Compaq S7300uk Bios and all messages nonsense / random characters

[Treadiculous]

Hi, and in advance, thank you!

I have an old PC which worked fine as a DVD player before I moved house.

I have now set it up and it is replacing the text with (at best) random characters.

I am able to get to the options for running:

Safe mode
(possibly another safe mode option - networking?)
Safe Mode with Command Prompt

Last known configurtaion

Start Normally

When I tried last known configuration it suggested I needed Kernel Debugging and possibly stated that a driver was missing.

I cannot be certain as the text is so corrupt it makes: 'safe mode' look like: 'Sq f mO4~'

This has meant I have been unable to use any of the start up menus for fear of changing an option unintentionally!

I have a numbewr of Dell Windows installation disks (though not sure if they'll work on the Compaq) and also an abunto disk - none of which have had any positive effect, though I do get different strings of random text depending on which disk I put in.

I have visited here:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c00188897&tmp_task=solveCategory&cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en&os=228&product=409973&softwareitem=pv-19952-2&sw_lang=

...this seems to be the right thing, though I am wary of opening the .exe file on the machine I downloaded it on to as it is not the malfunctioning machine; I don't want the to run the .exe and find it has changed anything on my working pc!

I look forward to hearing from you!

[Rik_]

You most likely have either a bad stick of ram or your graphics card is beginning to fail. The symptoms you describe are almost always caused by one or the other.

[Treadiculous]

RIK - it was the RAM, it must have come loose during the move.

Thank you!