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I can only use my computer in Safe/VGA mode, help much needed!

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Hello,
Recently, my computer suddenly developed a fault where if started in ‘normal’ mode, there would be lines breaking down the Windows loading screen, and would end up going to black with no signal being sent to the monitor.

I can only get to the desktop and use applications if I use the F8 function whilst loading to start the computer in Safe Mode (with Networking) or VGA Mode.

I really don’t know enough to know the cause of this problem or how to fix it on my own, so help would be much appreciated as this is so frustrating!

Thankyou for your time,
James Spiridion

Topic

Clarifications

In reply to I can only use my computer in Safe/VGA mode, help much needed!

Clarifications

Check….

In reply to I can only use my computer in Safe/VGA mode, help much needed!

Well, it seems to me its one of three things. The driver you are using is wrong, your LCD might be going out, and/or your graphics card is crapping out.

Check the driver in safe mode –> Right click “my Computer” –> click “manage” –> click on “Device Manager” if you have any drivers that are having issues there will be a red X or a yellow exclamation point. Your video drivers should be labeled “Display adapters” look at that one… If nothing shows up under the Display adapters, then its not the drivers…

Next, If you have a VGA port out. Try and hook up another monitor to the port (its Blue) start up your PC, close the lid at POST, and the monitor should come up (plug and pray) if you are still getting lines through the screen. My best guess with out being there is that your Graphics card is bad. but if it looks fine, then I would lean towards the LCD going bad… but I have seen graphics cards work fine with the VGA but don’t work with the LCD… meaning the graphics card was bad and needed to be replaced.

Hopefully this helps…

Could also be…

In reply to I can only use my computer in Safe/VGA mode, help much needed!

a corrupted video driver.

Start -> right click computer -> manage -> device manager -> display adapters expand window -> right click your adapter -> uninstall and then reboot.

Thanks

In reply to I can only use my computer in Safe/VGA mode, help much needed!

Ok, thanks alot, I tried it with another monitor and the lines still came up, which I guess means it is the graphics card after all.
I have an Nvidia 7600 GS and I’ve updated all the drivers, and that hasn’t made any difference, so unless there’s any specific issues for this card, I guess I’ll have to replace it.
Are there any tests I can run to determine if it is definately the graphics card that’s the cause before I pay for a new one.

It may pay you to do some research here

In reply to Thanks

Apparently Nvidia has issues with some of it’s more common Chip-sets being improperly designed. You may have a affected Video Card here. This may be a starting point for you

http://tinyurl.com/5grqv9

Col

New developments!

In reply to It may pay you to do some research here

Right, following some advice I found around the net, I uninstalled my nVidia 7600GS graphics card and now I can run my computer fine, although no games will work of course, and the strange lines still appear on the Windows loading screen.
However, when I install the drivers for my graphics card (I’ve tried both the latest and previous drivers), when I restart the computer, the monitor can no longer display a picture and goes into power save mode with the PC still on. I can then use ‘Last known good configuration’ to start my computer again, with the drivers not installed.
When I look at the Display Modules on Device Manager after I have installed the drivers without restarting, a yellow exclamation mark comes up by the graphics card name, so could anyone explain what this means, and what the problem could be, as it now definately seems to relate to the graphics card drivers/monitor incompatability or such like that.
Help much appreciated again!

I assume that you mean

In reply to New developments!

you uninstalled the drivers for the card, but left the card in the machine?

“after I have installed the drivers without restarting, a yellow exclamation mark comes up by the graphics card name”
This is to let you know the hardware is not properly installed. I would bet the ! is there befor you install the drivers as well.

Does it make a difference if you set the resolution way down?

New problems =(

In reply to I assume that you mean

Ok, now, I have the problem where I need to install the driver for the Video Controller (VGA compatible), which is the graphics card again (nVidia 7600 GS), but after all the files are installed, an error comes up with the message ‘Unable to complete installation, Access Denied’, which I do not understand, as I am the Admin on the computer. So I am stuck again, and need help, thanks alot for reading.

Try a right-click

In reply to New problems =(

RunAs

then run the install as the administrator.

This is my new overall issue

In reply to Try a right-click

Ok, I managed to get the install to complete, and at first look everything was fine, as under the Device Manager, my graphics card (nVdiai 7600 GS) was registered and shown to be functioning.
However, when I restarted the computer to ensure it was working correctly, the display failed again and my monitor reverted to power saving mode, with apparantly no signal being recieved.
I really don’t know where to go next with this, as it seems I’ve tried everything, although I hope for my computer’s sake I haven’t.
Any guidance on what to do next would be greatly appreciated.

Your best bet is to try another Graphic card…

In reply to I can only use my computer in Safe/VGA mode, help much needed!

Please post back if you have any more problems or questions.

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