[Arin]

On one of the computers here at work I changed the resolution to one that the monitor couldnt display. Well it never went back so now every time I start up the comptuer and get into windows the screen goes blank and displays one of those 'out of scan range' errors.

How do I get in safemode?

when I load up the computer I have the option of going into windows nt 4.0 and windows nt 4.0 [vga]. I always select the first one. How do I make that one load up in safemode so I can change the resolution back to normal?

Thanks.

[akiss]

select the second option "vga mode"

[Arin]

Thats the first thing I tried. I still get the black screen with the 'scan out of range' error.

[Arin]

Nobody knows how to get into safemode on an NT 4.0 box?

[akiss]

There is no true "Safe Mode" for Winnt 4.0
but try this:
add the following switch to boot.ini

/SAFEBOOT:MINIMAL

This should let you boot NT with the minimal set of drivers

if this does not work try to boot with a different vga adapter...

[akiss]

Load with Press Shift after input password
this will kill StartUp

also:
At the end of the new entry add '/sos' (without the quotation marks), change the description of the entry to reflect that it is safe mode. Additional adding '/basevideo' will launch NT with the default VGA driver.

The new entry should look similar to:
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINNT="Windows NT Workstation Version 4.00 [Safe Mode]" /sos /basevideo

Changes will take place on the next reboot.

[Arin]

Ugh....

I cant do any of that.

When the computer boots into windows, it changes the resolution from the one being displayed while the system boots to the windows resolution, which, cannot be displayed. So, I cant see anything. it just says the source is out of range.... basically, the test screen type deal that comes up when your monitor is on but not plugged into the computer.


I need to boot the computer w/ it loading it at the shitty default 640x480 w/ 16 colors.

[duhmez]

Simple fix. press spacebar now to "invoke last known good configuration"

This is the best option whenyou muck up you video in NT 4.

[Silver-Dagger]

Just like in all other MS OS's. You just keep hitting F8 during bootup (befor the OS list comes up). You will get a list and one of the options will be safe mode.

[Arin]

Quote:

Simple fix. press spacebar now to "invoke last known good configuration"

This is the best option whenyou muck up you video in NT 4.

Doesnt work.

I'll try the f8 deal.

[Arin]

f8 didnt work either.

[Arin]

Fixed.... kinda.
I took a 21 inch monitor early this morning before the others at work needed it.

Why kinda?
Well now I just get a desktop and no logon. so I cant change it back to the resolution I need.....

Sigh.. I'll just let it sit for a while and see what happens.

[Arin]

Good... okay... but how the hell do I set it back to 60 w/o getting another monitor? I need to enter via safemode, but, there appears to be none.

[duhmez]

NT 4 does not support a safe mode. And LAst knon good should have worked if it was a mere configuration. Even more still, VGA mode that you loaded HAS to work, it is 60 hz and 640x480. thats what it is.

If you are 100% sure "VGA mode" did not work, then replace the video card.

[Mr.Guvernment]

try a diff monitor justto get in and change it

[Arin]

Fuckin didnt work one bit. loaded up the same resolution and hrz.

[Arin]

No.. I dont have the permissions. its an office computer and I didnt wanna ask IT kuz his wife just passed away....

Fuck it... The machine is a POS anyways.

[Mr.Guvernment]

what if you open the case - take out the vid card - clear the cmos and put the card back in and reboot?

will nt think it is new hardware or reset it to it's defualt settings?

[Mr.Guvernment]

i tend to be the one who likes to mess with the hardware then try softwar solutions next

[zen69x]

well, just thought I would throw in my .02.

Last known good will not work cuz NT boots fine and to NT, nothing is wrong.

NT 4 does support Plug & Play, but only in a very limited way. (I think mostly ISA based cards or something, I would have to look it up)

I have seen this once before, usually I would just boot in VGA mode, set the resolution (more like confirm) to 640x480 and hit apply, upon rebooting the problem usually is fixed.

However, once time that did not work. What I had the user do was wait for the HDD to stop grinding away after booting, (make sure everything loaded), log into NT. Then while I was looking at another machine, walked them through, using only keyboard commands, getting to the resolution, moving it back to 640x480 and hitting apply. This worked.

If you have access to another NT box that is fairly close, try that.