I have a DELL XPS that I got in 2003.  The specs:
-Intel 875P chipset
-Windows XP Professional
-250 GB hard drive
-2GB DDR RAM
-ATI Radeon 8500 AGP graphics card

So here is the problem.  The graphics card stopped working.  My moniter does not get signal.  It is not the moniter/cable, because they work fine on a different computer.  So I bought a new graphics card, an ATI Radeon 9600 AGP.  However, I cannot uninstall the old drivers because I have no moniter.  When I put the new card in without uninstalling the old DRIVER, it works enough for the DELL/Windows XP logo to show, but then the moniter goes black again instead of taking me to the login screen.  I TRIED starting it in safe mode, but it too stops when it gets to AGP400.sys.  What is the work around for this?

It has nothing to do with the drivers. The new card should get you to Windows.
There has to be another problem. What error message do you get before it shuts off?

And isn't the Dell "XPS" line composed only of Laptop computers?No the XPS line is laptop and desktop. Anyways, that config doesn't really match up an radeon 8500 and 2GB of RAM? But still, does any error screen show up or does it just reboot. If you want to play games I think you should replace your card anyways. Download memtest or ubuntu feisty live cd(it has memtest on there as well as a fully functional OS, besides you might just fall in love with the RELIABILITY and cool effects[beryl].) Test your RAM, check your cooling, reseat everything while being careful of ESD. Try booting into ubuntu in case it's just your installation. Frankly, I see way to many issues on windows and hardly any on linux because it's real easy to fix, granted you know how to use it. Now that I'm done ranting, go try that.Maybe I wasn't very clear - I can't to anything on my computer right now - because after the windows logo goes away nothing else happens.  No error message, the screen just goes blank.  As far as trying to start it in safe mode, when it is starting and it shows the addresses of all the files it is looking at, it stopps on AGP440.sys (not AGP400.sys - I was mistaken).  This makes me think that the problem still has to do with either the driver or the card.Ahh but a Ubuntu live CD doesn't need windows to boot (I too use Ubuntu I have the stickers on all my External Hardware ;D) and doesn't require any config to boot the live disk with your setup. If this boots fine I think your drivers my be corrupted. Try booting in VGA mode which should use the generic drivers. Won't look pretty at all but will let you uninstall/Reinstall the drivers again, but make sure you download A new set and do you use a Anti-Virus program? If not there is a good chance your drivers are infected.

KurtisUbuntu does boot fine.  I am runing memtest right now.  However, my computer will not boot in VGA mode.  Any ideas?I made 2 passes with memtest, and no errors were found.  I do use an anti virus program, that is always updated - AVG.  If the driver is corrupt, how do I get rid of it and install the new one without being able to start Windows in any mode?  I have tried safe mode and VGA mode and neither works.Ok, perhaps the hard drive contains errors? Do you have a XP disk handy?
Simply boot from the XP disk and let the setup LOAD past the initial stages to the firt screen you need to push something to continue, and press R. Let the console load and login to your administrator account (password will be blank if one has not been made) and type CHKDSK /P and let that run all the way through. Report back after this Ok, so I had to try this twice.  The first time after the Windows setup loaded all the files and it said "Setup is Starting Windows" I got the following error message:

OP: c0000221 Unknown Hard Error
SystemRoot\system32\ntdll.dll

The second time I tried it worked perfectly fine and allowed me to run ChkDsk.  Here is the report:

ChkDsk found one or more errors on the volume
195270072 kilobytes total disk space
137657200 kilobytes are available

4096 bytes in each allocation unit
48817518 total allocation units on disk
34414300 allocation units available on disk

I am guessing you only needed to see that ChkDsk did find one or more errors, but I decided to err on the side of too much information.OK. Does it still not boot after this?

If its not working after that a repair of windows may be needed,
Although, do you have any other Graphics Cards you could test it with?
Correct me if I am wrong but an error in ntdll.dll could be a Hard disk failure of some kind? (Ubuntu would have booted because it doesn't use the HDD in any way) Did the "ChkDsk found one or more errors on the volume" display more than once? ive seen it up to 4 times in one severe scan.It doesn't boot after this.  I have tested it with another card, and it doesn't work.  "ChkDsk found one or more errors on the volume" only displayed once.  If I repair Windows will I loose files? Quote from: iemsparticus on October 01, 2007, 11:23:34 PM

If I repair Windows will I loose files?

Quote from: iemsparticus on October 01, 2007, 11:23:34 PM

If I repair Windows will I loose files?

No, repairing OS is just repair the WINDOWS folder so everything would be fine. All your data are intact after you repair the System.

Quote from: iemsparticus on October 01, 2007, 11:23:34 PM

If I repair Windows will I loose files?

No, repairing OS is just repair the WINDOWS folder so everything would be fine. All your data are intact after you repair the System.