Windows 7, Black screen with cursor

[Varpin]

Hello!

 

My old PC stopped working about half a year ago and today I tough that I could try to fix it. When I start up the pc there comes a black screen with cursor, my OS is Windows 7 64bit.

I have tried to fix the computer, boot the pc to all safe mode options, but the result is the same, black screen with cursor. I have tried the 640x480 resolution and debugging too. I have also changed the RAM stick to another slot.

There's one thing that I haven't tried is reseting the PC because I have old stuff that I want to save from the pc. Is there anything else that I could possibly do?

 

Thanks!

[SkilledRebuilds]

My brother has had this happen a few times at work with Blackscreen + Cursor issues...

He has fixed it EVERYTIME so far without re-install by using the registry backups to replace corrupted ones.

^Creating temp directory for copying OLD screwed files. (Backing them up basically)

Copying GOOD Backup Registry data over the old ones.

^METHOD 1

 

 

 

 

 

Without creating temp backups and just copying Good over Bad.
http://www.nullskull.com/faq/49/recover-windows-registry-when-no-restore-point-or-backup.aspx

^METHOD 2

Even without installed backup utilities, Windows automatically makes it's own current backup of the Registry here:
C:\Windows\System32\config\RegBack
It is usually a week old or less.
To recover the saved backup registry:

1) Boot from the Windows 7 Installation DVD
2) Choose Recovery Options
3) Choose Command Prompt
Enter the following commands. Press enter after each one:

cd \windows\system32\config\regback

xcopy c:\windows\system32\config\regback c:\windows\system32\config

You can now remove the DVD and reboot.  It is necessary to boot from the installation DVD and use the Recovery Console Command Prompt since the XCOPY command will need exclusive access to the registry files. If you do this from a Windows command prompt, some files may be locked by the operating system and they will not copy correctly.

 

49 minutes ago, Varpin said:

Hello!

 

My old PC stopped working about half a year ago and today I tough that I could try to fix it. When I start up the pc there comes a black screen with cursor, my OS is Windows 7 64bit.

I have tried to fix the computer, boot the pc to all safe mode options, but the result is the same, black screen with cursor. I have tried the 640x480 resolution and debugging too. I have also changed the RAM stick to another slot.

There's one thing that I haven't tried is reseting the PC because I have old stuff that I want to save from the pc. Is there anything else that I could possibly do?

 

Thanks!

 

[Varpin]

@SkilledRebuilds What if I don't have a Windows 7 installation DVD and any of my friends have it neither?

[SkilledRebuilds]

If you can get to Windows Repair options then you should be able to.

To access the System Recovery Environment in Windows 7, simply boot your PC, just before the system loads the Windows operating system; hit the [F8] Function 8 key on your keyboard which will launch the Advanced Boot Options menu. There you will see a new option 'Repair Your Computer', select this option and hit 'Enter' on your keyboard.

 

Then follow the post I made earlier.

4 minutes ago, Varpin said:

@SkilledRebuilds What if I don't have a Windows 7 installation DVD and any of my friends have it neither?

[Varpin]

@SkilledRebuilds Well I tried it and nothing seems to happen. I watched the video as far as I could but I couldn't go forward from 1:23 because it couldn't find the specified path. or doesn't do anything.

[SkilledRebuilds]

8 minutes ago, Varpin said:

@SkilledRebuilds Well I tried it and nothing seems to happen. I watched the video as far as I could but I couldn't go forward from 1:23 because it couldn't find the specified path. or doesn't do anything.

"MD BACKUP" didn't work? (All it does it "Make Directory" - aka, makes a folder called "Backup")

 

Or the "Copy *.* BACKUP" didnt work?

 

(^Which I still recommend you do if you can^)

You can forego the first method and try the 2nd if you want/can't get your head around the commands for backing up the old files.

