Stuck on Black Screen at startup

[v2p]

My computer was only running firefox and then completely froze out and I couldnt open task manager, switch users or anything. I let the computer sit there for a while not wanting to click anything thinking it would unfreeze by itself in a short while, and then suddenly a noise started coming out at regular intervals. Then the computer just switched off.

 

On restart I got a BSOD that i wrote down but ive lost the paper for the error message now. I ran the Recovery Console from the XP CD and chkdsk /r and it finished. When i restarted I got another BSOD:

 

"UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME"

 

I ran chkdsk /r using the Recovery Console again, with it completing and then this time on restart I got another BSOD message.

 

"Stop:C0000135 (unable to locate component) This application has failed to start because USP10.dll was found. Re-installing the application may fix this"

 

I ran chkdsk again a few times and nothing happened, still getting the same BSOD message on restart.

 

After more googling I found out to run a repair installation from the XP CD instead of the Recovery Console, the website I used just told me to "continue with on-screen instructions". So I ran the repair installation and the first time I ran it, the computer restarted and I thought it had been fixed. Windows XP appeared to be installing itself for the first time and I paniced because I thought I had accidentally pressed the wrong button and chosen to fresh install a copy of windows. I immediately held the power button to power-down my computer.

 

I now realise that it was supposed to happen.

 

Now if I try to boot the computer normally, or in safe mode, it will load the Windows logo with the green bar and then after that, it will stay on the black screen with a mouse. (no BSOD)

 

If I repeat the repair installation, it will tell me that a repair has already been started and do I want to continue with the repair, or start a fresh installation. When I continue with the repair, when the computer restarts it will follow the same steps as above and reach the black screen and I cannot get back to that blue windows setup screen which would've been the next part of the repair install.

 

What should I do now?

[Plastic Nev]

Hi V2p, and welcome to Extreme Tech Support - Free PC Help.

After reading through where you have got to a couple of times now while I thought this one through, there is one little nagging thing, and that is the hard drive may have either died or is seriously on the way there.

 

Bearing that in mind, and considering you must have access to another computer to have come here, I suggest that we look first at rescuing all the data you want off it and either temporarily putting it on the working computer, or to some other storage medium via that working one.

 

to do that you will need either a USB adapter or USB caddy, and to remove the hard drive from the duff machine and fit to either the adapter or caddy. You will need to know whether the drive is SATA or IDE, and obtain an adapter or caddy suitable for it.

 

Plug it into the working machine and if the drive has sufficient life left in it, it should show up as an external storage medium, similar to a USB pen or thumb drive.

 

Transfer all the data you need, once you are sure you have all you need, you at least can then be sure it is OK to experiment at refitting of the drive and reinstall of the operating system.

However, be aware that if I am right and the drive is nearly dead, you may not be able to retrieve any data.

 

However if all seems OK with the drive at this point, at least you have everything safe regarding your data, and the drive can then be refitted to the machine.

 

I would then try to go for a complete reinstall of XP.

If this again fails, which it may because of incomplete repair from last time, it may pay to reconnect to the working machine, and use the working machine to reformat the drive completely. NTFS being the file system if asked.

Nev.