blank black screen from boot cd (s)

My DIY system had been coming along fine but now does the "blank black
screen" thing after "Setup is inspecting your hardware configuration..."
screen with any Boot CD including XP Pro (compatibility wiz has no
complaint).

I'm suspicious of video card: original XP install and testing of
other boot cd's went fine with previous NVIDIA cards...

I've "upgraded" to Sapphire Atlantis (ATI) 9500 128MB.
Found 1 other post elsewhere of someone with similar problem who got around
it by changing video card...

Tried various video drivers including original disk, Driver Cleaner 2.6 etc.
with no joy...

mobo Asus p4c800 deluxe...

Guess I'll yank the card and go back to old Nvidia to see how that works...

Any ideas?

TIA

duh

Switching back to Nvidia GeForce2 MX/MX 400 with default MS drivers made no
difference.

I will be hosed if something breaks and I can't use PQRE CD to restore
backup image No floppy installed, want to live without but suppose I could
stick one in...

I've combed the web quite a bit looking for info with no luck except for the
one post that involved a massive procedure involving using a PCI graphics
card (which I don't have) for a slightly different problem... don't want to
go there...

If anyone has any info it would be greatly appreciated.

:-(

"duh" wrote in message
news:2LGGb.10987$JD6.8583@lakeread04...
My DIY system had been coming along fine but now does the "blank black
screen" thing after "Setup is inspecting your hardware configuration..."
screen with any Boot CD including XP Pro (compatibility wiz has no
complaint).

I'm suspicious of video card: original XP install and testing of
other boot cd's went fine with previous NVIDIA cards...

I've "upgraded" to Sapphire Atlantis (ATI) 9500 128MB.
Found 1 other post elsewhere of someone with similar problem who got
around
it by changing video card...

Tried various video drivers including original disk, Driver Cleaner 2.6
etc.
with no joy...

mobo Asus p4c800 deluxe...

Guess I'll yank the card and go back to old Nvidia to see how that
works...

Any ideas?

TIA

duh

Figured it out: leaving USB SanDisk ImageMate memory card reader connected
causes this problem.
I've had the thing for a long time and used on a couple PC's so didn't
suspect it, guess I'd never tried to boot from CD with it connected until
recently.

definitely DUH.

"duh" wrote in message
news:GLIGb.10991$JD6.10705@lakeread04...
Switching back to Nvidia GeForce2 MX/MX 400 with default MS drivers made
no
difference.

I will be hosed if something breaks and I can't use PQRE CD to restore
backup image No floppy installed, want to live without but suppose I could
stick one in...

I've combed the web quite a bit looking for info with no luck except for
the
one post that involved a massive procedure involving using a PCI graphics
card (which I don't have) for a slightly different problem... don't want
to
go there...

If anyone has any info it would be greatly appreciated.

:-(

"duh" wrote in message
news:2LGGb.10987$JD6.8583@lakeread04...
My DIY system had been coming along fine but now does the "blank black
screen" thing after "Setup is inspecting your hardware configuration..."
screen with any Boot CD including XP Pro (compatibility wiz has no
complaint).

I'm suspicious of video card: original XP install and testing of
other boot cd's went fine with previous NVIDIA cards...

I've "upgraded" to Sapphire Atlantis (ATI) 9500 128MB.
Found 1 other post elsewhere of someone with similar problem who got
around
it by changing video card...

Tried various video drivers including original disk, Driver Cleaner 2.6
etc.
with no joy...

mobo Asus p4c800 deluxe...

Guess I'll yank the card and go back to old Nvidia to see how that
works...

Any ideas?

TIA

duh