Problem Starting Windows

[ilyaz]

I have Windows XP and SP2 installed on a computer. I didn't use it for a
couple of months. Today, I turned it on, the Windows started to load (3 blue
dots made about 20 runs), but after that the screen went dark, while Windows
continued to load (I could hear all the sounds associated with starting
different programs). Moreover, when I started Windows in a Safe mode, the
screen was fine and I was able to use computer. The same monitor I used with
another computer and it worked fine, too.
May someone please tell me what could be wrong? Keep in mind, when screen
goes dark, the Windows continue to load and works. I just cannot see it. So,
I presume, the computer is OK. The monitor is OK too: it works in the Safe
mode and with another computer. Why this monitor became incompatible with
this computer? They worked fine before.
Any suggestion and help will be appreciated.

 

[Malke]

I have Windows XP and SP2 installed on a computer. I didn't use it for
a couple of months. Today, I turned it on, the Windows started to load
(3 blue dots made about 20 runs), but after that the screen went dark,
while Windows continued to load (I could hear all the sounds
associated with starting different programs). Moreover, when I started
Windows in a Safe mode, the screen was fine and I was able to use
computer. The same monitor I used with another computer and it worked
fine, too. May someone please tell me what could be wrong? Keep in
mind, when screen goes dark, the Windows continue to load and works. I
just cannot see it. So, I presume, the computer is OK. The monitor is
OK too: it works in the Safe mode and with another computer. Why this
monitor became incompatible with this computer? They worked fine
before. Any suggestion and help will be appreciated.

Since you know the monitor works, that leaves the video card. With the
computer unplugged, open the computer and reseat the video card (with
the monitor unplugged). Now connect the monitor again and see if things
work. If yes, fine - you're done. If no, swap out the video card with a
known-working one. If you don't have an extra video card or are
uncomfortable working inside your computer, take the machine to a
professional computer repair shop (not your local equivalent of
BigStoreUSA).

Malke

 

[ilyaz]

Malke,
thanks for the suggestion. However, as I mentioned it in my original post,
the video card appears to be fine - it works with another monitor! But the
culprit monitor works with another computer too! So, as I see it, there is
some incompatibility between this particular monitor and the particular
computer. And this is a new problem discovered just today. In the past, they
both worked together just fine! As a mater of fact, I switched the monitors
and computers and now have two sets working well.
What could cause incompatibility?
Thanks for helping me.
Ilya

 

[Malke]

Malke,
thanks for the suggestion. However, as I mentioned it in my original
post, the video card appears to be fine - it works with another
monitor! But the culprit monitor works with another computer too! So,
as I see it, there is some incompatibility between this particular
monitor and the particular computer. And this is a new problem
discovered just today. In the past, they both worked together just
fine! As a mater of fact, I switched the monitors and computers and
now have two sets working well. What could cause incompatibility?
Thanks for helping me.
Ilya

I'm sorry - I missed the part where you said you had installed the video
card in another machine and it worked fine. Could you have installed a
Windows Update which included a video driver? There was an issue like
that just recently with a video driver update from WU and it caused
Dells to no longer be able to go into regular mode. It turned out that
the driver was calling a resolution of 1280x1024 and if the user's
monitor could only handle something lower there would be no picture in
Windows.

But you said you couldn't see anything *before* getting into Windows.
The only other thing I can think of is that somehow the monitor cable
pins were slightly bent and moving computers around and reattaching
them unbent the pins.

Sorry I don't have a more definitive answer, but if everything is
working all right now, it doesn't matter.

Malke

 

[ilyaz]

Thanks for mentioning the driver which was calling a higher resolution than
on my monitor. I think, it could be the cause. I'll check the drivers. Also,
as I said, after Windows loaded, some sort of an incomplete picture appeared
momentarily and shrunk, producing a bright spot in the center of the screen,
before it went dark. To me, this picture suggested that the tube died, but
this process repeated every time I attempted to boot computer.
Thanks again for your suggestions.
Ilya