Windows 7 Black Screen on startup - can I still transfer data to a new laptop safely

[shakey55]

Hi all, I have not been a member if this forum long, but have been helped by what I have learnt from here.

I won't go into to much detail, but recently on startup I got nothing but a black screen and could not even start in safe mode. I have tried many things and the best I can now do is start in safe mode. Nothing I do will let me startup windows 7 normally.

If I were to purchase a new laptop (this one is about three years old), can I still use a dat transfer cable and get all my data off with safety.


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[whs]

I would not use a data transfer cable. Copy your files from safe mode to an external disk (if you don't have one, buy one because you will need it for imaging). You can also use a large USB stick to park your data.

If none of that works, use my preferred tool.

And in the future, make an image to an external disk every week. Then you can get out of such a predicament in 20 minutes.

There is probably no need to buy a new laptop. 3 years old is not old. Once you saved your data, make a clean reinstallation following this guidance.

 

[shakey55]

Can I do the clean reinstall if I can only get into safe mode. Also I do not have win 7 disks, so should I buy win 7 or 8?


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[whs]

If you read my last link, you will know how it works. No need to buy anything for a clean install. Just get an external disk. And try to save your data first.

 

[Joe S]

If you don't want to do weekly images at least do them after the monthly Windows updates or any other major changes. You can download an image from here and burn it to disc http://www.mydigitallife.info/official-windows-7-sp1-iso-from-digital-river/.
Joe

 

[Saltgrass]

Is there anything on the black screen, like a blinking cursor? Does the mouse still move?

Have you checked it with an external monitor

 

[shakey55]

There is no blinking cursor, just the pointer in the middle of the screen that I can move around.

I can not enter safe mode


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[Saltgrass]

It sounds like the video is being sent to a different location and your are not able to view it. There could certainly be another situation but if you use Winkey-right arrow-right arrow-r does the system restart? Hit ESC to reset the Winkey options and try again if you need to.

Do you have keys on the system them move the video to different outputs?

Have you tried an external monitor

 

[Fixer1234]

It sounds like the video is being sent to a different location and your are not able to view it. There could certainly be another situation but if you use Winkey-right arrow-right arrow-r does the system restart? Hit ESC to reset the Winkey options and try again if you need to.

Do you have keys on the system them move the video to different outputs?

Have you tried an external monitor

When you power on the computer, what beeps, if any do you hear? Does the hard disk activity light flash at all (brief initial flash? extended flashing activity associated with boot up?) Can you hear the hard disk spin up? From the time you turn it on, how long does it take before you see a movable arrow on the screen? Do you see the normal boot window and Starting Windows window before the black screen and arrow appears?