display problems in windows

latimerj · 03-03-2006, 12:23 PM

Hi

I got a used dell optiplex PC (P4 2gHz, 1/2gig RAM, 20gigHD, windows XP pro, onboard intel graphics) and added some stuff from my old computer (bigger HD, sound card, USB card). It was all working fine, until I installed a game and was messing with the graphics setting on the game set-up. the game started and i could only hear the sound - nothing on the screen. I had to turn the computer off and on, but after the windows start-up screen came on and it went to the desktop, it looked like it was trying to revert to the dodgy graphics setting, and the monitor went to a wierd stand-by mode.

The upshot is that it seems to be working but i can't see a thing. can i restore the system to a time before i installed the game? and obviously, can i do this before windows opens, so i can see what i'm doing? what other options are available? I don't know if I can get hold of the windows disk. If i can't, what can i do?

Thanks

J

[-0MEGA-] · 03-03-2006, 01:48 PM

System Restore only restores system files, so your game will still be there.

latimerj · 03-03-2006, 03:35 PM

thanks for the reply. so i can't use system restore. anything i can do?

Charles_Lee · 03-03-2006, 06:06 PM

can you try in a safety mode??

m3incorp · 03-06-2006, 05:18 AM

Try booting into safe mode, and then uninstall the graphics. Don't worry windows XP will install a generic driver upon reboot. After you are able to see again, you can then download the updated graphics drivers for your card. This put put you back where you were before fiddling with the graphics settings.

03-03-2006, 12:23 PM	#1 (permalink)
latimerj New Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 2	display problems in windows - can i system restore? Hi I got a used dell optiplex PC (P4 2gHz, 1/2gig RAM, 20gigHD, windows XP pro, onboard intel graphics) and added some stuff from my old computer (bigger HD, sound card, USB card). It was all working fine, until I installed a game and was messing with the graphics setting on the game set-up. the game started and i could only hear the sound - nothing on the screen. I had to turn the computer off and on, but after the windows start-up screen came on and it went to the desktop, it looked like it was trying to revert to the dodgy graphics setting, and the monitor went to a wierd stand-by mode. The upshot is that it seems to be working but i can't see a thing. can i restore the system to a time before i installed the game? and obviously, can i do this before windows opens, so i can see what i'm doing? what other options are available? I don't know if I can get hold of the windows disk. If i can't, what can i do? Thanks J

03-03-2006, 01:48 PM	#2 (permalink)
[-0MEGA-] Diamond Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Concord, NH Age: 19 Posts: 26,897	System Restore only restores system files, so your game will still be there. __________________ Desktop // Laptop Core 2 Quad Q9550 @ 4.0GHz // Core 2 Duo T9300 2.5GHz Asus Rampage Formula X48 // Intel PM965 ATI 4870X2 2GB GDDR5 // Dual 512MB GDDR3 8600M GT's SLI 4GB (2x 2GB) DDR2 940 // 3GB DDR2 667 DC 750GB SATA 3.0Gbps w/32MB // 400GB (2x 200GB) 7200RPM Creative SB X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty SilverStone 750W +12V@60A 3DMark06: 21366 // 7394

03-03-2006, 03:35 PM	#3 (permalink)
latimerj New Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 2	thanks thanks for the reply. so i can't use system restore. anything i can do?

03-03-2006, 06:06 PM	#4 (permalink)
Charles_Lee Platinum Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Canada Posts: 703	can you try in a safety mode?? __________________ Opteron 165 Dual Core Cpu 1.8Ghz (oc'ed to 2.4Ghz) Asus A8R-MVP Socket 939 Motherboard Radeon X850 XT Platinum / 256MB GDDR3 / PCI Express Video Card Antec Neo He 500 power supply Western Digital / Raptor / 74GB / 10K / 8MB / SATA-150 Hard Drive OCZ PC-3200 DDR400 Platinum Edition 2GB(2X1024MB) Dual Channel Memory Samsung 19' lcd monitor with DIV support

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03-06-2006, 05:18 AM	#5 (permalink)
m3incorp Gold Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 262	Try booting into safe mode, and then uninstall the graphics. Don't worry windows XP will install a generic driver upon reboot. After you are able to see again, you can then download the updated graphics drivers for your card. This put put you back where you were before fiddling with the graphics settings.