eacquaro

DeXtml,
Thanks for all of your guidance.
I successfully re-installed Vista and the graphics card function is no longer diminished by re-starting the PC. Joy!

I compared DxDiag's from before and after the re-install to see if there were any clues as to the cause of the issue in the first place. What I saw was a bit surprising.

Before reinstall - Graphics card not fully functional:
*Operating System: Windows Vista™ Home Premium (6.0, Build 6002) Service Pack 2 (6002.lh_sp2rtm.090410-1830).
*Page File: 1753MB used, 13464MB available.
*DDI Version: 10
*Device Identifier: {D7B71EE2-D702-11CF-C372-6E22A1C2CA35}

After reinstall - Graphics card fully functional:
*Operating System: Windows Vista™ Home Premium (6.0, Build 6001) Service Pack 1 (6001.vistasp1_gdr.090302-1506)
*Page File: 1407MB used, 10972MB available.
*DDI Version: 10.1
*Device Identifier: {D7B71EE2-D702-11CF-6C71-6E22A1C2C535}

*Every Graphics Card driver was the same.
*A significant number of changes showed up under the DirectShow Filters.
*There were also changes to audio drivers.

Do you think that it could have been the Service Pack 2 that caused my problem?

Here is my concern as of now: Windows Update wants to install Service Pack 2 again!

Do you think that it will cause the same problem to occur if I go ahead and install it? I am holding off installing it as yet.

I would really appreciate hearing your advice on this.
Thanks very much,
Ed


(Perhaps, a topic for another thread: How to deal with the Windows.old folder...ie: Should the files and programs be copied back to their original location? Should you run programs from their new location in Windows.old?...etc. )