Please-- help me with uninstall and reinstall of video drivers

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jeanne
  • Start date Start date
J

Jeanne

Good day,

I am unable to boot in normal mode, but am OK in safe mode (except for
the monitor's occasional blinking off and on). NAV scan under safe
mode is clean. (I can run safe mode with networking if necessary)

I think I need to uninstall and then reinstall my video drivers on my
new HP, running Windows XP Pro, dual core processor, 250 GB
hard drive, 1+ GB memory, RADEON X300 Series video card, and a
Princeton flat panel monitor.

One question: Under Device Manager it shows two instances of my
Display Adapter, identical but the 2nd with "Secondary" after. Do I
uninstall both or is one for safe mode? I was comfortable with older
computers, but feel hesitant with the newer ones.

Thanks in advance... Jeanne
 
Two devices may show if the device has dual monitor capability.
Remove them both then reboot.
PS did you try to update the drivers, that caused this?
 
Hello, thanks for the quick reply. No, I did nothing that I know of
to cause the black screen on normal mode. My son loaded a few
programs that I believe utilized a different screen resolution, and I
noticed that there was some sort of nVidia update a few days before...

I'm afraid I posted a rather long winded message on this issue
yesterday but did not get a reply (on both this group and
windowsxp.video called: "Screen black, blinking; possible video
issue?"... perhaps I should not have done that?)

A question: I'm using my laptop now, and I will try to uninstall both
devices on the PC but can I do so in safe mode? And after, should I
go directly to safe mode or try normal?

Thanks... Jeanne
 
Should'nt matter which mode.
Do NOT use winupdate for drivers, use manu sites only.
Any game which resets the screen resolution should set it back on exit, but
some badly written ones do not
 
Jeanne said:
Hello, thanks for the quick reply. No, I did nothing that I know of
to cause the black screen on normal mode. My son loaded a few
programs that I believe utilized a different screen resolution, and I
noticed that there was some sort of nVidia update a few days before...

I'm afraid I posted a rather long winded message on this issue
yesterday but did not get a reply (on both this group and
windowsxp.video called: "Screen black, blinking; possible video
issue?"... perhaps I should not have done that?)

A question: I'm using my laptop now, and I will try to uninstall both
devices on the PC but can I do so in safe mode? And after, should I
go directly to safe mode or try normal?

You're getting just a black screen, no blinking? I normally see this with
CRT monitors - does the monitor's power light turn away from green? If you
watch and listen at startup, you might see the monitor power light go from
(normally) amber to green, and hear the monitor click on - and then, a quiet
click and the light goes back to amber. If that happens, the video
settings may be just out of range of the monitor. The monitor shuts off to
protect itself. Alarming, yes, but actually easy to fix.

To fix it, press F8 when starting as if to get to Safe Mode. But instead,
choose VGA mode. This will start the system in normal mode except for the
use of low-end display settings. You will be able from here to re-select
the display settings within range of what the monitor's capable of.

HTH
-pk
 
Hmmm, well, here's what happened: I removed both devices, rebooted
into normal mode, and was working on the glitches...

-800x600 res (errors when tried higher);

-attempted to repair ATI Catalyst Control Center;

-screen blinked off and on twice a few minutes apart;

-rebooted, and after windows log on screen and a brief vis of the
desktop, it went black again.

-hit Tab - L - L, and Tab - Enter to try to shut down, but just see
the arrow.I will reboot into safe mode again...

Back in a bit...
 
Hello PK, actually I either get the black screen while in normal mode,
or it blinks if I get to the desktop.

I just now booted the PC back into safe mode (and it _does_ blink
every so often) after my failed attempt to reinstall the video, and it
shows the two adaptors back under Device Manager... but if I try to
boot into normal mode it goes black again.

I just noticed a link on the desktop to "Unlock or buy NVIDIA
PureVideo Decoder" (which I did not download nor request... but I
noticed earlier this week under restore points something about an
nVidia installation. I wonder if my son may have had something to do
with that?). --Jeanne
 
Jeanne said:
Hello PK, actually I either get the black screen while in normal mode,
or it blinks if I get to the desktop.

I just now booted the PC back into safe mode (and it _does_ blink
every so often)

By "blink" you mean the screen goes black, then is restored?

