[Derek Kinch]

My computer was working fine yesterday, but i went to go turn it on today and all i get is a black screen with a blinking cursor in the top left hand corner. Any ideas as to what this can be and what caused it? I record a lot of music on this computer, but it has never given me this problem before.
Thanks.

[Advertisements]

Hi Derek Kinch,

Welcome to Geekstogo. My name is Salagubang and I'll be helping you with this problem.

I am still a trainee so all my posts will be checked by an Expert. It's your advantage that there are two people looking at your log but responses may be a little delayed so please be patient.

• Please read all of my response through at least once before attempting to follow the procedures described. I would recommend printing them out, if you can, as you can check off each step as you complete it. If there's anything you don't understand or isn't totally clear, please come back to me for clarification.
  
• Please do not attach any log files to your replies unless I specifically ask you. Instead please copy and paste so as to include the log in your reply. You can do this in separate posts if it's easier for you
  
• English is not my first language, so please do not use slang or idioms, as this makes it difficult to understand for me.

Due to the nature of the problem, I need to know basic information about the computer:

1. Is it a laptop or a desktop?
2. What is the Operating System?
3. Other than the blinking cursor, do you see the computer logo appear prior (or any other writings)?

Lets try this.

Step One

On a clean XP machine

• Please do the following:
  
• Go to Tools (drop-down menu at the top of the window)
• Go down and click Folder Options
• Click on the View tab
• Find the Hidden Files and Folders, find "Hide extension for known file types" and uncheck it (if it's already checked)
• Click Apply, and then Ok at the bottom.
• Close the window

Next

• Insert your USB Flash Drive (UFD).
• Download hpusbfw.exe to your Desktop.
• Double click "hpusbfw.exe" to run HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool 2.0.6.0.
  

  

  • Choose your USB under "Device"
  • For "File system", choose "FAT"
  • Under "Volume label", type in the name "Bootloader"
  • Leave un-checked "Quick Format" and "Create a DOS startup disk"
  • Click "Start"
• Copy these two files, from the root of the Windows drive (C:\) to the UFD:
  

  NTLDR
  Ntdetect.com

Next

• Open Notepad (go to Start>All Programs>Accessories and click Notepad)
• Copy the contents of the codebox below using CTRL+C (or selecting all the text in the box, and right clicking on it and selecting Copy)
  

  [boot loader]
  timeout=-1
  default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS
  [operating systems]
  multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="A) Emergency Boot Loader" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptOut
  multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Safe Mode" /safeboot:minimal /sos
  multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(2)\WINDOWS="B) Emergency Boot Loader 2nd Partition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptOut
  multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Safe Mode" /safeboot:minimal /sos
  multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="C) Alternate Boot Loader" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptOut
  multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Safe Mode" /safeboot:minimal /sos
  multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="D) Alternate Boot Loader 2nd Partition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptOut
  multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Safe Mode" /safeboot:minimal /sos
  

• Now return to Notepad and use CTRL + V (or rightclick on the whitespace and Paste) to paste the script
• Verify that you have pasted the complete script
• Save the Notepad file to the UFD as "boot.ini" using Save as Type: All files

Your Emergency Bootloader is now ready.

Booting using the Emergency Bootloader.

• Insert the USB (UFD) to the ailing computer.
• Reboot the system using the UFD Bootloader you just created.
• Depending on how the harddisk is partitioned, choosing (A) Emergency Bootloader will most of the time do the trick. If however it doesnt work, please try options B,C and D

Note : If you do not know how to set your computer to boot from USB follow the steps here

Step Two

Download OTL to your Desktop

• Double click on the icon to run it. Make sure all other windows are closed and to let it run uninterrupted.
• Under the Custom Scan box paste this in
  
  netsvcs
  drivers32
  /md5start
  winlogon.exe
  explorer.exe
  svchost.exe
  csrss.exe
  wininit.exe
  msgina.dll
  atapi.sys
  /md5stop
  msconfig
  safebootminimal
  safebootnetwork
  activex
  %SYSTEMDRIVE%\*.*
  %systemroot%\*. /mp /s
  c:\windows\minidump\*.*
  CREATERESTOREPOINT
  %systemroot%\System32\config\*.sav
  c:\system volume information|_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SYSTEM;true;true;true /FP
  c:\system volume information|_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SOFTWARE;true;true;true /FP
  type c:\boot.ini >> test.txt /c
  
• Click the Quick Scan button. Do not change any settings unless otherwise told to do so. The scan wont take long.
• When the scan completes, it will open two notepad windows. OTL.Txt and Extras.Txt. These are saved in the same location as OTL.
• Please copy (Edit->Select All, Edit->Copy) the contents of these files, one at a time, and post them in your next reply

[Salagubang]

Hi Derek Kinch,

Welcome to Geekstogo. My name is Salagubang and I'll be helping you with this problem.

