CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

perisoft · Joined: 29 Aug 2007 Posts: 2920 Location: Ithaca, NY

I'm not normally one to jump on the "bash windows" bandwagon, because it does a hell of a lot of things right under very difficult circumstances.

In this case, however, I'm going to make an exception. I'm f*ck*** and can't get into my system because of video modes. I was playing with different modes during testing, and somehow ended up with 1920x1080i going to the 'main' display, which is an LCD panel. The LCD panel, rather than scale it down, just barfs and says it can't display it. Great.

So, swap the pri and secondary cables to send the high res to the Barco, that can take anything. That's saved me from these situations before, right?

Nope. For some reason the barco won't sync, so the screen is flashing madly, no-vhold-on-your-old-TV style. I tried to get to the display control panel with the crazy desync'd screen, but wheras XP had one shot to go there (right click on desktop, bottom menu item), Vista opens another menu, and it was impossible to figure out where to click with black on white text.

So, boot to safemode, right?

Nope - f*ck*** again! The USB keyboard cuts out before the 'F8' selector key is scanned for and only comes in again after windows starts to load.

So, force Windows to think its boot failed, which pops the menu. Pull power as windows is starting.

Nope - f*ck*** AGAIN! The keyboard doesn't get initialized for the menu! It waits for 20 seconds and starts in normal mode.

So the only way I can resurrect the system is to dig up a f*cking PS/2 KEYBOARD.

Jesus.

f*cking.

CHRIST.

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2009 10:08 pm Post subject:

You're sending positive sync to the Barco I'll bet.

Got an old CRT monitor? That will lock to it. CRT to the rescue! Very Happy

I also know you don't typically swear here.

I KNOW EXACTLY HOW YOU ^%$&^%^% FEEL!

When I was trying to load software into the BArco 909, I was right there... Evil or Very Mad

MikeEby · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 5237 Location: Osceola, Indiana

Your bios should have an option for usb legacy support? If so that should work...Catch 22 can you get to bios first to turn on the option with the USB keyboard?

Mike

**AnalogRocks**

perisoft · Joined: 29 Aug 2007 Posts: 2920 Location: Ithaca, NY

**AnalogRocks**

garyfritz · Joined: 08 Apr 2006 Posts: 12088 Location: Fort Collins, CO

greg_mitch · Joined: 03 May 2006 Posts: 5320

So I guess the solution is to have the OS locked down so much so you can't mistakingly do something stupid and screw it up?!

Usually when you change resolutions it will ask you to confirm the change. If you changed it incorrectly and then confirmed it you have no one to blame but yourself.

plus...if you mess with video res's a lot why not set up hotkeys that will swap res's quickly with a few simple keystrokes?

JustGreg · Joined: 07 Mar 2006 Posts: 3098 Location: Kenosha, WI

I just got done working on a Xycom embedded PC touch screen industrial control the other day and had the same problem until I accidentally figured out how to get the USB keyboard to work. I don't know if it will work the same for you but when the "Windows Failed to Boot Properly" screen came up I yanked the power cord. (The Xycom doesn't have a power button). When I plugged it in and got the same Windows Failed to boot option screen I had USB keyboard. ALTHOUGH, it didn't give me any keyboard support a couple times at the Boot Failed screen so I let it time out and try to boot and then yanked the power cord. The next time I plugged it in I had keyboard.
FWIW, I had to keep rebooting because the damn thing kept hanging up on one file. Not sure which one because even in Safe Mode you don't get to see the file that's BEING loaded, just the ones that have ALREADY been loaded. It turns out the problem was the motherboard all along. (I popped the quick change HDD into an identical unit and away it flew).

I use a wireless USB 2.0 keyboard and mouse at home and although I like the freedom from wires there are times when I find myself dragging out the hardwired hardware to undo one of my less than brilliant actions. Laughing

Let me/us know if this works for you. I may have gotten 'lucky' because of the architecture of the mobo and USB 1.0 resources on the c. 1996 Xycom.

km987654 · Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 9:35 am Post subject:

To get that USB keyboard to work your computer bios may need to have USB support turned on and you may need to use a PS2 keyboard if your MOBO has a PS2 connector to do this, in fact if your MOBO does have a PS2 keyboard connector then the USB support is usually off from the factory. You will then be able to F8 etc.

WanMan · Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 10270

Actually folks I learned a couple of different Microsoft branded USB keyboards will not work until Windows USB support has been reached. I do not know why, but M$ managed to f*ck up just about the most simplest of things. Any other USB keyboard loads from the BIOS just fine, and I use this ability to CTRL+F1 start my computers. I just cannot do this with any Microsoft USB keyboard.

Microsoft is like Cisco, no such thing as a non-Microsoft reality. But, I digress on the OP. Unplug the PC, hit the physical power button and insure the motherboard and components have no residual electrical charge present. Let it sit for a while and then plug it back in. I've seen cases in which Windows will forget what is plugged into what port on the video card(s) and ignore and assume primary if a video port with no display physically attached.

Again,m dumb is as dumb does.

TheVerge · Joined: 19 Jul 2009 Posts: 928

I've had the same problem a ton of times with my DWIN and the damn negative sync, nvidia LOVES dropping the negative randomly or if you are messing with the resolutions.

Try logmein.com

whats6x7 · Joined: 04 Oct 2006 Posts: 5924

OK, I think this is hysterical! I look at the Title with "Oh Heck" in it and then this . . .

CRT_Ben · Joined: 28 Aug 2006 Posts: 1684 Location: Northern Virginia