[XP] Blank monitor after post

Hi all. Have my other pc giving some problem. It has sat shut down in my room for several weeks without me booting it up.
I went to boot it today but my monitor goes into standby mode after the Windows logo goes away.
I can access the bios ok and stay there as long as I wish, but as soon as I try to boot it will only go as far as the Windows logo.
I can hear the HD working after and also the cpu fan rising and falling in speed as if something is going on there :).
Only thing I have noticed is that there are quite a few blue dots around the monitor screen whilst it is booting. Monitor tests ok on another pc I have here.
I am thinking it could be the graphics card as when I have had this running before, just after bootup had completed the monitor would go black for a second or two like when you change the resolution. It would also do this at other random times. I have read elsewhere that this was a problem with the 7900 series cards.
Seems strange though that after several weeks of no use, it no longer works.
I have reset the cmos overnight too with no result.
System specs in my sig.

If I had to guess I would say video card. Did you try removing it and re-seating it back in its slot. I would re-seat the ram too while you have the case open.

I had removed the card and cleaned up the contacts with some isopropyl alcohol and reseated it with no result. Will try the ram, but I had only just installed that not long ago.
Forgot to mention that I had done a volt mod on the card using conductive paint (which I have since removed), lifting the voltage to the higher spec c 7900 card running the same gpu.

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Forgot to mention that I had done a volt mod on the card using conductive paint (which I have since removed), lifting the voltage to the higher spec c 7900 card running the same gpu.

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Thay could very well be the problem. I don't like volt mods and some of the antics overclockers use to do to their cpu's using pencils, solder and other such mods. Most if not all modern mainboards offer options in the bios for over clocking components (cpu/ram gfx and fsb speeds including over volting at a sane level) with out the need for mods to individual components. My guess would be you may need a new gfx card.

The mod I did only took it to the cores stock voltage. These GT's were undervolted to 1.2v and I modded it to 1.4v. Not saying that this was not the problem, only that it wasn't over-volted.
Am in the process of getting another card now (finances allowing :)) and will see if that corrects the problem.

Crunch...*nudge nudge* .......8800GT 512mb......

If you must volt-mod it use solder. :D


Liam

Would love to, but it's beyond what I can justify spending on a card :). I could only just see what I was doing using conductive ink, no way I would use solder :D

Hey Crunchie, have you tried a Safe-mode boot yet? If it'll boot that way, you have a driver problem somewhere which usually is a minor fix.

Haven't tried that yet. Will give it a go later on tonight. Will let you know.
Cheers :)

Booted into safe mode ok. Uninstalled graphics drivers, rebooted and installed the latest drivers ok. Monitor kept turning off and on every ten or so seconds so I rebooted again.
It's better, but I still get the monitor going black almost immediately after everything loads on bootup, startups etc. It repeated that after about 5 minutes.
Wish I had a cheap card to test this with :(.

Does that board have onboard video? Could you try booting with that and see if you have any more luck?


Liam

No onboard video Liam. I'm not certain now (I've just gotten out of bed) but I think that with the Nvidia drivers uninstalled and just using the generic Windows drivers, the problem doesn't exist.
I will have to check later when I get home from work. If that proves to be the case, what would you suggest?

What version are the drivers you were using? (Nvidia)

Try the latest.(WHQL)


Liam

Or as some of us have had to do, back down the versions until you find a stable one.

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Originally Posted by crunchie

Uninstalled graphics drivers, rebooted and installed the latest drivers ok.

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I have the latest drivers from Nvidia :). Will be trying soon with the generic drivers to see if I was correct in thinking the problem does not exist when running them.

EDIT. Ok. Just uninstalled the drivers and am not experiencing the problem. Guess I need to go find some old ones :(.

You can get the older ones at www.guru3d.com

Some are modified, and some are beta, but i'd go with some old tried and tested WHQL ones...to be on the safe side.


Liam

Cheers Liam. Have downloaded and installed the 85.98 drivers. Seemed ok on initial bootup but rebooted it again and just after everything is loaded it gives a quick flicker (goes black) and then it seems ok. The monitor does not make that shutoff noise now though that it was doing before.
I will keep my eye on it anyway.
Thanks again for you guys assistance :).

You're Welcome. :)

That says something about Nvidia and driver versions, i'm using 169.01, seems like they update them daily going by the version number alone, and they don't seem to cater towards anyone that isn't using their latest creations.:rolleyes:


Liam

I downloaded 163.71 from their site yesterday and that still comes up as the latest there.

Nvidia archieve for XP/w2k
http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp-2k_archive.html

85.98 is probably a version or 2 to new.

Copy of Windows XP/2000 32-bit – GeForce Go 7800/7900 Series
Version: 84.63
Release Date: July 5, 2006
WHQL Certified

That one may be what is needed.

I have had cards that for some reason hated newer versions.
Stuck with the ones that worked until I replaced the card.

Thanks Train. Will try them out.

Tried those drivers and I get an error message that there were no drivers suitable for my hardware. Will leave the others on for a while to see how they go.

If you roll back to the XP drivers, be sure to note the version number.

One would think the one you needed should be close to it.

But, trial and error is route none of us like sometimes.

Let us know how you get along.

No worries, will do.