purchase

[Mortimer]

In this instance this is a business project, so I am not paying the bills!