Strange video problem in Win ME.

[Spongebob]

I have this old Windows ME system that someone brought over to me to look at. It starts to boot up fine, gets through the bios logo, then gets through the Windows ME logo, I hear the Windows ME bootup sound theme play through, but after all that I have a plain screen with the Windows blue background and absolutly nothing else. Its just simply a plain blue screen! Not the blue screen of death, just a blue screen the color of the Windows default background.

What could be wrong here? I'm not sure where to start. And since I can't access anything through the plain blue screen I'm thinking the only thing to try is reformatting. Does anyone else have a better idea?

Oh yeah, one other thing I tried is starting the system up in safe mode, but then all I get is a grey screen with safe mode written in all 4 corners of the screen. Nothing else.

[Darthtanion]

Re: Strange video problem in Win ME.

Sometimes you will see screens like this if the memory timings are set too aggressively, but it sounds like Windows is screwed.

[Spongebob]

Re: Strange video problem in Win ME.

Sometimes you will see screens like this if the memory timings are set too aggressively, but it sounds like Windows is screwed.

I reset the bios but that didn't help, so I guess the next step is to reformat and see what happens:(.


Update; A different video card doesnt help either and the system memory is the original stick supplied by Compaq. I'm reformatting it, so I have my fingures crossed that its a Windows problem. I think I'll try to talk them into using Win 98 SE this time around instead of ME. I've heard its more stable and after seeing the 2 side by side in so many different systems, I think I'll place my bets on Win 98 SE over Me, until I'm convinced otherwise.

2nd update.... A fresh O.S. install did the trick.
I wonder what Windows file caused it and how it could have happened in the first place. Could a virus have had something to do with it or do you think Win ME might have malfunctioned?