boot cd (s) start then stop @ blank black screen

  • Thread starter Thread starter duh
  • Start date Start date
D

duh

My DIY system is still running XP Pro fine but for no apparent reason now
does the "blank black screen" thing AFTER "Press any key to boot from CD...
then "Setup is inspecting your hardware configuration..." screen it just
goes blank / black. This happens with any Boot CD including XP Pro (hardware
compatibility wiz has no complaint). My main concern is that I can't use my
Power Quest Recovery Environment boot CD to restore backup image now.

I'm was suspicious of video card: original XP install and testing of boot
cd's went fine with previous NVIDIA cards. This started sometime after I
"upgraded" to Sapphire Atlantis (ATI) 9500 128MB.

Switching back to Nvidia GeForce2 MX/MX 400 with default MS drivers made no
difference, doing exact same thing so now I think I can rule out video cards
and drivers?

I will be hosed if something breaks and I can't use PQRE CD to restore
backup image. No floppy installed, want to live without but suppose I could
stick one in...

I've combed the web quite a bit looking for info with no luck except for one
post that involved a massive procedure involving using a PCI graphics card
(which I don't have) for a slightly different problem... don't want to go
there...

If anyone has any info it would be greatly appreciated.

:-(
 
Figured it out: leaving USB SanDisk ImageMate memory card reader connected
causes this problem.
I've had the thing for a long time and used on a couple PC's so didn't
suspect it, guess I'd never tried to boot from CD with it connected until
recently.

definitely DUH.
 
Back
Top