Blank Screen at Login

[Sean]

Hi Guys,

A few days ago my computer started to play up. It seems to boot OK, however
when it gets the screen with the big windows logo and the bar moving across
the bottom of the screen it takes noticably longer to get past it (say 10-20
seconds). When it finally gets to the login screen (which I never actually
see) the screen goes blank and (because I'm using a digital monitor) it
flicks between searching for the analog and digital signal then just goes
into standby.

I can login blindly by pressing Alt-Ctrl-Del twice, then shift-tab, entering
the username, tab, then the password and hitting enter. Upon logging in the
screen starts up ok and I can see my desktop.

I tried to boot with VGA only by pressing F8 during the boot sequence and I
can see the login screen no problem. Click my username and enter password OK.
When I login I get an error about my ATI control panel not being able to
start (I assume this is do with being in VGA mode - but just want
clarification).

I have Norton GoBack on the machine and reverted the drives back to 24 hours
previous to this happening but it still happens. I also have uninstalled all
the ATI software for the graphics card and installed the latest stuff.

Before uninstalling the ATI software and in VGA mode, if I opened the
Display Properties in the Control Panel and tried to change the resolution to
the normal size or clicked the Advance (to see the ATI driver settings etc)
then the screen would blank and back into standby.

Any ideas why I can't see the login screen on boot and why it takes a bit
longer to do actually boot ( I think its trying to start a service and keeps
retrying for a X amount of times then gives up - which obviously slows it
down).

Nothing has been installed on the box recently and is used for playing games
and browsing the net. The ATI card has been used for a number of years in the
same windows build. The last windows updates where a number of weeks ago.

Thanks in advance,

Sean.

[gerryf]

Still think it is a driver glitch

Indeed, you never mentioned what ATI card...the current ATI drivers do not
support cards prior to the ati 9600 chip, so if yours predates that you are
loading incompatible drivers.

Download and install drivercleaner pro 1.5 (older version will work for you)

http://www.download3k.com/System-Uti...fessional.html

Reboot into safe mode

Uninstall anything to do with ati in control panel, then run driver cleaner
pro and remove all ati leftovers

Reboot...let windows autodetect your card.

On reboot, grab a copy of the ATI omega drivers for your card--if older than
an ati 9600, you need to get a copy of older drivers.
..



"Sean" <Sean@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:D9C4F810-39C2-461F-B988-94C70205EEC5@microsoft.com...
> Hi Guys,
>
> A few days ago my computer started to play up. It seems to boot OK,
> however
> when it gets the screen with the big windows logo and the bar moving
> across
> the bottom of the screen it takes noticably longer to get past it (say
> 10-20
> seconds). When it finally gets to the login screen (which I never actually
> see) the screen goes blank and (because I'm using a digital monitor) it
> flicks between searching for the analog and digital signal then just goes
> into standby.
>
> I can login blindly by pressing Alt-Ctrl-Del twice, then shift-tab,
> entering
> the username, tab, then the password and hitting enter. Upon logging in
> the
> screen starts up ok and I can see my desktop.
>
> I tried to boot with VGA only by pressing F8 during the boot sequence and
> I
> can see the login screen no problem. Click my username and enter password
> OK.
> When I login I get an error about my ATI control panel not being able to
> start (I assume this is do with being in VGA mode - but just want
> clarification).
>
> I have Norton GoBack on the machine and reverted the drives back to 24
> hours
> previous to this happening but it still happens. I also have uninstalled
> all
> the ATI software for the graphics card and installed the latest stuff.
>
> Before uninstalling the ATI software and in VGA mode, if I opened the
> Display Properties in the Control Panel and tried to change the resolution
> to
> the normal size or clicked the Advance (to see the ATI driver settings
> etc)
> then the screen would blank and back into standby.
>
> Any ideas why I can't see the login screen on boot and why it takes a bit
> longer to do actually boot ( I think its trying to start a service and
> keeps
> retrying for a X amount of times then gives up - which obviously slows it
> down).
>
> Nothing has been installed on the box recently and is used for playing
> games
> and browsing the net. The ATI card has been used for a number of years in
> the
> same windows build. The last windows updates where a number of weeks ago.
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Sean.
>
>