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I would be interested to see what it does booting to a different OS, say like to the Windows OS CD.

Also see what it does booting into safemode. Safemode won't use the video driver, but won't use the ACPI either so it might not be the best test, but would surely give a more definate answer as to if it is you motherboard causing the issue.

I would use safemode before doing the removal of the PCI bus.

Thanks Tjenner. So you mean to uninstall the PCI Bus/Bridge in Device Manager or to disable it?

I have been wary of ACPI myself. I know that when I have formatted with the XP CD I still have to wait ten minutes between restarts...its very annoying. I'll try Safe Mode when I get home and read up on ACPI in the meantime.

Here's what I mean. Can it boot to the OS disk and not lose video? If so, it isn't a software issue, it is a hardware issue because now you have two seperate OS systems (even though they are both xp) that respond the same way. Odds are impossible that the OSes would have a corrupted file or driver (especially when one is on the CD which can't be updated and doesn't have your video driver in use).

Trying Safemode could give us the same idea since ACPI should be disabled in safemode as well as the video driver, so if it goes out in safemode, probably a hardware issue.

One thing I find disturbing is that ACPI uses policies for crying out loud. Anyone care to speculate the potential for virus interferance with ACPI? What missery that might intale? EeekGads.

And you don't want to disable PCI bus. If you do, your system won't boot. Uninstalling it from Device Manager forces Plug n Play to scan the system on reboot and what it can't drivers that are not native to windows, it prompts for reinstall.

Hi Tjenner.

Good news (I think). A restart from Safe Mode works fine. Restarts also work after I've been in the BIOS. So it seems likely that the problem is caused when the Operating System is being loaded.

I've just got in now so not had time to fiddle about with it. I looked inside and noticed that there are A LOT of jumper settings; at least 5. Seems a lot and probably some of those are redundant..

Anyway what do you think the next step is. Uninstalling the PCI bus or clearing the CMOS? I have read up on NVRAM and it does seem to cause video errors. A variation of my problem is one where the user gets no video at all after many boots.

Anyway I hope this is fixable

I didn't sleep much last night. I got this part backwards... This would prove that it is a software issue.

Ok, that is good news. Here is a list of things that you can try...

See if the refresh rate makes a difference like the doc stated. Set at around 75 Mhz then in increments up to 85 Mhz. Also search the internet for the display you have and see what the user guide says is exceptable. All of this is done in the Display Properties.

If that doesn't work, then yes, remove the PCI bus and reinstall the drivers that it ask for.

If that doesn't work, then consider a Restore Point back before the issue started if one is available.

If that doesn't work, then consider reinstalling the OS.

Don't have to worry about the BIOS or any other settings to the Motherboard because that is all hardware. No more BIOS to flash, firmware to install either. We now only have to focus on a setting with the software.

Good luck.

I have reinstalled the OS numerous times since the problem occurred several months ago now. I reinstalled it very recently, last week so no restore points to when it wasn't happening.

In display properties I only have available settings of 59 or 60 Hertz...its at 59 now. It seems pretty low and should be acceptable? (My TV is my monitor).

Do you think updating to the latest drivers could work? I'm at the one before the latest drivers. Maybe there is a fix in the newer drivers...

I'll try the PCI bus thing and update the drivers and report back