please help! using xp, befor windows starts, screen becomes covered with garbage; then xp starts and the desktop is obscured by it and makes it difficult to read anything. xp appears to work but you can't read anything on the screen. thank you for any help

Sometimes it takes a bit of time for a reply

Can you define/describe "garbage" in more detail?

Better yet can you get a screen shot?

Is this a new problem? Were things working OK previously? Any new hardware and or software?

If it is a new problem try a System Restore.

start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore

Have you scanned for viruses? etc.

Originally Posted by jephree

Sometimes it takes a bit of time for a reply

Can you define/describe "garbage" in more detail?

Better yet can you get a screen shot?

Is this a new problem? Were things working OK previously? Any new hardware and or software?

If it is a new problem try a System Restore.

start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore

Have you scanned for viruses? etc.

good a.m. thank you for reply. will try to answer the best i can. friends computer i use mac and am lost on xp. yes new hardware (relatively) new video card in beginning of Feb. i ran stinger anti-virus. if there was a message, i couldn't see it. the garbage is (@) signs when i use F8 key to boot. once in windows xp , it is covered with multicolored rectangles , very annoying. i did try system restore. of course that didn't work. i really appreciate any suggestions. xp is like visiting a foreign country and not knowing the language. thanks much

Using the F8 key to boot is booting into Safe Mode.

Are you doing this intentionally? Booting into Safe Mode does not load your graphics drivers so you basically don't have a graphics card just basic VGA.

Or are you seeing the same thing with a normal boot?

With the new graphics card did you uninstall the old and install the new drivers?

thank you for the reply. the computer is semi-readable in safe mode because the color of the garbage is lighter(lol). the graphics card was installed by a computer "chop shop" and i would like to assume they uninstalled the old one. do you think it would help if i un-installed the new one and reinstalled it? i ran a check for viruses and it didn't detect any. my hair is getting thin as i tear my hair out over this one. thank you for your help

Originally Posted by jephree

Using the F8 key to boot is booting into Safe Mode.

Are you doing this intentionally? Booting into Safe Mode does not load your graphics drivers so you basically don't have a graphics card just basic VGA.

Or are you seeing the same thing with a normal boot?

With the new graphics card did you uninstall the old and install the new drivers?

I would uninstall and reinstall.

What is the make and model of your card?

If you do not know this scan will show:

http://www.d-a-l.com/hardware-scan.php

hello: the card is a radeon 4.5

Need more than that

Try the above scan or else dxdiag

Start/Run/ dxdiag | Display | Device