Virtual Skipper Refuses to Start Up - Just a Blue Screen with Music

[CAN Knot]

Some Motherboard have a video chip built right onto them and I was thinking that maybe Windows was getting confused with two video cards (which isn't a problem when Windows is working properly). However, if you don't know if you have one means you likely don't since adding a second graphics card would have been a conscious decision you made at some point.

To check the BIOS you typically have to hold down one of the function keys F5, F6 etc. when your computer is first starting up. The key to use depends on what BIOS you have, but there should be a message at the bottom of the screen that says something like "Press F5 for setup". If you don't know anything about a BIOS the information will be gibberish (SO DON'T CHANGE ANYTHING) but look for things that are "obviously wrong", that is the bios reports that a device has failed, has an error, etc., and look to see if there are any settings for a VGA device and if so, can the BIOS find the device?

But, I think the link that Jake posted points to your ultimate solution, but I doubt the registry values that person suggested will work for you. So this is what I would try next:

Boot into safe-mode and check the Device Manager. You may have devices and drivers show up in safe mode that don't show up normally.

If that doesn't work defrag your harddrive, run scandisk and then try reinstalling Windows again. However, when you get to the point where Windows says that it has detected a previous installation select the option to "Repair the previous installation". And make sure you are installing Windows by booting from the Windows CD.

If that doesn't work... remove the graphics card. If you have a spare graphics card of any kind lying around put that in and reboot. If things look ok, shut down and replace with your original card, hopefully things will still be ok when you restart. If not it most likely means that your video card is dead.

If you don't have a spare graphics card just reboot without one. Your computer will attempt to start, you (should) hear three short beeps from the speaker inside the case then your computer will shut down. The three beeps is the BIOS's way of telling you it can't find a graphics card, but the "beep code" may vary depending on your BIOS. Put your graphics card back in and reboot into safe mode and check the Device Manager again.

HTH

[Alfa_Romeo]

yikes...that's a lot to do, I don't want to mess up my compter so I'll print this off and let my dad do it

See if it works anyhoo.

Alfa

[admiral 1]

WAIT!

Did you say like 10 Posts ago, your winlogon.exe is infected or damaged and you can't clean/repair it ?

There is a winlogon.exe you need, the NT logon,
finds itself in the \system32\directory

Is your winlogon.exe of the following type?

Symantexc Security Response W32.Neveg ??

THAT finds itself in the \system\ directory. NOTICE: \system vs \system32. The \system\winlogon.exe is the VIRUS

Chance is that you are taking of the virus itself that's called winlogon.exe.

Before doing anything else, you'll have to get rid of the virus.

Make sure you have a virusscanner running when on line.

GF2 400 MX will run VSK3.
You do have to get a DX9.0 compliant driver compatible with YOUR WINDOWS VERSION from NVIDIA.
(did you get the driver for the right windows?)

Graficcard not recognised?

Look under display advanced setting, there should be a tab for the graficcard beside one for your monitor and various other display settings.

To get rid of any obsolete OLD nvidia driver files, consider one of the removal tools

~Detonator Destroyer~ or
~Detonator R.I.P.~

at guru3d

Don't bother with anything before getting rid of the virus, or repairing winlogon.exe

If your winlogon.exe is ONLY damaged, just re-install / repair your win-xp.

- remove virus
- re-install /repair damaged files
- removed any old nvidia driver files
- reboot (windows will use its default vga driver)
- install nvidia driver for your windows that supports DirectX 9.0b or higher (just get the latest).

Edit: make sure to take a long brake (go drink a coffee) after the installation of the driver BUT before rebooting. After re3booting make sure to login as the same user who did the installation (is everybody an admin?). After entering the password go take another coffee brake, untill you are absolutly sure the install is finished.



Edited By admiral 1 on 1112119946

[admiral 1]

Presuming the latter does not work. There's a chance that you have an unfinished install in limbo that never got to finish after the 1.st reboot.

There's a chance you might get it going by logging in as the user who did the install that is hanging.

The manual deletion of registry entries and/or files should be last on the list to try.....

[CAN uck]

Jeezz alfa. If you can talk Dad into doing all that you can talk him into a new 'puter.

[Oobie]

Just mail your PC to Theo

[Alfa_Romeo]

YES!!! IT'S FIXED!!!

Turns out our Graphics Card was fried, got a new one and it's working better than ever.

Radeon 9200 SE compared to Nvidia GeForce2 MX 400

Now I can Play again! Thanks to everyone who tried to help me fix this problem.

Alfa