Computer won't boot up! PLEASE HELP !

[tomama]

Installed some drivers yesterday, the computer was working fine. I left for awhile, came back, it doesn't seem to boot up. Seems to cycle through checking drives, then nothing. Screen is black the whole time, except flashes analog then digital, back and forth. When I disconnect the display cable from the computer, monitor says I need to connect it, so it is getting some sort of signal from the CPU, but I don't know what.

OS is Windows XP service pack 2   
 
Can someone please tell me if this is likely to be a video card problem, a hard drive problem, or a motherboard problem?

[hmar]

try to boot into safe mode, and remove the drivers you installed (hold down f8 while booting).

[tomama]

Will try it, don't know if I can do it, though, because, as I stated in my post, I can't seem to get any thing to come up on the monitor at all.

Also, if it doesn't work, any suggestions on what to do next?

[programming_pat]

try another monitor

[tomama]

Yeah, I was afraid you'd say that. Can't try another monitor. The only other computer I have access to is the one I am using to post this problem, and it is a Mac laptop. I don't have any way to use another monitor, and I am unable to go get any cables that might allow me to connect the two.

[brett74]

do you have a video card in your computer that plugs into a pci slot on the motherboard if so take that out and plug the monitor into the monitor plug which will be blue and see if that works if it does then we know it's your vid card.

[tomama]

There is only one way to connect this monitor to the computer. It does appear to be a card that plugs into the motherboard. Do you mind explaining how removing this will help, I don't understand.

[brett74]

sorry if I was clear on that if it's a video card that plugs into the motherboard in a pci slot it can be removed and then the monitor can be plugged into the on board video plug if the monitor works with on board video then we know it's the video card. I've uploading a pic of a motherboard for you to look at I know it's not your but it will give you a general idea what I'm talking about

[recovering space - attachment deleted by admin]

[tomama]

I don't see anything on the motherboard that looks like I can connect the monitor to it, just the video card.

[brett74]

please see attached pic also what kind of computer do you have?

[tomama]

I don't know all the specs on this computer. It is custom built. I can tell you the motherboard is Gigabyte GA K8NSC-939, and on the front of the computer it has AMD Athlon 64.

[tomama]

In the pic you sent, there obviously IS an on board CRT port, but on the motherboard I have in front of me , there ISN'T, so I don't know what to do next.

[brett74]

okay that blows that theory out I think the only thing i can suggest is buy a new video card but before we do that what kind of drivers were you downloadin? the reason I asked is because you stated the computer was working fine until you installed those drivers right

[tomama]

Ethernet controller drivers.

[brett74]

okay right now i'm thinking software problem