Hello,
I have a few questions hopefully someone on the list can answer.
I recently bought a IBM Aptive 200 Mhz MMX, Model 2159 S90 computer from
someone (I wanted a retro XMAS...lol). I have some old DOS games I once ran
with Windows 95 without any problems. Once I got it home and booted up I
discovered Windows 95 was pretty much trashed, numerous error messages,
programs deleted haphazardly, etc. So I used the Recovery Disk that came
with it and reinstalled everything. Windows 95 booted up fine, everything
was back to normal except the Video Card. I could not get anything other
than standard VGA 16 colors. Went on the net and researched the Card that
was orginally installed per IBM,  an ATI Rage II. Downloaded the drivers and
installed them. No change. Downloaded Belarc Advisor to try to identify the
card, it stated a ATI Rage II was installed. Still standard VGA. When I
pulled the Video Card it is a STD Systems, Inc. card made in 1998.( My new
troubleshooting rule: Know what you're working with first, it might save an
extra days work ). This computer was made in 1996 so a pervious owner must
have installed a new card.
Now what I know about Video Cards wouldn't fill a thimble. How do I identify
this card to find what drivers to use? There's no model number on the card
anywhere. The headsink on the chip totally covers it so I can't get the
number off the chip to use that in my search. There's a few stickers on the
card with various numbers:  210-347-00, 1x0-695-008, 1B 46 1998. Another
sticker with V 41316. All a mystery to me.
Or should I just bite the bullet on this one, toss the card, and try to find
one on Ebay or the net that would work with this machine, and save myself
any more headaches and what hair I have left. And if that's the case, what
card(s) would you recommend for a machine of this age?
Any answers/help would be greatly appreciated.

 Roy Wardrip

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