Driver problem?

Hey, I just recently started having a system problem that won't even startup Windows anymore. It started when I was getting monitor flashing, and some of my games weren't running because of graphic problems. I assumed I needed to update my drivers for my Graphics Card, so that's what I did. I downloaded the updated drivers for my Nvidia GEForce 4 from the Nvidia site, and after they installed, I was prompted to restart my computer. Since then, everytime I start up the login screen barely shows up, and when I choose a user to log into, it either partially boots up Windows, or freezes/restarts on the spot. I tried starting it in Safe Mode to see if I could remove the newly installed drivers, but my system freezes at the Advanced Start Up options. I'm not real sure what to do, and I would greatly appreciate any form of help at all. Thanks.

[Edit] Forgot to mention that I get random BSoD errors upon startup. Based off of what I remember, one of them was a TCP/IP failure and one of them referred to a Driver error, something along the lines of "not the same" or something.

If you cannot boot into any Safe Mode options about all you can do is boot the XP CD.

You might try the Recovery Console first:

http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;EN-US;314058

Then failing any success there a Repair Install:

http://michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm#RI

Thanks for the response, guess I have to go and try to find my Windows XP cds.

If you CAN get into Windows in SafeMode, go to Start>Run> type devmgmt.msc and hit enter. Find your graphics driver and choose roll back

Reboot and see how that goes.

Nah man, can't get into Safe Mode unless there's another way to do it besides going through the Advanced Options menu. When I get there (spamming my f8 key repeatedly) it just freezes. It's weird though, because sometimes it lets me log onto guest and runs for a few seconds, but then quickly shuts down. Most of the time I get an automatic restart, or just a Blue Screen. Hopefully it will work with the CD, if I can find it. Any places I can buy a replacement CD from or something if I can't locate mine? Thanks.

What was the original source of XP? A retail Microsoft disk or an OEM (pre-installed)?

If the latter what is the make and model of the computer?

If the former you can basically use any XP CD that matches your particular version e.g. XP Pro SP2 etc. You will need to know your particular Product Key.

You can try the Recovery Console using the 6 floppy boot disks available from Microsoft online:

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=310994

Not too sure about the original source of Windows, as my brother had given this computer to me for my Birthday. I found a Windows XP Pro boot disk and tried to start it up off the disk. After setting the BIOS to boot the disk, I get the (Press any key to boot off CD...) after that, it just boots up like normal. I've tried the disk in both of my drives and set the BIOS accordingly, and still no success. Not sure what else to do besides reformat. I was kind of hesitant about reformatting, but I remembered that I had two hard drives; one 19gig which has Windows on it, and the other is a 180gig that has all of my games, music, etc. on it. If I were to re-install Windows, my secondary hard drive would retain all of the information, right? I wouldn't care about losing what's on the 19gig hard drive, as long as it gets me my computer back.

The second drive would retain data but not programs as programs use the registry which is on C: or your main XP drive. Programs would need to be reinstalled from disks.

But when you say formatting this is also not necessary at least at this point.

You can try a Repair Install or even trying fixes from the Recovery Console.

But you need to have an XP CD that will boot. The only reason I can think of that that disk won't boot from press any key assuming that you press any key is that the disk must be defective.

I cannot create the floppy boot disks, because my desktop cannot access the internet, and my laptop doesn't have a floppy drive. Would it be worth it to purchase an external floppy drive or something, so I can create the floppy disks, and do they work the same way as the XP cd?

The floppy disks run the basic setup that the CD requires to start installing XP.

The floppy disks themselves will give you access to the Recovery Console.

The floppy disks are only used when for whatever reason you cannot boot from your CD drive. After the 6th floppy you will be told to insert your CD.

The fact that you get the message: Press any key to boot from CD indicates that the CD is recognized but if after pressing any key it does not boot means there must be some fault on the CD.