Blank Screen

[poken1151]

You can skip the details and run to specs at the bottom:

Ok, I got Vista RTM installed about 2 or 3 days ago, Installation was quick (as compared to xp) and loaded up the desktop and all. Now the first problem I came across was the fact that I could not get my resolution up to 1280x1024, it was either 1024x768 or 1900 something. Ok I went and updated all my drivers and what not including my lone graphics card and motherboard. Then i restarted after a long update and stay on testing session (As in I had it for a long while).

Then after a while I began to search around for help in changing my display settings. I went ahead and changed the type of monitor I had from generic pnp to lcd flat panel 1280x1024. Then went around making sure I had correct drivers and what not. I then restarted the pc....and there was a blank screen (right after the windows loading bar, before login), the monitor flashed and showed me the sign that it was receiving no signal then came back but was just blank.

Now I restart like 12 times and no luck (I forgot to mention i Had the blank screen problem earlier after my first desktop reboot but it never happened again). So I go ahead and try a different monitor, and the second port on my graphics card...no luck. I read that people having the same problem could sign into Safe Mode.. So I tried it. It did load up to the sign in screen and I logged in...then I thought it froze at the welcome sign. I decided "hey maybe its just taking a while" and waited. After about 5-7 minutes the desktop loaded up and I could get around but It froze after about 5 minutes (around when i started messenger to see if my friend could help). I then did it again and rechecked all my drivers and software, all good.

Then I think "maybe if I let it wait for the main startup it will load" I did just that and loe and behold it loaded. after a sad long wait. Now when It does finally load up alot of stuff is wrong...just wrong. The time is frozen and I couldn't change it. After about an hour it jumped 2 minutes. The system moves very slowly and seemed to be frozen for a long while. But waiting it moves....It was going great wonderfully when It jus installed. And I was thinking that the display drivers where what are causing the problems but I doubt it. Luckily I can happily re-install but Im thinking its going to happen again. So can anyone give me any help?

My system is as follows:

AMD Athlon X2 dual core 4600+

Asus M2R32-MVP Mother Board

1GB Geil RAM

Radeon X1900 256MB (Sapphire)

Benq DVD Burner

I Believe thats all. Please help. Please....

Edited November 22, 2006 by poken1151

[jcarle]

Go back into safe mode and uninstall your video card as well as your monitor, reboot back in normal windows (everything should work now). Install the latest drivers for your video card from the manufacturer's site (ATI or nVidia) then install the drivers from your monitor from the manufacturer's site (whichever make it is).

[Spooky]

Sounds almost like bad drivers, but it could be a lot of things.

"generic pnp to lcd flat panel 1280x768"

I assume you do actually have an LCD display, are you sure the display is capable of 1280x768? And is the 1280x768 actually supported by the monitor? (try 1024x768 and see if that works).

Do you by chance have the refresh rate set higher than the monitor can handle? (try the default of 60 hz and see if that works OK)

Are the drivers your using actually for the Vista RTM? (try the in box Vista drivers and see if they work)

A whole lot things it could be...but...since you mentioned re-installing, this time when it re-installs don't change anything just let what ever the defaults are for Vista install and don't change any drivers or anything. Then try to set the resolution on your monitor and try that out for a bit before adding drivers or anything.

Oh yeah, a couple more things; make sure the connector for the monitor is firmly attached. Also, try uninstalling the video card in safe mode then reboot and let Vista re-detect the card.

Edited November 22, 2006 by Spooky

[poken1151]

My bad. It can go to 1280x768 I meant 1280x1024. It is a 17" lcd monitor, and its recomended setting is 1280x1024. The drivers I downloaded where also noted to be vista rtm, yes all beta but for vista nonetheless. Thanks for the help when I get home I will try it (before re-install) and illtell if it works.

[kartel]

you need to uncheck

some crap to get the proper hz maybe

Edited November 22, 2006 by kartel

[poken1151]

That was the first thing I did. LOL

[poken1151]

OK, ive tried all the things above and none have worked....thus I reinstalled. This time the 32bit version my question is DO you think I should go again and update my drivers. Cause as short as the install Is reformatting and re-install can get annoying...

