My system will only boot correctly if I enable VGA mode. On a regular boot the OEM logo comes up, then the Windows logo, but after that I only get a black screen.
Windows tries to set the display to its configured settings right after displaying the Windows logo, and just before displaying the login screen or desktop.
Nine times out of ten if that's when your display stops, it's simply because your display settings are set to something that your monitor can't handle. Depending on what it's not supporting, some monitors respond by going black ... others just go "crazy" displaying unintelligible gibberish.
If that's the problem, it's fairly easy to fix.
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First things first ... let's get you a bootable system.
Boot in safe mode - press F8 when the Windows loader presents you with the 30 second list of choices, and then select "Safe Mode" as your boot option.
Right click on the desktop and click Properties, and then on the Settings tab.
Now click and drag the Screen Resolution slider to the far left ... you want the smallest settings that your screen will support. Typically that'll be 640x480, or 800x600.
Also change the Color Quality dropdown to 256 colors, or whatever is lowest. (You probably don't need to go as low as 16 colors, if that's presented as an option.)
Now, click on the Advanced button, and then the Monitor tab of the resulting dialog box. Change the Screen refresh rate to 60 Hertz.
OK your way back out, and reboot your machine. If these setting were the source of the problem, it should now be able to boot normally. You may not like the screen settings, but at least you now have a place to start.
If the display is still blank or gibberish, the my recommendation is to once again boot into Safe Mode, possibly Safe Mode with networking, and update your video display drivers. It's likely that they are incorrect or otherwise broken.
A place to start ... start what? Start experimenting with the settings to see what does, and does not, work with your monitor.
I tend to start with the screen resolution. Once again right click on the desktop and click Properties, then Settings, and then drag the Screen Resolution slider a notch or two to the right to increase your display resolution. Now click Apply. It should change the resolution and display a small message box asking if you want to accept this setting. If you don't respond within some time, it assumes you can't see it, so it resets to the previous setting. The lesson here? If the screen goes blank or you can't read it, wait at least one minute before doing anything. The problem may resolve itself, and you'll be able to say "well, that resolution doesn't work", and move on to try another.
If, after a full minute or more the screen remains blank or unreadable, you'll have to reboot into safe mode, as we did originally, to restore your setting. (Why might this happen? Windows "remembers" and doesn't bother to ask you if you reset to something that you previously said worked. If you mistakenly said "this works" when it didn't ... perhaps by random keyboarding while the display was blank ... well, that could be how we got here in the first place.)
You can repeat this process of trial and error for each of the screen resolution, the color depth and the screen refresh rate. (For CRT displays, you really do want the refresh rate to be as high as your monitor supports.)
Related:
Ask Leo! - Why is 640x480 my only resolution option?
Ask Leo! - Do I need digital video output for my LCD monitor?
Article C2530 - January 23, 2006
Leo,
Good call on your method 2 procedure. I recently had the "vgasave disabled issue" and had to move through your steps blindly. A minor adjustment on the number of "v" that I had to press after the tab(since vgasave wasn't the first one-i had a via controller that got tagged and then a vga driver error = 3 "v" total) and I was on my way.
Thanks for the idea. You saved me a major rebuild
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Posted by: psm at February 23, 2009 10:17 AMMethod-2: If even 'Safe mode with command prompt' is not working try the following process:
1.Login using your user id and passwoerd. Wait atleaset 15 nminutes for windows to be ready. You can not see anything but you can use keyboard to execute the following:
2.Use "Windows+R" to goto Run.
3.Type "devmgmt.msc" (without quotes) and press Enter Key.
4.Press Alt+V and enter the aplhabet "v"
5.Press Alt+V and enter the aplhabet "w"
6.Press tab key and enter the aplhabet "v" (i had to do this 3 times)
7.Rightclick using keybord, press Down key and then Enter key
8.Press ALT+Y and wait for about 10 minutes.
My computer screen went black and it goes to a black screen that says windows failed to start. hardware or software change might be the cause. I have not installed any new hardware. then it asks launch start up repair or start widows normally. but when I check either it returns to the same scree. Can I fix this by buying a new hard drive?
Posted by: Daymone at March 22, 2009 10:12 AMit could be because your backlight lamp in the screen is faulty
Posted by: Tim at April 3, 2009 11:58 PMOK, having the same trouble as most of the people here, except, I can't get into safe mode either. Regardless of how I boot, after the Windows Vista logo, the screen turns black and all I can see is the mouse. If I wait, the screensaver will kick in and that looks normal(as far as color display and resolution.) So this is obviously not the video card. In addition to this problem, about a week ago, my speakers suddenly stopped working. A little "x" appeared over the speaker icon in the system tray. So not only am I in the dark, but I can't hear either! My laptop is only a year and a half old and has never given me any trouble. I ran all the tests I could find with the Windows CD and not one error was found.
Please help me tackle this problem as I'm up the creek without my laptop. Thank you.
Posted by: Tim Mulf at April 9, 2009 8:45 AMI am not getting display still in safemode i tried nother display card but the same problem again, plz help me plz,
Posted by: Jikar at April 18, 2009 1:57 AMim having this very same problem. i turn on the computer, click the user account (which is mine) then type in the password and from there it goes to a black screen. i literally see NOTHING but the mouse pointer. i even tried the safe mode but still nothing. i also tried everything in the "F8" options menu.
Posted by: Rick at April 22, 2009 10:54 AMNeed some help here. I went to safe mode but it's still black. The heading and "Safe Mode"s in the corners are there but the screen is still black.
Posted by: Philip at April 25, 2009 5:08 PMi have a HP notebook of series dv1355ea and installed with windows xp home edition. few days ago i installed some graphics driver since then my notebook doesnt turn on. i tried a lot to boot in safe mode or vga mode or even i used last know good configuration menu option but alas it doesnt work. i have all option in the f8 menu but still faces the same probs. plz help me in solving the issue.
Thanks & regards
Posted by: ma wahid at May 13, 2009 1:42 AMI HAVE A SIMILAR PROBLEM ONLY MY BLACK SCREEN COMES UP IN THE MIDDLE OF A PROGRAM OR ON THE INTERNET. I WAS JUST ON THE INTERNET AND HIT A SCREEN BUTTON TO GO TO ANOTHER PAGE AND BOOM....ALL BLACK. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR ABOUT THREE MONTHS. ANYONE????????????????
Posted by: FRED MAKRANCY at May 15, 2009 11:07 AMI accidently hit the wrong link on display properties and now I have black text on black screen on desktop, on any righ click menues and all of the pages loading up and I can't see anything on those screens.
How do I change it back under those circumstances? Windows XP computer.
Posted by: Peter at May 30, 2009 1:02 AM