Trio 64 Display Adapter Error Due to IDIS

SYMPTOMS

When you upgrade Windows NT 3.51 (that has the SMS 1.2 Remote Control client enabled) and the system uses a S3 Trio 64 Video adapter, the following configuration error is displayed on the initial log on attempt:

Invalid Display Settings

NOTE: Testing shows this to be a problem with the S3 Trio 64 and not with other S3 compatible display adapters.

The currently selected graphics display driver cannot be used. It was written for a previous version of Windows NT, and is no longer compatible with the current version of Windows NT.

The system has been started using the default VGA driver.

Please contact your hardware manufacture to get an upgraded driver, or select one of the Microsoft provided drivers.

CAUSE

The cause of the error is due to the IDIS_NT.DLL driver used by SMS 1.2 for the Remote Control of Windows NT 3.51 systems. Under Windows NT 4.0 the DLL is not needed and is not removed on the upgrade.

IDIS_NT driver can be located in the following registry location:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\S3\Devic

Value: InstalledDisplayDrivers REG_MULTI_SZ: IDIS_NT S3

RESOLUTION

Automated workaround

The following REGEDIT script can be run during the upgrade process to rewrite the registry to remove the IDIS_NT.DLL driver. Copy the information starting with REGEDIT4 to the ,00 and save to a file as S3.REG. Place the S3.REG file in the Windows NT distribution share.

REGEDIT4

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\s3\Device0]
"InstalledDisplayDrivers"=hex(7):73,33,00,00

The script is run towards the end of GUI mode setup just prior to final save configuration.

The following step-by-step instructions will ensure proper removal of the IDIS_NT driver. The following solution assumes Z:\ is mapped to the root of the Windows NT distribution share for the example.

Create the following batch job to start installation process and place in the Windows NT distribuition share.

MKDIR C:\S3
XCOPY Z:\S3.REG C:\S3
XCOPY Z:\REGEDIT.EXE C:\S3
WINNT32 /B /S:Z:\ /E:"C:\S3\REGEDIT.EXE /S C:\S3.REG"

The /E: option is used to execute an external program that is not part of the normal Windows NT installation process.

Manual Workaround

The registry entry can be manually updated prior to upgrade using Registry Editor (REGEDT32.EXE) from Windows NT 3.51.

Start Registry Editor (REGEDIT32.EXE) and select the following subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\S3\Devic
Double-click on InstalledDisplayDrivers.
Remove any reference to IDIS_NT.
Quit Registry Editor.
Upgrade the system.