Let VGA Mode Come to the Rescue

Let [VGA Mode] Come to the Rescue!

You'll find out that Windows 2003 doesn't care a bit whether the display on your Windows Server 2003 machine is working. Windows 2003 continues to chug along quite happily - even if you can't see what the system is doing because the screen is totally confuzled or nothing is showing at all. The leading cause of display problems is loading a display driver that doesn't work with your graphics adapter, or your monitor, or both!

When this problem happens (and it's a common post-installation problem), don't panic. Simply reboot the machine (press the Reset button on the computer case if you can't read the screen at all). When the boot menu shows up, press F8 to access the Advanced Options, and then select Enable VGA Mode.

Doing so boots Windows 2003 with a plain- vanilla VGA driver. Then you can try a different driver (or troubleshoot the hardware). This time, use the test button to make sure the driver works before you change your display!