Black Screen...Monitor shuts off

Hi, I'm fairly new to Dal, so please excuse any mistakes...lol...

My young grandson did something to his computer, which he doesn't remember, and I'm hoping to avoid reformating the drive, which I will need help on also, sigh, so here goes.
I have tried this with 2 different monitors, same results on both.
I can get the computer to start up, but it shows the screen that asks to start up normally, and then the monitor lights go from green to amber, it tries a few ,more times, then goes back to the screen that asks how I like to restart windows. I've tried the last good configuration, does the same thing. I don't know anything about command prompts so I haven't tried that setting.
Device Manager shows no problems.
I can start it in safe mode only, and can't use system restore.
Could this be some other kind of conflict?

Thank you for any help, it's greatly appreciated!!
Windows XP Home Edition
Version 2002
Service Pack 2
Pentium 4CPU
200 GHZ
100 GB Ram

Do you mean that, when in 'safe' mode you cannot access 'system restore,' or do you mean that in 'safe mode,' the 'system restore' facility is not available?

regards

grimerz

I'm sorry, what I meant was: I've tried safe mode numerous times, and it doesn't help.

Here's the message I get running safe mode and then doing system restore:
Intel (r) Pentium(R)

I'm sorry....what I meant was that I've used system restore in safe mode several times and it hasn't helped.

Here is the message :
Intel (R) Pentium(R) 4 processor, 2 AGHz 1024M System Ram
Legacy Keyboard detected
USB legacy enabled
00 USB mass storage devices found & configured
Fix Disk 0: Pm-wdcwd400eb-oocpfo(ultra-dma mode ata/100
atati cd rom ss- generic DVD RW 8X max

Secondary Master Drive ATAPI incompatible

Here's what happens and keeps looping in the same pattern:
After system restore
starts up normal mode
goes to black screen, then the safe mode , monitor light goes from green to amber, black screen...green light...amber....safe mode.....

did he somehow get the computer to start up on a second drive, and it's not compatible?
I'm not afraid of opening the unit and messing about in it....
It's an old friend who needs some tender care....
This is just frustrating...and I thought maybe it's in the software programing...and something really simple... thanks for any help.....this is driving me loco.....

Hi Lyn,

Do you have an XP CD? (Retail, or, Manufacturers Restore CD(s).)

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Thanks for replying Dan! Yes I think I have it.

....the original disk.. Service Pack 1A

From re-reading your problem description, it sounds like the display parametters have somehow been affected.

First try Safe Mode, then enter Device Manager. Click on/expand Display Adapters, then dbl-click on your listed display adapter. Under the Driver tab, choose Roll back driver. Exit and restart your machine.

If this doesn't help, and to go further, I need to know if your XP CD is a RETAIL version, or the machine manufacturers RESTORE/RECOVERY version. If the latter, what is the make and exact model number of the machine?

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Location: Alberta, CanadaD-A-L Hardware Scan

Okay Dan, I tried....and got to this message after I choose Roll Back Driver:

Hardware Installation NVIDIA RIVA TNT 2 Model 64/model 64 Pro (Microsoft corporation)

Has not passed Windows Logo testing to verify it's compatibility w/windows XP.

Microsoft stronly recommends that you stop this installation & contact Harware vendor for software that has passed Windows Logo testing.

I didn't know if I should still continue, so I stopped.

The system was custom made for my grandson, it's bare bones, and the XP cd was the one that was installed on the unit itself, so I'm guessing that it's a full retail version. If it says restore/recovery on the cd.....this one doesn't have that on it.

Updates where put on automatically on this system......could one of those affected the compatability.... it worked fine with this hardware originally.

Thanks again .....Lyn

Download, install, and run Everest Home Edition on this machine. (Clean FreeWare) Once it's finished loading and running, look under Computer, Summary, Display, or under Display, PCI/AGP Video. This will tell you what display adapter/chip you have. Post that information. (Video Adapter and 3D Accelerator.)

Also look under MOTHERBOARD.
Post what is listed for your Motherboard (make/model) and the Motherboard Chipset description.

__________________
It's a good day when you learn something
-----------------------------------------------------------
Location: Alberta, CanadaD-A-L Hardware Scan