Restarted it, in normal mode. Was checking a disk. Then I got a "Please wait..." which lasted until the powersave mode turned off the screen, about 10-15 minutes later. Turned it back on again & it's the same screen without the words; it just says 'Windows Vista Home Edition' at the bottom.
I'm turning it off for half an hour again.
[
edit to add]
I used different search terms & found someone whose problem sounded like mine (further on, it wasn't but it started the same). I followed this advice "type sfc /scannow then press enter"
Result: "Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.
Details are included in the CBS.Log windir\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. For example C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log
I have the prompt now but I'm not certain what to do next. I'll go ahead & search & see if I see anything else similar elsewhere on the forums.
edited again to addI didn't do anything over the weekend, but on a whim I booted it up Sunday night. It came up just fine.
So, it works again.
Edited by Sewicked, 15 September 2009 - 06:55 AM.