I have a Dell desktop running Windows XP Home SP2. Our son loves to bang on the keyboard and it looks like the PC didn't like it too much. We can't get the PC to boot now, it doesn't give any errors, it just stops on boot up once the Windows XP logo appears on the screen. The monitor goes black but the PC stays on but nothing else happens, no more disk activity after that. I am able to bring it up in safe mode and looking at the event logs I see an error showing something about 'nv_disp.dll stuck in a infinite loop' right around the time we noticed a problem. I did try the system restore back to a point in time but that didn't fix things. What would be the best place to start since the boot up isn't showing any errors? Anything I can do short of a windows re-install?

 

If you putin your XP disk and startup one of the options is to repair your operating system. Just a thought.

 

You are probably using Nvidia video drivers. The problem could be hardware or software. Have you made any hardware changes lately? Have you made any software changes lately?

Reseat your video card, if you have a separate card from the MB.

Reseat your memory card if your video uses system memory.

Update your video drivers.

Update your bios.

Disable the Nvidia driver help service.

*IMPORTANT*
Do updates one at a time with a reboot in between.

 

When you running in safe mode try replacing that file or reinstall your video driver. You kid had nothing to do with this one. So if he likes banging on the keyboard let him continue to do so. Heck if you leave him he will probably fix your problem. My brother picked up a $10 keyboard he saw on sale at a store and cut the cord off and lets his kid bang on that. So he doesn't risk his computer getting messed up from the kid hitting the keys
Its almost the cheapest toy he has every bought the kid other than leaving a card board box on the ground which entertained the child for hours.

 

Thanks everyone. Yes, I have an Nvidia GeForce FX5200 installed. No changes have been made whatsoever in months, no hardware or software adds/deletes. I will try the suggestions. Thanks again.
BTW, I also have a spare keyboard that I've been meaning to cut the cord to, so I'll be doing that ASAP. Must have been coincidence that it happened while he was banging away...

 

Also sounds like it could be an issue with screen resolution - it's very strange that it would just all of a sudden stop working because someone was banging on the keyboard at bootup.
If the resolution happens to get set above what the monitor can handle it will exhibit these symptoms. Especially if you say that you can start it up in Safe Mode.
To reset the resolution, start the computer in Safe Mode, right-click on an empty area on the desktop and choose 'Properties'. Then click the 'Settings' tab. Set the slider bar to 800x600, then click 'Ok'. Restart into normal mode and see if this fixes the problem. You can then go back in and set the resolution to something like 1024x768 after it reboots.
It could be an issue with the display driver too (as previously mentioned) - one of these suggestions posted here should fix it...
Hope that helps!

 

try loading bios optimized defaults, if that doesn't work try enabling/disabling agp fast write in bios.

 

Press F8 on booptup and try Last Known Good option, see if that does it...

 

I doubt it's a registry problem.

 

OK, I put in the Drivers and Utilities disk and the wizard removed the video drivers and reloaded them (but it needed a reboot to re-add the drivers). The PC then booted with no problems. Once it booted up, it reloaded the video drivers and then it had the same symptoms again, hanging on reboot. What gives? Since it booted without the Nvidia drivers does that point to a bad video card and not the drivers?

 

Thanks, PBratton, but I've already tried that without success.