No signal in windows

**ClickHere2Surf.com** · March 22nd, 2004, 10:47 PM

Im trying to trouble shoot a PC over the phone where the monitor works and then when windows starts it goes into standby (the monitor), but it works fine up to the Windows XP Pro screen with the blue thing.

When I setup the PC I had it conencted to my PC by s-video and never connected a VGA screen, I thought maybe it was set to a resolution the monitor didnt support but its at 800x600 in safe mode so I guess it uses the same in normal mode, also the same monitor worked on that PC before.

The video card is onboard the MSI K7N2G ILSR motherboard.

What could be causing this?

Thanks

**rgharper** · March 23rd, 2004, 07:05 AM

Originally Posted by ClickHere2Surf.com

Im trying to trouble shoot a PC over the phone where the monitor works and then when windows starts it goes into standby (the monitor), but it works fine up to the Windows XP Pro screen with the blue thing.

When I setup the PC I had it conencted to my PC by s-video and never connected a VGA screen, I thought maybe it was set to a resolution the monitor didnt support but its at 800x600 in safe mode so I guess it uses the same in normal mode, also the same monitor worked on that PC before.

The video card is onboard the MSI K7N2G ILSR motherboard.

What could be causing this?

Thanks

Have the user tap the F8 key after the BIOS/POST display but before Windows starts up, select VGA mode from the startup menu. If they have a display all the way through at that point then it's almost surely a refresh rate or display mode issue.

**ClickHere2Surf.com** · March 23rd, 2004, 08:02 AM

The screen works in safe mode, if I tell them to change the RR in safe mode will it apply to normal mode when rebooted?

Thanks

**confus-ed** · March 23rd, 2004, 08:17 AM

Originally Posted by ClickHere2Surf.com

The screen works in safe mode, if I tell them to change the RR in safe mode will it apply to normal mode when rebooted?

Thanks

When you use safe mode it uses vga.sys as its screen driver so no .. but I take it that gives you the idea that its to do with your video driver being wrong or not properly installed

**Backspace** · March 23rd, 2004, 08:21 AM

Although it may be your display driver, I had a monitor once on a compaq do that to me and replacing the monitor fixed the problem entirely, it was the strangest thing ever.

**ClickHere2Surf.com** · March 23rd, 2004, 08:22 AM

Should I try to tell them to reinstall the driver in safe mode? Isnt there a way to change the refresh rate from safe mode?

Thanks

**natcom** · March 23rd, 2004, 10:56 AM

did you try a system restore ?

**ClickHere2Surf.com** · March 23rd, 2004, 12:14 PM

I just installed windows on it so theres nowhere to restore to.

**cisco2** · March 23rd, 2004, 12:53 PM

when you press F8 to go into Safe Mode, try VGA mode instead (Assuming that option is available in XP). Then you should be able to tinker with any video settings or reload drivers that Safe Mode might not allow you to do.

**NooNoo** · March 23rd, 2004, 01:12 PM

Also check its not setup for dual monitors and that windows thinks it should be using the other (none existent) monitor.

**tk421** · March 23rd, 2004, 01:50 PM

when you change the res in safe mode or vga mode in XP, it should keep that setting the next time you boot in normal mode.

**Gollo** · March 23rd, 2004, 04:27 PM

Just have them go to to the hardware devices in safe mode and delete the video adapter. Reboot and windwos should reinstall it on boot. If it is an issue with refresh then this "should" take care of it

**rgharper** · March 23rd, 2004, 05:46 PM

Originally Posted by ClickHere2Surf.com

The screen works in safe mode, if I tell them to change the RR in safe mode will it apply to normal mode when rebooted?

Thanks

Yes, it will. (Sorry, -ed

)

Probably best to have them set it back to 640x480, 256 colors. When they restart it'll look miserable but they can then slowly increase settings back up one step at a time and each time they'll get the "Click OK to keep these settings, or they will go away in 15 seconds" box, so if the screen goes black it'll automatically restore the last good settings.

**confus-ed** · March 24th, 2004, 09:43 AM

Originally Posted by rgharper

Yes, it will. (Sorry, -ed

)

Probably best to have them set it back to 640x480, 256 colors. When they restart it'll look miserable but they can then slowly increase settings back up one step at a time and each time they'll get the "Click OK to keep these settings, or they will go away in 15 seconds" box, so if the screen goes black it'll automatically restore the last good settings.

Well I beg to differ Mr Microsoft Very Important Person you .. but both safe mode & vga mode use vga.sys instead of a monitor driver (don't believe me ? then get reading that KB!!!) to ensure compatibility & when it starts up with those it uses (or tries to use) whatever monitor at 800x600 with a standard refresh of 60mhz as that's what any svga monitor should be able to achieve 'minimum' ... changing this won't 'fix' windows as it'll still try in 'normal mode' to use whatever driver might have been picked up previously - so yeah you can change it in safe mode but it doesn't do you any good as when it fires normally its back to this 'broken' driver

Gollo's advice seems best to me

... delete in safe mode & lets see what it thinks when it refinds it ...

**rgharper** · March 24th, 2004, 08:17 PM

Originally Posted by confus-ed

Well I beg to differ Mr Microsoft Very Important Person you .. but both safe mode & vga mode use vga.sys instead of a monitor driver (don't believe me ? then get reading that KB!!!) to ensure compatibility & when it starts up with those it uses (or tries to use) whatever monitor at 800x600 with a standard refresh of 60mhz as that's what any svga monitor should be able to achieve 'minimum' ... changing this won't 'fix' windows as it'll still try in 'normal mode' to use whatever driver might have been picked up previously - so yeah you can change it in safe mode but it doesn't do you any good as when it fires normally its back to this 'broken' driver

Gollo's advice seems best to me

... delete in safe mode & lets see what it thinks when it refinds it ...

Yeah, yeah; I know that ... but have you tried it? I have and it works just fine. This is my standard fix for "So your PC was set up for a 17" monitor at 1024x768x85hz but now you've hooked it up to an old 15" 800x600 monitor, eh?"

The settings you make in the Display applet are kept when you exit VGA mode and restart in normal mode.