Laptop screen goes gray upon loading windows XP (right after logo loads)...laptop keeps running...
I have been using my Toshiba Laptop M40 with no problems for a while now. Recently I started getting a bluescreen error related to my Nvidia video card driver (No new drivers exist on the nvidia site for the nvidia GeForce Go 6600 that work). That was minor and only happened on rare occasions until this week. It was happening 4-5 times a day. So I tried rolling back my video driver. Bad move.
Now when I load windows xp (regardless of whether its safe mode, cd-mode repair, de-bugging, etc...) right after the windows logo, the screen goes blank (not off, just blank dark gray)....computer seems to be loading but I can't see anything? What is going on!!!! I had to cancel my webcast today since I can't see anything!!!
Please help.
Now when I load windows xp (regardless of whether its safe mode, cd-mode repair, de-bugging, etc...) right after the windows logo, the screen goes blank (not off, just blank dark gray)....computer seems to be loading but I can't see anything? What is going on!!!! I had to cancel my webcast today since I can't see anything!!!
Please help.
Is it really blank or just extremely faint? What happens if you plug in an external monitor and reboot?
ASKER
It goes blank, I tried the external monitor, it will do the same thing.
ASKER
Safe mode boot-up doesn't even make it to the logo...crashes while loading drivers
Yes, go for an external monitor and reload the Go 6600 that came with your machine (or if there is an updated driver on Toshiba's site for your model you could use that). The Go drivers are almost exclusively motherboard dependent.
If it is doing the same thing on external, your video card is bad. Since it makes it to the logo screen I would guess it is overheating. How many fans are underneath? Are they all running?
Ok missed the post about the external monitor. You are probably going to have to go down a system repair route. If you get to the safe mode menu on boot do you have an option for VGA mode? Remember with the external monitor attached you won't get an output signal until you toggle it using a keyboard combination (IIRC on the Tosh it is Fn and either f4 or f5).
ASKER
VGA mode does the same thing. Is there a way for me to cool my laptop temporarily if its the fan at fault? I just want 30min to see everything so that I can transfer all my files and just reformat my drives. Is there a way to completely bypass the video card?? How do I install drivers from dos if I were to get some from the TOshiba site?
ASKER
Is there any way for me to copy my entire 80GB internal hard drive onto my 120 GB EXTERNAL USB Hard DRIVE from within DOS??????
If you are worried about data only, pick up an external case for the HDD in the laptop. I have a link below, just make sure you get the correct interface for your drive SATA or IDE
http://www.mwave.com/mwave/Deepsearchdd.hmx?%CustURLState%
http://www.mwave.com/mwave/Deepsearchdd.hmx?%CustURLState%
ASKER
That link doesn't display any products....can you send it again...or a similar product?
SOunds like a good idea...I just want to be able to access my data (from another comp) and then worry about fixing the computer later now that I know it's likely a serious issue.
SOunds like a good idea...I just want to be able to access my data (from another comp) and then worry about fixing the computer later now that I know it's likely a serious issue.
Try booting the unit with a Knoppix Live CD. If it boots up, you can use network or USB to transfer any file you like to external storage.
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ASKER
Ok, here's the scoop. I purchased a 2.5" HD enclosure and placed the laptop HD in it so that I could recover my files on another computer. Everything has worked flawlessly , except for the fact that I cannot access my most important folder "Administrator" under Documents & Setting which has all "My Documents" and about 40GB of data. The good news is that I know it is still stored on the drive since it is almost at capacity, exactly how it was when my laptop was still working. How do I access this crucial directory? I currently get the "access denied" message.
"Take ownership" may be needed, assumint you are using an admin account and a windows O/S for the recovery.
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ASKER
The external case is what ended up saving me. I transfered all my data and then reformatted my laptop with the factory Toshiba CD. Everything works like a charm.