HP Laptop, reinstalled XP, now have black screen

[TallTravel]

I have an HP Pavillion 8000 laptop with XP. After reinstalling XP, which went well, I dowloaded updates from Microsoft's web site.

In the middle of the online update from Microsoft.com, the system shut down. When I rebooted the screen was black, with the cursor perfectly visible and movable with the mouse, but nothing else but black on the screen.

By using the series of F keys at boot up I can get to Safe mode, or Safe Mode with a DOS prompt. However, Safe Mode offers exactly the same black screen and mouse cursor--but with the Safe Mode indicators in all four corners of the screen.


As near as I can tell, the display characteristics must have changed, but I cannot use any known tools (to me anyway) to change the screen properties. Is there a way to get past the black screen and change the display properties?

[Slaander]

there is a program call ERD commander, but the company been bought by Microsoft, and I don't know you still able to obtain the program in the market.

you can always get a linux on cd, and see is the screen/video card problem first, if linux show right screen then is your setting, as for me i will just reinstall window xp and don't do any update until it fully install and configure.

[TallTravel]

Originally Posted by Slaander there is a program call ERD commander, but the company been bought by Microsoft, and I don't know you still able to obtain the program in the market. you can always get a linux on cd, and see is the screen/video card problem first, if linux show right screen then is your setting, as for me i will just reinstall window xp and don't do any update until it fully install and configure.

Thanks. I'm not sure what you're suggesting, but I certainly appreciate the input. I cannot run a different operating system on the computer for a range of reasons.

I found a reference to the ERD commander, but I do not know what it does. Is this a program which will allow me to change the display settings from inside a DOS window on XP?

Any guidance?

[glc]

I would wipe it and reinstall XP again - and this time, do NOT install any optional hardware updates from Windows Update. Use only official HP drivers.

If you have any problems with the reinstall, you may have had a hardware failure. With HP's reliability record on their laptops, this is a distinct possibility.

[TallTravel]

Originally Posted by glc I would wipe it and reinstall XP again - and this time, do NOT install any optional hardware updates from Windows Update. Use only official HP drivers. If you have any problems with the reinstall, you may have had a hardware failure. With HP's reliability record on their laptops, this is a distinct possibility.

I would love to reinstall XP, but your second point seems to be especially relevant. I have tried and tried and tried, but each time I attempt to reinstall XP, the system shuts down in precisely the same place in the reinstall. I have pulled the laptop battery and the exact same thing happens in precisely the same point. Since the power cord with inline transformer was replaced 6-8 months ago, I suspect it may be underpowered and is shutting down. The laptop is not at all hot when it shuts down.

With that being said, the laptop has been with me to over 20 countries, it is almost 5 years old, and it is not tough to understand how it may be failing. Since I don't know this is really the issue I don't want to spend another $70 for a fix which won't work. It seems the only local retailer in Phoenix which has HP power cords on the shelf is Fry's Electronics, which does not have the right piece in stock, I can't seem to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

With an extended trip to Asia starting in a few short months I know Jan/Feb will have me shopping for a new laptop, I want to get this HP to limp for a short while at a low cost until the new one is purchased.

[glc]

If it does it with a fully charged battery and the AC cord plugged in, I doubt it's underpowered unless the power issue is internal. If that's the case, it's going to cost you considerably more than $70 to fix it, you are probably looking at a motherboard replacement.

I would run diagnostics on the ram and hard drive and see what happens.

[TallTravel]

Originally Posted by glc If it does it with a fully charged battery and the AC cord plugged in, I doubt it's underpowered unless the power issue is internal. If that's the case, it's going to cost you considerably more than $70 to fix it, you are probably looking at a motherboard replacement. I would run diagnostics on the ram and hard drive and see what happens.

Yes, I am more than willing to run diags on both, if I can do that from an accessible place. However, I don't know how to get access to a hardware/RAM test. Safe mode shows a black screen, I cannot get to the Windows desktop/control panel, and I don't know how to do a hardware test from the only place I can access: BIOS setup, clicking on F10 at bootup.

I can turn the system on using the AC power connector, watch the black screen for hours, and it works perfectly, with no shut down. This is why I think it is somehow connected to the power connection.

The issue with the black screen is simple: I can't use the system at all, but it does not turn off. Once I then try to reinstall XP, it shuts down in the middle of the install. When the system shuts down in the middle of the XP install it is not hot underneath from overheating, it simply shuts down while cool

[glc]

Diagnostics are run from a bootable CD, not in Windows.

www.ultimatebootcd.com

[TallTravel]

I have tried just about everything I know, and seem to be left with one untested choice:

I can still access a DOS window. Is there any way I can reset the display settings from a DOS window?

I've been using my desktop for the past few weeks, and I really want to get this laptop back up and running again.

Suggestions are appreciated.

[glc]

Nope - it has to go into Windows in some form - be it normal, safe, or VGA mode. You have to get into display properties.

[TallTravel]

After all this time, I have it fixed. A local tech, after listening intently for only 30 seconds about all the problems, fixed the laptop in a very short time. It was exactly as I had surmised: a bad Windows install, nothing wrong with the hardware at all.

I am typing on this laptop right now. The tech simply had to bypass the bad install of Windows in a way I had not found. Now it is working perfectly.

He said XP Media Edition has known issues with SP 3. Many thanks to those here who have been helping me guess about these problems.