Windows boots to black screen - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

meanSpleen · 07-08-2006, 09:29 PM

Mobo - asus a8n-e
Bios - up to date - 1013
WinXP sp2
gfx - Geforce 6800gs
1 gig ram

I was attempting to install the new Forceware drivers from Nvidia, and I seem to have hosed my computer. After uninstalling just the Nvidia Ethernet drivers and rebooting, the system is loads to a black screen.

The bios info comes up fine, I can see that. The Windows XP loading screen comes up fine, no problems there. Now it goes to a black screen and not the kind where your monitor is off, but the kind where you have a 'black' screen with the monitor still on and showing you all black. I can hear the computer still going through its loading process for my usual stuff at startup (openoffice, samurize, avg, etc) so I know it is still working.

Last Known Config - no change
Safe Mode - Loads to windows and it Does show everything it should in all its safe mode glory. Windows pops right up, but I am stuck with no use of the keyboard and the mouse. I tried three different sets (2 analog and one wireless set) but no response from anything.
Boot to VGA Mode - Similar to Safe Mode as it loads everything fine, but no use fo the keyboard or mouse.

I know the keyboard works, and I have to hit the F8 key to even get to the option for Safe Mode and stuff.

Is there anything else I can try before I do a repair on the thing?

DEI37 · 07-08-2006, 09:40 PM

If you can get the keyboard and mouse to work, get the computer in to safe mode, then do a system restore back to before you did the driver update.

Dilbert1234567 · 07-08-2006, 10:23 PM

it sounds like the new drivers are trying to display something your monitor cant.

First, is your keyboard and mouse USB? Maybe wireless, if it is, the drivers may not be able to load properly in safe mode.

Second do you have a second computer on the network with this computer, and do you have remote admin access to the one you just upgraded.

your 2 options (if my conjecture that the new drivers set the resolution and depth to a setting your monitor cannot handle) to fix it. 1st, find a keyboard and mouse that can work under safe mode, and then change the graphical settings to 800 x 600 x 16 and then reboot normally. or the second option with remote access, install remote viewing software, like tight vnc, and then connect and change the settings.

xepherys · 07-08-2006, 10:34 PM

XP should have native USB in Safe Mode, but it may depend on other drivers on the system. Try to find a PS/2 style mouse and keyboard and uninstall your nVidia drivers entirely. Usually if the screen is black, the card is trying to display a refresh rate or resolution that the monitor cannot handle. Is it an LCD display or a CRT?

monkeysugar · 07-09-2006, 12:56 AM

I just had the same exact thing happen. I ended up having to do a repair install on it, and now my computer is up and running again. Tried everything else I could think of to avoid the reinstall, but in the end it was the only thing I found that worked. Good luck!

DEI37 · 07-09-2006, 07:04 AM

Safe mode should bring up a display setting that any monitor can handle. Doesn't it bring up some 800x600 in 16-color?

meanSpleen · 07-09-2006, 07:22 AM

Thanks guys -

Safe Mode - Loads to windows and it Does show everything it should in all its safe mode glory. Windows pops right up, but I am stuck with no use of the keyboard and the mouse. I tried three different sets (2 analog and one wireless set) but no response from anything.

-I can get to safe mode and everything, Windows loads and I can get to the desktop and watch everything else get loaded. I just can't get the keyboard or mouse to work ps/2, analog, usb, or wireless usb.

As far as the driver install, I haven't. I uninstalled the Nvidia ethernet drivers and didn't even get as far as installing the new forceware package due to the thing just going black, or not letting me do anything in Safe Mode or VGA.

Dilbert - I just realized that I have RealVNC installed, and the server comes up automatically! I'll give that a shot. I knowingly disabled Remote Admin Access when I installed Windows though. I'll give that a shot before I make like monkeysugar and repair.

+++++++++++++++++++

Ehh, well it was worth a shot. I can't connect to the thing through VNC, even though the Dynamic IP has been updated with no-ip.info. It may be because I'm still inside our network, but that shouldn't make a difference. I know the VNC server is still running because I can see the icon next to the clock when I'm in VGA mode.

And its an LCD - Dell 2005fpw. I'll hook up a CRT I have lying around later though. I have a dodgeball tournament to be in soon

Dilbert1234567 · 07-09-2006, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meanSpleen

I uninstalled the Nvidia ethernet drivers... I can't connect to the thing through VNC

if you dont have the network adapter installed, you cant use vnc.

meanSpleen · 07-10-2006, 01:00 PM

oh yeah duh.

*gets a dodgeball to the face*

meanSpleen · 07-21-2006, 07:44 PM

Okay, after some time spent just ignoring the whole thing and halfheartedly messing around with some stuff, I just went ahead and restored my master post-winxp-install-updated-drivers-no-programs image. Prior to that I slaved the hard drive and just cloned the whole thing so I could restore it all on the new system.

I'm still running harddrive tests just to make sure its not a hardware thing. The Western Digital lift preserver or whatever diagnostics tool says that the hard drive is in good health.

