Member Avatar for eventhorizon

My computer, windows xp is acting up.

When I turn it on the screen flickers and even gives me the "no signal" sign for a second or two on and off. It takes a long time to load the initial screen when it shows the options for BIOS and set up. It does load windows safe mode and I am able to move around the screen once logged in and the screen does not lose signal at all. But when I choose start windows normally the computer goes blank (black) and nothing happens.
*Last good known configuration did nothing.
*System restore did not do anything either, even went way further before the problems began.
*By the way I didn't do anything my self that should have caused this and no one is talking so... gotta figure it out my self.

Already reset BIOS and made sure everything is connected right (RAM etc.)

I also noticed from safe mode that my anti virus (avast) is off and won't scan or anything. Tried to click on it to turn it on but nothing happens.

Could it be a virus and not hardware problem? Any suggestions please, thank you!

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by MikeTackett

Dani AI

Generated

The pattern — boots to Safe Mode but goes blank when attempting a normal start — strongly narrows the likely causes. That behavior most often points to a display driver, startup program, or service that prevents the full Windows graphics stack from initializing; a hardware fault is still possible given the slow/spotty POST, so treat hardware checks as a second phase. This builds on points from (display/settings) and (hardware possibility) while focusing first on controlled, reversible software diagnostics.

Try these steps in order (each step is reversible and keeps data intact):

  1. Isolate startup items/services (clean boot)

    • From Safe Mode run msconfig. Hide Microsoft services, disable the rest; disable all Startup items. Reboot normally. If normal Windows starts, re-enable groups of items until the offender is found.

  2. Remove/reinstall the video driver

    • In Safe Mode open Device Manager → Display adapters → uninstall the display driver (choose to remove driver files if offered). Reboot normally (Windows will fall back to a basic driver). If that boots, install the correct vendor driver downloaded beforehand.

  3. Gather boot diagnostics

    • Enable Boot Logging (F8 menu → Enable Boot Logging). After a failed normal boot, inspect C:\Windows\ntbtlog.txt in Safe Mode for drivers that “did not load.” Run sfc /scannow from a command prompt to check system file integrity (XP may require the install CD).
sfc /scannow

  1. Rule out infection and confirm OS vs hardware

    • Use Safe Mode with Networking to run a current offline/bootable malware scanner or boot a Linux live USB. If a different OS/Rescue disk displays normally, the problem is almost certainly Windows drivers/software. If the problem reproduces outside Windows, concentrate on GPU/motherboard/PSU checks.

  2. Hardware checks (if software steps fail)

    • Reseat the graphics card, check its PCI slot and power connectors, inspect for dust/heat damage, and try onboard video or another known-good card if available.

A full user-data backup is recommended before repair install or reinstallation. If the issue persists, collect ntbtlog.txt, any Event Viewer errors and the exact display adapter model so diagnostics can be narrowed further.

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Member Avatar for rch1231

When I have seen this in the past it is because I picked a resolution or frequency that my monitor could not display. Try hitting <F8> as you boot and instead of safe mode pick VGA Mode. Once up and running you can reset the video to a resolution that has worked in the past.

Member Avatar for MikeTackett

It sounds like a hardware problem really, I have to question if it's taking longer than normal to get the boot screen. It's not uncommon for the initial boot to take a few seconds to load. If it is taking longer then troubleshoot it as a hardware problem.

How is the monitor connected? VGA, DVI, etc? Are you using an adapter of any kind? Could you try a different monitor on the computer and see how that works? Video card or on board video?

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