Windows XP SP3 - craches graphics - serious help needed..

[Anders W]

I upgraded to SP3 today and now I REALLY regret this.

The installation seemed to go fine until I restarted the computer.
After the reboot, the graphics are completely messed up and I get some
really futuristic piece of art on my screen.

Since I can't see anything I have no way of restoring the system, at all.

Can't roll back the (up)grade, cant reinstall the OS cant do anything.

I feel like a real noob again (and I actually built my own PC here, I do
know how to do stuff). I can't really fathom how it managed to mess up the
drivers for the graphics to the level it dont even show the boot graphics.

 

[Anders W]

Replying to my own post here..
Seems I have gotten some kind of different display mode, probably bigger
than the 1280x1024 my screen supports. Anyone know if there is any way to
change it to a lower solution? Without actually see what I am doing?

 

[Bob Lucas]

Replying to my own post here..
Seems I have gotten some kind of different display mode, probably
bigger
than the 1280x1024 my screen supports. Anyone know if there is any way
to
change it to a lower solution? Without actually see what I am doing?

You could try booting into safe mode - which uses basic video drivers.
In safe mode, you should be able to see what you are doing.

I don't know whether you will be able to change the video resolution in
safe mode. If not, you might be able to revert to SP2, by uninstalling
SP3 (via Control Panel / Add or Remove Programs).

 

[Patrick Keenan]

I upgraded to SP3 today and now I REALLY regret this.

The installation seemed to go fine until I restarted the computer.
After the reboot, the graphics are completely messed up and I get some
really futuristic piece of art on my screen.

Since I can't see anything I have no way of restoring the system, at all.

Can't roll back the (up)grade, cant reinstall the OS cant do anything.

I feel like a real noob again (and I actually built my own PC here, I do
know how to do stuff). I can't really fathom how it managed to mess up the
drivers for the graphics to the level it dont even show the boot graphics.

Restart and press F8. At that screen, choose VGA mode, which will allow
you to boot with very generic drivers.

From there, you can go and get the drivers that fix the problem, or
uninstall SP3 if you can't get it to work.

HTH
-pk

 

[Anders W]

Thanks for your quick replys!
Unfortunately there is something else that is wrong, booting into safe mode is
A. Not working - as in, Im not getting into safe mode.
B. Working but my display is somehow messed up.

Remember that even my bios graphics are messed up so I can't see
if I succeed in booting up in safe mode.

Anyone got hints on somehow do a hardware reset on things?
Feels odd that the bios graphic is affected.
I probably have to test some more. Would be nice to get hold of a different
display to test against.
Ah well, time to go to bed here.

 

[Patrick Keenan]

Thanks for your quick replys!
Unfortunately there is something else that is wrong, booting into safe
mode is
A. Not working - as in, Im not getting into safe mode.

Be sure you press F8 early enough. If you miss it, power down and restart.

B. Working but my display is somehow messed up.

Remember that even my bios graphics are messed up

That's another thing entirely. When that's happening, there are likely
hardware issues.

so I can't see
if I succeed in booting up in safe mode.

Not sure you really mentioned that. If that's happening, the SP3 install is
only coincidental.

SP3 only comes into play once Windows is loaded, and at the BIOS screens the
system isn't even aware of an OS.

Disconnect and reconnect the display cables, if you can (i.e. not on a
laptop). Try another monitor.

HTH
-pk

 

[ken]

I was wondering if someone could help me ? When I drag the curser down to
read the bottom of a page, the page will scroll down but it is hesitating ?

 

[philo]

I upgraded to SP3 today and now I REALLY regret this.

The installation seemed to go fine until I restarted the computer.
After the reboot, the graphics are completely messed up and I get some
really futuristic piece of art on my screen.

Since I can't see anything I have no way of restoring the system, at all.

Can't roll back the (up)grade, cant reinstall the OS cant do anything.

I feel like a real noob again (and I actually built my own PC here, I do
know how to do stuff). I can't really fathom how it managed to mess up the
drivers for the graphics to the level it dont even show the boot graphics.

upon booting
Hit F8

don't go to safe mode ...but try the "vga" mode

 

[Anders W]

The latest update from this morning for the interested.

Well, I connected the display to another computer and it turned out to be ok.
This was also made a change to the display somehow because on the next
startup from the upgraded computer the boot sequence was showing up ok on my
display.

My next challenge was that during windows load the computer restarted after
a BSOD even in safe mode.

So I started the computer from the installation cd and rolled back the SP3
installation as in step 4 in http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950249.

There it states to restart windows in safe mode after the uninstall.
When I was doing this I was rewarded with the same messup of my display as I
was starting with... *cry*

This was where I was leaving things and going to work.

My next step now is to try to get the screen back by reconnecting the other
computer to it and then try to start in VGA mode.

If this fails I guess Ill have to try to go the reinstall from scratch route.

Wish me luck.

 

[philo]

The latest update from this morning for the interested.

Well, I connected the display to another computer and it turned out to be ok.
This was also made a change to the display somehow because on the next
startup from the upgraded computer the boot sequence was showing up ok on my
display.

My next challenge was that during windows load the computer restarted after
a BSOD even in safe mode.

So I started the computer from the installation cd and rolled back the SP3
installation as in step 4 in http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950249.

There it states to restart windows in safe mode after the uninstall.
When I was doing this I was rewarded with the same messup of my display as I
was starting with... *cry*

This was where I was leaving things and going to work.

My next step now is to try to get the screen back by reconnecting the other
computer to it and then try to start in VGA mode.

If this fails I guess Ill have to try to go the reinstall from scratch route.

Wish me luck.

If you did manage to uninstall SP3

You may not have to reinstall...

a repair install may get you going


http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm

 

[neil]

As previously mentioned I think if your bios screen is corrupted during
startup then you have a hardware problem you need to sort out.
Neil

 

[Patrick Keenan]

The latest update from this morning for the interested.

Well, I connected the display to another computer and it turned out to be
ok.
This was also made a change to the display somehow because on the next
startup from the upgraded computer the boot sequence was showing up ok on
my
display.

My next challenge was that during windows load the computer restarted
after
a BSOD even in safe mode.

So I started the computer from the installation cd and rolled back the SP3
installation as in step 4 in http://support.microsoft.com/kb/950249.

There it states to restart windows in safe mode after the uninstall.
When I was doing this I was rewarded with the same messup of my display as
I
was starting with... *cry*

This was where I was leaving things and going to work.

My next step now is to try to get the screen back by reconnecting the
other
computer to it and then try to start in VGA mode.

If this fails I guess Ill have to try to go the reinstall from scratch
route.

Wish me luck.

If you're getting display problems at the POST screen, it's got nothing to
do with the OS and the problems are coincidental. If removing and reseating
the cable works even for a time, these point to a hardware problem.

Unless this is a laptop, power down, remove and reseat the video adapter,
and try again. You may need to replace the video card.

HTH
-pk