# Black Logon Screen (Windows Server 2008 R2)



## BurglarBill

I'm planning on installing Windows Server 2008 R2 on my desktop and adapting it into a workstation, seeing as I can get it for free and I'm fed up of XP. So I decided to install it on VirtualBox on my MacBook to try it out first. It was all working fine, but when I booted it up earlier today, the logon screen was completely black apart from the logo and the "ease of access" button.

I get the feeling the logon screen is there, but I can't get it to log in, however much I jab around at the screen and type my password in.

I wondered if it might be because I installed the Windows 7 logon screen, but when I'd tried to do that earlier it hadn't actually successfully installed and when I booted from the installation image, I look at the files that should have been changed using command prompt, but they don't appear to have changed.

I don't think it's anything to do with the fact it's running on a virtual machine; it was fine before and I haven't changed anything. I'm pretty sure it's something to do with the operating system itself and, whilst I've found similar issues such as the black screen of death and something similar on Windows Server 2003, but nothing that seems directly relevant. Obviously I've tried ctrl+alt+delete (which you'd think would work considering the ease of access thing does) and tried booting it in safe mode, with no luck.

Has anyone had the same problem? Or know of a way I could by-pass the logon screen by changing something in command prompt?

Here's a pretty screenshot:


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## peterh40

Sorry, you cannot run 64 bit OS' on Virtual Box. Windows 2008 R2 is 64 bit only. You will have to test it on a physical machine with a 64 bit processor or dual boot it.


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## BurglarBill

Thanks for the suggestion but... Yes I can. Firstly it's on the drop down list of operating systems when running the new virtual machine wizard, secondly it was running, thirdly it says you can in the documentation. It's definitely nothing to do with the fact it's a 64 bit operating system or it wouldn't have run at all.


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## Pookie

just of note I'm running 2k8 in virtualbox


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## BurglarBill

Yeah, so am I. It's running fine. It's just the operating system itself is broken and I have no idea how to fix it. Don't really want to have to reinstall it all again - I'd already changed loads of settings to make it a usable work station, but it looks like that's what I might have to do.

I just hope this doesn't happen when I install it on my PC!


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## aasimenator

May be a display driver issue. but then again its Mac so i have no clue


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## helpful

click in the virtual machine window and then randomly move your mouse, that is the windows screensaver


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## BurglarBill

That is not the Windows screensaver. Firstly Windows does not boot into a screensaver, secondly it does not have am ease of access button. Thirdly, that's exactly where the logo is on the normal login screen, fourthly I have used my mouse around plenty in order to try and log in (it seemed to me that everything was still there, it was just black but I haven't managed it). Thanks for trying to help but there is no way that's a screensaver.

I suppose it could be a display driver issue, but I haven't change any virtual box settings and it was working fine before. Is there a way to run Windows Update within command prompt?


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## helpful

Have you tried already enabling vga mode int the boot options menu for WS2008?


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## BurglarBill

It doesn't give me VGA mode unfortunately, only Safe Mode (with Command Prompt and with Networking as options as well).

I think what's happened is I've somehow lost the image files for the login screen when I tried to change it. Anyone know how I might be able to restore these files via command prompt?


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## avisitor

I mean, a repair install of 2k8R2 would probably do the trick.


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## BurglarBill

Apparently there isn't a repair install for Windows Server 2008 R2. Which is kind of not very helpful of Microsoft =P


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## avisitor

I think the closest you could get would be to run the installer as an upgrade to itself. (At least according to the MS KB).

Why don't you try booting from the CD, launching a command prompt and running sfc /scannow


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