I had a working installation of Windows Server 2008 until last week. Now, on boot, the display works fine until just after the F8 screen, and whatever I choose (Start Windows Normally / Safe Mode / Last Good Configuration / etc.) , the display light turns amber, the screen goes blank, and soon reports "No Signal Detected." The usual display is a 19" Daewoo LCD, but get the exact same behavior using a 23" CRT. I thought I would solve the problem by blowing away the Server 2008 configuration and installing Windows 7 Professional, but during the install from CD, within seconds after seeing the splash screen and the next (default options) screen, which are clearly visible on the display, the display signal disappears again, just as with the Windows 2008 installation that's already on the hard disk. The keyboard and mouse are both working fine during the boot. I can see the mouse cursor and move it; I can hit enter (if I'm fast) on the default options screen during the Win 7 install and move to the next screen before it blanks. There is only one video adapter in the system (it's onboard with the IBM X Series server) - which is obviously working OK because I can see both the text mode BIOS and the graphical Windows splash screen during the install attempt. It seems to me that Windows is attempting something that causes the screens to go blank when they do - it seems to be after a few seconds have elapsed after the trigger points and not based on moving the mouse. The trigger points seem to be hitting the enter key during the Windows 2008 startup sequence to select one of the options, and simply reaching the end of the splash screen during the Win 7 install (it goes blank without moving the mouse or touching the keyboard after that). Any ideas? Thanks!

I had a working installation of Windows Server 2008 until last week. Now, on boot, the display works fine until just after the F8 screen, and whatever I choose (Start Windows Normally / Safe Mode / Last Good Configuration / etc.) , the display light turns amber, the screen goes blank, and soon reports "No Signal Detected." The usual display is a 19" Daewoo LCD, but get the exact same behavior using a 23" CRT. I thought I would solve the problem by blowing away the Server 2008 configuration and installing Windows 7 Professional, but during the install from CD, within seconds after seeing the splash screen and the next (default options) screen, which are clearly visible on the display, the display signal disappears again, just as with the Windows 2008 installation that's already on the hard disk. The keyboard and mouse are both working fine during the boot. I can see the mouse cursor and move it; I can hit enter (if I'm fast) on the default options screen during the Win 7 install and move to the next screen before it blanks. There is only one video adapter in the system (it's onboard with the IBM X Series server) - which is obviously working OK because I can see both the text mode BIOS and the graphical Windows splash screen during the install attempt. It seems to me that Windows is attempting something that causes the screens to go blank when they do - it seems to be after a few seconds have elapsed after the trigger points and not based on moving the mouse. The trigger points seem to be hitting the enter key during the Windows 2008 startup sequence to select one of the options, and simply reaching the end of the splash screen during the Win 7 install (it goes blank without moving the mouse or touching the keyboard after that). Any ideas? Thanks! The problem may be with the driver for that graphics card or video settings in Windows. Can you start the server in safe-mode which renders 16-bit graphics which pose no stress on a graphics card. If you can, try to remove the graphics adapter driver in device manager and disable Automatic driver installation. Then reboot the server and let it boot normally. You should be able to then get onto the server and install the IBM/Intel... whichever graphics adapter applies to your case depending on your hardware. If that is not working, you will need to contact IBM support for a failed graphics adapter. 8-Bit and 16-bit graphics will still run on a graphics card that is going bad... which you see evident by the splash screen. They might also have diagnostics to run for that server but this does seem like either a bad driver or bad graphics card chip on your system. Steve Kline Microsoft Certified IT Professional: Server Administrator Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist: Active Directory, Network Infrastructure, Application Platform, Windows 7 Microsoft Certified Product Specialist & Network Product Specialist Red Hat Certified System Administrator Microsoft® Community Contributor Award 2011 This posting is "as is" without warranties and confers no rights.

It does exactly the same thing when I select safe mode. If it was a problem with the graphics adapter itself, why would I see everything fine (both text mode BIOS and graphics mode splash screen) until the same point in time every time after Windows loads? If it is "a graphics card that is going bad," what is it that Windows is doing (both Windows Server 2008 and Windows 7 install) that suddenly causes the adapter to fail?

I installed another video adapter, and get the exact same results, so it couldn't be the graphics adapter. I still think it's something that Windows does in relation to the video driver / adapter / display, but I don't know what Windows does at startup (right after I hit enter to Start Windows Normally or Safe Mode or whatever), OR right after the install CD splash screen. What is baffling is that it would do it so consistently at the same time in either of two processes: 1) when starting up on the Windows Server 2008 installation, right after I hit enter to Start Windows Normally or Safe Mode, or 2) when booting from the Windows 7 Pro installation CD, a few seconds after the splash screen is replaced by the select initial options screen. It is definitely not time-sensitive or intermittent, because I explored BIOS for ten minutes without so much as a graphical hiccup...

Hi, Please try to adjust the display Resolution to the lowest level (800X600), and make sure to update the latest video driver for video adapter. BrentPlease remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.