Display adapter problems

[NikMik]

I have an old 500Mhz PC that i dont use anymore, but would like to retrieve some files from it, but the only problem is that i can't see anything but a blank screeen. This came about when I decided to change the optimal settings in the BIOS menu from N to Y thinking i knew what i was doing, but since then i've been looking at a blank screen. The computer is still working in the background but if i need to do something it would be done in the blind. I know the problem is with the display adapter because i get a message mentioning it

Can someone please point me in the right direction to sort this problem out.

The PC has an onboard graphics card but i use a voodoo 5 series card and the BIOS setup utility is AMIBIOS HIFLEX - version 1.21.

However depite this problem I now have a new and much more powerful PC that i might be able to use to view these file but unfortunately I don't have a clue how to do this, so help there would be great also!

Thanks

N

 

[360Man]

On the motherboard should be a BIOS jumper but its easier to just remove the power and remove the battery on the motherboard to reset the bios. Wait 5-10 mins before powering back up I have actually seen a few machines retain bios information that long.

If that fails take the hard drive out and buy a usb enclosure and put the drive in that.

 

[stumanoo]

It looks like when you have changed the optimal settings to Y the onboard Display adapter has been re enabled (would have to be disabled for the vodoo card to work).

Look through the BIOS (you can see this still?) and disable the onboard display adapter this should get you going again.

If this dosnt work the next thing to do is remove the hard disk and connect it up to your new machine as a slave drive then get your files that way.

hope this helps

 

[stumanoo]

just a thought have you tried plugging your monitor into the onboard card and see if the output on that has been enabled

 

[KSoD]

Sounds like your onboard is back. stumanoo is right, try pluggin it back in to your onboard video. if that dont work then pull the drive out or reset BIOS.

 

[NikMik]

Thank you all for your help and suggestions, it's up and running now, when i first had the problem i actually took the voodoo card out and nothing happended, this time all i did was unplug it and bingo!

Thanks once again

N