Black screen after installing video drivers

[Shamrock]

So I've reformatted which I quickly deduced was the worst possible idea ever.

Anyway, I go to install all of my drivers, here comes the best part, I go to install the video drivers and all seems to go well, but "WHAM!" after seeing the loading bar for both XP and Vista, it goes straight to a black screen, then a little later it restarts. I've reformatted several times figuring it to be driver problems/update problems. I've tried several different kinds of drivers and such, and I've checked the power source to make sure it had enough power.

So I've deduced it to be hardware possibly? However, I don't understand what happened between the day I had everything installed flawlessly to now. 6 months ago when I installed Vista, everything worked perfectly. Now, I can't even install XP and video drivers without a black screen.

Help me HL2.net. Please.. I have been trying everything, and nothing is working. I reseated the card. I've tried everything.

HD2900XT
Gigabyte P35C-DS3R
2 GB RAM
Intel Q6600 at 2.7 GHZ

Oh by the way, I've even tried to load the fail-safe options in BIOS to see if that would help. Nope.

HELP.

 

[ktimekiller]

so it happens even after another format?

 

[Shamrock]

so it happens even after another format?

Yes. Yes it does.

 

[ktimekiller]

faulty hardware? im guessing harddrive?

 

[Shamrock]

faulty hardware? im guessing harddrive?

HDD works perfectly fine. It is definitely not the HDD.

 

[Shamrock]

Hahahahaha. HL2.net must think I've dumbed down over the years or something..

Yes it is plugged into the video card.

Also, how is it a bad video card if it worked perfectly the minute up until I reformatted? That makes not one bit of sense.

 

[giant384]

you try taking the oc off? that can cause an os to crash if it isnt stable.

edit: nvm just re-read your post.

 

[Krynn72]

Hardware dies. Could just be a coincidence that it happened when you reformatted.

How did you reformat your drive? Did you do a zero-level format? If not, try using DBan http://dban.sourceforge.net/

 

[Shamrock]

Hardware dies. Could just be a coincidence that it happened when you reformatted.

How did you reformat your drive? Did you do a zero-level format? If not, try using DBan http://dban.sourceforge.net/

I mean the exact same time I reformatted? That is just nonsense nor is it believable at all to me. I realize hardware dies as I've had an HDD die on me, but that was dying over several months. I can't believe a component that was properly being cared for in a well ventilated compartment and that worked perfectly up until I reformatted completely dies. I'm just skeptical.

I will try the zero-level format, but I can't see that working differently.

 

[Shamrock]

I can try the video card in my other computer, but I really don't want to risk the chances of that computer getting ****ed up, too. Is it safe to install ATI drivers along with NVIDIA drivers?

 

[Operational]

So you can install XP fine, it's only when you install the graphics drivers that things go black?

 

[Shamrock]

So you can install XP fine, it's only when you install the graphics drivers that things go black?

Yes. I was able to install Vista and XP fine, but as soon as I installed the video drivers and rebooted, the screen went black and wouldn't go back.

I could go into safe mode and such and uninstall the drivers, but that is the only thing I could do. I was never able to boot regularly into Vista or XP with drivers installed.

 

[Shamrock]

So here is a new problem to deal with, too. I've installed the drivers, and thus far, they seem to be working, however, lets say I Google something, you know how the word you are Googling comes up in bold blue, well it comes up in bold red.

And regular Windows font such as the name of this explorer window in the title bar has this red tint to the back of it and so does the Windows "Welcome" screen.

What.. The.. Fuck.. is going on.

 

[Krynn72]

Did you try using older drivers? Maybe the resolution or refresh rate was set to something your monitor cant handle?

EDIT: Oh... idunno man, it really does sound like something is dying on you. Werent you getting the black screen when you ran BF2 also?


Do you have an older/alternate video card you could plug into your PC, just to see if that gets rid of the problem?

 

[giant384]

using a vga cable?

 

[Shamrock]

Did you try using older drivers? Maybe the resolution or refresh rate was set to something your monitor cant handle?

EDIT: Oh... idunno man, it really does sound like something is dying on you. Werent you getting the black screen when you ran BF2 also?


Do you have an older/alternate video card you could plug into your PC, just to see if that gets rid of the problem?

I'm going to answer everything you said, then I will tell you what is going on.

I've used older drivers, Omega drivers, newest possible official drivers. My monitor supports up to 1680x1050 so I'm sure that there was some kind of resolution this monitor supported, and for refresh rate, I have it locked at the appropriate one for my monitor.

With BF2, it just kept crashing to desktop after I clicked the join button.

I have a 7800GT in my other computer that I could swap, but....


I tried the drivers again, and they seemed to work this time. When that red text problem arose, I don't know why but I had a feeling turning on Windows XP "ClearType" would fix everything, and surprisingly, it did. The text is normal. So as it looks right now, everything seems alright.

I am on XP right now. I'd rather be on Vista, but that didn't seem to want to boot, however, to get this to boot, I reset the CMOS, so maybe now I would be able to boot to Vista.

I just don't want to risk it..

 

[Shamrock]

Are you using an LCD monitor? ClearType shouldn't fix the problem unless it is... and even then, it's supposed to make text easier to see on an LCD monitor, not change the colour of it. Could just be your particular monitor, but sounds a bit strange to me.

Even still, I suggest grabbing Driver Cleaner Pro or the .NET version, if you want to pay, and run it in Safe Mode after uninstalling the video drivers. They could be leaving behind something from a corrupt install that's causing problems. If you have anti-virus software installed, make sure its real-time protection is disabled when uninstalling, cleaning, and installing drivers, as I've had them cause problems before.

I realise all these suggestions are fairly basic, but hey, that's the stuff that first comes to mind, and people always make silly mistakes no matter what they know.

The black screens were somewhat fixed, but ClearType fixed the colour problems.

I don't know how it did. I don't know why it did. I turned it on and everything was coloured normal and every font was back to its normal self. Weird. I know.

 

[Shamrock]

using a vga cable?

So... I'm sorry I ignored you. I just reinstalled Vista, and I remembered for the first time since I installed is that I installed Vista with a VGA cable. Installing with the DVI cable was giving me resolution problems or something, but I switched to a VGA cable and it went straight to desktop. I was able to change to my native res (1680x1050) and reboot with the DVI cable.

Thank you for even suggesting that. I love you giant. Marry me... Please?

 

[giant384]

wow, i never thought that would fix it.

your welcome and of course ill marry you!