Weird graphics after fresh install

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Guest

I just installed Vista Ultimate on a Compaq Presario. It never asked me
about any compatibility issues, just started installing. Everything seemed
to work properly until after it ran its initial 'Performance' check. After
the restart, all it does is have what appears to be ASCII characters flashing
different colors. I have to shut the computer down. When I start it back
up, I get

GRLDR
Resetting the boot drive...

Then the screen goes too fast to see what it does, but it appears to go thru
some sort of 'percentage' thing...then back to the graphics flashing.

The system has an AMD 2.8 CPU, 1 GB DDR Memory, Nvidia FX 5500 graphics
card. I've checked the compatibility tables and it shows that the video card
is compliant.

What can I do to fix this?
 
Wonderbugg said:
I just installed Vista Ultimate on a Compaq Presario. It never asked me
about any compatibility issues, just started installing. Everything seemed
to work properly until after it ran its initial 'Performance' check. After
the restart, all it does is have what appears to be ASCII characters flashing
different colors. I have to shut the computer down. When I start it back
up, I get

GRLDR
Resetting the boot drive...

Then the screen goes too fast to see what it does, but it appears to go thru
some sort of 'percentage' thing...then back to the graphics flashing.

The system has an AMD 2.8 CPU, 1 GB DDR Memory, Nvidia FX 5500 graphics
card. I've checked the compatibility tables and it shows that the video card
is compliant.

What can I do to fix this?
Click to expand...

Go to Compaq's tech support site for your specific model computer and
download all the drivers for Vista. This will include your motherboard,
video card, audio, networking, etc. as well as any laptop-specific
software such as power management programs, etc.


Malke
 
Malke said:
Go to Compaq's tech support site for your specific model computer and
download all the drivers for Vista. This will include your motherboard,
video card, audio, networking, etc. as well as any laptop-specific
software such as power management programs, etc.


Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
Click to expand...

OK. I've gone to the Compaq Site. the only OS the drivers cover are for
XP. I went to the Nvidia site and downloaded the Graphics Drivers for Vista,
but Windows XP will not allow me to install them. It seems I have to have
Vista up and running before I can install any Vista drivers, so getting the
drivers beforehand won't help me one bit. I cannot get to Windows 'Safe
Mode' due to the 'Loading GRLDR' fail. It almost seems that installing vista
wiped out the boot sector of the hard drive. But only on the absolute FINAL
step. It came up fine for me to selece time zone and other stuff...then it
restarted and came up with the graphics thing again.
 
Wonderbugg said:
OK. I've gone to the Compaq Site. the only OS the drivers cover are for
XP. I went to the Nvidia site and downloaded the Graphics Drivers for Vista,
but Windows XP will not allow me to install them. It seems I have to have
Vista up and running before I can install any Vista drivers, so getting the
drivers beforehand won't help me one bit. I cannot get to Windows 'Safe
Mode' due to the 'Loading GRLDR' fail. It almost seems that installing vista
wiped out the boot sector of the hard drive. But only on the absolute FINAL
step. It came up fine for me to selece time zone and other stuff...then it
restarted and came up with the graphics thing again.
Click to expand...

If Compaq didn't write any drivers for Vista, you can't run Vista on
that computer. All hardware needs to have drivers so the operating
system can work with the hardware. Perhaps I'm misunderstanding you, but
yes of course you need to have the operating system installed before you
install drivers. This last post doesn't make any sense to me. In your
first post (and in the subject line), you said that you have just
installed Vista Ultimate. What does Windows XP have to do with any of this?

Since the hardware inside your computer was made for Compaq and is
proprietary, if there are no Vista drivers then return the machine to
factory condition which I gather was XP. You cannot upgrade the machine
if there are no drivers for the hardware.

If you need more help, please post back with a full description of what
you've really done and the make/model of your Compaq.


Malke
 
Wonderbugg said:
different colors. I have to shut the computer down. When I start it back
up, I get
GRLDR
Resetting the boot drive...
Then the screen goes too fast to see what it does, but it appears to go
thru
Click to expand...

GRLDR is the Grub 4 DOS Loader, as used by some distribution sof Linux. You
must have had Linux installed on the machine at some stage. That's not a
problem, itself. But the old Linux installation has left behind a boot
loader which appears to be hijacking the system, when you try to boot
Windows.

