Troubleshooting Video Cards (Part II)

If the contents of the start up process appear on the monitor but the display is blank after it is complete, this would indicate that there is an operating system video related problem. For example, an incorrect video driver may have been installed such as one that is not compatible with the operating system.

In Windows XP, you will have to start the computer in Safe Mode by pressing F8 when the Starting Windows message appears. From the boot menu select the Safe Mode option. This will force Windows XP to start using the standard VGA driver, instead of the video driver that is used when the operating system is started normally.

Once the computer is started in Safe Mode, you can install the correct video driver using Device Manager. These steps are outlined in detail under the heading “Updating Video Drivers” later in the article.

The video problem discussed above can also be the result of overclocking. This is a popular method used to get more performance out of a hardware component such as a video card adapter. However, it can result in display problems. The problem can once again be resolved by starting Windows XP is Safe Mode and configure the video card to operate at its default speed.

[tags]hardware,diana huggins,driver,troubleshooting video card[/tags]