Resetting video "in the dark"

  • Thread starter Thread starter john
  • Start date Start date
J

john

My son's friend has been "adjusting" video settings on his PC (XP Home,
onboard video) and is now in the position where:

- XP Splash screen shows OK
- "Windows sound" is heard at the stage that is normally comes on.

But screen is blank.

Booting into Safe Mode has the same result - it seems that XP is
runnning, but even in Safe Mode, the "adjusted" video settings will not
drive his screen.

We think that XP is loading fine - apart from the lack of screen
display - so can anyone suggest any easy set of keyboard strokes (or
command that we could enter under Start | Run ) that we could use
"blind" to adjust the display values to a different setting?

Or is there any option available from an XP installation CD which would
allow us to change settings without repairing/reloading XP?

The PC does not have an AGP port. I have read a suggestion that
installing a PCI graphics card might see the Plug & Play procedure find
a viewable setting on bootup. How likely is that?

John Geddes
England
 
My son's friend has been "adjusting" video settings on his PC (XP Home,
onboard video) and is now in the position where:

- XP Splash screen shows OK
- "Windows sound" is heard at the stage that is normally comes on.
Click to expand...

Do you hear the Power-On Self test (POST) single beep?
This is Important.
But screen is blank.

Booting into Safe Mode has the same result - it seems that XP is
runnning, but even in Safe Mode, the "adjusted" video settings will not
drive his screen.

We think that XP is loading fine - apart from the lack of screen
display - so can anyone suggest any easy set of keyboard strokes (or
command that we could enter under Start | Run ) that we could use
"blind" to adjust the display values to a different setting?
Click to expand...
The screen displays the taskbar? You have access to Start/Run?
If so I suggest a system restore.
Or is there any option available from an XP installation CD which would
allow us to change settings without repairing/reloading XP?

The PC does not have an AGP port. I have read a suggestion that
installing a PCI graphics card might see the Plug & Play procedure find
a viewable setting on bootup. How likely is that?

John Geddes
England
Click to expand...
Have you tried booting from the XP disk and choosing repair?
What settings did he mess with? BIOS?
 
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