Computer help needed (asap)

Freiheit · Post by **Freiheit** » 31 Dec 2005, 17:19

I made a "minor" mistake on someone elses computer. Now there is just black screen when windows loads up. Its still shows the windows loads up thing so the screen does work, and I can hear that windows loads up as normal.
Just before all this happened I installede the new Direct X package and changed something in the "screen/monitor" (dont know what its called in english windows) menu (Cant remember excast what it were, it was a parameter from ?? to automatic).
I have tried to run windows in "fail safe mode" but it's still black screen. How do I fix it? There is a copy of the Kessler vs Lucas card on DVD to the one that solves the problem.

Phenomenal-Nutrition · Post by **Phenomenal-Nutrition** » 31 Dec 2005, 18:27

is the pc restarting every time and not actually going into windows?

Freiheit · Post by **Freiheit** » 31 Dec 2005, 22:03

You can hear it goes into windows, the startup sound and a sound that the anti virus program makes. I can also shut the computer down by using the windows key on the keyboard and the arrows.

lvlarc · Post by **lvlarc** » 01 Jan 2006, 02:14

Has he got his comp hooked upto a tv with a vid out lead? If so press Alt + F5 when windows loads.

Or you might have fked up the the display driver?

Try loading up in safe mode and rolling back the video driver by right clicking on my computer, then properties, hardware tab, device manager.

Click display adapter, then right click on the vid card that shows, props, driver, Roll back driver.

Goodluck!

Freiheit · Post by **Freiheit** » 01 Jan 2006, 07:42

Problem is that I cant load up in safe mode, it does the same thing.

lvlarc · Post by **lvlarc** » 01 Jan 2006, 08:00

Ahh right, then you may want to get 1 of those boot up discs, which has the video adapters on. I got one, its called WinXPE

The same thing happened to me before, had to wait 2 weeks to get it sorted. It's such a stupid problem to have. Damn Microsoft!

If you cant get it sorted then the only way is for a complete system reboot. Which will lose all the data on harddrive. :(

Dutch Windmill · Post by **Dutch Windmill** » 01 Jan 2006, 09:41

First of all: have you tried F8 during boot and then "last known good configuration"?

If you alread did, but to no avail:
If the partition is FAT32 formatted, you can use a regular boot disk.
You have to edit the C:\boot.ini file, which may look something like this
[boot loader]
timeout=0
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptIn

Now you have to insert: /basevideo after "Microsoft Windows XP Professional"
And reboot

If the partition is NTFS formatted, you need to boot from an XP cd(or something else capable of reading NTFS partitions like Bart PE CD or Knoppix or whatever)
And change the same file

Freiheit · Post by **Freiheit** » 01 Jan 2006, 11:04

This is what I tried so far:
Changed the video card, no succes.
Tried to disactivate everything in MSconfig (could go inthere in by memory), no succes.
Tried to boot in "activate VGA", didnt help
Tried to boot from the WIN XP CD and then repair, said the computer didnt have a HD...
Its NTFS formatted (WIN XP home). What do I have to do when it has booted from the CD, I can only choose Install, repair and exit.

Dutch Windmill · Post by **Dutch Windmill** » 01 Jan 2006, 11:30

repair

Freiheit · Post by **Freiheit** » 01 Jan 2006, 11:48

When it choose repair it load for a bit, then says there is no hardisk on the computer

REAL_DEAL · Post by **REAL_DEAL** » 01 Jan 2006, 12:54

Freiheit wrote:I made a "minor" mistake on someone elses computer. Now there is just black screen when windows loads up. Its still shows the windows loads up thing so the screen does work, and I can hear that windows loads up as normal.
Just before all this happened I installede the new Direct X package and changed something in the "screen/monitor" (dont know what its called in english windows) menu (Cant remember excast what it were, it was a parameter from ?? to automatic).
I have tried to run windows in "fail safe mode" but it's still black screen. How do I fix it? There is a copy of the Kessler vs Lucas card on DVD to the one that solves the problem.

this is so easy

say it wasnt you and your friend will presume he did it or it broke by itself.

tonyevs · Post by **tonyevs** » 01 Jan 2006, 15:32

Did you change the settings in the Bios?(blue screen)

check that you haven`t set a different partition, I set a seperate partition and it was too small to install XP...so could not start XP cos there wasn`t room to write the load up settings to anywhere.

If you took out his graphics card then try a different port just in case, Xp should have default drivers so there should not be a problem getting something on screen.

If none of that does anything ...a good couple of hours away from it normally helps

Have you got the option of format c: drive when you load XP CDROM?
If you have, I would format and start from scratch...but you will lose all data on the computer...the last option sorry :(

Freiheit · Post by **Freiheit** » 01 Jan 2006, 15:41

tonyevs wrote:Did you change the settings in the Bios?(blue screen)

check that you haven`t set a different partition, I set a seperate partition and it was too small to install XP...so could not start XP cos there wasn`t room to write the load up settings to anywhere.

