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How to reenable video driver on laptop

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by michael 1 view

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Hi all I had a moment of smarts. Linking up a laptop to a stand alone display. As it did not work first time I decided to switch off the video adaptor. What I now have is a laptop that boots, jumps into xp pro and then shows a blank screen. Any ideas?

I have tries booting in safe mode that generates a long stream of text ( driver info I guess) then stops.

And ideas gratefully received

5 replies

by older mycroft

Safe Mode generates a long stream of system files, as you said, but it then tends to 'look' as if it is doing nothing because there is no GUI to show you movement.

How long did you leave it before crying wolf and presumably resetting it?

Forgot to ask: what type of laptop?

by michael

I'd left it for over 30 mins before switch off. The last loaded item was apg440.sys (which I guess is the video driver). Laptop is a compaq nx7010. Thank youfor your time

by older mycroft

How did you switch off the video adapter?

Usually, laptops (some of them - like mine) detect when an external monitor is attached, and jump onto it with the display. Those that don't - you can do it manually by pressing 'Fn + F5'.

You could always reconnect the external monitor, hoping to get an image that way, and try the 'Fn + F5' keystroke to get some sort of image.

Did you try any Restore Points (I'm not sure if this would work, but it's always worth a try).

by oh smeg

That is to perform a In Place Install by following the directions here

http://tinyurl.com/g4bv8

But first you need to perform a complete Backup of your HDD and save any data and other stuff on the drive so it would be a good idea to remove the HDD in the NB fit it to a USB Caddy and save your data ASAP.

If you are using XP Pro there is the possibility the Windows Encrypted File System is running so you will need to save the Encryption Key as well by following the directions here or you will loose all your data

http://tinyurl.com/3cd8hf

Once this is performed you can then proceed to do an In Place Install which should retain all off your Data and Loaded Software but none of the Service Packs or Patches for Windows. These will need to be reapplied again.

Col

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