Live Chat & Podcast at 1:00PM Eastern on Sunday!
There's no such thing as a stupid question, but they're the easiest to answer.
JoinTour
Login
Search
Windows XP
Tag Cloud
access acer asus bios bsod crash desktop driver drivers error ethernet excel freeze games gaming hard drive hardware hdmi internet laptop malware memory missing monitor motherboard network printer problem ram random registry router slow software sound trojan ubuntu 11.10 uninstall usb video virus vista wifi windows windows 7 windows 7 32 bit windows 7 64 bit windows xp wireless xbox
Search
Search for:
Tech Support Guy Forums > Operating Systems > Windows XP >
Laptop Screen Pixilated; Windows Can't Boot

Reply  
Thread Tools
Mr M's Avatar
Member with 200 posts.
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Experience: Intermediate
12-Apr-2009, 09:18 AM #1
Question Laptop Screen Pixilated; Windows Can't Boot
In the middle of a game (SPORE), cursor and screen got pixilated. Screen went black and I am unable to boot. I use a SONY VAIO laptop. AR-250G

SONY tech support had me F2, F9, F10 and all was fine for a few minutes, then same thing happened. The screen that asks me if I want SAFE mode or NORMAL keeps re-appearing.

Now SONY tells me I have to reinstall Windows XP.

I have an external hard drive I can use to back up, but I can't get Windows BU to work or GHOST to work.

BEST BUY tells me THEY can do a backup for $159 dollars (DOUBLE if you want it faster).

Do I want that? Can I do it myself?

Screen just got pinkish briefly just now; lower right of laptop gets VERY HOT at times.

What to do?
Lance1's Avatar
Computer Specs
Senior Member with 3,975 posts.
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Vernon BC, Canada
Experience: Computers & I get along.
12-Apr-2009, 01:22 PM #2
Quote:
Screen just got pinkish briefly just now; lower right of laptop gets VERY HOT at times.
Well thats not a good sign! Are the fans in good condition? Can you access safe mode? If you can, go into the device manager ( Windows key + pause break) go to the hardware tab then device manager. Click the (+) beside the display adapter and right click the display drivers and uninstall it. Restart the system. Post back and let us know.
Mr M's Avatar
Member with 200 posts.
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Experience: Intermediate
12-Apr-2009, 07:34 PM #3
I CAN access SAFE mode which is how I'm working now.

I went to Device Manager via Control Panel to System. Window key +pause+break did not do anything.

If I uninstall the graphics card, how will I put it back? I only have recovery disks from SONY, NOT specific drivers.
Mr M's Avatar
Member with 200 posts.
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Experience: Intermediate
12-Apr-2009, 08:16 PM #4
OK, I did it. I uninstalled the graphics card using device manager and was able to reboot. It took forever for my desktop icons to change from the default window to the real icon.

Then I crashed, got a blue screen and the system rebooted. Once again it took forever for icons to change.

The system re-installed the graphics card. Pixilation still exists. So it looks like the graphics card?

Technically I don't need to reinstall windows?

Can I just ask SONY to replace the graphics card? Or the Computer Geeks?

On a laptop, is it the whole motherboard that gets changed?
Mr M's Avatar
Member with 200 posts.
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Experience: Intermediate
13-Apr-2009, 09:35 AM #5
Since I re-installed the graphics card, I am not seeing the problem. YET.
Lance1's Avatar
Computer Specs
Senior Member with 3,975 posts.
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Vernon BC, Canada
Experience: Computers & I get along.
13-Apr-2009, 09:40 AM #6
Lets keep are fingers crossed on this Mr M! Glad it working so far.
Mr M's Avatar
Member with 200 posts.
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Experience: Intermediate
13-Apr-2009, 11:38 AM #7
1. What was that windows key pause break?

2. If all works from this point on, was I looking at a corrupt graphics card driver? How?
Mr M's Avatar
Member with 200 posts.
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Experience: Intermediate
13-Apr-2009, 02:13 PM #8
No luck. After about 4 hours of no problem, my cursor became pixilated, the screen went black and it happened again.
Lance1's Avatar
Computer Specs
Senior Member with 3,975 posts.
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Vernon BC, Canada
Experience: Computers & I get along.
13-Apr-2009, 08:34 PM #9
Do you know someone with a card you can use to test your system and make sure it's the video card? This way we can narrow it down.
Mr M's Avatar
Member with 200 posts.
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Experience: Intermediate
13-Apr-2009, 11:15 PM #10
Actually I don't. It's a laptop.

How labor intensive is it if I buy the parts and do it myself?
Lance1's Avatar
Computer Specs
Senior Member with 3,975 posts.
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Vernon BC, Canada
Experience: Computers & I get along.
13-Apr-2009, 11:42 PM #11
I'm sorry. I forgot it’s a laptop. The video is part of the main board, and being that, you’d have to replace the main board to repair a hardware problem with the video.
bbearren's Avatar
Computer Specs
Senior Member with 3,608 posts.
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Central Florida (Polk County)
Experience: More
14-Apr-2009, 01:37 PM #12
The graphics may not necessarily be buillt into the motherboard. My dell laptop has a separate nVidia graphics card, which I recently had to replace (my D800 is 6 years old). It depends on the model. My symptoms were quite similar to those you describe.

As for backing up, you can use BootIt Next Generation to make a drive image. It will run from a floppy disk and burn directly to CD's, DVD's, external hard drives. There is a fully functional 30-day free trial download, and the price if you want to buy it is under $40.
__________________
"Let them that don't want it have memories of not gettin' any."...Brother Dave Gardner "Experience is what you get when you're looking for something else."...Sir Thomas Robert Deware. Unleash Windows
Reply

Tags
backup, boot problems, graphics card, windows xp

THIS THREAD HAS EXPIRED.
Are you having the same problem? We have volunteers ready to answer your question, but first you'll have to join for free. Need help getting started? Check out our Welcome Guide.

Search Tech Support Guy

Find the solution to your
computer problem!




Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
WELCOME TO TECH SUPPORT GUY! Are you looking for the solution to your computer problem? Join our site today to ask your question -- for free! Our site is run completely by volunteers who want to help you solve your computer problems. See our Welcome Guide to get started.
Thread Tools



Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter TechGuy.tv TechGuy.tv Mobile TSG Mobile
You Are Using:
Server ID
Advertisements do not imply our endorsement of that product or service.
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 03:36 AM.
Copyright © 1996 - 2011 TechGuy, Inc. All rights reserved.

Powered by Cermak Technologies, Inc.