XP SP2 loop due to bad video drivers - HELP!

[woogie 0]

I am attempting to upgrade to a proper working version of XP SP2 from a bad install of the SP2 service pack. I have a Dell Desktop 2400 with the crappy standard Intel integrated graphics card.

 

Somewhere in the process of completion of the install -- the video drivers crapped out and so I'm now stuck in a highly-repetitive loop where the computer will not boot beyond it asking me if I want to start in safe mode, last known configuation or normally.

 

All options lead to it not being able to start up as the video is apparently not supported and I get a really quick BSOD (error msg unreadable.) I can get into the setup and boot menus from startup -- but it is not doing me any good beyond that point.

 

Any gurus able to guide me on how to re-install the video drivers from this point so that I can get the computer working again?

 

[woogie 0]

I have also tried several times to boot off the CD as well as the 6 disk emergency boot-up process for XP SP2, but the CD apparently doesn;t do anything other than tell me to press F1 to retry boot or F2 for the setup utility.

 

I cannot even get the disks to load beyond disk #3 as it comes up with a different error each time and kills the process. I'd love to be able to boot off the CD and try and recover some working video drivers.

[DosFreak 2]

If it was just video drivers that was the problem then XP would use it's standard drivers just like when booting into Safe Mode.

 

If you can't read the BSOD then it's kinda hard to help.

 

Quote:

but the CD apparently doesn;t do anything other than tell me to press F1 to retry boot or F2 for the setup utilit

 

That's not the CD talking, that's the BIOS. Looks like your computer isn't booting off the CD. Did you check the BIOS to boot from CD?

 

Quote:

I cannot even get the disks to load beyond disk #3 as it comes up with a different error each time and kills the process. I'd love to be able to boot off the CD and try and recover some working video drivers.

 

Been a long time since I used the floppies. Verify that it isn't a bad floppy....and what's the error?

[Wilhelmus 1]

In the WinXP SP2, bootup menu (F8), there should be option to disable automatic reboot.

Check if your does have it.

"Disable automatic restart on system failure" or words to that effect.

Then you should be able to see what BSOD you get.

 

[GTwannabe 0]

When you boot, press F8 to get the XP boot menu. Then select "Enable VGA mode" That will load Windows default (ie safe) drivers for your video card without forcing you to use safe mode. You can then install new video drivers.

[woogie 0]

It seems that there don't seem to be any video drivers working now -- when I load the computer using both the "enable VGA mode" and by disabling the automatic restart the screen reads "analog input: Cannot display this video mode" and stays there (if I disable the auto restarts)

 

I have set up the bios to launch from the CD (and diabling the disk and HD options as well) -- but it is refusing to do so apparently. It comes back to me with the F1 or F2 choices listed above which have become circular.

 

The BSOD error I get is the standard "stop 0x0000007B" error -- which means there is something stopping the boot process (namely the inability to load the video drivers)

 

so basically I'm no better off at the moment because the BIOS refuses to launch off any of the Windows XP CDs that I put in the tray (I have three of them -- one of the benefits of having worked for the kids in Redmond)

 

Any suggestions on next steps?

[GTwannabe 0]

Try different RAM or removing sticks. Onboard video uses system memory for a frame buffer, so if there's a problem with the RAM or onboard video, you can get crashes like that.

 

Or you can try adding a real video card and disabling the onboard in the BIOS.