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General discussion

Changing monitors!!

May 17, 2005 10:06AM PDT

Hi. i have a problem!! for starters its with windows XP. Ok i have this large monitor thats crapping up n is really dark, i was trying to play a game but was too dark so i decided to put back on my old monitor which is lighter but less res n smaller. so i put it on but cause it couldn't handle the larger res the other monitor it had it wouldn't show windows when it loaded. so i did f8 on start up, went into safe mode, changed it there n re-booted. it still didn't come up with windows so i f8 on start up again and enabled vga mode. now the computer just keeps restarting just before it opens windows, no matter which monitor i have on!!! how do i get round this????

Discussion is locked

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monitors
May 17, 2005 4:08PM PDT

one thing you failed to mention do you have integrated video or a actual graphics card if integrated you need to f8 again and change it back to the way it was then hook your big monitor back up and play with the buttons on the front of monitor they do have a bright and a dark and contrast on them my computer monitors has 4 buttond one is menu arrow keys to select what feature you want to do and then a select button try that if that dont work then you have a faulty monitor and you could go under monitor propertys and change the refresh rate you have 50 hz 60 hertz 80 hertz keep playing with the hertz if that dont work if its integrated video check with the company and see if they is a driver update for it hope this helps if not let me know we will try something else

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riiiight!!
May 18, 2005 10:28AM PDT

no **** there is a light n dark n contrast button!!! yes i have nvidia video card installed. i have f8 many a time on start up and tried all the valid options, including start up in msdos mode so i can change the video options from there, but it still just restarts. i've tried:
'start from last successful bootup'
'start in safe mode'
'start in msdos mode'
'start with vga mode'
'start with prompts'
the drivers are working FINE on the computer as i have used both monitors on the computer and it works fine. it has been running that video card for the last 1.5 years since i bought it!! the hertz r fine as it has always run on that, the small monitor running at the same as the large, just at different res. as i said before, the ONLY problem is that windows keeps restarting and i need an option to be able to force windows not to restart.

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HWD change to VGA is creating this loop.
May 18, 2005 10:04PM PDT

Have you tried Last Known configuration that worked?

Once you are able to access Windows un-install your Nvidia Video card from the device manager. Shut down -> attach old monitor and boot. Windows will re-install the Nvidia card at the correct refresh rate for you monitor.


Last step will be Windows repair from CD.

Bill

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System Restore?
May 18, 2005 7:30PM PDT

Obvious, but why not system restore from 'safe mode'?

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Check refresh rate man
May 18, 2005 8:32PM PDT

as the big monitor may be using a higer refresh rate then supported by the small monitor so the small monitor turned off automatically to prevent damage to the monitor it self...
try chaning the refresh rate of your monitor to a low level in safe mode and then start windows also set resulution
do this hook up the old monitor try it again if you tried it already if u get the windows change the monitors refresh rate back to some low value like 60Hz as most monitors will work in this refresh rate...

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Still nothing....
May 19, 2005 11:24AM PDT

to those that have posted a reply on here, thanks. but they haven't been of any help yet. as i have said in my past 2 posts, i can not access anything. the only thing i can access is the cmos/bios. i can not start up into safe mode, i can not start up even into dos mode. is there either a second option to force the computer not to load any of the windows so i can go straight to dos, or is there a way of forcing windows to start without restarting. as for the monitors, they both work on the same refresh rate. any assistance that does not including 'try going to safe mode' would be appreciated.

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monitors
May 19, 2005 3:25PM PDT

you asked for help where giving if you are not advanced then take it to the shop when you went into bios something was changed that should not have been you might not of relized it but if i was in your shoes which im not i would try a complete reinstall with windows erase your hard drive and start over if that did not solve it then the bios is off and need to flash the bios on it

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Heh
May 19, 2005 4:25PM PDT

heh man you said u can access the bios so it means the monitor is showing the o/p of your system well, there is nothing wronge with the monitors, then it means it is no longer a monitor problem now...
you said system restarts while louding windows, then it means that your system has been curopted beyond repair all you can do is just install a new windows, i do not recomend formating the HDD just if you have a win98 or winMe bootable CD then insert it and select CD boot from the bios, after booting from the CD u'll get the DOS mode , now format the HDD if you like to do so, but what i do is that i first delete all the files in the C: or D: where i installed windows and then rename the two big folders i.e program files and windows folders to some thing else then i install new windows after installing new windows you can remove the old windows files and folders from the new windows in a GUI...
well its up to u..i told what i do when my OS gets corrupted....i do not format my HDD couse this way you are welcoming the bad sectors on your HDD
Enjoy

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(NT) (NT) O/S is XP --> CK your Proceedures and Spelling
May 19, 2005 10:30PM PDT
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Thanks!
May 20, 2005 3:34PM PDT

Hey, thanks for the advice. urs actually helped!! im just waiting for my original windows cds to be posted to me n then i'll try ur option. thanks Happy

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Do a windows repair
May 19, 2005 10:28PM PDT

Boot w/XPs CD at prompt REPAIR Windows.

This will reinstall window kernel files leaving your settings and files alone (should). This the only option you have left.

XP does not like HWD changes.

Bill