Blank screen in XP

[JSD]

Morning folks,
Not sure if this is software or hardware so I'll start here.
Just put a new Maxtor 40gb into a P4, MSI mobo based system.
XP loaded and ran fine for a little while, (2 hours or so) but then when I next switched on I got as far as the splash screen and after that...nothing. Just a dark, blank screen.
I slaved the drive off another machine, re-formatted and re-loaded. Exactly the same situation occurred. I loaded all the bits and pieces which entailed the machine being re-started a number of times and all went fine. Then, this morning when I switched on, ....splash screen followed by blank.
Ideas?
Thanks,
John

[ktkendall]

Did U do a clean install of XP to the new drive with it installed on the MSI mobo based system?? Did you try safe mode?? Have U properly loaded all the motherboard drivers from either the MSI website or the cdrom that came with the motherboard..??

[JSD]

Yes, a clean installation with drive attached to board. Yes, drivers were loaded from CD which came with m/b. No, not tried starting in safe mode. Will this tell me why this has happened on two occassions?

[ktkendall]

Originally Posted by JSD Yes, a clean installation with drive attached to board. Yes, drivers were loaded from CD which came with m/b. No, not tried starting in safe mode. Will this tell me why this has happened on two occassions?

If safe mode boots and remains stable it proves that your problem is a driver/software related problem..

[JSD]

Safe mode worked OK so I tried 'last known good config' and that loaded fine too. Then tried an ordinary shutdown and re-start and everything worked just as it should.
Perhaps it just thought that I was having too good a day and that I needed bringing back down to earth. Bloody PCs!!!
Thanks for your help.
J