I am still a trainee so all my posts will be checked by an Expert. It's your advantage that there are two people looking at your log but responses may be a little delayed so please be patient.

• Please read all of my response through at least once before attempting to follow the procedures described. I would recommend printing them out, if you can, as you can check off each step as you complete it. If there's anything you don't understand or isn't totally clear, please come back to me for clarification.
  
• Please do not attach any log files to your replies unless I specifically ask you. Instead please copy and paste so as to include the log in your reply. You can do this in separate posts if it's easier for you
  
• English is not my first language, so please do not use slang or idioms, as this makes it difficult to understand for me.

Due to the nature of the problem, I need to know basic information about the computer:

1. Is it a laptop or a desktop?
2. What is the Operating System?
3. Other than the blinking cursor, do you see the computer logo appear prior (or any other writings)?

Lets try this.

Step One

On a clean XP machine

• Please do the following:
  
• Go to Tools (drop-down menu at the top of the window)
• Go down and click Folder Options
• Click on the View tab
• Find the Hidden Files and Folders, find "Hide extension for known file types" and uncheck it (if it's already checked)
• Click Apply, and then Ok at the bottom.
• Close the window

Next

• Insert your USB Flash Drive (UFD).
• Download hpusbfw.exe to your Desktop.
• Double click "hpusbfw.exe" to run HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool 2.0.6.0.
  

  

  • Choose your USB under "Device"
  • For "File system", choose "FAT"
  • Under "Volume label", type in the name "Bootloader"
  • Leave un-checked "Quick Format" and "Create a DOS startup disk"
  • Click "Start"
• Copy these two files, from the root of the Windows drive (C:\) to the UFD:
  

  NTLDR
  Ntdetect.com

Next

• Open Notepad (go to Start>All Programs>Accessories and click Notepad)
• Copy the contents of the codebox below using CTRL+C (or selecting all the text in the box, and right clicking on it and selecting Copy)
  

  [boot loader]
  timeout=-1
  default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS
  [operating systems]
  multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="A) Emergency Boot Loader" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptOut
  multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Safe Mode" /safeboot:minimal /sos
  multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(2)\WINDOWS="B) Emergency Boot Loader 2nd Partition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptOut
  multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Safe Mode" /safeboot:minimal /sos
  multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="C) Alternate Boot Loader" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptOut
  multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Safe Mode" /safeboot:minimal /sos
  multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="D) Alternate Boot Loader 2nd Partition" /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptOut
  multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS="Safe Mode" /safeboot:minimal /sos
  

• Now return to Notepad and use CTRL + V (or rightclick on the whitespace and Paste) to paste the script
• Verify that you have pasted the complete script
• Save the Notepad file to the UFD as "boot.ini" using Save as Type: All files

Your Emergency Bootloader is now ready.

Booting using the Emergency Bootloader.

• Insert the USB (UFD) to the ailing computer.
• Reboot the system using the UFD Bootloader you just created.
• Depending on how the harddisk is partitioned, choosing (A) Emergency Bootloader will most of the time do the trick. If however it doesnt work, please try options B,C and D

Note : If you do not know how to set your computer to boot from USB follow the steps here

Step Two

Download OTL to your Desktop

• Double click on the icon to run it. Make sure all other windows are closed and to let it run uninterrupted.
• Under the Custom Scan box paste this in
  
  netsvcs
  drivers32
  /md5start
  winlogon.exe
  explorer.exe
  svchost.exe
  csrss.exe
  wininit.exe
  msgina.dll
  atapi.sys
  /md5stop
  msconfig
  safebootminimal
  safebootnetwork
  activex
  %SYSTEMDRIVE%\*.*
  %systemroot%\*. /mp /s
  c:\windows\minidump\*.*
  CREATERESTOREPOINT
  %systemroot%\System32\config\*.sav
  c:\system volume information|_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SYSTEM;true;true;true /FP
  c:\system volume information|_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SOFTWARE;true;true;true /FP
  type c:\boot.ini >> test.txt /c
  
• Click the Quick Scan button. Do not change any settings unless otherwise told to do so. The scan wont take long.
• When the scan completes, it will open two notepad windows. OTL.Txt and Extras.Txt. These are saved in the same location as OTL.
• Please copy (Edit->Select All, Edit->Copy) the contents of these files, one at a time, and post them in your next reply

[Essexboy]

Due to lack of feedback, this topic has been closed.

If you need this topic reopened, please contact a staff member. This applies only to the original topic starter. Everyone else please begin a New Topic.