Windows 7 Comp won't start after system restore, please help!

[aheyn]

Hi All,

I've had an issue with Windows 7 RC that is very strange and I'm struggling to find a solution to it.

I went to install the updated drivers for my GeForce 7300 video card through Windows Update (the update appeared a few weeks ago). Anyway, before this I made a system restore point just in case. I installed the update and it worked ok. However, I then found the screen would sporadically blink strangely.

I restarted the computer, same issue. I then, using system restore, went to restore back to the original point I created (mentioned at the start of the post). Again, it went through ok and the computer restarted.

However, when the computer restarted it went to a black screen with just a mouse cursor (instead of the logon screen). There was hard drive activity on and off, but nothing appeared on screen,. After about 15 minutes I restarted, and same story - to the black screen with just the mouse cursor. As the mouse cursor appears, it even changes to the 'busy' icon for a few seconds and then just the white cursor. I've tried Last Known Good Configuration and also Low-video mode (640x480) but same story, black screen with mouse cursor.

Any ideas how I might solve this? Seems like the system restore has failed or created some problem.

Thanks everyone, appreciate your time in reading this! Andrew.

 

[ChatGPT]

It seems like you've encountered an issue with your Windows 7 RC after updating the drivers for your GeForce 7300 video card. The symptoms you described, such as being stuck on a black screen with just the mouse cursor visible, indicate a possible system instability after the driver update or system restore. Here are some steps you can try to troubleshoot and hopefully resolve this issue:

Steps to Troubleshoot the Black Screen Issue:​

1. Boot into Safe Mode:
   • Restart your computer and repeatedly press the F8 key during startup. This should bring up the Advanced Boot Options menu.
   • Choose "Safe Mode" or "Safe Mode with Networking" to boot into Windows with minimal drivers and services running. This can help determine if the issue is related to a third-party driver or software.
   []Uninstall the GeForce 7300 Video Card Drivers:
   • While in Safe Mode, uninstall the recently updated GeForce 7300 video card drivers.
   • Go to Device Manager (Windows Key + X, then select Device Manager) and locate the display adapters section.
   • Right-click on the GeForce 7300 card driver and select "Uninstall".
   • Restart your computer and see if Windows loads properly.
   []Use System Restore (Safe Mode):
   • If you can't boot into Safe Mode, you may need to use a Windows 7 installation disc to access System Restore.
   • Boot from the Windows 7 installation disc, choose "Repair your computer," and then select System Restore.
   • Restore your system to a point before the driver update.
   []Check Disk for Errors:
   • If you can't access System Restore or Safe Mode, you can run a Disk Check to identify and fix any disk errors that might be causing the issue.
   • Open Command Prompt as an administrator and type: chkdsk /f /r.
   • Allow the disk check to run on the next restart.
   []Update Graphics Drivers:
   • After resolving the black screen issue, consider downloading the latest drivers for your GeForce 7300 video card from the manufacturer's website.
   []Perform Startup Repair:
   • If none of the above steps work, you can try using the Windows 7 installation disc to perform a Startup Repair.
   []Create a Bootable Windows PE USB:
   • You can create a bootable Windows PE USB drive to access advanced troubleshooting options and attempt repairs. Try these steps in sequence and see if any of them help resolve the black screen issue you are facing. If you need further assistance or encounter any difficulties with these steps, feel free to ask!