no display, but computer still fully boots.

[Joe Letter]

A friend of mine recently installed a "whole bunch" of updates from the
windows update site and found that upon reboot his display remained blank.
A black screen is all that can be seen.

Interesting facts:
..The bios startup screen still works
..Pressing F8 will take to a boot choice
..Windows still loads, if you wait long enough you know you are logged in
since you can peform operations by key combinations if you have them
memorized (for example (windows key, U, arrow keys up 3x, arrow key down 1x,
enter = reboots the computer)
.. Safe mode is also blank
.. last know good doesn't fix it.

What can be done? I think it might have a driver problem, but it looks like
safe mode doesn't even work.... that should load the standard vga driver
which shouldn't be a problem.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!!!!
Joe

 

[¹©¤¤ Ben]

IT IS SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR DISPLAY.
TEST IT ON ANOTHER COMPUTER.

 

[Frank Jelenko]

A friend of mine recently installed a "whole bunch" of updates from the
windows update site and found that upon reboot his display remained blank.
A black screen is all that can be seen.

Interesting facts:
.The bios startup screen still works

Since you can see the start up screens, doesn't seem like the display. I
don't think they differentiate between whether the signal is a simple text
one or a sophisticated graphics one. That said, doesn't hurt to try a
different display.

.Pressing F8 will take to a boot choice
.Windows still loads, if you wait long enough you know you are logged in
since you can peform operations by key combinations if you have them
memorized (for example (windows key, U, arrow keys up 3x, arrow key down
1x,
enter = reboots the computer)
. Safe mode is also blank
. last know good doesn't fix it.

What can be done? I think it might have a driver problem, but it looks
like
safe mode doesn't even work.... that should load the standard vga driver
which shouldn't be a problem.

Just to make sure, check that the cable from the video card to the monitor
is fully seated. Best if you unplug and replug it back in.
And, unseat, reseat the video card [ought to do this first.]

Although unlikely, if one of the updates was a driver update for the video
adapter, maybe the new driver actually damaged the video card such that text
is displayed under the BIOS, but won't work in any VGA mode => if you have
access to a different video card, you might try it [but, you should use a
card with a different type of video chip set to avoid the possibility of
damaging it in the same way]

If changing the video adapter card doesn't clear it up, you could try a
repair install if you have the Win XP install CD.

Please post your results. I'd like to know what finally turns up.

 

[Alex Nichol]

What can be done? I think it might have a driver problem, but it looks like
safe mode doesn't even work.... that should load the standard vga driver
which shouldn't be a problem.

Any suggestions?

One to try is to take the
Safe Mode - Command Prompt
and give
C:\windows\system32\restore\rstrui.exe
to load the System Restore control and hence restore to a point made
before the updates