How do I setup a 'headless' machine?

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i have both a keyboard and mouse attached, but find without a monitor the bootup just loops.
I end up shifting the monitor upstairs just to boot the thing.
Very annoying!
I have graphics card installed, and also tried using KVM switch in between to try and fool the pc into thinking has a monitor to no success.
Rgds
Canals Refine

Actually, windows can detect a monitor, its evident when windows only allows you to use resoultions/colors/refresh rates that your monitor supports, as well as recognition of the type of monitor ( if you go into your graphic settings on windows you can choose your monitor which does have a name, and is installed). When you boot without a monitor and it doesnt allow you to get to windows, my only question is how do you know its not loading correctly? try adding the keyboard and not the monitor and see if it loads, and if not try just getting an old monitor from a cumputer junk yard, ebay, or other shops, and just turn it off and remove the power switch.

The resolutions available are a function of your graphics card, NOT the monitor. Some (very few) cards can detect the monitor type, but most cannot.

"The resolutions available are a function of your graphics card, NOT the monitor. Some (very few) cards can detect the monitor type, but most cannot."

Also if you have installed your moniter drivers windows can set max res and refresh based on this info, although this could never cause it to not boot

Thanx for the description of the problem. I am trying to setup a headless system using ECS-KT600 and after looking at the BIOS I could not find any option to tell it to boot without a keyboard. Can you provide on details where is that option present. Here is a link to my motherboard:
http://www.ecs.com.tw/ECSWeb/Products/ProductsDetail.aspx?DetailID=360&MenuID=24&LanID=0

Not all computers have the option. I have at least one computer that I have to leave a keyboard connected to.

I've had this problem myself, although not for wanting to build a headless machine. The dang thing decapitated itself. And no, it won't boot.

I have a PIII 450 with about 400 megs of RAM. A new (to me) machine with a fresh install of XP Pro SP2. A friend of mine installed it at his place. I checked it out and everything was great. However since I've brought it home, it can't "see" that it has a monitor (I have a 15" Sony Trinitron). It goes through the memory check, it shows the XP splash screen, then my monitor goes on standby. I can restart in safe mode and maneuver around, and did set my video extremely low (640x480, 16 bit colour, no video acceleration) but rebooting is still unsuccessful.

Interestingly, I cannot go into any advanced features in Display properties under the Monitors tab. It's all greyed out. I also wanted to go into the Device Manager and remove the existing monitor (I presume the model and make of my friend) and reinstall one, but there is no heading for Monitors there. Neither can I get even one monitor listed in the Add Hardware dialog. It's bizarre. It's like my computer refuses to acknowledge monitors exist or that they are necessary. And I don't know how to get around it.

Normal reboots fail every time. Well, I suppose that could be unfair. XP might be running absolutely tickedy-boo. I just can't see it.

I am running an IBM Netvista with a secondary Graphics card as well, I was also having trouble with options being greyed out in Windows and the boot would freeze on the graphics card pos. I turned off legacy devices in setup and made sure that the system was looking for an integrated video display instead of PCI only. This solved my problem. Hope it helps.

Hi! I have the same processor, just the motherboard from Gigabyte, GA6BXE. It also won't start without a monitor attached to it (wanted to use it as a terminal server...)
It has the Intel 440bx chipset and a Nvidia TNT2 attached to it. Maybe we can find out what's going wrong.

Cheers,

Andreas

Strange. I have a Dell Inspiron 8100 and is unable to read anything on the screen for more than 10 seconds. Windows XP SP2 boots allright but I have to attach a second monitor to the laptop to see anything. As long as that second monitor is there everything is fine. Remove it and you see mainly a blank LCD. Help!

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