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Raistlin · Posted 06 Jul 2011, 08:21 #1

Bit of a problem here that has me scratching my head.

Windows XP boots up as far as the initial low resolution screen. Then, rather than opening the GUI, the screen remains blank and after a few seconds the system re-boots.

Boots up OK in Safe Mode and also when booting into VGA Mode.

In VGA mode, I can change resolution OK and all works fine but when re-booting the same problem occurs.

I thought it was probably something trying to load at startup causing problems.

Using MSConfig, I did a minimal boot and the same problem occurred.

Not sure where to go from here and would appreciate some ideas please.

Zeb · Posted 06 Jul 2011, 08:29 #2

Check your graphics card driver is loading properly....in fact, in System I'd check the device is loading at all! Sounds like windows is not 'seeing' it when you do a normal boot up....which you'd think is a software problem but could actually be a hardware problem...

kandyman · Posted 06 Jul 2011, 08:32 #3

I would go along with the idea that the fault lies with the video card, can you swap the card out and try another ?

Raistlin · Posted 06 Jul 2011, 08:42 #4

I guessed it might be guys except for the fact that it boots up in VGA mode perfectly well and I can then change the rseolution to any required.

The fault recurrs during next boot up though.

Zeb · Posted 06 Jul 2011, 08:50 #5

The graphics card has overheated at a guess and now the OS cannot 'remember' settings because at startup the operating system is not 'seeing' the branded drivers and so reverts to the generic vga driver - hence it works...sort of...

Raistlin · Posted 06 Jul 2011, 10:15 #6

OK. I'll borrow a card to test it

Zeb · Posted 06 Jul 2011, 10:57 #7

I can give you the 'recipe' to fix it too if it is broken...

Raistlin · Posted 06 Jul 2011, 11:12 #8

Zeb wrote:I can give you the 'recipe' to fix it too if it is broken...

recipe???

Zeb · Posted 06 Jul 2011, 11:23 #9

raistlin wrote:
Zeb wrote:I can give you the 'recipe' to fix it too if it is broken...

recipe???

Yup....recipe...

Raistlin · Posted 06 Jul 2011, 11:30 #10

Go on then.. explain :lol:

Zeb · Posted 06 Jul 2011, 11:51 #11

If it does fail completely...blank or corrupted screen...then you cook it..in the oven.. at 190 for ten minutes..balanced on little balls of tinfoil on a baking tray...then leave to cool without disturbing it if possible...and voila! It'll most probably work again..

Duncan · Posted 06 Jul 2011, 12:22 #12

If it's the graphics chip on a laptop, a small cooks blowtorch can work, too.

I had (well have) a Tosh laptop (paul you've met it) that developed a similar fault. OK in DOS and VGA mode (safe mode) but booting into XP normally just crashed. It soon developed lines in VGA or DOS screens. The giveaway then was the same lines appeared accessing the BIOS, so XP and drivers couldn't be to blame. Reading up, the ball grid array soldering has problematic on machines of this era with that Nvidia chip, so an experiment in reflow worked a treat, to my total amazement.

If your machine has shared RAM for the video card, as many do, it might be that booting in VGA then changing resolution results in a different area of memory being allocated until the reboot. This might not be a video card fault but a memory fault, results being similar.

Zeb · Posted 06 Jul 2011, 13:03 #13

I am writing this on my laptop running on a 'cooked' Nvidia 8600GT...

Funnily enough in Win 7 it says it is an 8400GS..even using the Nvidia driver information...go back into Vista and it is an 8600GT....only happened since I cooked it...but then I just had a black screen before that...

Raistlin · Posted 06 Jul 2011, 16:02 #14

Interesting

I'm borrowing a video card tomorrow so will see what happens

Zeb · Posted 06 Jul 2011, 18:37 #15

Would you believe it? The kids' computer failed tonight! Blank screen... Took the Sapphire ATI Radeon X1950 Pro out, removed all the heatsink etc, popped it in the oven for ten minutes....and voila, off we go again.....well, at least for a bit....I guess I had best start looking for a replacement for it fairly soon....

Mofo · Posted 07 Jul 2011, 00:10 #16

raistlin wrote:Bit of a problem here that has me scratching my head.

Windows XP boots up as far as the initial low resolution screen. Then, rather than opening the GUI, the screen remains blank and after a few seconds the system re-boots.

Boots up OK in Safe Mode and also when booting into VGA Mode.

In VGA mode, I can change resolution OK and all works fine but when re-booting the same problem occurs.

I thought it was probably something trying to load at startup causing problems.

Using MSConfig, I did a minimal boot and the same problem occurred.

Not sure where to go from here and would appreciate some ideas please.

What refresh rate is the graphics card set to?

Raistlin · Posted 07 Jul 2011, 16:49 #17

Graphics was integral to the motherboard. Fitted a radeon AGP card and it works fine now

Zeb · Posted 07 Jul 2011, 22:02 #18

raistlin wrote:Graphics was integral to the motherboard. Fitted a radeon AGP card and it works fine now

Probably best not to stick the mobo in the oven..

takestock · Posted 07 Jul 2011, 22:16 #19

Zeb wrote:
Probably best not to stick the mobo in the oven..

must get my eyes tested, thought you had said Mofo, he would not have been pleased

Duncan · Posted 14 Jul 2011, 21:43 #20

Oh great, good news. Said laptop has just failed again. As I was preparing it to bring to the Nano!

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Windows XP problem by Raistlin (Page 1 of 2)