Disabled display adapter now get "Check signal" on boot up
 

Hi--I'm trying to install a Dominator FX 5500 AGP video card. Used to have a Rage 3D IIC PCI. I disabled the display adapter when I should have uninstalled the driver. Now I get a "Check Signal" message on boot when either card is plugged in. How can I get back to where I was before?? I can't get into BIOS. I never get that far. Please help me, good people! Thank you!!

Whats your Operating system Win XP or 98? You should to be able to remove you video adapter and it will just boot with the windows drivers till you put on the drivers for your Vid card.But if that didn't happen I'm not sure what your problem could be..Have you tried starting in safe mode.F8 when booting.Also try to plug the card in another slot and see if it works.If nothing else you may want to do a reinstall.

put the card in and reset CMOS.

edit: if the guy can't get to bios with video then safe mode won't help much, this has to be a hardware problem. if possible return the system to as close to how it was before as possible, reset CMOS and go from there.

did you disable it in BIOS or in device manager?

My OS is XP.

How can I get to CMOS if I can never get the monitor to get past the "Check Signal" message? I know I disabled when I should have uninstalled. How do I get the machine to realize there is a video card in the slot if the Display Adapter is disabled?

I disabled it in Device Manager. Thanks

Unplug your machine and remove the watch battery from the motherboard. Hold down the power button for 1 minute then replace and crank the system. Look in your bios for a video setting. Set it to AGP not onboard. Its probably in the integrated prephrials menu

Holy cow!! That sounds so scary. That won't make me lose any/everything? Sorry if I sound like a scared little girl, but that's just what I am. I think I'm getting in over my head.

No. If it makes you feel better, disconnect your hard drive during the entire process. Post results please.

Hurray!! My hero!! I reset the CMOS and got back to being able to use the old video card. Thanks so much!

I am now in BIOS and in Interated Peripherals menu. There is an option of Init Display First. The two choices are PCI and AGP.
Is this where I make the change?
If so, do I make the change and then re-install the new AGP card and try to reboot?
In the event that doesn't work, do I have to reset CMOS to get back into BIOS? to change back to old video card?

Lastly, why do they make it sound so easy in the instructions to install a new video card yourself?!?!?

Oh, and one more thing, do I need to uninstall the drivers for the ATI card before I make the change in BIOS/Integrated Peripherals?

Sorry for all the questions, but thanks so much for all your help. You rock!!