Windows Black Screen With Curson

johnmd20

johnmd20

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So my wife installed an update last night on our desktop PC. I don't know what it was. This morning, the screen was totally black but the mouse cursor is available. I can start task manager and even open up certain programs manually. So the computer isn't broken. Just stuck somehow.
 
Has anyone ever heard of this and is there a fix? I checked Google and the fixes all require boot discs, which I don't have. Should I just transfer my files to a hard drive, something else I can manually do, and just scrap this computer or can it be saved? I would prefer to save it, the computer is not that old.
 
johnmd20

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SteveF said:
Can I assume you tried booting it in safe mode?
Click to expand...
 
I did try, held down F8 like a diligent boy, but it didn't take. I couldn't get safe mode going. I only tried for about 15 minutes this morning, however, because I had to get to work but the F8 safe mode boot didn't work the one time I tried it.
 
JerBear

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johnmd20 said:
 
I did try, held down F8 like a diligent boy, but it didn't take. I couldn't get safe mode going. I only tried for about 15 minutes this morning, however, because I had to get to work but the F8 safe mode boot didn't work the one time I tried it.
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Can you open explorer.exe from the task manager?
 
johnmd20

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Couperin47 said:
More information please:
 
What version of Windows is running? Are you saying that you can get into task manager via ctrl-alt-del and when it comes up it's a window in what is otherwise a black screen ?
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Windows 8. And, yes, I get the Task Manager from ctrl-alt-delete.
 
Couperin47

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johnmd20 said:
 
Windows 8. And, yes, I get the Task Manager from ctrl-alt-delete.
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Not sure what mode you're in but try the following:
 
Windows key + R
 
This should open the Run command line window...if you get there run msconfig.  In the boot tab select safe boot. When you restart it will force Safe Boot. If you get into safe boot without issues after that, you can get back into Msconfig and in the startup tab you can unselect most items and figure out what's causing the issue...alternatively in safe mode go to Updates and uninstall whatever caused this mess ?
 
johnmd20

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Couperin47 said:
Not sure what mode you're in but try the following:
 
Windows key + R
 
This should open the Run command line window...if you get there run msconfig.  In the boot tab select safe boot. When you restart it will force Safe Boot. If you get into safe boot without issues after that, you can get back into Msconfig and in the startup tab you can unselect most items and figure out what's causing the issue...alternatively in safe mode go to Updates and uninstall whatever caused this mess ?
Click to expand...
 
Good advice, I will try.
 
I also found this online this morning:
 
 
On your Desktop Screen Press "Ctrl + Shift + Escape" to bring up "Task Manager".
Go to "File" choose "Run New Task" then "Create New Task" window will pop-up, Type in "msconfig" and put a Check Mark on Administrative Privileges in"Create New Task" window then hit "Okay".
"System Configuration" window will pop-up, go to the "Boot" tab. Under Boot Options put a Check Mark on "Safe Boot" hit "Apply" "Okay" and "Restart". Your computer will restart and after you log-in you will notice that you are now in SAFE MODE.

On SAFE MODE, go to Control Panel > Programs & Features > View Installed Updates.
Look for the "Update for Microsoft Windows" & "Security Update for Microsoft Windows" that has the install date of August 2014 then Uninstall them ONE-BY-ONE. (Make sure to uninstall only the said update file name and addition, every time you uninstall one file it will prompt you to restart the computer. Just choose "Restart Later").

After Uninstalling all those Updates from your computer, go back to the "Task Manager", refer to the instructions above but this time remove the Check Mark onSafe Boot, then hit Apply, Okay and Restart Later. 

Now, go back to "Control Panel", then open "Recovery" and choose Open System Restore.
On System Restore window hit Next, choose a Restore Point (choose the date which has the last known good configuration) and hit Next. then FINISH.

Heads Up!! The system restore process will take a while and after the System Restore process your computer will restart.... .. . Log-in and it's back to normal. 

hope this steps will help you fix the issue.
Cheers!!
Click to expand...
 
So I'll try both and see if I can roll back.
 
johnmd20

johnmd20

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So I did the above, undid the updates and restored to April 14th and it worked. Black screen of death is no more. I'll see how it goes from now on. I also turned off "get automatic updates from Windows". That was a hassle but at least it works for now.
 
Time to move my files to back them up and if there is another disaster, at least I have very little risk. Thanks for the help!
 
Couperin47

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johnmd20 said:
So I did the above, undid the updates and restored to April 14th and it worked. Black screen of death is no more. I'll see how it goes from now on. I also turned off "get automatic updates from Windows". That was a hassle but at least it works for now.
 
Time to move my files to back them up and if there is another disaster, at least I have very little risk. Thanks for the help!
Click to expand...
 
Do you know which Update screwed you ? I've done the latest on a whole bunch of boxes without issues...then again they all run 7 not 8...
 
johnmd20

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Couperin47 said:
 
Do you know which Update screwed you ? I've done the latest on a whole bunch of boxes without issues...then again they all run 7 not 8...
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Honestly, I don't know. I removed about 10 of them, which were updated on the 16th.
 
Couperin47

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johnmd20 said:
 
Honestly, I don't know. I removed about 10 of them, which were updated on the 16th.
Click to expand...
 
Just updated my one Win 8.1 installation, and neither I or most everyone had any issues so it's very specific to something about your current setup: suggestions: do a chkdsk c: prior to trying again and, obviously do them one at a time til you figure out what the issue is...
 
johnmd20

johnmd20

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Couperin47 said:
 
Just updated my one Win 8.1 installation, and neither I or most everyone had any issues so it's very specific to something about your current setup: suggestions: do a chkdsk c: prior to trying again and, obviously do them one at a time til you figure out what the issue is...
Click to expand...
 
Yeah, I know it was something random. I did download an app "start is back" (which is AWESOME) and that might not have spoken kindly to the updates. I don't really care that much, the computer is back up, my files are backed up and if it bricks again I'll just get a new desktop. There is nothing on that particular machine that is of value now that everything is backed up. The computer is about 18 months old, so it's not so new that it would make me irate.
 
When Windows 10 drops, I'll probably get a new desktop anyway. So the path looks good. Thanks.
 
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