 

Enter the following commands. Press enter after each one:
cd \windows\system32\config\regback

xcopy c:\windows\system32\config\regback c:\windows\system32\config

 

 

Chance that if THIS fails, you have to do a reinstall (Due to Windows requiring these files to boot)

 

 

[Varpin]

@SkilledRebuilds Well I got now something working! In the video at 0:33 I typed all the text what there was and now the commands prompt copied something. What do I do next? Do I keep watching the video or do I do the stuff from here? http://www.nullskull.com/faq/49/recover-windows-registry-when-no-restore-point-or-backup.aspx

[Varpin]

@SkilledRebuilds Oh, I noticed that on the video there isn't > mark just C:\

I have it like this= C:\> 

Would that be the problem that the commands doesn't work?

And would it be a good idea to choose the Start up repair if it does work?

[SkilledRebuilds]

20 minutes ago, Varpin said:

@SkilledRebuilds Well I got now something working! In the video at 0:33 I typed all the text what there was and now the commands prompt copied something. What do I do next? Do I keep watching the video or do I do the stuff from here? http://www.nullskull.com/faq/49/recover-windows-registry-when-no-restore-point-or-backup.aspx

Video kinda fucked itself up..

He mistypes something and the video should be deleted (Sorry I didnt catch this mistake, but its okay, we didnt get to that part yet)

 

After the step where we copied files to backup folder from regback folder (Which it seems you have now done after MD BACKUP and uses COPY *.* Backup)

Post below has relevant info, the spoiler below, is maybe too complex to understand, new post below, is easier method)

Spoiler

You should be in this folder...  If not, You can type

cd..

You should be in here...C:\Windows\System32\Config\ (If not, get here)

Type

 

cd regback

^This will move you INTO that directory.

copy *.* ..

^Those two ..'s are important. It means copy to the directory you just came from. So it will copy ALL the regback copies, into the directory windows needs to use.

 

 

[SkilledRebuilds]

With you having copies of the REGBACK folder into your Newly made BACKUPS folder.

You can now type at anytime...in the command prompt

 

cd \windows\system32\config\regback

xcopy c:\windows\system32\config\regback c:\windows\system32\config

 

 

^This is another way of putting " Copy *.* .." but is easier to understand.

And then all this should be finished, done and good, and a reboot should have Windows up and running (If steps were done correct)

[Varpin]

@SkilledRebuilds I couldn't do the cd regback command but this *.* I managed to do. I didn't manage to fix the problem trying the same thing again and something else if it doesn't work

[SkilledRebuilds]

1 minute ago, Varpin said:

@SkilledRebuilds I couldn't do the cd regback command but this *.* I managed to do. I didn't manage to fix the problem trying the same thing again ans something else if it doesn't work

Using this should now work fine. and is a different way of typing the "cd regback and copy command."

 

From anywhere in the command prompt.

Type the first line below to take you directly to the Backups you need.

Type the second line to copy them into the place windows needs.

cd \windows\system32\config\regback

xcopy c:\windows\system32\config\regback c:\windows\system32\config

If they copied fine, you should be able to restart and use your PC.

[Varpin]

@SkilledRebuilds It can't find any files to copy when I do these two commands  cd \windows\system32\config\regback

xcopy c:\windows\system32\config\regback c:\windows\system32\config  everything else seems to be working now.

[SkilledRebuilds]

32 minutes ago, Varpin said:

@SkilledRebuilds I couldn't do the cd regback command but this *.* I managed to do. I didn't manage to fix the problem trying the same thing again ans something else if it doesn't work

Possibly by doing this ^Bold section^ without the regback command, it possibly screwed up.

Is it possible you copied the regback files OUT of that directory by accident?

 

Inside the directory below being...

C:\Windows\System32\Config\Regback

type

DIR/W <-- spaced out that is D I R / W, but type it without the spacing.

This will show files inside that directory, you should have 5 files.

Default / SAM / Security / Software / System

If they are not there, Either Windows did something wrong, or you've accidently copied them out of there somewhere else.

 

The Goal is..