If you took out his graphics card then try a different port just in case, Xp should have default drivers so there should not be a problem getting something on screen.

If none of that does anything ...a good couple of hours away from it normally helps

Have you got the option of format c: drive when you load XP CDROM?
If you have, I would format and start from scratch...but you will lose all data on the computer...the last option sorry :(

Its a AGP graphics card card so only one port. There is only 1 partion on the HD.
Ill try to bring it to the place where the computer was bourght to see if they can fix it on the warrenty.

tonyevs · Post by **tonyevs** » 01 Jan 2006, 15:46

Can you get to the bios?

Freiheit · Post by **Freiheit** » 01 Jan 2006, 15:51

I can go to the BIOS.

Raff The Frenchman · Post by **Raff The Frenchman** » 01 Jan 2006, 16:10

just load the fail/safe settings mode by pressing F8 when windows starts up

Dynamite Dean Phillips · Post by **Dynamite Dean Phillips** » 02 Jan 2006, 10:43

Freiheit wrote:Problem is that I cant load up in safe mode, it does the same thing.

Put the original windows cd in and (if it's XP) let it boot from the cd. Then choose the repair windows installation option from the menu. This will revert the display/video driver back to a working one. Let windows load as normal - files, programs etc installed before will be left as normal.

Dean

Freiheit · Post by **Freiheit** » 02 Jan 2006, 10:49

Dynamite Dean Phillips wrote:
Freiheit wrote:Problem is that I cant load up in safe mode, it does the same thing.
Put the original windows cd in and (if it's XP) let it boot from the cd. Then choose the repair windows installation option from the menu. This will revert the display/video driver back to a working one. Let windows load as normal - files, programs etc installed before will be left as normal.

Dean

When I do that it says there is no HD installed. I have taken it back to the store where it was bourght so they can fix it.

lvlarc · Post by **lvlarc** » 02 Jan 2006, 20:36

Freiheit wrote:
Dynamite Dean Phillips wrote:
Freiheit wrote:Problem is that I cant load up in safe mode, it does the same thing.
Put the original windows cd in and (if it's XP) let it boot from the cd. Then choose the repair windows installation option from the menu. This will revert the display/video driver back to a working one. Let windows load as normal - files, programs etc installed before will be left as normal.

Dean
When I do that it says there is no HD installed. I have taken it back to the store where it was bourght so they can fix it.

Maybe the lead connecting the HD came loose?

Zhuge · Post by **Zhuge** » 03 Jan 2006, 00:39

lvlarc_uk wrote:
Freiheit wrote:
Dynamite Dean Phillips wrote: Put the original windows cd in and (if it's XP) let it boot from the cd. Then choose the repair windows installation option from the menu. This will revert the display/video driver back to a working one. Let windows load as normal - files, programs etc installed before will be left as normal.

Dean
When I do that it says there is no HD installed. I have taken it back to the store where it was bourght so they can fix it.
Maybe the lead connecting the HD came loose?

It's also conceivable that the HD simply failed coincidentally after you installed the software.

If you get it back and are still working on it ---

1. Does the BIOS seem to indicate that the hard drive is actually there? Typically you can press the TAB key on many computers once they start to boot and it will display the devices that are connected (primary IDE/ATA master & slave and (if applicable) secondary IDE/ATA master & slave).

2. If you have the original XP CD, boot to it -- choose Install rather than repair, then, if it picks up the partitition and finds the current XP installation, it should give you the option to repair. Choosing repair initially typically just takes you to the repair console (which is useful as it will let you edit the boot.ini file mentioned above), but if you choose install initially and then allow it to do a repair afterwards, it normally copies new versions of the system files and basically installs XP over top of itself. However, if you do this, note that:

A. you may want/need to reinstall service pack 2 and at least some subsequent Windows patches unless SP2 is slipstreamed into the CD you're using
B. you do take a risk that some of the user data could be gone
C. there's also a good chance that some of the other software applications will need to be reinstalled to work properly.

Freiheit · Post by **Freiheit** » 03 Jan 2006, 05:13

I hope the store will fix all that.
1: Bios does recognize the HD (writes Maxtor something)
2: I also tried to choose install, says right away that there is no HD
A: SP2 was included on the Win XP cd

ABA Boxing · Post by **ABA Boxing** » 03 Jan 2006, 06:25

Will the store get the Kessler vs Lucas DVD?

Freiheit · Post by **Freiheit** » 04 Jan 2006, 11:09

Got it back from the store. They changed the RAM and now it all works.

Zhuge · Post by **Zhuge** » 05 Jan 2006, 23:33

Freiheit wrote:Got it back from the store. They changed the RAM and now it all works.

Odd solution for the problem you described -- but, whatever works

Computer help needed (asap)

Computer help needed (asap)

Re: Computer help needed (asap)