# PC Won't start - Black screen; blinking cursor?



## mackmackn (Jan 4, 2011)

Hello all, I am hoping someone will be able to help me here... 

So the other day, my laptop (Toshiba Satellite A200) is going along happy as a clam, and I shut it down to leave for the day. When I get back that night, I press the power button and go to make some tea as it boots up but when I get back ten minutes later, there is nothing but this damned blinking "_" in the corner of the screen. 

I tried leaving it over night to see if it was just being obscenely slow, but to no avail. The next day I made a copy of Hiren's Boot Disk on my sister's computer on the recommendation of one of my friends, on which I used the "Boot from hard disk - Windows Vista/7". So the good news is that I am able to start the computer that way - I'm using it right now - but only using the boot disk. I tried doing a repair with my Windows 7 installation disk, but it couldn't find any problems.

I'm out of ideas now, any help?


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## indianacarnie (Nov 24, 2009)

Have you tried running sfc/scannow?
Open task manager,click file (upper lefthand ) pick new task(run), type in cmd. In the command prompt type sfc/scannow
It will check your files and repair corrupted ones. re-boot when finished.


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## mackmackn (Jan 4, 2011)

indianacarnie said:


> Have you tried running sfc/scannow?
> Open task manager,click file (upper lefthand ) pick new task(run), type in cmd. In the command prompt type sfc/scannow
> It will check your files and repair corrupted ones. re-boot when finished.


Thanks, I did the scan but still with the same problem.


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## AbrarZarifi (Jan 5, 2011)

Try to Start your* System in Safe mode *and restore the system definitely your problem w'll be solve 
for got Safe mode restat de system and continue press* F8*
Gud luck


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## indianacarnie (Nov 24, 2009)

Guess I have to agree with AbrarZarifi here. Either that or just go ahead and re-install.
I had a somewhat similar problem (black screen except for cursor) but mine was due to explorer.exe not running and the sfc/scannow fixed it for me. Have you ran malwarebytes in safe mode yet by any chance? If it's due to evil software that should get it.


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## vicks (Jan 31, 2005)

Try the following:
While computer is booting, continously/gently tap the F8 key. This should open the safe mode. If it does use the arrow keys to move up to the "last known good configuration" choice. click enter. Let the computer do it's thing. If this works I suggest that you update and run your anti virus, and anti malware/spyware programs. Then, open computer, right click on your "C drive" select properties. Click on tools tab, click on error checking. A box with to places to check will pop up, be sure both are checked. You will be asked if you want it to run the next time you boot computer. Select yes. Restart the computer. This can take anything from a few minutes to hours, so you will have to be patient.
Post back and let us know how it goes.
Vicks


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## mackmackn (Jan 4, 2011)

Is there another way to get to the Safe Mode menu? Tapping the F8 key only made it make that hideous beep, and it still went to the black screen.


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## vicks (Jan 31, 2005)

since you can open system using the boot disk, when you get the open window press the windows logo key and r at the same time. When the command window opens type sfc/scannow tap the enter key. Let it run and repair anything it finds. This could take quite a while. 
vicks


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## mackmackn (Jan 4, 2011)

vicks said:


> since you can open system using the boot disk, when you get the open window press the windows logo key and r at the same time. When the command window opens type sfc/scannow tap the enter key. Let it run and repair anything it finds. This could take quite a while.
> vicks


Yeah, still the same result. Maybe it's time to buckle down and reinstall Windows?


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