Either check the support channel for the Linux distribution you were using,
for details about how to remove GRLDR. Or follow the steps in this KB
article:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927392
to run bootrec with /fixmbr and /fixboot ... that should hopelfully restore
the Windows boot loader so it starts Windows Vista normally. Be aware, if
you are dual-booting Linux and Windows, this will probably remove access to
your Linux installation.

Hope it helps,
 
OK. First of all, I've NEVER had Linux on this machine. This is exactly
what happened.

1) Compaq Presario SR1103WM, pre-loaded with Win XP.
2) I've since upgraded to Win XP Pro SP2
3) Downloaded Windows Upgrade Advisor
4) Was advised that the Video drivers needed to be updated....updated Video
drivers to latest XP release. Ran Advisor again.
5) Advisor said there may be a problem with the Nvidia FX5500 Video Card.
6) Took out FX5500, went back to factory graphics.
7) Advisor said everything was good to go.
8) Started upgrade fom XP
9) Allowed updated to be downloaded prior to install, then followed defaults
all through Vista install.
10) Vista completed its install...the screen that has the 'Start' button
after you input the time zone.
11) Vista install went to the standard background with no icons, or anything
else.
12) Computer self restarted and ran a 'Performance' check. Performance
check finished. system restarted again.
13) Booting GRLDR error on restart. Last command I see before the screwy
graphics is 'Loading GRLDR. Resetting the boot drive'...then a black screen
with small colored boxes flashing at random spots on the monitor with what
looks to be ASCII characters in them.

Second time I tried was a complete fresh install...since Vista screwed up
the initial XP OS beyond fixing. Same problem at the same time. Only when
it seems to be restarting for the last time does it do this.
 
Wonderbugg said:
OK. First of all, I've NEVER had Linux on this machine. This is exactly
what happened.
Click to expand...


Okay, I believe you :-) As far as you know, you've never had Linux installed
on this machine. You are undoubtedly right about that.

However, I have never, ever seen or heard of a Microsoft-supplied file
called GRLDR. Conversely, GRLDR is the well-known name of a common
Linux-based Boot loader, which will display its name "GRLDR" as it starts
up, and then display a ASCII character mode screen (which in your case
appears corrupted). I cannot explain how or why, but there is a very high
probability the Linux-based GRLDR boot loader has somehow found its way onto
your system. If this theory is correct then the rest of it makes sense -
GRLDR hijacks the boot process, instead of booting into Vista normally you
are going off into some other weird boot process. The video distortion
you're seeing is probably not related to Vista, because the machine isn't
actually running Vista at that point.

I still recommend you try the steps in this article:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927392
Boot up from the Vista DVD (hopefully you have one?) and run bootrec with
/fixmbr and /fixboot ... which should return your system to booting Vista
normally, instead of from the rogue GRLDR boot loader.

Other folks might have extra ideas - but, I do hope this helps a bit. Let us
know how you get on.

Regards
Andrew

PS thanks for the detailed problem history, that's great info. I wish
everyone gave good details like that.
 
Wonderbugg said:
OK. First of all, I've NEVER had Linux on this machine. This is exactly
what happened.

1) Compaq Presario SR1103WM, pre-loaded with Win XP.
2) I've since upgraded to Win XP Pro SP2
3) Downloaded Windows Upgrade Advisor
4) Was advised that the Video drivers needed to be updated....updated Video
drivers to latest XP release. Ran Advisor again.
5) Advisor said there may be a problem with the Nvidia FX5500 Video Card.
6) Took out FX5500, went back to factory graphics.
7) Advisor said everything was good to go.
8) Started upgrade fom XP
9) Allowed updated to be downloaded prior to install, then followed defaults
all through Vista install.
10) Vista completed its install...the screen that has the 'Start' button
after you input the time zone.
11) Vista install went to the standard background with no icons, or anything
else.
12) Computer self restarted and ran a 'Performance' check. Performance
check finished. system restarted again.
13) Booting GRLDR error on restart. Last command I see before the screwy
graphics is 'Loading GRLDR. Resetting the boot drive'...then a black screen
with small colored boxes flashing at random spots on the monitor with what
looks to be ASCII characters in them.

Second time I tried was a complete fresh install...since Vista screwed up
the initial XP OS beyond fixing. Same problem at the same time. Only when
it seems to be restarting for the last time does it do this.
Click to expand...

