Win7 Black Screen of Death, any help?

[ukubuntu]

Hi all, I am trying to fix a laptop that has developed the Black Screen of death, so called because on bootin the machine it appears to load up as normal, two bars go across the screen saying windows is loading and I see the windos logo come and go, the a short pause and then the mouse pointer. The pointer is movable around the screen but nothing can be done with the machine. No keyboard entry makes any difference, not Ctrl Alt Del or anything. It had initially had screens to repair but on running them several times they disappeared.

F8 on boot does bring up the usual preboot list but none of them work. All safe mode variants give the same BlackSOD, all other options do not promote any change in the system. When I use a Win7 recovery cd, I get exactly th wsame results. I cannot reinstall as this was an academic install for low income family and only has a tracking number, not a produck key.

I have tried nearly all suggestions from google searches including replacing explorer.exe etc.

I would really like to help the family whose laptop this is.

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated

Adrian

[ukubuntu]

Just to add there appears no way to get a command line up GRRR!

[Medico]

You should be able to get a command line by inserting the installation disk and booting to it. Choose Repair my computer. One of the options is a command prompt. Or create a Windows Repair Disk on another PC and use this Repair Disk.

This could be a graphics card problem. Can you attempt to start in safe mode? If so generic graphics drivers are loaded. You could then try to update the graphics adapters from Device Manager. Otherwise perhaps you could download drivers on another PC to a flash drive and after booting to safe mode, install the graphics drivers from the flash drive.

[ukubuntu]

Thank you Ted for your reply,
Sadly, from both the f8 boot from the hard drive and the boot from a win7 recovery disc, all options fail. Booting into Safe mode with networking, or command prompt, selecting repair, selecting last known good configuration, low graphics mode all have exactly the same outcome.
Every which way I try I end up with a black screen and movable mouse pointer howeverleft or right click to get to make a response gives nothing.
I can use Linux LiveCD to check all is there and I have backed up vital data, but I have no idea how I would reintall this as it is a non standard product.
It may well be that it is a single file that has gone wrong, I just have not been able to find out which one. Possibly corrupted on update or whatever. I just wish companies and governments who give away or even sell computers to less savvy people would properly educate on backup and reestore or reinstall actions necessary for maintainance.
Thank you again
Adrian

[Medico]

How old is the laptop? Laptops have more problems with heat buildup. Have you tried to clean out the air vents? I would use a can of compressed air on one side to blow into the PC and a vacumn cleaner on the other to suck debris out. Because it's a laptop there is most likely less repair work you can do yourself. This still sounds like a graphics card problem, but graphics in Laptops are often built into the MB rather than a discrete card. And even if it was a discrete card, Laptops are much more difficult to open to allow T/S problems. If it is worth fixing (cost versus benefit) I would take it to a reputable repair shop and get an estimate for repairs.

I suppose you could try a Repair Install. Be sure to read all the instructions and warnings posted.

The other possibility is to try the Startup Repair option.

I would read through both these sites completely before starting either so you have a good understanding of what's involved.

[ukubuntu]

Thank you for trying but the laptop is clean from dust, it was part of my check, I checked the RAM was working well and it runs a live Linux CD fine. I will have to try and seek someone who has had the same install. It was kind for you to offer the help.
A

[Xircal]

See this Microsoft article on the subject: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/155053