Updated graphics drivers - can't see screen or enter safe mode etc

Discussion in 'Software' started by davewoodcock, May 24, 2012.

  1. davewoodcock

    davewoodcock Private E-2

    Hi,

    I'm just put windows 7 on my friends laptop, all went well until I tried to install the graphics drivers for card nvidia geforce 8600M......then it just boots up with a mostly blank screen with lines coming down, the sound is muted but i think it is booting up into windows as the screen goes lighter after a while.

    I've tried everything to get into safe mode or repair but can't......once it did let me into repair (no idea how as have tried everything since and it won't again) so i know it is okay as the screen was fine whilst in repair mode - I used system restore but didn't go back far enough and have just got the same problem now.

    I don't have a windows disk, have made a usb bootable repair disk but can't access bios to change the boot order.

    I'm guessing the only option is to get hold of or make a windows 7 disk but I really need to get it working tonight if at all possible so would be really grateful if anyone knows of anything else I can try.

    I don't understand how/why it let me get into repair mode once but not since.....am wondering if i pressed something different.......have tried f1, f2, f8, del, esc, tapping space bar........none of which give any visible change just the lines down the screen.

    Many thanks!
     
  2. tgell

    tgell Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Can you connect the laptop to an external monitor? It may be a hardware issue that just happened by coincidence.
     
  3. davewoodcock

    davewoodcock Private E-2

    Thanks for the reply, i tried connecting to a monitor but it wouldn't work, but am not 100% the monitor works to be honest! It was as it is now for 2 hours and i was trying all sorts then suddenly it booted up with the repair mode option, so i did a system restore etc but didn't go back far enough so its still the same. while i was doing this though the screen was fine so i assumed it must be software?
     
  4. tgell

    tgell Major Geek Extraordinaire

    If you could see the screen when you tried a system restore then I would say it is software. Unfortunately, I am not sure how to get back to the point you installed the software if system restore did not work. There is a Regback folder in C:\Windows\system32\config that usually hold a backup of the registry hives from about a week ago. How long has it been since you did the graphics driver update?

    You could access it with a small linux distro like Puppy, rename the registry hives in C:\Windows\system32\config, then copy over the ones from the Regback folder but there would be no guarantees the registry backup would solve the problem. In fact, the system restore you just did probably used the registry hives in the Regback folder. Safe mode overides the graphics driver and just uses a basic VGA driver so I am not sure why you cannot see this screen. I assume you know the key to get into BIOS for your particular laptop.

    You do not have the option to install Windows 7 again? If you need an install disk, you can download and burn the iso from the list here. Just make sure it is exact to the one you installed. You will need your key. I would try to find a known working monitor.

    Try this. Remove the battery, unplug the power, hold the power button down for 30 seconds. Then put the battery back in and reboot. I doubt this will solve the problem but give it a shot.
     
  5. davewoodcock

    davewoodcock Private E-2

    Thanks, If i can get the repair option up again the system restore should work i think, i just didnt take it back far enough, there were 6-7 options within the same day. I can't get into the bios either, have tried all different keys i've found online. I'll get to another laptop tomorrow and burn a windows 7 disk, have only got a usb now and it won't boot up off it and i can't get into the bios.
    Was just really hoping to get it fixed tonight while i'm on the nights shift, but gonna have to tell my mate and sort it tomorrow......I just hope it is a software problem now! I'm not bothered about installing all the software again, was all new yesterday so there are no files to recover. I did an upgrade from vista too......should i do a clean install?

    Thanks for your time
     
  6. tgell

    tgell Major Geek Extraordinaire

  7. davewoodcock

    davewoodcock Private E-2

    its an acer aspire 5920, will try that tomorrow, will just be happy now to be sure it's not a hardware problem! Will find out tomorrow. Thanks for your help
     
  8. baklogic

    baklogic The Tinkerer

    http://support.acer.com/acerpanam/desktop/0000/Acer/AspireE360/AspireE360faq40.shtml
    If you find you can access the recovery partition, then once recovered, you can install Windows 7.
    Use the vista graphics driver for windows 7 (I did for my daughters Acer), then just use windows update- in fact I find windows 7 found most drivers for me.
    If you use the update option for windows 7, the Vista folder becomes windows old, so old documents are accessable by looking in windows old.
     

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