new graphics card = no boot

[STFU]

Here is the deal, I get a black screen with visible cursor after the windows loading screen.

After removing my old ATI sapphire x550 and inserting the ATI sapphire 4550 it appeared to work like it should, then after 1 reboot it got stuck with a black screen. I first wanna make a few things clear.

- checked out the PSU and other hardware but that isn't relevant, because I managed to test the card on a very old drive I had laying around and everyhing worked fine, so te card and system are ok.
- no virusses or spyware detected
- drivers were completely uninstalled using driver clear pro
- After inserting the new card I did NOT install any new programs or updates in any way shape or form
- using the newest revision of my bios as well as the chipset drivers
- disconnecting other devices sych as tv tuner resolve nothing

Now the weird thing is, apart from the fact that it sort of worked when first inserted, when putting my old x550 back it has no problem whatsoever booting up,with or without any drivers.

Now since my windowns CD is broken and I very recently did a clean install of my system, I'd rather not have to buy a new windows cd or have a 3GB IDE disk connected though my cd drive, lying on top of it getting boiling hot, to get this card working.

So my question is what could possibly cause this black screen.

I hope this all makes sense and if you guys want to know anthing else or sometihng isn't quite clear please ask.

Thnx in advance.

[CWR03]

It's probably a driver issue - boot in safe mode, uninstall all graphics drivers and reboot and you should have your desktop in low-resolution. Then you can install new drivers.

[STFU]

It's probably a driver issue - boot in safe mode, uninstall all graphics drivers and reboot and you should have your desktop in low-resolution. Then you can install new drivers.

you're somewhat right, I can indeed boot in safe mode and uninstall all drivers and end up with for example a low resolution desktop but that only applies if any drivers are installed, I removed all even before I inserted the new card.

Later on I did try and install the new drivers in safe mode but the only thing that changed was the resoluton, noticable because the cursor in the black screen turned smaller, so somehow it recognized the installed drivers but still the blackscreen remaines.

[Blue_MiSfit]

Remove the drivers in safe mode, don't try to install new ones :)

Once you boot into normal mode, you should be in low resolution (VGA) mode, and can then install drivers.

You are using the latest drivers appropriate for your OS, right? :)

~MiSfit

[STFU]

Remove the drivers in safe mode, don't try to install new ones :)

Once you boot into normal mode, you should be in low resolution (VGA) mode, and can then install drivers.

You are using the latest drivers appropriate for your OS, right? :)

~MiSfit

Here exactly how I did it :

old card still in - remove drivers - reboot in safemode -removed any leftovers with driver clear pro - reboot into safe mode again - turned pc off - inserted new card -the pc booted up - I turned it off - not installing anything - went for dinner - turned pc on - never got past the black screen again

I have tried this, uninstall the drivers I eventually installed in safemode and just like I said earleier it does indeed show a low resolution in normal mode after all drivers are remover but I still have that black screen. I am using hte newest drivers, yes

[MfA]

Now since my windowns CD is broken and I very recently did a clean install of my system, I'd rather not have to buy a new windows cd
Did you lose your key or something? There are tools to retrieve the install key ... and as long as you have the key any install CD/DVD will do, they are not hard to find.

[burfadel]

What display driver version are you using?

It sounds like possibly bung settings to me, ATI have many more settings that you can try to improve quality/performance, but many of these are higher risk too (they aren't available throgh the Catalyst Control Panel). They are only available through tools like Ati Tray Tools and SKD Tray tools. The latter and the former aren't compatible with each other (apparently).

Anyways, try running regedit, and navigate to the following key (I think its the same for you)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Class\{4D36E968-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}\0000

There may be multiple entries, such as 0001, 0002. etc

Delete the subkey UMD, and any of the entries under the main 0000 key. Just make sure its the driver key for a start, entried should be along the lines of graphics sounding stuff (very technical I know)

[STFU]

Did you lose your key or something? There are tools to retrieve the install key ... and as long as you have the key any install CD/DVD will do, they are not hard to find.
cd just fysically broken, I think I can borrow a different one if I really have to but I would of course rather not have to go to the trouble of reinstalling all those programs and stuff.

[STFU]

What display driver version are you using?

It sounds like possibly bung settings to me, ATI have many more settings that you can try to improve quality/performance, but many of these are higher risk too (they aren't available throgh the Catalyst Control Panel). They are only available through tools like Ati Tray Tools and SKD Tray tools. The latter and the former aren't compatible with each other (apparently).