Is the display itself an LCD or a CRT model? If you're not sure what I
mean.. CRT monitors are deep, LCDs are thin.
after my failed attempt to reinstall the video, and it
shows the two adaptors back under Device Manager... but if I try to
boot into normal mode it goes black again.

Have you tried booting in VGA mode?

Is there another monitor available for you to swap in?
I just noticed a link on the desktop to "Unlock or buy NVIDIA
PureVideo Decoder" (which I did not download nor request... but I
noticed earlier this week under restore points something about an
nVidia installation.

There is a trial version of the nVidia DVD decoder available:
http://www.nvidia.com/object/dvd_decoder_1.02-196-trial.html

and that may be where it comes from.

In a previous post, you mention the ATI control center and a RADEON card.
The nVidia software apparently won't work with this.

So you might want to be sure that this is uninstalled properly.
I wonder if my son may have had something to do
with that?). --Jeanne

I suppose that's a possibility..

HTH
-pk
 
Jeanne - you need to get after your son - detail exactly what he did. If a
computer starts in safe mode but not in "normal" mode a driver is at
fault - it appears that the video driver (NVIDIA) is at fault. The default
VGA video mode is used in safe mode and not the drivers associated with the
card.
 
Boot into safe/vga mode and in Add/Remove dialogue uninstall ATI drivers and
rebbot.
Does it now boot normally, at least in vga mode?
 
Hello,

By "blink" you mean the screen goes black, then is restored?

Yes, goes black then returns. Hasn't done it for a bit however.
Is the display itself an LCD or a CRT model? If you're not sure what I
mean.. CRT monitors are deep, LCDs are thin.
LCD


Have you tried booting in VGA mode?

Yes, works until I change settings, then goes solid black. However:
just now after removing Display Adapters again it rebooted
successfully in normal mode, but at 800x600, and although I see the
two display adapters listed I got an error about:

"No ATI graphics driver is installed, or the ATI driver is not
functioning properly. "

I've uploaded a .jpg made from a screen shot to show you if it would
help at: http://home.att.net/jinnii/pcfixuns/no_ati.jpg

Is there another monitor available for you to swap in?


There is a trial version of the nVidia DVD decoder available:
http://www.nvidia.com/object/dvd_decoder_1.02-196-trial.html

and that may be where it comes from.

In a previous post, you mention the ATI control center and a RADEON card.
The nVidia software apparently won't work with this.

So you might want to be sure that this is uninstalled properly.

By jove, that just may be it. I see under Add Remove Programs NVIDIA
PureVideo Decoder installed on Sunday (two days before the problems
started). I will uninstall it and the NVIDIA Media Center extensions
for display and see what happens.

Back in a flash. --Jeanne
 
Success!

[snipped]
By jove, that just may be it. I see under Add Remove Programs NVIDIA
PureVideo Decoder installed on Sunday (two days before the problems
started). I will uninstall it and the NVIDIA Media Center extensions
for display and see what happens.

Back in a flash. --Jeanne

That was it! I uninstalled the 2 nVidia items which my son must have
installed on Sunday, probably something to do with his game console.

Thank you so much for walking me through this, I'm glad I didn't panic
and even more glad that came here for advice. (However it has been a
lo-o-ong four days).

Yea, I am back at my beloved 1280x1024 settings!

Thanks again for your help, this forum is truly invaluable.

Jeanne>


Cheers, Jeanne
 
Jeanne - you need to get after your son - detail exactly what he did. If a
computer starts in safe mode but not in "normal" mode a driver is at
fault - it appears that the video driver (NVIDIA) is at fault. The default
VGA video mode is used in safe mode and not the drivers associated with the
card.

AJR,

You bet I will get after my son. I try to teach him good computer
sense, but sometimes he just thinks he knows it all (at 14!) I
decided to allow him to use my new computer since it has such nice
graphics <g> and that way he is in the family room while online, but
after this I think I may cut him off and only allow him to load and
play games on an older laptop (which will be kept here as well). He
can use the good one for music and movie making and graphics only.

Thanks so very much for your input.

I've uninstalled the offending two programs and everything is back to
normal now. Whew...

Again thank you,- -Jeanne
 
That worked, and after following your advice and that of another gent
helping I uninstalled 2 nVidia items which apparently my son installed
on Sunday.

Thank you, I will speak to my son about _never_ installing anything
again without asking me/researching.

I am back at my beloved 1280x1024 settings!

Thanks again for your help, this forum is truly invaluable.

Jeanne
 

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