Help - Graphics/BIOS problem, computer won't boot!
Discussion
Hi,
Ealier this week I got an old PC game intended for Windows 95 (Need For Speed
) through from ebay for a spot of nostalgia from my teens! Sadly on my windows XP equipped machine it wouldn't run. After turning the hardware acceleration off, the installation program would run ok, but the game crashed when it tried to load video. So, I went off in search of more hi-tech features to disable in an attempt to take it back to W95 spec without really knowing what I was doing. After fiddling with a number of things I wondered if I could disable the fancy graphics card on there and get it to run off an internal one. So, under the XP graphics setting thing I selected the Radion VE (ok, maybe fancy was an exageration....) and clicked 'disable this' thinking idiot-proof windows wouldn't let me do anything irreversible.
Next time I tried to boot I think it actually went into windows normally, but the screen went blank after the Windows XP logo.
A friend at work recommended I changed the graphics card settings on the bios, so I went in and unsure what it might have done I clicked on reset to standard settings (or words to that effect) - big mistake, it now get's to the windows XP logo then reboots in an endless circle!!
Ok - so I know I'm a numpty (I don't confess to know anything about computers other than the fact they're not as scary as most tchnophobes make out and I've never broken one yet despite messing around since I was a kid!) but can anyone give me any suggestions what to do?
I'm primarily interested in restoring the computer as I have a load of music on there I want to recover even if the PC itself (a 1400 athlon probably now worth about a tenner!) doesn't last! Maybe then I'll try (a bit more cautiously!) to get the game running
Ealier this week I got an old PC game intended for Windows 95 (Need For Speed
) through from ebay for a spot of nostalgia from my teens! Sadly on my windows XP equipped machine it wouldn't run. After turning the hardware acceleration off, the installation program would run ok, but the game crashed when it tried to load video. So, I went off in search of more hi-tech features to disable in an attempt to take it back to W95 spec without really knowing what I was doing. After fiddling with a number of things I wondered if I could disable the fancy graphics card on there and get it to run off an internal one. So, under the XP graphics setting thing I selected the Radion VE (ok, maybe fancy was an exageration....) and clicked 'disable this' thinking idiot-proof windows wouldn't let me do anything irreversible. Next time I tried to boot I think it actually went into windows normally, but the screen went blank after the Windows XP logo.
A friend at work recommended I changed the graphics card settings on the bios, so I went in and unsure what it might have done I clicked on reset to standard settings (or words to that effect) - big mistake, it now get's to the windows XP logo then reboots in an endless circle!!
Ok - so I know I'm a numpty (I don't confess to know anything about computers other than the fact they're not as scary as most tchnophobes make out and I've never broken one yet despite messing around since I was a kid!) but can anyone give me any suggestions what to do?
I'm primarily interested in restoring the computer as I have a load of music on there I want to recover even if the PC itself (a 1400 athlon probably now worth about a tenner!) doesn't last! Maybe then I'll try (a bit more cautiously!) to get the game running
Right, questions:
Does the machine POST? (i.e. <Flash of geeky stuff>, <BEEP>, <Windows loading screen>
If so then go in to the BiOS and look for the option marked "restore defaults" or "fail-safe settings". Trigger this and answer Yes. Save and exit answering Yes.
This'll reset everything back to the defaults (which bar any tinkering your might have done over the years is where they were until this all went tits up).
If NO and the machine is flashing it's boot logo and rebooting you'll need to get the manual for the motherboard and look where the CMOS clear jumper is. Open the machine up, look at the diagram, scratch head, decide that one kinda look like it, and do the job (basically move it one post over, wait 10 seconds, move it back). This will again reset the machine to it's defaults but it will pester you for the date and time.
As to getting need for speed to install. Have you considered using something like VMWare Player, a blank vmx disk image, and install Win95 on to that? It'll do 3D acceleration (basic DX8).
Does the machine POST? (i.e. <Flash of geeky stuff>, <BEEP>, <Windows loading screen>
If so then go in to the BiOS and look for the option marked "restore defaults" or "fail-safe settings". Trigger this and answer Yes. Save and exit answering Yes. This'll reset everything back to the defaults (which bar any tinkering your might have done over the years is where they were until this all went tits up).
If NO and the machine is flashing it's boot logo and rebooting you'll need to get the manual for the motherboard and look where the CMOS clear jumper is. Open the machine up, look at the diagram, scratch head, decide that one kinda look like it, and do the job (basically move it one post over, wait 10 seconds, move it back). This will again reset the machine to it's defaults but it will pester you for the date and time.
As to getting need for speed to install. Have you considered using something like VMWare Player, a blank vmx disk image, and install Win95 on to that? It'll do 3D acceleration (basic DX8).