07-08-2006, 09:29 PM	#1 (permalink)
meanSpleen Squid hat! Location: A Few Miles Away From Halx	Windows boots to black screen Mobo - asus a8n-e Bios - up to date - 1013 WinXP sp2 gfx - Geforce 6800gs 1 gig ram I was attempting to install the new Forceware drivers from Nvidia, and I seem to have hosed my computer. After uninstalling just the Nvidia Ethernet drivers and rebooting, the system is loads to a black screen. The bios info comes up fine, I can see that. The Windows XP loading screen comes up fine, no problems there. Now it goes to a black screen and not the kind where your monitor is off, but the kind where you have a 'black' screen with the monitor still on and showing you all black. I can hear the computer still going through its loading process for my usual stuff at startup (openoffice, samurize, avg, etc) so I know it is still working. Last Known Config - no change Safe Mode - Loads to windows and it Does show everything it should in all its safe mode glory. Windows pops right up, but I am stuck with no use of the keyboard and the mouse. I tried three different sets (2 analog and one wireless set) but no response from anything. Boot to VGA Mode - Similar to Safe Mode as it loads everything fine, but no use fo the keyboard or mouse. I know the keyboard works, and I have to hit the F8 key to even get to the option for Safe Mode and stuff. Is there anything else I can try before I do a repair on the thing? __________________ Like TFP? Donate To Keep It Alive!!

07-08-2006, 09:40 PM	#2 (permalink)
DEI37 Go faster! Location: Wisconsin	If you can get the keyboard and mouse to work, get the computer in to safe mode, then do a system restore back to before you did the driver update. __________________ Generally speaking, if you were to get what you really deserve, you might be unpleasantly surprised.

07-08-2006, 10:23 PM	#3 (permalink)
Dilbert1234567 Devils Cabana Boy Location: Central Coast CA	it sounds like the new drivers are trying to display something your monitor cant. First, is your keyboard and mouse USB? Maybe wireless, if it is, the drivers may not be able to load properly in safe mode. Second do you have a second computer on the network with this computer, and do you have remote admin access to the one you just upgraded. your 2 options (if my conjecture that the new drivers set the resolution and depth to a setting your monitor cannot handle) to fix it. 1st, find a keyboard and mouse that can work under safe mode, and then change the graphical settings to 800 x 600 x 16 and then reboot normally. or the second option with remote access, install remote viewing software, like tight vnc, and then connect and change the settings. __________________ Donate Blood! "Love is not finding the perfect person, but learning to see an imperfect person perfectly." -Sam Keen

07-09-2006, 12:56 AM	#5 (permalink)
monkeysugar I'll be on the veranda, since you're on the cross. Location: Rand McNally's friendliest small town in America. They must have strayed from the dodgy parts...	I just had the same exact thing happen. I ended up having to do a repair install on it, and now my computer is up and running again. Tried everything else I could think of to avoid the reinstall, but in the end it was the only thing I found that worked. Good luck! __________________ I've got the love of my life and a job that I enjoy most of the time. Life is good.

07-09-2006, 07:04 AM	#6 (permalink)
DEI37 Go faster! Location: Wisconsin	Safe mode should bring up a display setting that any monitor can handle. Doesn't it bring up some 800x600 in 16-color? __________________ Generally speaking, if you were to get what you really deserve, you might be unpleasantly surprised.

07-08-2006, 10:34 PM	#4 (permalink)
xepherys <3 TFP Location: 17TLH2445607250	XP should have native USB in Safe Mode, but it may depend on other drivers on the system. Try to find a PS/2 style mouse and keyboard and uninstall your nVidia drivers entirely. Usually if the screen is black, the card is trying to display a refresh rate or resolution that the monitor cannot handle. Is it an LCD display or a CRT?

07-09-2006, 07:22 AM	#7 (permalink)
meanSpleen Squid hat! Location: A Few Miles Away From Halx	Thanks guys - Safe Mode - Loads to windows and it Does show everything it should in all its safe mode glory. Windows pops right up, but I am stuck with no use of the keyboard and the mouse. I tried three different sets (2 analog and one wireless set) but no response from anything. -I can get to safe mode and everything, Windows loads and I can get to the desktop and watch everything else get loaded. I just can't get the keyboard or mouse to work ps/2, analog, usb, or wireless usb. As far as the driver install, I haven't. I uninstalled the Nvidia ethernet drivers and didn't even get as far as installing the new forceware package due to the thing just going black, or not letting me do anything in Safe Mode or VGA. Dilbert - I just realized that I have RealVNC installed, and the server comes up automatically! I'll give that a shot. I knowingly disabled Remote Admin Access when I installed Windows though. I'll give that a shot before I make like monkeysugar and repair. +++++++++++++++++++ Ehh, well it was worth a shot. I can't connect to the thing through VNC, even though the Dynamic IP has been updated with no-ip.info. It may be because I'm still inside our network, but that shouldn't make a difference. I know the VNC server is still running because I can see the icon next to the clock when I'm in VGA mode. And its an LCD - Dell 2005fpw. I'll hook up a CRT I have lying around later though. I have a dodgeball tournament to be in soon __________________ Like TFP? Donate To Keep It Alive!! Last edited by meanSpleen; 07-09-2006 at 07:34 AM..

07-10-2006, 01:00 PM	#9 (permalink)
meanSpleen Squid hat! Location: A Few Miles Away From Halx	oh yeah duh. gets a dodgeball to the face __________________ Like TFP? Donate To Keep It Alive!!

07-21-2006, 07:44 PM	#10 (permalink)
meanSpleen Squid hat! Location: A Few Miles Away From Halx	Okay, after some time spent just ignoring the whole thing and halfheartedly messing around with some stuff, I just went ahead and restored my master post-winxp-install-updated-drivers-no-programs image. Prior to that I slaved the hard drive and just cloned the whole thing so I could restore it all on the new system. I'm still running harddrive tests just to make sure its not a hardware thing. The Western Digital lift preserver or whatever diagnostics tool says that the hard drive is in good health. __________________ Like TFP? Donate To Keep It Alive!!