Vista Pink Screen Issue

[jvthink]

My daughter uses a Z61M 9450 widescreen running Vista Business.  She was trying to login to a relatives wireless network and had to reboot after releasing IP manually or so she said!  When it rebooted everything looked fine and she logged in with user password on Vista entry screen. It processes the password and then the screen goes pink.  I tried safe mode and it brings a blank (black) safe mode screen with no desktop so it appears desktop interface is wacked.  HDD is running and all appears normal so this is does not appear to a major problem. I Ran diagnostics (everything good), hooked it up to external monitor and external is pink so it does not appear to be hardware related.  I am typing this from inside rescue recovery using the opera browser and about to embark on drivers which I assume got corrupted when she rebooted??  Anyway, besides the fact I probably should blow away Vista, any ideas??  Hoping driver updates will cure the problem...

[GMAC-R60 Retired Guru]

safe mode desktop is black,if it shows pink on the external screen you may have hardware problem what graphics card do you have? why are you in rescue & recovery for drivers just asking I think you may have graphics card issue does the pc feel very hot

[jvthink]

nvidia card.  I went into rescue recovery thinking I could apply updates either to vista or to the graphics driver. What I don't understand is how the monitor can display the popups from the function keys on laptop like eject a device (fn f9), or manage wireless (fn f5).  In other words the display is pink but when you hit Fn F5 the interface for wireless mgt comes up over the top of the pink screen and appears just fine.

[jvthink]

i have access to browser inside rescue recovery because the wireless card is working fine.  Can i apply updates to vista in this state (computer on but not logged into vista)?

Moderator note; please don't post the same subject in multiple boards as this splits the discussion - duplicates removed

[GMAC-R60 Retired Guru]

when the LCD or inverter are failing you should see the external monitor just fine but yours is pink also so that is why I think the graphics card is the problem I ask about the laptop being hot maybe its not cooling good enough which may cause issues I don't know if you can update vista from the recovery area because its a pre windows environment

[jvthink]

Appreciate your comments.  I tried booting to the DVD and was able to run startup recovery but found no issue.  System thinks it is starting up properly.  It isn't at all hot because it happens even if the machine has been off and has just booted plus it is very cool to the touch compared to other thinkpads I run.  The really strange issue is being able to pop up Fn options over the top of the pink screen?  I can also run Opera under Thinkvantage rescue recovery and browse the internet so it appears the video card works great.  I wonder if the driver that loads when Vista starts is the issue?  I tried safe mode boot to VGA only and still get blank screen.  I can get to a C: prompt by booting to the Vista Dvd. 

Have not been able to apply updates in the rescue recovery or update drivers.