Anyways, try running regedit, and navigate to the following key (I think its the same for you)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Class\{4D36E968-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}\0000

There may be multiple entries, such as 0001, 0002. etc

Delete the subkey UMD, and any of the entries under the main 0000 key. Just make sure its the driver key for a start, entried should be along the lines of graphics sounding stuff (very technical I know)

I am using 9.7 delivered with the cd, but I also tried the 9.9 package, just to be clear I also get the blackscreen when I have all drivers uninstalled.

I found the key, but just wanna make sure that I should delete all that I put a border around.
One other thing, I am supposed to do this only when I have already uninstalled my old drivers, right? cause at the moment I have the old ones reinstalled

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/2481/todelete.th.png (http://img27.imageshack.us/i/todelete.png/)

[burfadel]

Yes thats right, when completely uninstalled the drivers, try deleting the 0000, 0001, 0002 etc keys that you have, as long as they have ATI WDM Configurations as a subkey. There should only be one like that, and it looks like you have at least two so that could be your problem! If you cannot delete the 0000 etc keys, just delete everything under it, including the settings in the right pane. It sounds like you have a setting thats incorrect. There are some advanced settings that can be set by third party applications that can cause problems, it sounds to me like you have one of them set...

[mariush]

You don't need to remove the driver when you install another ATI card, it's the same unified driver both cards are using so the driver should re-detect the card and apply settings appropriate for it.

Just go to safe mode, reboot, go to amd.com and download the latest driver, stop using drivers that come on CD's with the video cards - usually cards sit on shelves for weeks to months until their sold and drivers are already old.

http://game.amd.com/us-en/drivers_catalyst.aspx?p=xp/radeonx-xp

After a reboot, if it's still black screen, go to safe mode and make sure the refresh rate is 60Hz or some safe value that's supported by your LCD screen. Also make sure the resolution works on your LCD screen.

[STFU]

You don't need to remove the driver when you install another ATI card, it's the same unified driver both cards are using so the driver should re-detect the card and apply settings appropriate for it.

Just go to safe mode, reboot, go to amd.com and download the latest driver, stop using drivers that come on CD's with the video cards - usually cards sit on shelves for weeks to months until their sold and drivers are already old.

http://game.amd.com/us-en/drivers_catalyst.aspx?p=xp/radeonx-xp

After a reboot, if it's still black screen, go to safe mode and make sure the refresh rate is 60Hz or some safe value that's supported by your LCD screen. Also make sure the resolution works on your LCD screen.

You are right about the ATI drivers, remember that I said I used an old drive I had laying around to test if the card was ok. On that drive Ati 9.3 was installed and the card worked fine with that. I actually first tried the 9.9 before I tried the 9.7 version. I already set the screen resolution at all the standard formats : 800/1024/1280 both in safe mode as well as before uninstalling the old drivers. The refresh rate doesn't matter either.
I will try burfadel's idea and see if those registry keys are still present when i've uninstalled my old drivers, but they might be gone when I do that, so if anyone else has an idea in the meantime I'd be very happy to hear it.

[STFU]

I tried it all and they key was already gone after using Driver Cleaner Pro. So I still get stuck on the black screen if anyone has any idea's .....

[Shinigami-Sama]

I tried it all and they key was already gone after using Driver Cleaner Pro. So I still get stuck on the black screen if anyone has any idea's .....

swap the cards again, then reswap

[STFU]

swap the cards again, then reswap

Believe it or not but that accidently happened once already when I put my old card back my dad put the new one in while I asked him for something completly different, and I still had the black screen when booting up.

[Shinigami-Sama]

Believe it or not but that accidently happened once already when I put my old card back my dad put the new one in while I asked him for something completly different, and I still had the black screen when booting up.

then my only other idea is to clean the slot/card with some alcohol and try again

after that I can only guess the mobo doesn't like the card, or the monitor doesn't

[STFU]

then my only other idea is to clean the slot/card with some alcohol and try again

after that I can only guess the mobo doesn't like the card, or the monitor doesn't

They do when I use a different HDD, so they're fine

[Keiyakusha]

Driver Cleaner Pro? This is some free tool from 2006 year? Try to redo everything without it.

[STFU]

Driver Cleaner Pro? This is some free tool from 2006 year? Try to redo everything without it.

I only started trying DCP when I couldn't get thing done the normal way, meaning ...blackscreen