Endless circle after loading setup defaults in the bios? 
Make sure ACPI is enabled in the BIOS, it'l probably be under power managmement settings.
Once you get back to the steady black screen after boot scenario, boot while tapping F8 then select 'VGA mode' from the menu. Then re-enable the radeon VE and reboot normally again.
Make sure ACPI is enabled in the BIOS, it'l probably be under power managmement settings. Once you get back to the steady black screen after boot scenario, boot while tapping F8 then select 'VGA mode' from the menu. Then re-enable the radeon VE and reboot normally again.
ThePassenger said:
Right, questions:
Does the machine POST? (i.e. <Flash of geeky stuff>, <BEEP>, <Windows loading screen> If so then go in to the BiOS and look for the option marked "restore defaults" or "fail-safe settings". Trigger this and answer Yes. Save and exit answering Yes.
This'll reset everything back to the defaults (which bar any tinkering your might have done over the years is where they were until this all went tits up).
If NO and the machine is flashing it's boot logo and rebooting you'll need to get the manual for the motherboard and look where the CMOS clear jumper is. Open the machine up, look at the diagram, scratch head, decide that one kinda look like it, and do the job (basically move it one post over, wait 10 seconds, move it back). This will again reset the machine to it's defaults but it will pester you for the date and time.
As to getting need for speed to install. Have you considered using something like VMWare Player, a blank vmx disk image, and install Win95 on to that? It'll do 3D acceleration (basic DX8).
Does the machine POST? (i.e. <Flash of geeky stuff>, <BEEP>, <Windows loading screen>
If so then go in to the BiOS and look for the option marked "restore defaults" or "fail-safe settings". Trigger this and answer Yes. Save and exit answering Yes. This'll reset everything back to the defaults (which bar any tinkering your might have done over the years is where they were until this all went tits up).
If NO and the machine is flashing it's boot logo and rebooting you'll need to get the manual for the motherboard and look where the CMOS clear jumper is. Open the machine up, look at the diagram, scratch head, decide that one kinda look like it, and do the job (basically move it one post over, wait 10 seconds, move it back). This will again reset the machine to it's defaults but it will pester you for the date and time.
As to getting need for speed to install. Have you considered using something like VMWare Player, a blank vmx disk image, and install Win95 on to that? It'll do 3D acceleration (basic DX8).
Hi,
I've tried restoring the defaults in the BIOS, still does the same thing. Beeps, flashes up the "F2 to go into BIOS setup, F12 to network boot", then the Windows XP logo and progress bar. Then, screen goes blank and shortly after it reboots!
Gah! I hate computers
Chris.
You need to do the sneakyneil F8 stuff from above. Its rebooting halfway through the normal boot - F8 should bring up a menu and allow you to pick safe mode (standard drivers).
Keep hitting F8 after the screen with F2 setup etc - might need a few boots for you to get the timing right.
Keep hitting F8 after the screen with F2 setup etc - might need a few boots for you to get the timing right.
malman said:
You need to do the sneakyneil F8 stuff from above. Its rebooting halfway through the normal boot - F8 should bring up a menu and allow you to pick safe mode (standard drivers).
Keep hitting F8 after the screen with F2 setup etc - might need a few boots for you to get the timing right.
Keep hitting F8 after the screen with F2 setup etc - might need a few boots for you to get the timing right.
Nope tried it, along with VGA mode, safe mode with boot logging etc etc all the options on that menu!
chris71 said:
malman said:
You need to do the sneakyneil F8 stuff from above. Its rebooting halfway through the normal boot - F8 should bring up a menu and allow you to pick safe mode (standard drivers).
Keep hitting F8 after the screen with F2 setup etc - might need a few boots for you to get the timing right.
Keep hitting F8 after the screen with F2 setup etc - might need a few boots for you to get the timing right.
Nope tried it, along with VGA mode, safe mode with boot logging etc etc all the options on that menu!
Is ACPI enabled in the bios? sorry to labour this but it's really common on motherboards of that vintage that acpi defaults to 'off', and if XP was installed with it on then it will bluescreen/reboot on startup if you turn it off (which loading bios defaults usually does on that vintage of machine...)
Edited by SneakyNeil on Thursday 26th April 18:16
SneakyNeil said:
Is ACPI enabled in the bios? sorry to labour this but it's really common on motherboards of that vintage that acpi defaults to 'off', and if XP was installed with it on then it will bluescreen/reboot on startup if you turn it off (which loading bios defaults usually does on that vintage of machine...)
If it isn't this then I'd suggest a repair install of XP and if that doesn't work.... format reinstall.
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