Aptiva TechDoc #10012 Last updated 11/08/99

The Green Line of Death

After installing a game or software that uses the DirectDraw features of Microsoft DirectX, your screen may be black, or you may see a green line(s) running across the screen. Users have termed this "The Green Line of Death"

After installing, or when launching software which uses DirectDraw

Aptiva systems with the ATI Mach64-based ("3D Rage") graphics chipsets

Conflict between Microsoft DirectDraw and ATI Mach64 graphics adapters

Often to resolve this problem, you need to change your video drivers and/or display settings. Try the following: Right-Click on the Desktop > Click Properties Choose the Settings tab Click the Change Display Type button Click the Change button > Change Adapter Type Select Show All Devices Under Manufacturer, choose [Standard Display Types] Under Models, select "Standard Display Adapter [VGA]" Click OK twice > Click Yes to restart Windows After the computer restarts: Right-Click on the Desktop > Click Properties Choose the Settings tab Click the Change Display Type button Click the Change button > Change Adapter Type Select Show All Devices Under Manufacturer, select ATI Tech Enhanced Under Models, select either ATI Mach 64 PCI (DirectDraw) or ATI 3D Expression PCI (Mach 64) Click OK twice > Click Yes to restart Windows Start your DirectX program

Note that rather than reloading the original ATI display drivers another option is to upgrade to newer drivers. The latest IBM-supplied ATI drivers for the Rage I and Rage II chipsets are in the file ATI435US, but even newer drivers are available directly from ATI Also note that the steps above are for Windows 95 OSR1, users of OSR2 or Win98 should use the following alternate steps for (3)/(4) and (11)/(12): Click the Advanced button Choose the Adapter tab > Click the Change button

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