Thank you for the very detailed post. Now we know what is really going
on. If you go to Compaq's Software & Driver Downloads for the Presario
SR1103WM, you will only see drivers listed for XP. There are no Vista
drivers. If you click on the "Upgrading to Windows Vista" link on that
page, it takes you to a generic information page, nothing specific to
your model machine.

Since HP does not provide drivers for Vista on that machine, I don't
care what the Vista Upgrade Advisor said - you can't upgrade that
machine to Vista. The hardware is not compatible and that is why you
have all the weird graphics and errors. Use the recovery disks you got
(or made) with the computer to return it to factory condition which
means XP. If you no longer have the recovery disks, call HP to get them.
Replacing them normally only costs around $25 USD.

If you are dying to have Vista, buy a new machine.


Malke
 
Well, for all intents and purposes, with the exception of its boot files,
Vista has finished installing, and all its files should be viable. Even
Windows Experience Index said you were good to go, in its back-handed way,
and that tests a number of things. It's odd that you could reboot until the
last reboot. Try Startup Repair by booting from the Vista DVD. See:
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial148.html for help with
this. If it doesn't work out the first time, run Startup Repair again.
(I've had to do it at least twice, myself, when testing some Vista Betas
which went wrong. It always failed the first time, for some reason, and got
it right the second time. But maybe things have improved).

As to your "Loading GRLDR" mystery, this is all I could find, with a slight
twist (success):
http://www.vistax64.com/vista-insta...ome-dos-screens-before-boot-os-selection.html

I'm assuming at the last reboot that you have no other media plugged in (USB
flash drives, CD's, etc.), that the BIOS might be accessing first.
 
Before giving up, I would put the nVidia card back. Since Compaq is
supplying no Vista drivers for your system, I would think the nVidia card
has a much better chance of working than your integrated graphics.
 
There are only 2 ways that I can think of for why there seems to be a Linux
boot error.

1) I put the Vista Nvidia drivers on a flash drive that also has BART-Pe on,
which I think is a Linux, or Unix, based pre-boot utility.

2) A virus somehow squeeked past Norton Internet Security after I
uninstalled it to run the Vista Upgrade.

Now the really strange part. I used the BART disk prior to a full wipe and
clean install. After the attempted 'Upgrade', I got the weird graphics, so I
ran the XP Pro disk to delete the partition, repartition and format the
drive. After doing that, I've not used the flash drive. I was saving that
for the off chance that Vista actually got to a point that I could load
drivers...which it never did.

Now...as far as running the '/fixmbr'. I'd love to try that, but even
booting to the DVD does not show me that possibility.

I also fond it strange that the system would run through it's 'Performance
check', pass, restart, then go to the anomoly.

Anyways...I've since reloaded XP and have given up on upgrading to Vista on
that machine. I'll just have an extra disk lying around

As soon as I have a definitive answer to the problem, it will stay XP.
Unfortunately, it took us several months of saving to be able to afford the
Vista disks, so buying a new computer is out of the question. Just wasted
money on the second disk.
 
I can understand you'd be cautious abound trying to upgrade to Vista, after
the bad expereince. But actually, it sounds like most of the Visa upgrade
went okay. The only weird bit was that somehow a spurious Linux bootloader
found its way onto your system. Wherever it came from, I can guarantee it
did not come from the Vista DVD!

I'd recommend that, when you're ready, you go ahead with the Vista upgrade
again. As long as GRLDR is expunged from the system, it should all go
smoothly. I'd stick with the FX 5500 card - it's a good card, and you can
get Vista drivers for this card, direct from the nVidia website:
http://www.nvidia.com/object/quadro_fx_5500_4500.html

Vista may install with basic-level drivers if it doesn't have an FX driver
built-in (probably not); but you can install the nVidia drivers, once Vista
is up and running.
Now...as far as running the '/fixmbr'. I'd love to try that, but even
booting to the DVD does not show me that possibility.
Click to expand...

Well hopefully you won't need to again, in future, but the steps to do this
were in the KB article 927392, which I linked. If those steps didn't work,
I'd be interested to hear why?

Anyways, good luck with the machine, from here on ...
 
You don't need to have had Linux installed. Grub 4 Dos is included on pirated
version of Vista Ultimate from Dell. Try not shopping for software on
BitTorrent or other P2P networks ;)
 
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