[LLXX]

Try a lower refresh rate.

I have an LCD that also does this when attempted to run at 1280x1024 with default refresh.

LCDs don't flicker unlike CRTs at low refresh rates, so use the lowest the card can support (37Hz for mine).

Edited November 23, 2006 by LLXX

[poken1151]

I give up. After the re-install everything seemed ok, i decided to test and see if the drivers from ati where the prob...so...only drivers i installed and after restart BOOM, same problem again. Now I thought That was the problem SoI was forced to (as deleting the drivers never helped) re-install again. Doing so i realize that the system, now has the same problem even after a format and re-install. The first too installs (the 64bit then the 32 bit) all came to the desktop after the install and everything went smoothly but these last 2 installs (both 32bit) the problem still persists and its driving me mad. I love the new features ive seen but this is driving me nuts. Jyst to get into safe mode O have to wait around 15-20 minuites for me to access it and as for the main start up its a blank screen, wait 15 minuites I get the login but it freezes if I try to type in the password. Unless theres an update im missing Im gonna go look for my last Xp disc. But any help before I do this?

[jcarle]

Perhaps you have a hardware problem.

[poken1151]

Ok, If it is a Hardware prob im thinking between 3 peices. So if anyone can, please help me narrow it down if it is.

1) SATA Hard drive: you see, the os WILL boot up after A LONG wait. So I'm wondering if its the fact that Im running it off of a SATA hd and if so is it the hard drive that needs the drivers (as iI can see it already during install) Or is it the..

2)Motherboar: I have a M2R32-MVP asus motherboard, appears on a truckload of lists as 'vista ready' But maybe some drivers are needed. On the site they only have sound, ethernet, and i think SATARaid controllers (im not sure u can check and tell me if im wrong 'www.asus.com and search for m2r32-mvp and look under driver downloads') or lastly im thing it is the...

3) vidoe card: Maybe due to the fact that the screena nd what not isn loading properly, but they do EVENTUALLY load as to what led me to the above hardware.

Any help advice on this would really be greatfuly appreciated.

ALSO: im think my amd athlon 64 x2 dual core processor but i dunno how that'd affect the os itself like that.

[Spooky]

"SATA Hard drive: you see, the os WILL boot up after A LONG wait. So I'm wondering if its the fact that Im running it off of a SATA hd and if so is it the hard drive that needs the drivers (as iI can see it already during install) Or is it the.."

This usually indicates its looking for something, like drivers maybe for a device - maybe for your display device. Did you re-install with just the defaults and not adding anything in like third party drivers?

Its possible i guess it could be the SATA drivers its looking for. Did you choose to load drivers during the install of Vista and point it to the correct SATA drivers?

It could be some sort of hardware problem also but for some reason, and its confusing from what you posted so its real hard to tell, I still want to think drivers.

Ok, If it is a Hardware prob im thinking between 3 peices. So if anyone can, please help me narrow it down if it is.

1) SATA Hard drive: you see, the os WILL boot up after A LONG wait. So I'm wondering if its the fact that Im running it off of a SATA hd and if so is it the hard drive that needs the drivers (as iI can see it already during install) Or is it the..

2)Motherboar: I have a M2R32-MVP asus motherboard, appears on a truckload of lists as 'vista ready' But maybe some drivers are needed. On the site they only have sound, ethernet, and i think SATARaid controllers (im not sure u can check and tell me if im wrong 'www.asus.com and search for m2r32-mvp and look under driver downloads') or lastly im thing it is the...

3) vidoe card: Maybe due to the fact that the screena nd what not isn loading properly, but they do EVENTUALLY load as to what led me to the above hardware.

Any help advice on this would really be greatfuly appreciated.

ALSO: im think my amd athlon 64 x2 dual core processor but i dunno how that'd affect the os itself like that.

[poken1151]

*sigh* ok, umm 11th?? install and same old sameold problem...I did take not however that when I FINALLY could access the control panel without it freezing, the device manager identified one unknown device...think Is i dont know what device it is...when I check its properties it says under device id acpi/something Im wondering if THATS the problem, and if it is what exactly IS it.

I was going to remove my video card untill I found out my Motherboard doenst seem to have video out