Windows Vista No video after vista install

[writeduke]

I installed Vista Ult64 on a new HDD, worked great, did all of it's updating, etc.
about the fifth or sixth reboot, the video stops working, but I can hear vista starting up.
Changed the DVI to VGA, changed out the video card, changed the ram, nothing.
MB: MSI K9N Diamond
OS: Vista ult, 64
Video:Geforce 8500 GT 256mb not OC'd
Seagate SATA 500G
Monitor Acer 22" DVI/VGA
Kingston RAM DDR2-800 x8 gigs
AMD Athlon 64 6400 3.2 cpu
I would like my computer back, or a list of hardware that would work.
Thanx!
I tried putting my XP HDD back in, still no monitor signal. Microsoft was no help.
Other people have told me that Vista was designed to be NOT friendly with anything less than a 9000 series
video card, as a way to force people to buy the latest and greatest. Bummer.

 

[Ian]

If you've swapped back to XP on an old HDD and it still doesn't work, then it looks like you can rule out a software problem.

I'm guessing you don't see anything at all on the monitor even when your first turn your PC on? It would be worth trying your monitor on another PC just to be sure that it does work.

 

[writeduke]

fixed it

Turns out it was a RAM issue, my motherboard SAYS it can handle 8 gigs of ram, but I can only boot up with 6 gigs. Every time I tried I could only hear vista booting up, but not see it. SO, the MSI K9N Diamond board CAN'T work with 8 gigs of ram. Lesson learned