Copying THOSE 5 files from

C:\Windows\System32\Config\Regback

Into here

C:\Windows\System32\Config\

Then the process is complete.

[Varpin]

@SkilledRebuilds Sorry but its hard to say, because I don't know even what I'm doing. Just following what you're saying lol  But I think I got it working now because the pc is doing something! 

Btw is it possible to save thing what I want from the HDD if I just plug it into another pc? I have the OS on the HDD too so what would happen if I plug it into another pc?

[SkilledRebuilds]

But when you say "Your PC is Doing something" What do you mean?

 

 

Into another machine its possible though. You can do that YES.

EXAMPLE being

You will have multiple drives in Windows...

Your drive, in a new system, is likely going to be a D: (for example)

 

So you'd wanna copy 5 files from

(Replace D:\ with WHATEVER your drive letter yours actually is in the new pc if it is NOT D:\)

D:\Windows\System32\Config\Regback

Into here

D:\Windows\System32\Config\

[Varpin]

@SkilledRebuilds Awesome! Now I just 50 euros to build a budget pc  Would this work on Linux as well?

[Varpin]

@SkilledRebuilds When I said the pc is doing something, It did something with all the things on the HDD, but not sure what. But it didn't work. I guess that I just build the pc  

[SkilledRebuilds]

This method for restoring registry would likely work on Linux (If IT recognises the windows drive and sees it)

Remember, ALL YOUR DOING... is copying from ONE directory to One Other.

[Varpin]

Okay! 

 

@SkilledRebuilds One more thing to ask. If I put the HDD with the OS in it fom the pc to the 50 euro pc and Install another OS to the same HDD (for example Linux) would it work? Like I mean it would boot the pc into Linux not into Windows because I don't have anything to activate it again so that wouldn't work. Or is it smarter just to buy a used or new HDD and install OS into it and then just plug the HDD form the pc which now has windows

[SkilledRebuilds]

Linux reading Windows drives is more involved than I thought.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/MountingWindowsPartitions

 

Another installation of Windows or another PC can likely get you access to THOSE files you need to get.

 

It just sucks there isn't a simpler way. (The command prompt regback should have worked but I'm guessing "When your PC was doing the copying" the wrong command was typed, or the step before it was skipped (you said you could not get "cd regback" to work)

 

Once you have access to that regback directory (from another OS/System) it should be a simple process.

 

Just trying to get access to those files right now... is hard without an OS to make it easier to find them... (Especially if they wer accidently moved)

 

And finally, if thats all too annoyingly hard or just outright annoying, backup all YOUR DATA files you want to keep from your windows drive, and do a full reinstall (which I know u dont wanna do) but it may be faster to get it up n running at this point in time.

[Varpin]

@SkilledRebuilds Okay! Thank you for helping me this much, I really appreciate it!

[SkilledRebuilds]

No problems mate, any questions feel free to ask, I'll answer if Im awake

(Currently 2am)

Good luck matey.

[Varpin]

@SkilledRebuilds Hello! Just wondering if this kinda cable would work? https://www.verkkokauppa.com/fi/product/53466/gknjj/StarTech-USB-3-1-SATA-adapteri Its goes to the HDD and to a pc via USB cable, in my case into a laptop. Sorry for the site being in finnish!

 

Here's translated version: https://translate.google.fi/translate?sl=fi&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=fi&ie=UTF-8&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.verkkokauppa.com%2Ffi%2Fproduct%2F53466%2Fgknjj%2FStarTech-USB-3-1-SATA-adapteri&edit-text=&act=url

[SkilledRebuilds]

Probably, but if its made from a really cheap place, it may just NOT work at all.

It's a risk either way.

 

If it was easy to do, I'd tell you to use command prompt to shrink your Windows drive about 30GB and reinstall windows ON that 30GB partition, then access the files on your older partition (old windows) and then copy the files inside REGBACK to the CONFIG directory under it.

But it would require you to youtube guide search for it.