# how do you get past the 'windows did not start properly' screen without graphics?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-past-the-windows-did-not-start-properly-screen-without-graphics/549568>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 8, 2010, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-past-the-windows-did-not-start-properly-screen-without-graphics/549568 "2010-08-08T01:41:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2010, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-past-the-windows-did-not-start-properly-screen-without-graphics/549568/1 "2010-08-08T01:41:52Z")

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my graphics card has died and the computer doesn’t have onboard graphics. i had been able to get into windows remotely from my laptop but in the process of turning the main computer off and on I think I’ve triggered the startup recovery menu screen. I want to select ‘start windows normally’ so it will get far enough to allow me to log in with rdp, but I can’t see the screen. is there a shortcut key for it? or does it select automatically after a set period?

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**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2010, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-past-the-windows-did-not-start-properly-screen-without-graphics/549568/2 "2010-08-08T02:25:35Z")

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On my computer, I just hit the enter key.

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**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2010, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-past-the-windows-did-not-start-properly-screen-without-graphics/549568/3 "2010-08-08T02:27:36Z")

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It selects automatically after about a minute.

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**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\
**Post date:** [August 8, 2010, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-get-past-the-windows-did-not-start-properly-screen-without-graphics/549568/4 "2010-08-08T15:52:47Z")

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Thanks. For some reason it wasn’t going anywhere. Then after checking this thread I turned the comp on again and heard the nice windows 7 ‘I’m now on and waiting for you to login’ sound.

Now I just have to hope my graphics card is still covered by its warranty ☹