Windows 7 Emergency reinstall problem - possibly GPU related

Jikot

New Member
Hello all,

I upgraded to Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit two weeks ago, and yesterday I started having some trouble:

When playing cod4 the computer froze. A couple of hard resets, a driver and bios update later, the computer still froze when entering a game. The screen would start blinking, the sound was off, and then the game just crashed to desktop.

Other games blinked and artifacted as well. I was thinking my GPU had died.

Today the computer got stuck at the windows logo at startup repeatedly, no way of getting through.

I tried a clean install, but during the final stage of the installation (after a reboot and some "completing installation") the screen went black with a blinking cursor, and did not change.

I tried several more times, same problem.

I ran a windows memory diagnostic on the ram which turned out clean, so it's at least not RAM related.

Could a broken graphics card mess up a clean install of Windows 7?

I deduced this from a few replies to similar issues in other threads: they proposed disabling on-board video. I still have not found a way to do this, I cannot find such an option in the BIOS.

My computer is a little over one year old, was of the highest spec when I ordered it, and is now bricked. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance.

My specs:

Dell XPS 630i
Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit
Intel Core 2 Quad-Core Q9300 2.50GHz
Nvidia 9800 GX2
4GB DDR2
1TB HDD
 
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Sometimes motherboards will default to using an add-in card if one is added so negating the need to change any settings in the bios.
Try booting up and pressing F8 and then select Enable low resolution video (640 X 480). You should now be able to finish the installation..
 
Thank you for the reply!

I will try this right now, I'll keep you posted.

Thaaaaaanks,

Thierry
 
This didn't work :(

I was able to boot from cd and enable low resolution in one single boot when I started the install, but the computer rebooted during install, and the F8 button didn't bring up the selection screen that time. Not sure if that negates the low resolution selection.

I again get the black screen with the blinking cursor.

This seriously could not have come at a worse time :(((((
 
When you get to the black screen and cursor have you tried ctrl+Alt+Del?
 
Have you tried removing the graphics card and just use the onboard GPU? You might at least be able to install the os and then go form there?
 
I don't think I have any video ports outside of the graphics card.

I tried that yesterday, had the card in my hands and everything, only to realize there were no video ports :(
 
I don't think I have any video ports outside of the graphics card.

I tried that yesterday, had the card in my hands and everything, only to realize there were no video ports :(

Do you know anyone who could loan you a vid card to finish the install with?
 
I don't think I have any video ports outside of the graphics card.

I tried that yesterday, had the card in my hands and everything, only to realize there were no video ports :(

What is your motherbooard?
 
Nvidia nforce 650i SLI
At least that's what I find with an online search, I'm afraid I can't really check on the computer itself.
 
I have had a motherboard die on me two years ago (on a notebook), but that messed up everything, not just games and the like.

Yesterday I could still browse and use word and such fine. Well, until I could no longer boot that is...
 
There are some ideas in the web link: Link Removed - Invalid URL
 
Oh no, it is almost certainly the nVidia chipset.. always a problem. You may need custom drivers at the point of install for nForce.
 
I need to try another graphics card, but I fear the only one I have is some 128mb dinosaur inside my 8-year-old desktop.

Not sure it will do the trick, but if it does I'll at least have confirmation that my graphics card is at fault.

Thank you so much for the help!
 
Oh no, it is almost certainly the nVidia chipset.. always a problem. You may need custom drivers at the point of install for nForce.

But the install worked flawlessly the first time two weeks ago.

I know something was bugging out the graphics on my computer, and I'm thinking it's the GPU (rather than the mobo). However, the 'puter hung up during booting the next day. I could boot fine the day before, even when the graphics were bugging out. And then the installation hung up as well.

Could the booting and installation problems both be caused by the GPU?
 
I'd try with your other graphic solution. Even if it only runs the basic GUI you'll at least load the os...
 
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