HELP: Windows load screen, then black screen + mouse pointer, can hear load music

SkyBum · Feb 19, 2005, 04:36 AM

I was just playing Riddick, then used Ctrl/alt/del to get to desktop at which point the system froze (I've done this in the past with no problems). Upon re-booting I can access BIOS, I can see the XP load screen, then a flicker and then all I see is the mouse pointer with long trails (and an occasional hourglass) on a black screen but nothing else. I can hear the windows tune (and HD clicking away) so I'm assuming that windows has loaded succesfully.

All subsequent boots result in the same problem.

To further complicate matters, this mobo has proven to be a real bi*ch to boot into safe mode. I've only managed to get there twice in the past using F8 and after 15 or more attempts since this problem arose, I only got the safe mode selection screen once only to find that my arrow keys had no effect so the timer just ticked down to normal boot.

Aside, from the trouble with safe mode, any ideas what could be causing the black screen?

EDIT:

RESOLVED

Found the problem getting into safe mode was an issue with my USB keyboard. Not sure why but sometimes it does not respond during boot (no function key either so thats not the prob). Anyhow my PS/2 keyboard did the trick.

- Booting in safe mode, I found that I still had the same problem as before only in a lower resolution.
- Booting Safe Mode with VGA Mode enabled allowed me to get to the desktop though.
- Once there, I found that setting any resolution above 640x480 would immediately result in the same black screen as before.
- Rolled back to previous video drivers, same problem as before.
- Reinstalled latest video drivers, same problem as before.
- I decided as a last resort before re-installing Windows to do a system restore to the last system check point.

BINGO! After the restore, I checked the renamed folders from the restore operation, and there were 5 ATI folders listed, one of which was an ATI driver file. So there you have it. Looks like corrupted ATI files were at the root of this.

Lesson learned: Never disable system restore. It saved my bacon once again.

Feb 19, 2005, 04:36 AM	#1
SkyBum DriverHeaven Lover Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Look up! Posts: 233 Rep Power: 0	[Resolved]Windows load screen, then black screen + mouse pointer, can hear load music I was just playing Riddick, then used Ctrl/alt/del to get to desktop at which point the system froze (I've done this in the past with no problems). Upon re-booting I can access BIOS, I can see the XP load screen, then a flicker and then all I see is the mouse pointer with long trails (and an occasional hourglass) on a black screen but nothing else. I can hear the windows tune (and HD clicking away) so I'm assuming that windows has loaded succesfully. All subsequent boots result in the same problem. To further complicate matters, this mobo has proven to be a real bich to boot into safe mode. I've only managed to get there twice in the past using F8 and after 15 or more attempts since this problem arose, I only got the safe mode selection screen once only to find that my arrow keys had no effect so the timer just ticked down to normal boot. Aside, from the trouble with safe mode, any ideas what could be causing the black screen? EDIT:* RESOLVED Found the problem getting into safe mode was an issue with my USB keyboard. Not sure why but sometimes it does not respond during boot (no function key either so thats not the prob). Anyhow my PS/2 keyboard did the trick. - Booting in safe mode, I found that I still had the same problem as before only in a lower resolution. - Booting Safe Mode with VGA Mode enabled allowed me to get to the desktop though. - Once there, I found that setting any resolution above 640x480 would immediately result in the same black screen as before. - Rolled back to previous video drivers, same problem as before. - Reinstalled latest video drivers, same problem as before. - I decided as a last resort before re-installing Windows to do a system restore to the last system check point. BINGO! After the restore, I checked the renamed folders from the restore operation, and there were 5 ATI folders listed, one of which was an ATI driver file. So there you have it. Looks like corrupted ATI files were at the root of this. Lesson learned: Never disable system restore. It saved my bacon once again. __________________ Last edited by SkyBum; Feb 19, 2005 at 06:26 AM. Reason: Clarification