not a big problem, hopefully a simple question 1

[wooglin]

New XP Pro install, but I've noticed the same issue in Home. After booting and logging in, while the system 'warms up' and finishes loading all the drivers, etc... the screen flashes blank for a second. No change in resolution, just a flash to black screen for a second, then back to normal.

No performance issue, I just find it really annoying. Toshiba laptop, all drivers up to date video-wise... I've recently run MS BootVis, which did speed up the boot, but did nothing about the video flash.

Comments?

 

[jpm121]

I'd suggest it's just re-setting the screen resolution and/or applying and special backgrounds you may be using. This is probably specific to your video card or other config; my system doesn't do that.

 

[wooglin]

Pre and Post 'Flash' the screen is at the same resolution. In retrospect, when XP Home was installed, the startup would get to the 'Welcome' Screen and after a few seconds it would flash, the user would login and the rest of the startup went just fine.

After the install of Pro, the welcome screen comes up with no flash, it now happens after logging in and by the time it happens, it's the desktop that flashes.

I'll try dropping to a lower resolution and see if the same thing happens.

 

[bcastner]

I would not bother with the resolution. If it is anything at all it most likely is a video driver issue.

What you are seeing is the transition between real mode and the protected mode of the processor as enters a state of a full 32-bit system with the finish of the loading of the kernel for XP and its execution of control.

I fear no matter what you do it could suffer from the law of unintended consequences.

 

[bcastner]

Oh, and why does it behave slightly differently between Home and Pro versions of XP?

Because the GINA is different. The Pro version has to prepare itself for Domain authentication.

 

[wooglin]

Correction - no difference between home and pro. I checked the different login modes (welcome screen / login box) and even tried the autologin feature in TweakUI - same results.

The timing is not tied to the login. Once the booting is done, as soon as the Desktop is visible, the screen flashes.

I've double checked that I've got the most recent driver, although I'm concerned that the NVIDIA GeForce4 420 Go (Toshiba) is dated 19/04/2002 (ver 2.8.4.6) Is this really the most recent video driver?

The explanation that bcastner gave sounded interesting, but does anyone else have this issue? Do I just have to live with it?

 

[linney]

How many icons are on this Desktop?

Do you get any flash if you start in Safe Mode?

 

[Freestone]

The GeForce4 420 is listed as supported by NVIDIA's latest driver, which is newer than yours by more than a year:

http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp-2k_45.23

 

[wooglin]

OK, last iteration. Safe mode - same thing.
Has nothing to do with the desktop. If I boot normally and let the login screen sit idle for 4-5 seconds, the screen flashes. I'll try the new driver and see what happens.
Thx

 

[wooglin]

That was the download that I installed yesterday. The dates still show 1992.

I'm stumped.

 

[Freestone]

Where are you checking for driver dates?

 

[wooglin]

Device Manager->Display Adapters->NVIDIA GeForce 420 Go (Toshiba) -> Driver := Driver Provider: NVIDIA, Driver Date: 16/04/2002, Driver Version: 2.8.4.6

That was the original installed driver, and shows the same data after downloading that "2003" package listed above direct from NVIDIA.

 

[Freestone]

It should show Driver Provider: NVIDIA, Driver Date: 28/07/2003, Driver Version: 4.5.2.3 as you thought.

http://download.nvidia.com/Windows/45.23/NVIDIA_Display_Properties_Users_Guide_v45.23.pdf

Chapter 4 has the installation procedures. I would try that procedure next. Here's a very brief excerpt from it:

"If you do not have System Administrator access privileges, it is assumed that the appropriate person with System Administrator access in your organization will set up and install the NVIDIA Display Driver software on
your computer."

 

[wooglin]

As the sole user, I installed the driver as myself with Admin privilleges.. Do I need to try again logged on as administrator? I'll give it a shot and post back again.

 

[wooglin]

<<<<<bcastner (IS/IT--Manageme) Aug 28, 2003
I would not bother with the resolution. If it is anything at all it most likely is a video driver issue.

What you are seeing is the transition between real mode and the protected mode of the processor as enters a state of a full 32-bit system with the finish of the loading of the kernel for XP and its execution of control.

I fear no matter what you do it could suffer from the law of unintended consequences.>>>>>

I like bcastner's answer. I'll live with it. Thread closed.
Thanks,
Dave

 

[Freestone]

It still begs the question as to why you can't update your NVIDIA drivers, but if you're happy...

 

[wooglin]

Like I said - not a big problem, just bugs me a little. Call me obsessive. Aside from the boot-up flash, there's no video issues.

 

[mjinks61]

From my experiences with the latest NVIDIA drivers, first you need to uninstall the current NVIDIA set, reboot (which will put you in VGA mode) Then install the latest NVIDIA.
The update instructions I read prior to sucsessfuly updating my machine said as much in them.
First time around I got distracted and didn't do the uninstall step, and it left the previous one installed until I followed the directions.

Good luck, and Happy Computing

 

[wooglin]

mjinks61 - makes sense. Uninstalled, rebooted to VGA, reinstalled freshly downloaded driver, rebooted...

and drumroll please........

No fix. Same problem, no change.

 

[OzCDN]

Have you checked your error logs?

If the screen is going blue and not black it may be explorer crashing and restarting. It happens a lot.

The event viewer will tell you if you have any serious errors during startup.

Later ...