black screen with pulsing cursor

[galaxed]

I am trying to set up a Dell XPS400 with Windows 7. The computer said it needed to update the Nvidia driver, but when it tried to install the download, the computer said it was incompatible, so I assumed it didn't install. But somewhere under all those windows was one that said the computer needed to restart. When I did that, I got a black screen with a blinking cursor and I can't get to anything except the F2 menu. I have no video control at all so can't do any of the suggestions I've seen. I've tried putting in the Windows 7 disks but I still get no video. What can I do? I'm pretty sure I just need to somehow restore the video driver. I heed help!

 

[Abberline]

Go here and let this site search your machine automatically it will tell you what driver you need - GeForce.com - Get the Most Out of Your GPU

it does work as i have tried it.

also what video card do you have?

 

[galaxed]

I have nothing on my screen and no way to get to anything.

 

[fireberd]

As you have the Windows 7 install disc, it also has a startup repair option. Press F12 at power on and it should give you a menu and one option will be to boot from disc drive. Have the Windows 7 disc loaded on the disc drive and boot with the Windows 7 disc. Select the option for "Startup Repair". This should take care of the problem. One of the options in the Startup Repair is to use the System Restore, which if you do have a corrupted Video driver will restore the PC back to a date prior to installing the new driver.

The video card, if it came with the XPS400 is relatively old and as Dell does not support Win 7 on this system there are no Dell drivers. You are at the mercy of NVIDIA drivers for any Win 7 drivers.

 

[galaxed]

There are two Windows 7 disks, neither says installation. Both say "backup." So far I have not been able to get f8 or f12 to engage while turning the computer on.

 

[galaxed]

I put both disks in, powered up with f12 pressed and I still get only a blinking white cursor at the upper left.

 

[galaxed]

The only menu I seem to be able to get up is the f2 setup menu and I can't figue out how that will help me.

 

[galaxed]

About the fifth time I tried, it came back on! I'm trying system recovery but it doesn't say anything about the nvidia download. Maybe that wasn't the problem?

 

[fireberd]

"About the fifth time I tried, it came back on!"

Does that mean it finally booted up Windows? It may not have been NVIDIA. If it's working, I wouldn't try any system recovery.

If all the further you can get is the Setup (F2) I would suggest resetting the BIOS and see if that helps. With the PC Powered off, open the case, remove the CR2032 CMOS (BIOS) backup battery for about 10 minutes. Reinstall the battery observing battery polarity and then power up and see what happens. As the BIOS has been reset, you may get some error at setup, such as floppy diskette and have to enter the Setup and disable that.

In reference to the Windows 7 disc, the XPS400 didn't come with Windows 7, you had to have the Win 7 install disc.

 

[galaxed]

I have twice been able to boot up with the f12 pressed (although not every time I tried) and with the Windows 7 disks in the two drives. If I shut down, I'm sure I'll get the black screen again. But it seems to operate fine once I get it booted. I did do a system restore to the point this morning before I updated the audio driver. But it went to black on restart again. I'm not sure I could find the battery. Do you think that would help?

 

[fireberd]

HERE is the Dell manual and the reset procedure. As it turns out the 400 has a jumper to reset and you won't have to remove the battery to do it.

By the way, there is a copy of the manual on your PC.

 

[galaxed]

Thanks for your help. I uninstalled the display adapter and let the computer reinstall it and it seems to be working now, at least for the last two restarts. Do you think I should still reset the BIOS?

 

[fireberd]

It's worth a try to reset the BIOS but as it turns out you don't have to remove the battery. There is a jumper on the motherboard that will do it for you. HERE is the instructions from the Dell manual.